2010 MazdaSpeed 3 vs. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

[deven]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=157186?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1.*

May have to copy and paste cant get the url to highlight.

 

[StevieC]

I'm kinda partial to Hyundai... I would pick the Genesis... The Mazda is sexy looking though...

 

[Solo2driver]

Having just raced an '09 Mazdaspeed3 at the SCCA Solo National Championships last week, I recommend the Hyundai

Seriously, the Genesis is a lot of car, but I prefer the 2.0T....either version (V6 or Turbo) the Track Package is a MUST. The Mazda does have some things going for it like extra rear seat space and hatch, but it's not much of a driver or racer unless you do some things to it. In stock form, there's just too much power and not enough wheel/tire to make up for it.

 

[Max_Wander]

Ones FWD the other's RWD. Kind of an odd comparison, but okay. I do prefer RWD, but I would much prefer the more solid Mazda chassis and better tuned suspension. The drivetrain is also in the Mazda's favour for me, although I'd be completely happy to replace the piddly K04, which result in total annihilation of the the NA, 3.8L Gen. The numbers for the MS3 always seem low from these auto journalists, most likely because they windout to the redline which wastes time on a K04. An original design theme for the MS3 is the cake for me, as opposed to the generic, albeit slick design of the Gen.

 

[BrianWC]

The Genesis just doesn't impress me. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome car...There's just something about it I don't like... Having suffered, I mean driven, 2 SAABs, I'm kinda partial to fwd steering wheel-jerking torque steer a la the Mazda 3. At the very least, it's better than the peaky little Civic Si.

 

[stranger706]

Originally Posted By: Solo2driver
In stock form, there's just too much power and not enough wheel/tire to make up for it.


Bingo. Still not sure why Mazda chose FWD for the Speed3. They were supposed to give the 2010 Speed3 AWD. But nope, changed their minds. Its too front heavy and has too much power for a compact FWD. I'd buy WRX any day over Speed3. In fact that may be my next vehicle.

 

[MCompact]

I have a 2007 MS3 and while it's mildly entertaining, I'll never buy a FWD car again- I'm going back to RWD for good.

 

[Solo2driver]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I have a 2007 MS3 and while it's mildly entertaining, I'll never buy a FWD car again- I'm going back to RWD for good.


I agree after racing one

Back to AWD for me!

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Solo2driver
I agree after racing one

Back to AWD for me!


That's my main gripe; I bought the Mazdaspeed to serve as my daily driver and my HPDE instructor car. It's a great DD, but not very much fun on the track- which defeats my purpose for buying it.
Live and learn.
And lose money...

 

[Max_Wander]

Originally Posted By: MCompact

Live and learn.
And lose money...

haha, really? how much money did you lose on the best performance/value FWD car just for the disadvantage of not having RWD for the track?

come on!! You could have spent more on a Civic SI and had none of the power and weaker stock handling; or maybe the performance/value of the vehicle inherently causes the drivers to hold it to a much higher standard. It did very good on the 'ring, matching some RWD car's times... maybe it's a driver issue.

 

[BuickGN]

I would have to pick the Gen. For a DD, I think I would pick the more fun car even if the FWD car is slightly quicker around the course. I miss being able to slide the car. Anytime I was in a bad mood, a few sideways turns and I was happy again. But that's just me and I'm a redneck.

 

[Bulli]

i like the genesis in black
the ms3 is sexy all around.

is the price the same?

if so i would probably go with genesis because of the RWD platform.

either way these cars are not made for winter so get a winter beater

 

[LS2JSTS]

RWD.....FTW

 

[blackdiamond]

I had a 2007 Mazdaspeed3 and loved it. We needed more room so we traded it for a Sequoia, but my wife really misses her car at time. It's almost impossible to find a car with more power for the money, but it makes a better street car than a track car.

Have you tried holding the traction control button down for a few seconds before starting the car to completely shut the systems off? It's not in the manual, but it makes a difference. There is another setting beyond the on/off that the button does normally. I noticed that the front end didn't hop under acceleration in 1st and 2nd gears.

By the way, it is more comparable to an STI than a WRX when it comes to performance.

My only complaint was the lack of sound insulation that is part of owning a compact car and would have liked 17 inch wheels due to the poor quality roads where I live. It was a strong runner in the 85 to 110 range.

Don't know anything about the other car, but unless you plan to use it on the track for actual racing you can't go wrong with the Mazdaspeed3.

It's 100% Japan manufactured unlike the rest of the Mazda 3's.

 

[Max_Wander]

Originally Posted By: blackdiamond

It's 100% Japan manufactured unlike the rest of the Mazda 3's.


hehe, actually every Mazda 3 is made in Japan

It was the Mazda 6 for the North American market that was built in AutoAlliance with the Mazdaspeed 6 only being made in Japan and exported worldwide.

 

[blackdiamond]

Originally Posted By: Max_Wander
Originally Posted By: blackdiamond

It's 100% Japan manufactured unlike the rest of the Mazda 3's.


hehe, actually every Mazda 3 is made in Japan

It was the Mazda 6 for the North American market that was built in AutoAlliance with the Mazdaspeed 6 only being made in Japan and exported worldwide.


That may be the case now, but I'm fairly certain that the standard Mazda 3 was partially US manufactured/assembled in 2007 when I purchase my Speed 3. I won't claim it as fact.

 

[MCompact]

Originally Posted By: Max_Wander
haha, really? how much money did you lose on the best performance/value FWD car just for the disadvantage of not having RWD for the track?

come on!!


I've lost @$11,000 due to depreciation- and I passed on a couple of really nice E46 M3s. Did I mention that my MS3 needed a LF strut, a turbo, and a VVT actuator before it hit 48,000 miles? And then there's the "EGR Flow Insufficient" CEL that just illuminated a couple of days ago. Yeah, I really came out ahead...


Originally Posted By: Max_Wander
You could have spent more on a Civic SI and had none of the power and weaker stock handling; or maybe the performance/value of the vehicle inherently causes the drivers to hold it to a much higher standard.


Yes, I could have made a worse choice. That sure makes me feel better.

Originally Posted By: Max_Wander
It did very good on the 'ring, matching some RWD car's times... maybe it's a driver issue.


So, how many HPDE's have you attended? Which tracks? How many of those times were in RWD cars? FWD? Have you even driven an MS3 on the track? Most of the comments of this thread appear to agree that the MS3 isn't exactly a great track toy.

 

[Jim T]

Originally Posted By: MCompact
I've lost @$11,000 due to depreciation- and I passed on a couple of really nice E46 M3s. Did I mention that my MS3 needed a LF strut, a turbo, and a VVT actuator before it hit 48,000 miles? And then there's the "EGR Flow Insufficient" CEL that just illuminated a couple of days ago. Yeah, I really came out ahead...


"Lost"? Have you been driving it or did you trailer it home and been storing it ever since? Cause if your actually driving it you got nothing to bytch about. Cars depreciate, get over it.
Funny, I've got 48k on my 08 and no CEL's, no broken bits, just shreds tires like they were made of paper.
And no it's not a great auto-X car, but I hold my own with it against a lot of track squids.
Oh and my buddy just had a $5,200.00 tranny put in his Z4 at a whooping 45k miles!
Wow, great reliability for that depreciation savings.

Jim T.