German Car Zone

Two Affordable Turbocharged Wagons Face Off


Sport compacts have it hard. Cars like the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX and the 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 — along with competitors like the Honda Civic Si, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen GTI — are expected to do mutually contradictory things with something approaching perfection. They're supposed to be quick but economical; athletic but comfortable; sporty but practical. Oh yeah, and they can't cost a lot.

Go ahead and dream the impossible dream.

In last year's six-car sport compact comparison test it was the then-new 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 that did the best job of pulling off those tricks. And just behind it in 2nd place was the 2006 Subaru WRX TR. Now, with the 2007 model year dribbling to an end, Subaru has introduced a new 2008 WRX that's both lighter and roomier.

But is it enough to knock the Mazdaspeed 3 off its precarious perch?

Subie Do, Mazda Do, Too

By stretching the Impreza WRX's wheelbase 3.7 inches to 103.1 inches, Subaru has produced a significantly roomier cockpit for passengers. Meanwhile, the new five-door body style (a four-door sedan is also offered) keeps the overall size tidy with minimal overhangs and total length of just 173.8 inches — 2 inches shorter than the 2006 WRX TR four-door sedan. Width remains unchanged at 68.5 inches while overall height has risen from 56.7 to 58.1 inches.

At 3,167 pounds, the all-wheel-drive WRX wagon is only 45 pounds heavier than the 2006 WRX TR and 9 pounds lighter than the five-door Mazdaspeed 3, despite the fact that only the Mazda's front wheels are driven.

This is partially due to the Mazda's slightly larger size. Its wheelbase is 0.8 inch longer than the Subaru's and its total length is 3 inches greater. It's also an inch wider and half an inch taller.

So they're sized about the same inside and out, but under their skins these turbocharged wagons couldn't be more different.

Powerful Arguments

Subaru and Porsche are the only carmakers that still believe in the benefits of the flat engine. The new WRX's turbocharged and intercooled 2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve horizontally opposed four is an updated version of the same engine that's been powering Subarus since Wisconsin was admitted to the union.

Now rated at 224 horsepower at 5,200 rpm (400 rpm earlier than in '07), Subaru has given up a bit of peak power to improve low-end torque, and 226 pound-feet at a mere 2,800 rpm (down 800 rpm from before) is impressive. Bolted to the engine is a five-speed manual transaxle that feeds the Subie's ubiquitous all-wheel-drive system.

In contrast, the Mazdaspeed 3's power plant appears relatively conventional: a turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve inline-4. But this is Mazda's Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) engine — the same advanced technology power plant Mazda puts in the larger Mazdaspeed 6 sedan and CX-7 crossover.

Using a direct-injection fuel system, the DISI is rated at 263 hp at 5,500 rpm and 280 lb-ft of peak torque at a measly 3,000 rpm. It's also particularly smooth thanks to a pair of counterrotating balance shafts that knock out most vibrations. It's attached to Mazda's compact "three-shaft" six-speed manual transaxle that supplies power to the front wheels.

Door Handle to Door Handle

The generous torque band and distinctive sound (sort of like a VW Beetle operating underwater — which, in a sense, it is) of the Subaru's flat four are as appealing as ever, but it just doesn't have the same thrust and flexibility of the Mazda motor.

Although the Subaru's 5.9-second 0-60 time is two ticks better than the Mazda's 6.1-second clocking, it's all due to its traction advantage at launch. By the end of the quarter-mile, the two cars are dead even at 14.5 seconds and the Mazdaspeed 3 is going 98.7 mph compared to the WRX at 94.4 mph. Considering the difference in power ratings, none of this is surprising.

The surprise was that this Mazdaspeed 3 was slower than the preproduction Mazdaspeed 3 in last year's comparison test. That car made it to 60 in just 5.9 seconds and traipsed through the quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 100.1 mph.

Because this production Mazdaspeed 3 was absolutely brand-new with less than 500 miles on its odometer, it may just be that its engine would loosen up with some mileage and it would get quicker. Or it could be a natural variation because the cars were tested on different surfaces. Or maybe the engineers were just extra, um, attentive to the preproduction car. Feel free to speculate.

Either way, there's no denying the Mazdaspeed 3's torque steer on launch, but in most every other respect, the combination of the DISI's flexible power band and the sure-shifting six-speed gearbox is significantly better — and ultimately quicker — than the Subaru.


Full Article and Video:


Comparison Test: 2008 Subaru WRX vs. 2007 Mazdaspeed 3


Naturally I'd take the Mazda here as the new Subie continues to post lackluster reviews. Its just too ugly and doesn't perform as well as the old car did. The old WRX would have had no problem dusting off a mere "Mazda".

M

The Subaru looks very similar to the Mazda 3, they even share the same wheel design. The Mazda look just as new as the Subaru, which is bad news for Subaru because the Mazda 3 has been on the market for 4 years, the Subaru is suppose to look a generation newer. The same thing can be said for Subaru's interior, it looks dated already.

There is no doubt the Subaru is a better machine, but if it looks like that I fear it won't gain enough market share away from its rivals.

I don't think the interior looks dated at all.

Oh and 263 hp plays 224 hp? Of course the 2WD Mazda will be quicker once its tyres find purchase and the engine management system can whack through all of that mighty 380 Nm. Compared with 320 Nm from the Scoob, the Mazda has a significant propulsive advantage.

Also, it's important to keep a perspective on things; the Mazdaspeed 3 is their pinnacle model. Subaru haven't even started yet... STI is coming...

I just really don't like the messy audio control unit sitting on top of the dash. New cars now come with fully integrated systems, so i am surprised to see the audio unit in the Subaru.

I hope the STi version will be just as hardcore as the previous version. I have read a few reviews of the new WRX and the general impression is that the new car is more refined, the handling is just as good but the driving experience is not as sharp as the old one. Lets see what can the STi engineers produce in a few months time.

I agree with you about the audio deck, I think the dash was designed for the integrated Sat-nav unit we've seen in the press release pictures. It looks much more modern and less fiddly with the Sat-nav option.

To be perfectly frank, the outgoing WRX isn't that sharp. A Prodrive kit is an essential buy if you're looking for Impreza sharpness a la previous generation 2.0 GT. There's a strategy behind making the Impreza softer and that's to broaden its appeal to drivers that wouldn't ordinarily go for a WRX (and to appease the better halves of drivers who would! )

This new Impreza WRX isn't intended to be a master blaster; just as the chasm between the outgoing WRX and its STI sibling is similarly vast.

I can vouch that the Prodrive WRX is a much better steer (I recently did 27 laps around Zwartkops raceway in one) but is still too stiff for general public consumption - most drivers just aren't prepared to put up with such a setup. Compromise is such a bitch.

Egad! What time is it there?

We dont get any Prodrive tuning kits in Australia, however Subaru AU has been offering limited edition WRX and WRX STI with additional STi tuning parts. The local press reckon the outgoing WRX is pretty sharp already, so I just believe in what I read. Thanks to stupid government law, P-plate licence holder cannot drive turbo charged cars, so I cannot test drive one and find out for myself.

Time now is around 1:43 am in Sydney, I have been on this forum until 4 or 5am before while doing some dam assignment. Time for bed i guess, would like to reply more.

Oh absolutely, take it from whence it comes though - compared with the total model market that consumers have to choose from (incl. family saloons, MPVs and SUVs) the WRX is a scalpel. It's just that I have rather more hours behind the wheel of Imprezas than most journo's! (I did after all have the Prodrive WRX for a long weekend prior to several forays onto the track - I almost spun one - and wrote the SA press release copy for the car...)

So it's all relative.

Hang in the dude, P Plates are a good thing! You've got plenty of years ahead of you and your chance to drive lots of hot stuff will come. Besides, a 3.0R on P plates...? You lucky dawg!