Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Audi A3 2.0T
• Dodge Caliber SRT4
• Mini Cooper S Clubman
• Subaru Impreza WRX 5-door
• VW GTI 5-door
• BMW 135i and massive debt
• Moving to France, buying the greatest of all hot hatches, the Peugeot 205 Gti 1.9 and taking up smoking

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Mazda
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $23,090
• Price as Tested: $24,805
• Engine type: 2.3-Liter Turbocharged DOHC I4
• Horsepower: 263 @ 5,500 RPM
• Torque: 280 @ 3,000 RPM
• Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
• Curb Weight: 3,180 lbs
• LxWxH: 177.8" x 69.5" x 57.7"
• Wheelbase: 103.9"
• Tires: P215/45R18
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.8 Seconds
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 18/26 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: NA

Also see:
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part One
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
The 263 HP is impressive, but that's just half the story. At just 3000 RPM it's making an STI-threatening 280 lb-ft of torque. Mash the throttle in any gear, at any RPM, and the Mazdaspeed 3 pulls with minimal lag thanks to the turbocharged 2.3-liter aluminum-block inline four with direct injection. The power may drop off at 6000 RPM, short of the redline, but that's to be expected from a turbo. To help get grunt to the ground, there's a limited-slip differential and a trick torque-management system that reduces torque steer. The car still staggers around from a launch, over rough surfaces, around low-speed corners, and pretty much any other time you get on the gas in first or second gear.

Braking: ****
If you want to stop in a hurry, the brakes are quite good. However, they can feel just a bit oversensitive if you're not wearing communicative shoes. Once you get used to the relatively light pedal and short travel, they're confidence inspiring, working equally well for spirited driving on back roads or brisk sprints through the city.

Ride: ***
You don't expect a Mazda hot hatch to ride like a Buick, but that's not to say you don't feel somewhat annoyed by how bouncy the car feels over poor surfaces. It doesn't make any sense until you've brought it up to speed, where you realize they haven't forgotten to put shocks on the car, they've just tuned it to feel composed going fast. That being said, if you're planning on using this as a city car in a dense urban area, it may get a bit obnoxious.

Handling: ****
You may expect a relatively nose-heavy car like this to have a serious understeer problem; it does, but you have to be pushing seriously hard to find it. What you get instead is a car that feels well-planted and very grippy. It's not extremely flickable, like some smaller 3-door hatches, but if you keep in mind that this is actually a bigger car than a Subaru WRX 5-door (which feels soft by comparison), you don't mind so much.

Gearbox: **
Don't think that, because you're in a Japanese hatchback, everything is going to feel light and dainty. The gearbox and the clutch are very weighty. That's not a bad thing, though, as I much prefer feeling like I'm operating a machine rather than just pushing plastic buttons. No, the problem I had with the shift action was not weight, but vagueness. At times, it's hard to distinguish between selecting 1st or 3rd, and 3rd or 5th, which is not a unique issue, but an issue nonetheless. A bigger issue is that the shift into 5th or 6th gear requires too much effort at an angle, which, for my arm, was uncomfortable and tiring. But maybe I just need to go to the gym.

Audio: ****
The Bose system, with its 222W digital amp, on this Grand Touring model pumps through 7-speakers, and sounds great. Combined with satellite radio, you'll almost forget that there's an in-dash 6-disc MP3-capable CD changer. If that's not enough, there's also an auxiliary jack for your MP3 player.

Toys: ***
The audio system has pretty much everything you need to stay entertained, but there's also an available DVD navigation system that's easy to use. If you're a techno-fiend, there's not much else. But if you're easily wowed by gimmicky tech, you would've already been sucked into buying a Ford with Sync.

Value: *****
The Mazdaspeed3 is a tremendous value. All this performance, practicality, equipment, and overall quality comes in at just over $24,800 as tested. If you want fewer options, you can get one for about $23,000.

Overall: ****
To get this much speed combined with this much practicality usually requires a paying a far higher price. That the Mazdaspeed3 combines talents to create an affordable, high-quality and, above all, discrete package is an impressive achievement. Still, if we're picky (we are), we'd like to see a touch more driver involvement. And more hot hatches on this side of the Atlantic, please.

Also see:

• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part One
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Three

After flashing my hi-beams in the WRX's mirrors and revving my engine as I pull up next to it at a red light, I don't even get so much as a glance from the driver. Maybe he's just playing it cool. So I turn the traction control off and wind the engine up to about 3000 RPM. Green light, release the clutch, and we're off. I kill the Scooby. Oh, wait — he wasn't racing. So I try again at the next light. Will he take the bait this time? Nope. And that's the thing about the Mazdaspeed3; nobody seems to think it's anything special. To most eyes it's nothing more than a normal Mazda 3 hatchback. Paint it in a dark color and it's practically invisible. Which means that the WRX probably didn't even take me seriously enough to bother wasting gas on. It actually would have been a close race, but it didn't happen. So, I continue cruising.

To say there's a proper method for illegal street racing may sound oxymoronic, but it's true. You hear from a friend who heard from a friend that there's a bunch of guys that hang out at a certain place, and from there they go to the place where they actually race. You don't need to bother asking when, because it will always be at a spontaneous time after midnight. That is to say, the serious guys aren't out at 9PM just driving around hoping to find a victim — like what I'm doing.

So I start looking for parking-lot hangout spots, and eventually find one. Immediately I start scoping out the competition: a few enhanced Audis, a late-model Mustang, a kid with mom's CL55 AMG, an Evo IX, a small crew of crotch-rockets, the obligatory mid-life crisis man with his Corvette convertible, and some other stuff drifting in and out. Slim pickings. I buzz through in first gear to gauge reactions. With the relatively loud stock exhaust, I actually do get a few glances from some guys. I say "guys" not because there aren't any girls around hanging out, but because not a single one of them seemed to care. It's as if my gray 5-door compact isn't sexy enough. So I park the car and sit with my windows down and the stereo up. But time passes and nothing happens. This is lame. I resume cruising, but as one suburb blends into another and into another, I feel like I'm just driving in circles. Out here it's just an endless blur of shopping malls, big-box stores, chain restaurants, and cubicle farms. I've gotta get out of here.

The next morning I wake up at my own leisure, and engage in a lost cultural ritual known as breakfast. Today I'm setting my own pace instead of trying to keep up with the rat race. So, when the navigation system asks me which route I want to take on my spontaneous trip up to Wisconsin, I choose the one with the fewest number of expressways. If I encounter a few dawdling Lincolns along the way, so be it. Cars like this shouldn't be confined to petty stoplight cockfights; they should actually be driven. Sure, the back roads to Madison are no Nürburgring, but at least I get to focus more on the driving and less on weaving between traffic and watching for speed traps. And it's out here, surrounded only by farmland and lakes, that the car calms down. It's no longer fidgety and bouncy, but poised and confident. No longer am I being dragged around by the brute force, but I'm part of the machine—and we want to go faster.

Also see:

• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Two
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Three

"The prototype was spotted driving around while partially shrouded by a car cover, but the lack of heavy camouflage actually affixed to the car itself has resulted in some very revealing spy shots. Many of the key styling elements are clearly visible, and they reek of Ford's new Kinetic Design philosophy."

With the sheer car cover sucked tight to the nose you can clearly see the next Fiesta's twin trapezoidal grilles on the front bumper, topped by a third grille-opening between the headlights. The headlight shape is very apparent, starting at a point and sweeping well back toward the front fenders. The interplay between the headlights and the top grille is reminiscent of Ford's Iosis X concept vehicle.

A sharp character line runs along the Fiesta's waistline, from the headlights to the tail-lights, giving the shape some sporting edge and a strong stance. The chiseled nature of the Fiesta's side sculpting once again takes some cues from the Iosis X.

The cover flapped wildly as the car drove away, providing a clear look at the Fiesta's tail-end, which—like the rest of the car—was only disguised by paint graphics. It appears that the new Fiesta's tail-lamps no longer run up the D-pillar, but are contained to the car's belt line.

Industry reports say that the Fiesta will resurrect Ford's Global Car strategy, and this five-door model will be offered in the U.S. with only minor changes to front and rear overhangs to accommodate our differing crash regulations. The word is that the American "Red-White-and-Bold" design theme characterized by Ford's Fusion and Edge will be intermingled with Europe's Kinetic Design as future European Fords make their way across the Atlantic.

The Fiesta is expected to debut about one year from now in Europe—as a 2009 model—with U.S. sales probably commencing about eight to twelve months after that.

And with the introduction of the 2008 Astra, the Opelization of the Saturn line-up is now complete. In fact, the lineup for the customer-conscience brand from the General is actually so all-new, it now claims the Sky roadster as their "oldest product." But this bit of autobahn-tuned 3-door and 5-door hot-hatchness is, according to Jill Lajdziak, Saturn's general manager, expected to hit showrooms during the 4th quarter of this year. Gallery of both the 3-door and the 5-door below, along with the press release — which you can feel free to discuss amongst yourself...now. – Ray Wert

ALL-NEW 2008 SATURN ASTRA BRINGS AWARD-WINNING EUROPEAN SMALL CAR TO NORTH AMERICA

CHICAGO - Saturn announced the addition of the all-new 2008 Astra to its lineup, bringing a decidedly European flavor to the North American compact car market. It is packed with a wide range of standard equipment and safety features, and delivers sporty performance with very good fuel economy.

The Saturn Astra will be offered in three-door and five-door models, each underpinned by a taught, European-bred suspension that delivers a sharp, responsive driving experience. Power comes from a 1.8L Ecotec four-cylinder engine that is both energetic and economical, delivering 140 horsepower (104 kW) and good fuel economy.

"In Europe, the Astra's combination of style, performance, safety technology and fuel efficiency have made it a hit with owners and auto critics alike," said Jill Lajdziak, Saturn general manager. "Now, Saturn is bringing the newly restyled Astra to North America and marrying it with our celebrated customer experience."

The Astra will go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. It is the fifth product in a complete revamp of Saturn's product lineup. In fact, when the Astra hits showrooms, the "oldest" vehicle in Saturn's portfolio will be the Sky roadster, which debuted in March 2006. Other new models include the all-new Aura sedan, the redesigned Vue compact crossover - including the Vue Green Line hybrid - and the Outlook crossover.

"It's not a stretch to say Saturn is all-new," said Lajdziak. "The Astra rounds out our portfolio with a smart-driving, well-equipped small car that shares the European designs evident in all our new vehicles."

Product highlights

Saturn offers two trim levels (XE and XR) for five-door models, and a single trim (XR) in the three-door configuration, which was created with more enthusiastic drivers in mind.

The standard powertrain combination in all models is the 1.8L Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine, which is paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The Ecotec engine is enhanced with variable valve timing to optimize power output and fuel efficiency. A four-speed automatic transmission is optional on all models.

The Astra offers technologies to provide an agile, yet comfortable, driving experience. StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with traction control is standard on all three-door Astras, and available on five-door models. This system works in concert with the standard four-wheel, antilock disc brakes to help the driver maintain control during adverse road conditions or during sudden emergency driving situations.

An electro-hydraulic, rack-and-pinion steering system is standard on all models. It provides the solid, linear feel of a hydraulic power steering system, but improves fuel efficiency by operating the power steering pump only when necessary. The system has two available configurations: the standard 15:1 ratio on five-door models and a 14:1 Sport ratio (standard on the three-door; optional on five-doors).

Five-door Astras come with standard 16-inch wheels, but can be upgraded to 17-inch aluminum wheels. Three-door models come standard with 17-inch aluminum wheels, which can be upgraded to 18-inch aluminum wheels and performance tires.

Design details

The Astra has a clean, contemporary design that is infused with Saturn's signature styling cues, including a bold, bright grille bar with prominent Saturn logo. Both the three-door and five-door models are distinguished from their European relatives with unique front and rear fascias that conform to North American bumper standards.

Rear-end styling also features a bright trim bar, with large, wraparound taillamps and clear lenses. The center high-mounted stop lamp uses LED technology for fast and crisp illumination.

Proportions on both body styles suggest an enthusiastic driving experience, with the wheels pushed to the corners and subtle fender flares wrapped tightly around the tires for a tailored stance.

Interior design and features

Bold design, refinement and precise execution are the hallmarks of the Saturn Astra's interior, which envelops passengers in a contemporary environment that maximizes space and comfort. Details include a continuation of the exterior's center hood crease on to the center of the instrument panel, as well as a V-shaped center stack motif that also complements the design language of the exterior.

All models convey the Astra's sporting character through firm, well-supported seats and a thick, three-spoke steering wheel with rake and telescopic adjustments. Ahead of the steering wheel is a rounded cockpit binnacle that houses a large, three-dimensional gauge cluster - including large speedometer and tachometer dials. The sporty Astra three-door receives specific seats with more aggressive bolsters and lumbar support.

Additional interior highlights include:

* Illuminated glove box with damped door actuation
* A large, two-panel sunroof: the largest in its class (available on five-door only)
* Available heated seats in cloth or leather surfaces
* Auxiliary 12-volt power outlet
* Easy-to-remove rear cargo cover
* Power door locks (with central locking feature) and power windows with express down feature
* Standard six-speaker AM/FM/CD radio and available seven-speaker sound system; multi-disc and MP3-capable radios available
* Steering-wheel mounted audio controls (on XR models)

Astra's bold proportions, including a long, 103-inch (2,614 mm) wheelbase and 80-inch (2,033 mm) width, provide exceptional roominess and generous storage capacity. The 60/40-split folding rear seat also folds flat with the touch of a single, high-mounted lever. When the rear seat is folded, the five-door Astra offers 44.8 cubic feet (1,270 L) of storage space.

Occupant protection features

The 2008 Saturn Astra features a comprehensive list of safety systems to help protect occupants in the event of a crash. Highlights include:

* Rigid body structure with safety cage
* Six standard air bags, including dual-stage frontal air bags; roof rail head curtain air bags and thorax/pelvic air bags (front-seat passengers)
* Active head restraints
* Collapsible pedals
* Front safety belt pretensioners and load limiters
* OnStar with one year of Safe & Sound service

Body structure: The unitized body structure is designed with a safety cage around the passenger compartment, and features optimized front and rear crush zones that absorb energy and help maintain the structural integrity of the passenger compartment. High-strength steel is used strategically throughout the body structure.

Air bags: All Astra models feature dual-stage frontal air bags, seat-mounted thorax/pelvic air bags to help protect front occupants and head curtain air bags for front- and rear-seat occupants. Also standard is an automatic passenger sensing system for the front passenger seat; it suppresses the activation of the passenger-side frontal air bag if it detects a child or smaller-stature person in that seating position.

Active head restraints and collapsible pedals: Standard active head restraints instantly move forward if a rear-end crash is detected, reducing the risk of neck injuries. Similarly, the collapsible foot pedals move during a crash to reduce the risk of leg or ankle injuries.

Safety belt pretensioners and load limiters: When a crash is detected, the safety belt pretensioners immediately reduce the slack in the front safety belts, helping limit the movement of passengers. The load limiters permit a small amount of movement in the front safety belts, thereby reducing peak chest loads in a more severe crash.

OnStar: Astra comes with the latest-generation OnStar system, including available Turn-by-Turn Navigation. The system also includes advanced automatic crash notification (AACN). With AACN, an OnStar advisor is immediately contacted by the vehicle when a crash occurs; the advisor can determine the appropriate emergency help required and assist in sending it to the scene of the crash. Astra buyers will receive one year of Safe & Sound Service provided by Saturn.

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Related:
Chicago Auto Show: Yes, That's A 2008 Saturn Astra [internal]