143CAR.com - Hot Hatch Test: Ford Focus ST vs. Mazdaspeed 3 vs. Volkswagen GTI 

The speed3 has crazy raw power it's raw,barely any restrictions, just raw power. No respect to the driver. That is why I love the speed3

too bad you cant get a sunroof in it ....

@@alanmorden8181 Oh no added weight and now I can't look up at the clouds. Whatever will I do?

Personally I think the speed 3 looks the best, the gti is boring looking while the st looks like a shruken fish minivan

@@final3119 go on youtube and be a dick ? but seriousy a sunroof is nice on a sports car , i guess you dont agree.

Brennon Dan I completely agree. I think sometimes people get a little to fixated on torque steer and turbo lag being bad. I mean sure, if you are only chasing lap times but personally i think it really adds to the car's character!

143CAR I made that comment last night on this video that's over a year old and you reply the next day! Now that's caring about your channel and its viewers. Awesome!

Brennon Dan Hey Brennon haha yeah not a problem. I really try to reply to all of them as soon as I can! I think its important for me to be able to respond, as sometimes I feel the video thing can be a bit one sided - "here is my review and that is that". I want to be able to communicate with people and discuss further about this stuff! And maybe sometimes stick up for my opinions as well...not that anybody ever gets upset over opinions on youtube :P

yeah who gets upset about opinions on the internet! ... lol....

+Brennon Dan GTI with the 6 speed will spin the wheels first through fourth.

Wow thanks Jordan! I am so completely humbled by your comments. Thanks for subscribing and stay tuned!

honestly i would take any of these cars. ALL DAY. haha thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks for watching and commenting Philip!

Thanks Evan! Totally agree with you; lots to the Mazdaspeed 3 and it gets deeper the more you delve into the car. Thanks for the kind words! Please subscribe if you enjoyed what you saw! Cheers

get a rear motor mount from cobb tuning or corksport. it'll help with that torque steer.

+thomas kingston Hey Thomas thanks for the kind words! Yes you should absolutely be excited. I had the pleasure of driving the Focus back home after the shoot and honestly it covered ground the only way a hot hatch can! The touchy brakes and pedal positions are bit off putting for me, so make sure you are ok with both those. Congrats on the new car and enjoy!

+143CAR Very cool mate Thanks

Hi Dallas. Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way 🙂. Thanks for watching!

Thanks for the kind words Lee! On top of the reviews you see here, we also try to really get involved in the automotive community, so you'll see us doing features on what we think are either special groups of people here as well. On top of videos, we also try to bring pictures to people as well, so we have a facebook page, website (that has some written stuff), Instagram account, and twitter as well. Check out our links in description above! Thanks for the sub!

Thanks corozaleno21! So far the new GTI looks good - hoping to get my hands on one real soon. PS: I still think the GTI is the king of hot hatches ;)

Sharod101 Hey Sharod thanks for watching and commenting. I really do appreciate the amount of thought you have put into your points! A few comments from my side: - As much as I do like the GTI (the new mark 7 one especially), i have to agree with you on the reliability perspective. I've test driven two golfs this year (a 1.8TSI and the new GTI) and both were press cars, and both had issues. I do feel they are a good all rounder though, but would only get one if it was leased and within warranty. - The Focus is a more difficult one for me; to be honest I actually didn't feel like the car was driving "for" me, and after the initial phase I actually felt that they had done a nice job of making these aids feel natural and effective. I loved its pace, and also for us North Americans that its just a bit different? I've heard that some of the brake issues can be overcome with new brake pads but only ST owners will truly know. The thing that I have concerns over is the build quality. European Fords are some of the more reliable out there, but the Mexican built example we had had large panel gaps (which I think they have since fixed), which point to some sketchy build quality. I hope that Ford is able to overcome this. - Yes the MS3. I loved the way it drove but the interior quite honestly felt the worst of the three. And you could argue that the electronics limiting the torque in 1st and 2nd gear is also "driving the car for you", albeit less effectively then you would find in the Ford. And yes - good luck finding one now. - I haven't driven a WRX in awhile, but in my mind the WRX in stock form handles worse than all three of these cars. Yes, it has a lot of grip, but the car has a tendancy to understeer so you really have to chuck it into corners to get it to move for you, which is a somewhat committed technique and not something you can do just anywhere (ie not on the streets). For me, I want a car that has a lot of character and depth to its ability (if that makes sense) and to me the WRX does not have this. What it does have is a nice turbo boost and WRX heritage, but for me thats not enough to convince me to buy one. And yes, Subaru does build some pretty reliable cars, but the EJ platform engine is infamous for its ability to blow head gaskets when turbocharged. The good news ultimately is that there are more options coming down the pipeline. For me, the Golf R, upcoming Focus RS, and new SkyActive Mazdaspeed 3 will herald a new wave of hot hatches that will finally help us get closer to what Europe has had access to all this time. I really do believe we are in a golden age of motoring for the enthusiast, where despite emissions regulations, crash test safety, and environmentalists demanding the end of cars we still have such choice. Enjoy while you can!

Sharod101 I've owned two out of three of these cars and have friends as work with speed3's and the Mazda has the worst interior of all, it's not so much that it's bad, it's just dated and in need of a refresh. The Gti easily has the best interior and is the most civilized and easiest to live with. In terms of performance, the Mazda and the Focus are more aggressive and less refined than the Gti. In terms of quality I'd say the Gti will definitely need to most attention, but if cared for properly it wouldn't be too bad. The Mazda and Ford have very similiar engine architecture despite the difference in displacement, so I'd expect them to both be relatively trouble free. As for the brake torque vectoring in the Ford, it's completely unnoticeable and takes nothing away from the driving experience and is really nothing more than a function of the abs system which is very simple and fairly bulletproof. In terms of exterior quality the Gti has an advantage, out of the these three manufacturers the VW will generally have the better quality paint and panel alignment. The panel gap and paint on the ford can be spotty and the quaility can be rough around the edges to be honest, but it's a mass produced focus so that can be expected. Mazda paint is typical of newer Japanese cars, pretty thin and not terribly durable. All three cars have their ups and downs and I'd rather drive any of them over something boring and sedated on a daily basis.

+Sharod101 Love the Mazdaspeed3. Have one back home in Germany and another one here in Florida where I am studying for university.

XxMetalGorxX Wow that is dedication!

143CAR haha danke!. dream is to trade it in for hopefully a 3rd generation speed3 :)

fsflip3111 Thanks!! If you like what you saw please subscribe!

thanks guitarzan134! Totally agree with you; the ST's torque vectoring is very competent but I could see how the constant use of brakes could affect it on something like a track day. Its pretty crazy that you have seen it go through an entire set of pads in one day though! Thanks for the kind words - much appreciated!

+scoobeydoooo Thanks for watching and commenting! And i totally agree with you! I loved the "who cares how the grip is coming down" attitude of the MS3, and in the handling department it was pretty good but didn't have the turn in or responsiveness of the ST. Both good choices...just depends on your attitude i guess!

I have a MS3 too! Down pipe, Gt- Innovation and a turbo smart valve off!!! It's a very fast car! Can't get bored with it 😎!

+143CAR I drove the MS3 about a year ago, I definitely will never forget that experience. The MS3 is like a roller coaster when you get into boost. It kicks you in the ass really really hard. I want one, but I have to make more money first. That's why I'm looking for another job lol.

Devonte Murray Totally agree and thank you!

scoobeydoooo

Thanks abner0fedor! Glad you enjoyed it. Have you subscribed? Would mean a great deal to me if you could - thanks!

Thanks Mazdaspeed L for watching and commenting! Yes you are correct the Mazdaspeed 3 does have the benefit of a true LSD, vs the other cars which do rely a bit more on the torque vectoring/brake effect to achieve the "LSD" type effect. Thanks for watching again!

Awesome videos and comments on the car. I watched some of your other videos, many of your comments are exactly the same with what I thought about those car.i am a Big fan of your channel now.

Thanks Mazdaspeed L! Your kind words and support are very appreciated! Cheers

143CAR I just started working a major new and used car dealership in the marketing department, I'm gonna be trying some car review videos out myself and appreciate the amazing review! Do you just use a dslr and/or go pros to film? what about audio? I believe i see a lapel mic.

Thanks Richie! Yes we use a couple of DSLRs and some GoPros to capture the shots. Lapel mic to ensure the audio is ok. Good luck!

Hey MJ - sorry for the super delayed response. RU-vid kind of shows comments in a weird way sometimes. Ok so to address your comment about how i thought the ST "feels faster", I want to be clear that I mean the ST feels faster through both corners and straights overall. In terms of straight line, the MS3 "feels" faster with the big turbo lag followed by the kick, but I think the MS3 would be slower on most roads/tracks with a combination of straight line and corners. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks Adam! Your kind words are much appreciated.

+John Thanks! Yeah lovely drive. This was the Duffey Lake loop in case you were curious.

Frank Briganti Thanks for the kind words Frank - much appreciated! I wish all the best in your hunt. I think the MS3s will be hard to find (in good nick), but the new GTI is much better than the one I reviewed here and the ST is a solid car. Try them all and find which fits what you are looking for best! Good luck!

Thanks for the kind words! Much appreciated! Please subscribe if you enjoyed what you saw! Cheers

Thanks dharmaboy75! Just doing some quick research it looks like most of the rust issues were on pre-2007 vehicles, and since this is a gen 2 Mazda 3 body I think you're ok. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Thanks daison96! Appreciate the kind words. I feel its my job to be as unbiased as possible, but yes I can appreciate the work that each manufacturer has put into these cars! Thanks for watching again, and please subscribe if you enjoyed what you saw! Cheers

+Dean Landman holy nice work!

+Sam Patterson well Sam do you have that "upgrade"? I mean that doesn't mean shit because i could upgrade my ms3 as well to go above 800 hp so you comment isn't really valid

+Sam Patterson well Sam I don't mean to throw hate around. I love and appreciate all cars. but I'm just saying I've not come across a gti yet that has beat me. and I'm really glad you are happy with your car. I'd love to race ya. 350 isn't bad but like I said I got a little more power going to my wheels than your gti but I bet it would be one hell of a match. who knows. I have 375 to 385 hp to the wheels but that doesn't always mean my car is faster. but yea i guess in my area I am one of the few that's heavily modded against the other cars in my class. even race a Nissan 350z that's bolted and we take turns winning runs. also killed a few Mustang 5.slows

Hey junkfruit! Thanks for watching and commenting. This is known as the "duffy lake loop". Best part is Pemberton towards Lillooet (and if you have time, beyond Lillooet). Enjoy!

Hey Andre G - thanks for watching and commenting! I agree the turn-in on the ST is pretty amazing, although if I was on an auto-x course I feel like I would appreciate the more linear response of the ST's motor. Day-day driving though - the MS3's hard kick is the one to have. Hope you are enjoying the ST and thanks again for watching! PS: sound symposer or not, I still enjoyed the ST's noise ;)

Haha thanks for the kind words and great writeup Tamir! Its seriously people like you that keep me going sometimes when i'm at 6am having pulled an all nighter and hoping that I'll get more than a hundred views! I totally understand your choice and its a good one; the ST is a car that I would probably buy if I was looking for a hot hatch right now! And all good with the stalling bit; i've done my fair share during my own learning (especially when my dad taught me and didn't tell me I had to press the clutch in while coming to a stop). Overall, I'm just glad that people are driving manuals; its extremely disappointing to me these days how manufacturers are chasing EPA mileage numbers and 0-60 times to justify the conversion to automatics. There really is no replacement for manuals in my mind and it will be a sad day when they become extinct, as its all about the "smiles per gallon" that I get when I drive and a manual is a big part of that. All the best to you and your ST!

Yeah of course those manufacturers have to stick to the script of what makes sense with whatever their marketing and finance departments are pouring down the engineers' throats. As can be seen with Mazda scratching out the speed3 for the new upcoming models with new design language (in addition to delivering the news that RX is never coming back and so forth). I sincerely applaud Ford for not being afraid to make a car that makes such little sense to so many for the benefit of so few. Man I cant tell you how little I care about 0-60 because I live one mile from one of northern California's longer twisty mountain roads and own a focus ST. So Accord V6 owners can rejoice when they get me by half a car length but Ill bet all my money they dont have 10% of the fun. Honestly dude, your review is right up there in quality with the likes of /Drive, motortrend head2heads, and carthrottle. I in fact enjoyed yours more than the aforementioned ones, and I have not a single clue what the hell any of the naysayers in the comments are talking about. Talking from a true objective car enthusiast standpoint, you have a true talent. You've gained a fan in me! And thank you, all the best to you as well!

Tamir Alquran wow honestly I am so humbled by your comments. Stay tuned! We got some great stuff coming up this year as well! Also if you want more, we have usual social media crap in the form of IG, Facebook, and our newly rennovated website! Thanks again!

Brian Dixon Thanks Brian! Yes I really try to make a point of responding to EVERY comment made. Some of them I physically can't respond to for whatever reason so i usually at least try to give it a thumbs up so people know i'm alive haha. I understand that people will naturally have different opinions from myself, and that is the beauty of cars; you can just get and drive the one that best suits your taste! Thanks for the sub! That is much appreciated!

Agreed!

Hey William! 2.3L eco-boost engine (from the Eco-boost Mustang) shoved into a Focus. SUPER EXCITED and will definitely put out a video for that one when it comes out! Thanks for watching and commenting!

Kian Fallahi haha thanks man! I'd say drive them both! The preferences will be dependent on your personality and nuances.

143CAR I'm smitten with the Speed3. Have test driven several and love the power. My heart says Speed3, but the Focus was so much smoother, refined, responsible. The MS3 can get so f'ing rough, I'm afraid long term it'll wear on me as a DD

Kian Fallahi yolo I say. And if it doesn't work out, I'm sure you find lots of people to buy the car off of you! Haha happy hunting

My choice too! Hope the next one is just as good if not better :)

Thanks for the kind words Nic! Three excellent choices here (albeit one isn't really available anymore). Stay tuned; there is a rumoured Mazdaspeed3 coming out in 2016 (if you can wait that long haha). Cheers!

143CAR Haha! I don't think I can wait that long! I always loved RWD but, I need something more practical like MS3.

nicwayfarer If you can find one, that is a good car! Otherwise the ST is a good alternative. If you have a few more grand to spend there's always the WRX? Good luck Nic! But yes a RWD hatch would be AWESOME

143CAR Yes, my second option would be ST, Haven't had time test drive any of these cars yet, but I will soon. Regarding the WRX, it's little above my price range haha (But I'd consider if I could get a good deal!). Keep the videos comin Jon! You have a new subscriber here!

nicwayfarer Good luck Nic! And thank you for subscribing! More good stuff to come. We also have a Facebook page too (sorry for the plug) where we'll have little snippets with updates if you can't wait the (sometimes long) time between videos. Thanks again for subscribing!

Hey ajfam871 - The speed3 is a very good car (so congrats on the car!). I'm not sure what world area you are in, but the ST comes standard with Recaros (there is only a choice of cloth recaros vs. leather recaros I believe). Also, in Canada the ST and MS3 is similar in price, with the WRX being at least 5k more, and I found that the ST has better turn in than any WRX I have driven. Hope you enjoyed the video! Thanks again for commenting

+N Lanham Thanks man! Honestly i quite enjoy the discussion that we are having here, and you are right - for the most part its pretty civilized, and I feel like i'm just chatting with people at a cars and coffee meet! I totally hear you on the MS3 - i loved how raw it felt! no i didn't think the power delivery was smooth but thats why I enjoyed it more. THe ST's chassis was seriously impressive though and I can't help but think that if the pedals were better positioned and the brakes less grabby that i might have given it the nod instead! Although I felt the GTI was a distant third place from the other two, I recently drove the mk7 and that car is a HUGE improvement over the 6th and would have this a much tighter contest! I totally agree about the Cobalt; honestly in my mind the whole "whos quicker" thing doesn't really do anything for me. Its all about how these cars make you feel! Thanks again for your thorough and detailed thoughts. Lets keep it going!

Hey DomMega44; thanks for watching and commenting. You are correct in pointing out that I didn't mention the LSD, but when I said that the car has "nothing", I meant it had "nothing" below 3000rpm in the power band. Hope you enjoyed the video anyway!

Also if you could get the chance to review one within the next week or so before I make my decision I would greatly appreciate it. It's my first car, so I want it to be off the hook. Am sure you know how us guys are lol

livinglegend955 Hey livinglegend955! To be perfectly honestly I haven't driven one as we don't get the diesels here in North America (I hate saying that). This is mostly due to the strict California emissions regulations which kind of spoil it for the rest of North America. But if I had to make an educated guess (and assuming it is on the new generation SkyActiv diesels), I would say:- the diesel should have lots of torque which is something that would really benefit a car like the Mazda 3 - the diesels have been well reviewed and should give you really good performance for the buck. Mazda has worked hard to give you a wide power band (common complaint with diesels) while still giving you the fuel efficiency and torque that diesels are known for Have you driven one yet?

Oh ok, that's understandable. I like in the UK so we have no end to the range of hatchbacks. I've done my research on it. Seems like an amazing all rounder and the additional touches such as xenon headlights, heated leather seats, alloy wheels and much more. Just make the car all the more attractive to me. I've not yet driven one but I'll be test driving the one I want to purchase tomorrow.

livinglegend955 Yah honestly the new generation of Mazda 3 is a very compelling package. Good spec, pretty good quality, and the sat nav system (in Canada anyway) and HMI interface is quite good. I find the chassis is set up is pretty sharp as well. We have the SkyActiv 2.5 engine here and although the extra pep was appreciated, I found it made the chassis feel a bit one dimensional (the extra weight over the front wheels). I'm hoping this isn't the case with the diesel, as they can be heavier than an equivalent petrol engine. But everyone drives differently, and we all have different driving needs so take one out for a go! Best of luck!

***** Thanks for all the kind words! Stay tuned for more! We got some good things in the works :)

I'm looking at getting one coming from Hondas what exactly does it mean when I have read on the MazdaSpeed forums. .that you can't get on it right away because you risk going zoom zoom boom?

Kevin Ortega haha thats probably a reference to the torque steer steering you into a tree if you aren't used to it :P

+Dan Carney hey Dan! Thanks for watching, and putting so much thought into your commentary. I can see how people can dislike the "sound tube generator", but frankly a lot of new cars are having this now, and having some tuning go into your vents to funnel noise in is still better than artificially piping it through the speakers in my books. I think most can be plugged off and removed if you don't like it! I hope you are right that the new MS3 is coming out in 2017, but there hasn't been much news on it beyond some sketches. Would be a great triple test to have a Focus RS, MS3, and Golf R though! Haha I'll save that for another day.

of course its been 3 years so the VW needs a dozen $1,000 sensors, the Mazda constantly over heats and the ford has rusted into dust.

hahaha. I have decent vision, think Whole Foods is ALRIGHT (i prefer to call it Whole Paycheque), and i quite like the tartan. And as to your second comment - pick your poison? Haha

Thanks sk8s4aliving; sorry we missed that detail.

+tomelliott9 good luck! I hope you are able to find one :)

143CAR Thanks! I've got my eye on 1 or 2 :)

Sam Patterson Really not my sort of car

to each their own right?

Thanks Joe - much appreciated! Did you want to subscribe? ;)

143CAR just did. :)

Thank you sir!!!

Thanks abner0fedor! I see you did subscribe. your support is much appreciated! As to your comment about a tuned ST; I would love to but would need an example to do this. Know anybody in the BC area that has one I could showcase?

143CAR I own a tuned 2013 Focus ST and I live in WA State. I'm about a 6 hour drive from BC, depending what area you're in. I'd be willing to let you drive my car if you wanted to do a review on a tuned ST :)

Tony Birch Thanks for the offer Tony! Hmm I think at one point I'd like to do this but I have a few projects on the go right now. Appreciate the offer though, and will definitely have to keep in touch!

Tony Birch I agree with Tony, I also reside in Seattle with a sponsored, built and tuned 2011 Mazdaspeed3. maybe you can do a review for a head to head tuned vehicle, the ST and MS3. This would make for a great video to show the potential of two tuned hatches.

Acuravigor47 Tony Birch - oh man you guys are making it hard to say no haha. I think if we did do this we would need a track to fully realize the potential of both your cars; with the higher output i think its probably best if we do this. Also - this review didn't contain a track so that might be something new to discover there. Is this something you guys would be interested in? Head to head battle of tuned FWD turbo'd cars?

Hey Ryan! Short answer = Mazdaspeed3. I say this for a few reasons: 1. Its Japanese and built in Japan, so the QC is typically better. 2. The Mazdaspeed right now is no longer produced, so its value will be high now (until the new Mazdaspeed comes out, and even then it will still hold its value decently as a limited production car). GTIs are everywhere and if you live in North America, built in Mexico. The ST is built in Brazil and even when I had my tester there was some panel gaps that were inconsistent. Hope that answers your question!

143CAR Thanks. Great review and response. I guess it will come down to test driving the 2015 mazda3 GT and seeing if i like it enough compared to the 2015 GTI. I'm getting an automatic and using it mostly as a commuter so the mazda might be the way to go. Just love the GTI. I have a few months to decide at least.

ryan kulla No problem Ryan, and glad to hear you enjoyed the review! Both are excellent cars, are actually not as far apart dynamically as some may think it to be. Best of luck and have fun on your hunt!

Thanks Grant! The reason why I felt the Ford was the quickest was because it just generally seemed more composed than the MS3 overall, and thus I felt it would be quicker on the track. No real numbers to prove this of course :). Thanks for the kind words and watching!

Totally agree and good choice! Honestly there is nothing to scoff at Ford these days. Thanks for watching and commenting!

A bit late, funny I also walked into a ford dealership and walked out with a speed 3 :)

265justy i know the looks aren't for everyone, but I really quite like the MPS / MS3 looks. I still felt the Focus would be faster at a track, as it made better use of its power but you are probably right about the reliability thing. Thanks for watching and commenting!

valid point!

Hey Keith! Yah totally agree. I felt I could get in an drive faster with the ST, but ultimately I felt it felt like the car was doing some of the work for me. The MS3 IS raw and IS a bit unrefined, but that's actually why I liked it. You felt like you were in control. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Hey Acuravigor47 - first off thanks for watching and commenting! I should probably clear up this by saying that the Mazdaspeed3 is by no means a "slow" car. What I should have said is that although it is up on the ST in torque and horsepower, it didn't feel as fast as it was challenged to put the power down onto the road and had a relatively narrow power band. In the corners, the car didn't feel as planted as the ST (partially due to the tire differences, and partially due to the torque vectoring the ST had). It is by no means a bad car, just different. Hope that clears it up for you a bit? Congrats on the car btw - it is a good one!

143CAR Thanks for the reply.

Acuravigor47 no problem dude! Thanks for commenting. I owe you a reply at least

Hey Janko! I guess the awesome thing is that you have those choices out there :).Thanks for watching and commenting!

143CAR No problem man loved this review!!! You definitely earned a sub!

Janko The Editor Awesome thanks Janko!!

hey jjuhring1 - thanks for the detailed explanation and discussion and happy you enjoyed the video. For me I think I would still take the MS3 and its dominatrix-like attitude which I like to think of as "exciting" :). Like I said, all the cars are good in their way, and i think it ultimately will depend on your own personality which will help you determine the one that suits you best. Just curious - what tires did you have on the car during the colder months? Haha and yes i definitely made some faces in the ST, but i also made some while driving the MS3 however those unfortunately did not make the final cut. Thanks again for watching and I hope you get to watch some of our other vids!!

143CAR True, I kept the summer tires that came on the MS3, as I wasn't prepared to drop another $1K right out of the gate on a set of winter tires. Also, in hindsight I never really liked the MS3 seats. I'm a smaller guy, 160 lbs, and in comparison the Recaro's in the ST are glorious! Please keep posting the great reviews... and perhaps in the future don't edit out so much of the emotional footage. =)

jjuhring1 haha thanks for the tip jjuring1! Will definitely keep more of the "emotional" stuff in next time. Yeah I think with all three of these cars its just about finding one that suits your own personality. I totally agree with you; found the MS3's seats not quite supportive enough, and found those Recaros in the STs to be a seriously good feature. Thank you for the kind words and please subscribe if you enjoyed what you saw!

Thanks for watching and commenting Corey! Honestly on any given day I could EASILY go for any of these cars. Tough choice, but you made a good one. And pretty good for the price you paid for! Congrats man

I agree. I was "going to get a WRX" (that's what I said for 5 years), but when the hatch went away in 2014, and the Focus ST came out in 2013, it seemed like a no brainer. I paid only $25k (no trade!) with every option except color (including rado wheels, moon roof, ST3) and GTI, Speed3, WRX couldn't even come close in price- and to me performance! Now I can haul my mountain bike, kayak, and XC skis around at 154mph...while getting 28mpg...for the price of a family sedan!

Gerald Audet That's a good deal you got with no trade! like my sticker price for Black ST was $31K it got brought down to 20k with a trade in and family discount then after taxes it got brought back up too almost 22K. And at a 55mph roll off against the more powerful STI the STI Barely pulls away from ya but a FSWerks Cold Air intake and cat-back exhaust along with a ecu tune you'll beat the STI from a 45-55mph roll off hands down. just the STI will smoke ya from a standing start all day courtesy of the awd that we all wish we had in a ST

Corey Thaemert I honestly didn't know this. I've only had my car 1300 miles, so no mods yet, but debating...might just wait and get track pads, rotors, sticky rubber and steel wheels first and spend my time tracking...

Corey Thaemert its interesting how people have been calling for AWD on this car but i'm not sure it really needs it? I mean sure off the line but in the dry I really didn't notice any major advantages given the weight penalty of the AWD. Good conversation!

Unfortunately with the laws as tight as they are where I am some things are not shown on camera for public roads ;)

Hey James. By all "objective" means you are correct. The DSG shifts more quickly and smooth than we could ever hope to in a manual, but I felt "bored" without the engagement of the manual. I'll always prefer the three pedals and a shifter two some paddles behind the steering wheel, but thats just me.

There is so much back and forth about this but its really down to opinion and what you like to use

Immortaliz3d thanks Immortaliz3d! Yeah i think all three are pretty good looking cars although the smiley face is not for everyone. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Hi BigBear. Thanks for watching and commenting! In short, my life has changed in ways that doesn't allow me the time commitment to produce the quality that we've come to expect from ourselves. On average, it was about an hour of editing for every minute of content that you see, not counting the countless hours of cataloging and organizing the many hours of film content we would grab during a shoot, difficult already with a very full time job (and I wasnt ready to quit). I've loved all the experiences and friends I've made in this process but there are just more important things in life now. I really appreciate the support you and others have shown us over the years! Thank you!

Hi Christopher - totally agree with you. I think the cool thing is that none of these cars are bad; just need to find the one that works for you. Congrats on your car - its a good one!

shame they don't make the car any more, and congrats on your car. Hope you enjoyed watching

+Justin C WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa

yeahh....TURBOOOOO haha

Agreed. However I'm not sure how Mazda would do another hot hatch; the 2.3 DISI engine was the last of its breed and with Mazda's new emphasis on SkyActiv I don't see any higher powered engines getting stuffed into the Mazda body; I'm just not sure a 2.5L or CX-9 engine would be as exciting. And yes; i'm not sure why it takes so long to bring the newest generation of GTIs over =/. Thanks for watching and sharing Eric!

i think AWD is overrated in anything but slippery conditions quite honestly. You have increased complexity, more power losses, and AWD cars (generally speaking) just aren't as interactive as a 2WD car is. I do know what you are saying though...280lbft is a lot for the front wheels to deal with!

+Dziadu haha good point/observation and I can assure you that I did test it "properly" ;). My comment about Ford not having the fear to build a lower production hatchback is not a comment that is meant to be directed at Ford, but more at its competitors that have the resources but have not built one (aka Toyota), or ones that have one but don't bring it to a pretty big market like North America (aka Honda). For me, a hot hatch back is a brave move for Ford because this is now a "world" car. For many years, NA did not receive these cars and I think that is due to the North American market not desiring hatchbacks and estates the way Europeans do. Thanks for watching and commenting!

About Ford not having the fear... I feel convinced by your arguments ;) Take care

Hey Herfinnur; thanks for watching and commenting. No matter how much I want more people to buy these cars, they are ultimate niche cars in the grand scheme of things, especially in good ol' North America. I'm hoping that if we get more cars out this market that people would change their mind over time? Also just curious - which hot hatches are you referring to from both Honda and Toyota? I believe the Civic Type R is not yet a thing of reality and Toyota...well outside of the 86 (and not counting Lexus) I'm not sure they really make anything you could consider "hot".

If you only meant north America, you should probably have specified that in the segment. RU-vid belongs to the world ;) As for the Hoinda and Toyota hot hatches, I should have googled before I posted, because it seems they are not part of the segment right now. Honda had a Civic Type R and Toyota had the Yaris RS, but I see that they are not part of the current segment. They probably didn't fit emissions standards

Herfinnur Árnafjall I meant that it more applies to North America; but ultimate I still think performance cars are niche cars. If you ask the general population how many would buy these cars, it would be a smaller percentage would it not? As you pointed out, Honda has produced a few Civic Type Rs, but at this time they do not have one. I'm not sure I would consider the Yaris a hot car, RS badge or not.

True. the Yaris is perhaps more like a "warmish"or "clement" hatch :)

Herfinnur Árnafjall I really do wish they had a hot version though! Maybe a homologation version of the now rally hatch planned for 2017?? www.digitaltrends.com/cars/toyota-returns-to-rally-racing-in-2015-with-yaris-wrc-racer/

Sorry sir - I stand corrected, although I believe 2003 was its last year? Thanks for watching and commenting!

2002 to 2004 is when it was produced they only made around 12 thousand of them if I remember right.

Hey corozaleno21 - yah need to get my hands on one of those to revisit this test again. Shame the MS3 is no longer sold. Thanks for watching and commenting!

Haha sure can!

@@143CAR im in wyoming. Hmu

From what I've heard about Ford's ownership of Mazda, there wasn't much "input" from Ford at all in Mazda's building of cars. All Ford offered was some sharing of platform. What this particular Mazdaspeed 3 needed was a refresh; that generation of the Mazda 3 was getting a bit long in the tooth prior to this most recent refresh. Totally agree - new gen will be exciting!

Oh how I wish I had one!! That being said the R is a bit of an unfair comparison since the price is a fair bit higher. Maybe if/when the new Focus RS comes out it would be a better match?!

Hey BallerH94; glad I could make you laugh although I'm not sure if was in the spot I intended. The MS3 has a turbo hit that is much stronger than the Focus ST, but as you pointed out you thought that the ST would be faster on the track? For me, the ST felt much more immediate with its responses thanks to the variable ratio rack, and with the torque vectoring it felt much more planted/less prone to understeer in the corners, which is why I felt I could hustle the car around corners better. Something I'm sure is helped by the Eagle F1s fitted to the car vs. the passenger tires on the MS3 as you pointed out. Hope you enjoyed it anyway, and thanks for watching, commenting, and sharing!

143CAR I just meant that the focus might actually be a little faster around the track I just think that the mazda feels like a much quicker car with a lot more acceleration but the power does die off around 5500 rpms where the focus was a little more linear. But I do agree the st has a more planted feel in the corners

BallerH94 All good Baller! I totally know what you mean. The MS3 hits you much harder once it gets on the boost, but yeah its a much narrower power band. I guess it makes you appreciate the "hit" once you get it more ;)

haha thanks for watching and commenting steelrainge!

Haha I was sure, years ago when this video was made

@@143CAR Honda have made the Type R since the 90s ;)

@@JaseBradley93 unfortunately a lot of those type R hatches didn't come to north america until a couple of years ago 😪

Hey tavi921! Thanks for watching and commenting. Oh how I WISH we got the CTR here! Sadly it doesn't look like we'll get the next gen either. I'm hoping Honda realizes that there IS a market for sports cars over here in North America, but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon. :(

Luke Berge you stupid🤦‍♂️

Haha fair enough abner0fedor; yes that would be a bit of a trek for me as well ;)

damn dude if 280lbft is what you consider a "starter car" then good for you! haha

we are comparing the 3cars are we not

i thought so? I think because the MS3 and ST are pretty wild in terms of handling, I'd think the GTI is a better starter car with its more benign handling.

+SakkiAddo I guess what I meant to say is it doesn't handle like what we expect of many FWD cars; yes it does torque steer, but I found i was able to get the car to move around a bit (and not just understeering)...I could feel the rear moving as well with the right lift off of the throttle or trail braking. In other words, I found this car to be more engaging of the three. Thanks for watching and commenting!

okay i see. i agree with that piece

amouralizee haha understood man. Turbo boost is wayyyyy too tempting. Thanks for watching!

Immortaliz3d How did I completely "hate" on the MS3? I ended up choosing it as my pick of the three! Hahaha. I guess I should make my videos shorter. My point of the three screens is that Mazda could have easily condensed everything into ONE screen (like the other cars); that way you only need to look in ONE place for your displays! The reason for the three screens it the MS3 is fighting a legacy of having the old Sat nav show up on one of the smaller screens up top, which although more in plain sight was way too small to be useful. But to avoid the costs of revamping this, they just changed this to a equally useless double screen up to and moved the main controls/sat nav to the main screen lower down. Its just a bit hodge podge for me. I guess I must have turned you off, but I did praise the feel of the power and torque of the car, and I liked how it felt like a beast that you had to tame and control. This made the car feel very alive to me and that is why I chose it as my choice! Anyway I hope you find the time to watch the rest of the review at some point :). Thanks again for watching and commenting!

sadly not :(. We also didn't get any of the old RS' either! Seems that manufacturers don't think that we deserve any of this good stuff....hopefully that changes in the future.