Mazda MPS is rip-roaring fun

The first new Mazda3 MPS in South Africa - and Mozambique. This picture was taken at a border post in the Kruger National Park.click to enlarge

What a rip-roaring rebel-rouser this substantially tweaked and re-designed sporty Mazda is.

Gone (mostly) is the arm-wrestling torque steer and you can now stomp down the silver spoon without danger of having your arms ripped from their sockets.

The steering has also been sharpened by replacing the hydraulic power steering with an electric motor and adjustments to the suspension means that it feels even more glued to the road.

Talking of torque

The gear ratios are also better in the latest model to provide lots of torque grunt in the lower gears, but this time round a fancy torque management system and limited slip differential makes rapid acceleration much easier to live with.

The gutsy turbocharged 2.3-litre four cylinder engine bangs out a healthy 190kW and 380Nm which translates into a zero to 100km/h sprint time of just over six seconds and to an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h.

Big 18-inch alloys wrapped in wide low-profile rubber adds to MPS' grip and discs all round, boosted by ABS, EBD and EBA, provides awesome stopping power.

In short, this revamped, jazzed-up MPS is fabulous fun to drive.

It handles beautifully and when the revs start moving into the red the cheeky growl from its big dual pipes reminded me of a line from an old Troggs favourite from way back: “Wild Thing, you make my heart sing…”

It's just that sort of car. Give it the whip and you'll want to scream and shout and turn the sound volume up high as you flick the stubby gear lever all the way through to sixth gear.

Cheeky, but well behaved

I drove the MPS from OR Tambo airport all the way to the Letaba Rest camp in the upper region of the Kruger National Park and back again on a route that included fast motorways, secondary, badly scarred roads, twisty high-lying forest areas and patches of gravel road, notching up well over 1000 kilometres.

And not once did this cheeky child of the Mazda3 family step out of line.

Not only does it behave with poise on the tar it never once lost its dignity on the gravel. No bum twitch, no traction control warning, not a single sweaty palm moment.

In line with the MPS' handling improvements Mazda also gave the designers a brief to match the go with the show - and the result is a Subaru WRX style hood mounted air scoop, a lower air dam and black grille, slit-eyed headlights, widely flared wheel arches and a roof-mounted rear wing.

The cheeky exterior is nicely matched with a sporty cabin fitted out with racing-style seats with red lettering, aluminium pedals and a small, fully-adjustable steering wheel, set against the pleasing background of black and silver metal trim and stainless steel scuff plates.

More than just a hot hatch

The big-sound BOSE system is awesome, thanks to seven speakers, two tweeters and a woofer, linked to six-disc in-dash CD player (that is MP3 compatible) and steering mounted audio controls.

The MPS is armed to the teeth with specifications that contribute to the car's safety, comfort and class and elevates it to much more than just a hot hatch for high income boy racers.

Not only is it a comfortable and easy car to drive in the city, it also has a spacious boot, 60/40 split rear seats, child safety ISOFIX points, remote central locking with keyless entry and other features which also makes it an attractive option for Yummy Mummies and Sporty Daddies with a toddler or two on the back seat.

Safety features include a high-mounted brake light, dynamic stability control (DSC), traction control system (TCS), front side and rear curtain airbags and active from head restraints.

Unleashing your ‘wild thing'

In these days of high cost maintenance it's comforting to know the MPS comes with a five-year/90,000km service plan, three-year/unlimited roadside assistance and a four-year/120,000km warranty, all include in the purchase price of R310,000.

The MPS is not the cheapest sporty option around, but its pleasant performance, good handling, comfortable ride and wide range of standard equipment ensures it a place on the short list of choices in this market segment.

But forgetting all the rands and cents common sense reasons for the moment, I would buy this new MPS just because of its naughty boy looks and because its as much fun to drive as sharing a barrel of beer for breakfast.

And also so that I can crack up the volume and relive my wild teens as I sing along with The Troggs: “Wild Thing, I think I love you...”. [Listen to The Troggs singing the original version of Wild Thing here.]