Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

2013 Mazda MazdaSpeed3
VEHICLE REVIEW
by James Hamel, GayWheels.com
2013-05-21

This article shared 8712 times since Tue May 21, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Some people (and cars) are just born with that special something—a star power that not only makes them special, but also makes it acceptable for them to be a bit more demanding of the world around them. This phenomenon is often dubbed "being a diva," and it applies just as much to famous people who demand Cool Ranch Doritos in their dressing rooms (lookin' at you, Britney Spears) as to cars like this 2013 Mazda MazdaSpeed3: both are larger than life, frighteningly powerful, and occasionally demonstrate signs of being a bit unbalanced.

Our test MazdaSpeed3 was also a very bright, sensual red (Velocity Red Mica) that not only screamed "fast" and "give me a ticket," but also hinted at this car's seductive charms. One might say it was a shade of "hussy red," but that would be taking it too far, as this hatchback looks handsome in all photos, especially when equipped with the 18-inch gunmetal alloy wheels that set a nice contrast with this sporting red hot hatch.

Speaking of divas some might refer to as "hussies," Dolly Parton has often said that "it takes a lot of money to look this cheap, and underneath the wig and the boobs lay a brain and a heart." Since the MazdaSpeed3 is based on the more basic commuter many people use as their main transport when they "9 to 5," how well does this far more powerful, glitzy, star-power-infused variant fare as a daily driver? Let's find out if there's substance underneath all the visual menace that the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 possesses.

The looks

If you're introverted, stick to a regular Mazda3, or at least don't order your MazdaSpeed3 in red. We happened to like the latter's muscular wheel arches, squat haunches, and front-end smile—two of which we also find appealing in men. After all, a nice smile goes a long way.

Adding to the sporty effect is the rather large air intake on the hood that looks like it was designed to inhale birds, kittens, and other sweet, furry creatures the car encounters as it roars down the road. Doesn't matter if it's a freeway, a city street, or just down your driveway, there's no doubt that the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 does everything with a dose of rough and tumble seriousness. This is not a car to be ignored, as driving it is one of the most engaging things you can still do legally on regular roads. However, that isn't to say this car won't bite back if you treat it like some underpowered commuter with lazy, imprecise handling.

Living with the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 as your daily driver

The 2013 MazdaSpeed3 is anything but imprecise. Its steering is so quick, it could cut you like a surgeon's scalpel without you even noticing. Even though Mazda has done a lot to improve the way this hot hatch tends to steer itself as you shift from first to second at redline, this is not a maneuver you want to undertake without both hands firmly on the wheel. All the MazdaSpeed3 asks of you is that you pay attention to it while driving. Is that too much to ask?

You see, the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 comes with an epically potent, out of control 2.3 liter turbocharged, direct-injected 263 horsepower/280 ft-lbs of torque four-cylinder, all putting the power down via the front wheels. Thankfully Mazda included a torque-sensing conical limited-slip differential that help keeps the engine power from steering the car under most circumstances, but there are exceptions. Just listen to what your MazdaSpeed3 tells you to do, and we promise it won't be the cause of your death. It just likes to have a good time.

The MazdaSpeed3 will never leave you hanging, thanks to a specially tuned sports suspension as well as uprated brakes made to withstand the extra abuse a car with this kind of power plant will suffer. Try as you might to drive the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 slowly and maturely, but that darn turbo is like a tiny devil on your shoulder screaming "floor it!" Bad devil. It also corners like it's nailed to the pavement.

Conclusion

In a world where so many of us are stuck in the hum-drum monotony of living a Dolly Parton-style "9 to 5" existence, the 2013 MazdaSpeed3 is like a shot of adrenaline and a "cup of ambition." Driving this car is a visceral experience you don't often find nowadays, and it isn't necessarily for everyone. It's far too ferocious for that. Ask yourself, are you man or woman enough for the 2013 MazdaSpeed3?

What we liked about the 2013 MazdaSpeed3:

—The potent engine and involving driving experience makes for an exhilarating street-racer

—The new full-size navigation screen front and center on the dashboard

—The utility you get from any five door hatchback model, and did we mention the turbo?

What we'd change about the 2013 MazdaSpeed3:

—It could use a little bit more rear legroom as competitors offer more space

—Mazda should shoot for a "Top Safety Pick Plus" rating for the redesign of the MazdaSpeed3

—Less notchiness in the stick shift, if possible, as the regular 3 Skactiv's unit is perfectly weighted

Read the entire article at www.Gaywheels.com .


This article shared 8712 times since Tue May 21, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Nex Benedict's autopsy report released 2024-03-27
- The full autopsy report for Nex Benedict (he/they)—a 16-year-old transgender and Indigenous student from Oklahoma's Owasso High School who died in February a day after a school fight—has been released. The Oklahoma Office of the Chie ...


Gay News

Charles Busch dishes on life as a storyteller 2023-11-09
- Performer/writer Charles Busch, who recently penned his autobiography, Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy, said that collecting his most precious and salient memories in a book felt "inevitable." "Storytelling is such an essential ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Tyler Perry, marriages and splits, Beyonce, strikes, Sinead tribute 2023-08-04
Videos below - Tyler Perry has offered $100,000 to anyone with information that leads to a conviction in the murder of 24-year-old Black queer musician Josiah "Jonty" Robinson, according to Out. An autopsy concluded that the cause of Robinson's ...


Gay News

Artist Isabella Mellado illuminates the masks within community 2023-06-15
By Jess Savage - Chicago-based artist Isabella Mellado's paintings and sculptures are vibrant, colorful and larger than life. Her work represents autobiographical and allegorical scenes, nearly all of it featuring characters inspired by the ...


Gay News

Board of Commissioners unanimously passes Bodily Autonomy Ordinance Amendment with support of Equality Illinois, ACLU Illinois 2023-05-25
--From a press release - Chicago, Ill. — May 25th 2023 — Today, the Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed an amendment to the Human Rights Ordinance ensuring the protection of all individual's right to their own bodily autonomy. The ...


Gay News

AUTOS 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz answers the right questions 2022-05-11
- You may think the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz answers questions nobody asked, but if that's true, somebody should have asked. A car-based pickup is not a new idea. Chevrolet and Ford offered the El Camino and ...


Gay News

Cook County state's attorney expunges 15,000+ cannabis convictions 2022-04-20
-- From a press release - CHICAGO - On Friday, April 22, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office (CCSAO) will present 214 additional cannabis cases to be automatically expunged, bringing the total to 15,191. The Cannabis Expungement Project nears an end following ...


Gay News

Chicago Auto Show returns to McCormick Place 2022-02-11
- The Chicago Auto Show is back. Following a very scaled-down version that took place last year, the event has returned—although it's not quite as large as the event was before the COVID pandemic. The Chicago Auto ...


Gay News

Chicago Auto Show to take place Feb. 12-21 2022-01-10
- The Chicago Auto Show is slated to return to its traditional February dates: Feb. 12-21 at McCormick Place. The show is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, except for the final day (Presidents Day), ...


Gay News

Now, only five of Chicago's 50 aldermen reject automatic pay raises 2021-09-16
- Forty-five out of 50 Chicago aldermen have opted to accept a 5.5% pay increase in 2022 that will push the highest paid among them to an annual salary of more than $130,000, according to The Chicago Tribune. ...


Gay News

AUTOS 2021 BMW 430i: Hard Top or Soft? 2021-08-06
- This year's BMW 430i xDrive really is the classic sportscar. You can get it as a coupe or as a convertible, the only two trims available. Basically, it's just two doors and you can have it with a year-round hard top ...


Gay News

Chicago Auto Show taking place July 15-19 2021-07-14
- An abridged version of the annual Chicago Auto Show will take place July 15-19 at McCormick Place, 2301 S. King Dr. The auto show will be one of McCormick Place's first live, in-person events since the ...


Gay News

Pritzker announces $10M vaccination lottery 2021-06-18
- As Illinois continues to lead the Midwest in vaccinating our residents, Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new $10 million "All In for the Win" promotion that will reward vaccinated Illinoisans by automatically entering them into a ...


Gay News

Chicago Auto Show to return to McCormick Place in July 2021-05-04
- On May 4, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot joined elected officials, tourism backers and labor leaders to announce the return of the annual Chicago Auto Show. The event—the nation's largest and ...


Gay News

THEATER 'A Portrait of My Mother' to start streaming May 9 2021-04-08
- Jarrott Productions will present the world premiere of A Portrait of My Mother, written and performed by Carlo Lorenzo Garcia and directed by David R. Jarrott. The autobiographical tribute to Garcia's mother, Maria, begins streaming on ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.