Mazda MPS

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HuntsA4

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Been running the mazda now for a month and 1500 miles, so thought I'd put in a review.

Still not too sure about the looks, the hump in the Bonnet for the intercooler does give the appearance of power, but, still not sure.
Cabin build quality certainly not that of an Audi, but everything is well appointed and no rattles etc to this point.

Now for the good stuff, still can't believe the standard equipment, which would be an extra in an A4; Multi function wheel, Cruise, Bose, 6cd changer, Mettalic paint, 18" wheels, Electric sunroof, Full Leather, Armrest, 4 wheel drive. But best of all 260bhp.
To get a 4 wheel drive A4 with 260bhp and these extras would be somewhere in the region of £33k+!!!

The biggest difference is the ride, no body roll at all, but it doesn't crash over the bumps like the A4 sport does. On my route home from work, there are 3 corners where if pushed my old A4 would always wash out and the traction control would go mad, so far in the MPS I can't get the traction light to come on, And my one wild push on a private road resulted in 4 wheel drift!

I think its going to be fun, time will tell, but with Mazda's reliability rcord I'm not expecting to be at the dealer on a monthly basis with problems.
 
It sounds like a lovely car Hunts.

I take it the A4 was FWD?

BUB
 
Yes it was, hence I do understand the reasons for washing out.

Looking to take the MPS to Nurburg in May, that should be interesting.

I see I didn't mention it has Xenons as standard too.
 
Don't remind me...... Mine cost an extra £750 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bang.gif

Enjoy 'The Green Hell'

I've got a Mazda dealer near me, I might blag a test drive.............. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BUB /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
can u get some pics up, im thinking about one for my next car, had the 2.0 16v sport 05 for a hire car last month had it about 3 weeks and it was fantastic all the toys and features and the bose was amazing, better than mine in the s3, so the mps must be awsome.
 
I've seen these at the Mazda dealer in my village :)

Very subtle, but great fun to drive by all accounts ;)
 
Update:

Now been on the drive for a year, only visited the dealer for service. Most expensive service so far £172, last Audi service was £654!!!!!

This car is seriously fast and understated, no one expects what it does. Handing far better than the Audi's i've owned and some how it has this handling combined with Excellent soaking up of bumps, not sure how they do it?


Internal size is more on par with A6, plenty of room in the back for my lad. Leather wearing well (My A4 leather showed wear on bolster after 6 months).

Fuel consumption a bit heavy, although no worse than a chipped A4 pulling 260 bhp, so no complaints. Seeing 23.7 average over 15,000 miles.

I love Audi's, but I don't think I can live with what goes with them, and a quick scan thro' the posts on here show not much has changed.
 
audi upgrades
They are nicely spec'd but the Jap styling and build just not to my taste. Not sure about seriousy fast, but certainly adequate and more understated than a Scooby WRX.

I think maybe they should have made them even more low key though - the rear exhaust trims look good until you realise that's all they are and see the pea shooters behind and the bonnet bulge is a bit OTT, I'm sure an intercooler that size ould have gone elsewhere.

If I had to do more miles and was forced to run a newer car for for realisitc reliabilty the 6 MPS would be on my sensible list.

Have you found a way to display MPG or did you have to convert from the bizare miles per litre of whatever the default display is on the Mazda?
 
GSB1 said:
build just not to my taste......
Click to expand...

How can build not be to your 'taste'?.........'Satisfaction' I could understand.

As far as build-QUALITY and SATISFACTION goes, well the leather was one example of how he's more impressed than he was with the Audi.

I'm sure if this car was of dodgy build-quality and poor handling etc (especially after being an Audi owner himself),......he would be trading it back in for an Audi.

The Mazda sounds like a relative bargain too.
 
As I said.

They are certainly a cheap comapred to German equivalents, but so are Subaru and to an extent Honda.

The build can not to be my taste, when the look and feel of materials used on the intior etc is not to my taste. Of all the things you chose to argue, it was someone elses taste, something you cannot possibly argue against and win! Somone elses taste is someone elses taste!!

The build standard may be good, but good build with the wrong type of materials and finish, typically japanese, is not to MY taste.

Don't get me wrong. If I thought it wasa poor car, I probably wouldn't have come to close as to even consider it. But I did. This is my ultra critical opinion, having come so close to owning one, not slagging someone elses choice.

The point is yes, what an amazing all round package for the money.











but not to my tatste in the end :D
 
GSB1 said:
The build can not to be my taste, when the look and feel of materials used on the intior etc is not to my taste. Of all the things you chose to argue, it was someone elses taste, something you cannot possibly argue against and win! Somone elses taste is someone elses taste!!

The build standard may be good, but good build with the wrong type of materials and finish, typically japanese, is not to MY taste.

Don't get me wrong. If I thought it wasa poor car, I probably wouldn't have come to close as to even consider it. But I did. This is my ultra critical opinion, having come so close to owning one, not slagging someone elses choice.

The point is yes, what an amazing all round package for the money.











but not to my tatste in the end :D
Click to expand...

Fair play :arco:

They're not particularly to my taste EITHER, but if I was forced at gunpoint to buy a brand new warrantied saloon car with 250+bhp, the expensive Audi wouldn't even get a look in. The Mazda value and friendly dealers would be a pleasant change too.

Different story in the after-market though ;)
 
as you say the MPG display is bizarre, but I promised myself when buying this car I would not worry about MPG so make a point of not looking. But as I use the car for business I have a log of petrol reciepts against miles so I can keep tabs.
Not Fast? most tests confirm a 0-60 of 5.6 to 5.8 secs depending on tester (books says 6.5s) my audi which was chipped for a while wouldn't live with it, and was certainly unable to carry speed through the corners in the same way.

dash materials I agree as a little more "plasticy" but not one rattle! just read a few posts on this site about Audi rattles. i'l trade the poor materials for "Silent" build quality.

exhausts are a pity, original car had proper large twin pipes, but failed emmissions tests. But you can get Pukka aftermarkets rear boxes, which I will get when replacement time comes. But does have a good sound though.

Bonnet hump a matter of taste, the biggest problem with having a 18" square intercooler stuck on top of the engine is that you can't get aat anything.

Again I say, I love Audi's and if they were reliable and the delaers had a clue I'd have one.
 
Mazda-stor.jpg
 
The part time all wheel drive sounds great too. The way it is AWD from a standing start (unlike a TT/S3/4Motion say), then 2WD on the move unless required is quite inspired.
 
I took one of these for a test drive before settling on my A3 3.2. A very fast and capable car. I thought the interior quality was very good really, and when yoi consider Mazda stiffened the chassis by 50% just for this model you begin to realise how seriously they took it.

I was a soooo close to getting it. I'm still not sure why I didn't, but on the day, after 2 hours of haggling and getting evrything I wanted it just didn't do enough to get me out of my then car, an Alfa GT. Funny things was, after a 15min test drive in my A3, I knew I had to have it and didn't thing twice about chopping in my GT. Strange..

Regards

Rob
 
Would you believe its 30 months since the MPS. So of course time to go, especially as my overall MPG for that period was 22.7! componded by an expected Tax next year of £415. As you can imagine, in the current climate it was an easy car to sell.

But I did enoy it, dealers good, service cheap and only problem was blistering alloys.

But now back in the VAG fold having just taken delivery of Golf GT 2.0Tdi 170

Big change, but thats the way we're being forced, enjoying it so far (only 1000 miles) and really enjoying 47 MPG which I'm sure will increase with loosening.
 
Mazda building good cars lately. And your car is one of those good cars. I hope you made a video of your Nurburg driving. I like to see it.



_________________
If you ain't first your last!
mazda parts
 
audi upgrades
nive car i love the hatchback version
 
Not a bad car, shocking company thats struggling massively.
 
Had a play with one of these today, there I was minding my own business and this chap in his MPS decided to sit on my **** for a good mile whilst approaching my favourite stretch of straight private road...... whilst quick, he wasn't with me for long from 20-30mph - was quite funny watching him changing gear, the car was rocking with every gear change in my rear view :)

Still nice cars though and they look mean with those exhausts poking out of the rear
 
3 MPS's are immense, I work for a Mazda main dealer and they are pretty much the best 4 door family hatch back ever.

Despite that the 6.1 0 to 60 and 155mph is a little tame for real playing. Could do with an LSD.

Mapped though it is a different story, 300BHP and 460NM = WINrar!
 
Last edited:
16Klappe said:
3 MPS's are immense, I work for a Mazda main dealer and they are pretty much the best 4 door family hatch back ever.

Despite that the 6.1 0 to 60 and 155mph is a little tame for real playing. Could do with an LSD.

Mapped though it is a different story, 300BHP and 460NM = WINrar!
Click to expand...

me too mate where u work? we get a 3 mps that comes in for service with us that's been mapped and has fmic amongst other goodies. a lot of kit for the money too etc etc
 
16Klappe said:
3 MPS's are immense, I work for a Mazda main dealer and they are pretty much the best 4 door family hatch back ever.

Despite that the 6.1 0 to 60 and 155mph is a little tame for real playing. Could do with an LSD.

Mapped though it is a different story, 300BHP and 460NM = WINrar!
Click to expand...

Whilst I dont know any better having never taken one out.....a lot of reviews seem to disagree with this comment, the last one I read was top gears, who rated the ST as a better car....
 
Mk1 is better. The missus had the last of the MK1`s in the pearl white with all the extra`s on as it was a last of the line model Mazda made with everything on it and better seats as a goodbye to the MK1 sort of thing. MK2`s look aweful in comparrison! She had a K&N Typhoon fitted running on 99ron(which its meant to run 98+) and on the rollers it made 280bhp and 320ft-lbs up from 260 and 280. Not bad for a bolt on
 
audi upgrades
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