One week comparisons - MS3 vs GTI

[Mpower]

I have put 600 miles on my new MS3 and would like to give some comparisons to my GTI.

Seats...GTI are more comfortable. The MS3 are great and look better but im more comfortable in the GTI seats. I think the main reason i like the GTI seats better is because they have better thigh/leg suppport. I guess when you get old that matters more. :)

Stereo...MS3 sounds better. The GTI has a 10 speaker system so on paper you would think it would sound better but the MS3 sounds much better. Maybe the Bose speakers are better. By the way where is the subwoofer located at on the MS3?

Overall interior...MS3 is better. I think the guages and lighting/color are awesome. Mazda did a nice job with how everything is set up. VW is not bad either but when you compare them the MS3 wins all the way. Did i mention that the glove box is huge on the MS3!!! WOW!!!

Overall exterior...This is tuff. I feel its a tossup. I like the looks of both but i have not had a single complement on my MS3. No one at work even noticed i got a new car. With the GTI i still get complements. I think its because there are 2 other Mazda 3s at work and they dont look much different than the MS3. My wife and son like the MS3 over the GTI...again im nuetral...they both look great.

Engine power...well this is a no brainer...MS3 all the way. The passing power on the freeway is nuts. It feels as fast from 80 to 100 as my M coupe!!! The only complaint i have with the engine so far is the turbo lag. Both the GTI and the MS3 have direct injection but there is almost no lag in the GTI. The MS3 has some serious lag. Maybe the MS3 has a bigger turbo and that is why it has so much lag?

6 speed tranny and clutch. I love the clutch feel of the MS3. The extra spring/pop in the pedal is nice which leads to a more sporty feel. But shift smoothness overall goes to the GTI. Maybe its because of the rear engine mount that is junk on the MS3. I do have the CP-e on order to fix this. It does seem like the shifter is smoother in all gears in the GTI though.

Handling...MS3 all the way. This car is so smooth and easy to drive fast. The roads around where i live are full of curves and kind of bumpy. The MS3 takes them with ease and does not jar my teeth. The GTI is good but its really not that close. I have put 36k on my GTI and after the first 100 miles on the same curves i knew who was better.

Brakes...MS3 has way better feel. I have never really liked the GTI brakes. They arnt bad...just dont have good feel and seem to fade really easy. The brake dust on the MS3 is as bad as my BMW though. I cant wait to get the MB Boost wheels which are gray so can hide all the dust.

Well thats about it...my GTI is for sale on Autotrader if anyone is interested. :)

[Kain]

The stock Bose sub is under the passenger seat. It's <6", and honestly if I didn't know it was there, I wouldn't have noticed it. The rear door speakers are very weak and distort at even moderate volumes. I think replacing the four door speakers and tweets and amping them will do nicely for me.

In the last couple of weeks, I've installed a COBB shifter weight and CorkSport MMI, and they both have transformed the shifting for the better. I loved my car stock, but the shifting feel was the one weak point IMHO. Now it's much better.

If you like the handling now, throw on a COBB or Hotchkis rear sway bar and you'll love it even more.

[nextcar]

mpower, thanks for the great comparison. i agree with you on most everything.
when i bought my ms3 a few months ago, i seriously considered the GTI, but the following factors lead me to choose the ms3:

1. the ms3 had much more power/torque at >3000 rpm.
2. ms3 had better handling
3. consumer reports gave ms3 better reliability. by the way, how reliable has your gti been?

now what irks me the most about my ms3 is the clutch. first, it's a little too firm. it gets tiresome when you're stuck in stop and go traffic. also, it's hard to shift smoothly into 1st and 2nd gears if you're in a hurry. for me to do it smoothly, i need to engage clutch slowly, which i guess wears out the clutch more. so in this respect, i prefer the GTI's clutch.

[CnoTataymo]

I believe you felt "turbo lag" because I know in the GTI's (MKIV or MKV), the torque comes in low around 1800 rpm.

[Nismothecat]

cool, that was the one car i never test drove that i wanted to when buying my car.

[chief_wiggum]

I planned on test driving a GTI too -- but after driving the MS3, I didn't even bother going to the VW dealer.

[tiagotiago]

On paper I loved the GTI, but I never even considered it because of bad experiences with VW sealerships before (owned a 2000 New beetle). I'd also like to know how it was reliability/maintanance-wise.

Glad to know you're also enjoying your MS3, it's such a fun car!

[Yoo Shin]

Excellent review! After realizing that I couldn't afford a 08 STI, I consider the MS3 GT w/ Nav but to a used 08 R32 with 3k miles for 29k. I really wanted a manual, and I prefer the 4 doors, so already I was leaning toward the MS3. Plus, from reading online reviews of the R32 and speaking to a few actual owners, it seems to be more of "Touring" GT then a "Sports Car".

But I was attracted to the V6 of the R32 which has a great sound, great torque and is supposed to be a perfect mate for the paddle shifting DSG, but also from my research I found the R32 isn't a very mod friendly car. I understand that the GTI and R32 a bit different, especially with the drive/powertrain, but it's good to hear and read from other's that have actually experienced the cars and come to a similar conclusion.

Still to bad the STI w/ Nav isn't 10k cheaper :(

[Redlinez]

VW's have been known for crazy check engine light issues as well as complicated electrical gremlins. I had a 06 MKV GTI and loved it, that is until it developed rattles and clunks from the cabin that you would associate with a 10 year old minivan. We have had great service from both our Mazda6's and the dealership and hope our 5 is the same. I absolutely love the new white MS3!! I like your direct review and your objectivity, not many can say I own both.....

[Mpower]

The GTI has been good to us and only had to bring it in once for a rattle in the dash and CEL for a airbag sensor. I did complain to VW customer service for the speedo which is way off. When your doing 80mph its actually 72 and it gets worse the higher you go. All GTIs 2006 and up are like that which is really stupid. No fix and VW says its within limits.

But it has been a good car with decent avg MPG of 27. I am really impressed though with the MS3. Im getting 30.3mpg on the fwy at 80mph. But im still breaking in so i will have to see what happens after a few 1000 miles.

I will have to look into the shifter weights and corksport MMI...thanks for the info Kain.(drinks)

[saranya]

you got the wrong color car for compliments :P

[djthom]

MPower>
did you have the GTI ECU reflashed or is it still in its stock state? If you didn't I would be very interested in how that would change your review of the GTI power.

[gtlaw]

I have put 600 miles on my new MS3 and would like to give some comparisons to my GTI.

Seats...GTI are more comfortable. The MS3 are great and look better but im more comfortable in the GTI seats. I think the main reason i like the GTI seats better is because they have better thigh/leg suppport. I guess when you get old that matters more. :)

Stereo...MS3 sounds better. The GTI has a 10 speaker system so on paper you would think it would sound better but the MS3 sounds much better. Maybe the Bose speakers are better. By the way where is the subwoofer located at on the MS3?

Overall interior...MS3 is better. I think the guages and lighting/color are awesome. Mazda did a nice job with how everything is set up. VW is not bad either but when you compare them the MS3 wins all the way. Did i mention that the glove box is huge on the MS3!!! WOW!!!

Overall exterior...This is tuff. I feel its a tossup. I like the looks of both but i have not had a single complement on my MS3. No one at work even noticed i got a new car. With the GTI i still get complements. I think its because there are 2 other Mazda 3s at work and they dont look much different than the MS3. My wife and son like the MS3 over the GTI...again im nuetral...they both look great.

Engine power...well this is a no brainer...MS3 all the way. The passing power on the freeway is nuts. It feels as fast from 80 to 100 as my M coupe!!! The only complaint i have with the engine so far is the turbo lag. Both the GTI and the MS3 have direct injection but there is almost no lag in the GTI. The MS3 has some serious lag. Maybe the MS3 has a bigger turbo and that is why it has so much lag?

6 speed tranny and clutch. I love the clutch feel of the MS3. The extra spring/pop in the pedal is nice which leads to a more sporty feel. But shift smoothness overall goes to the GTI. Maybe its because of the rear engine mount that is junk on the MS3. I do have the CP-e on order to fix this. It does seem like the shifter is smoother in all gears in the GTI though.

Handling...MS3 all the way. This car is so smooth and easy to drive fast. The roads around where i live are full of curves and kind of bumpy. The MS3 takes them with ease and does not jar my teeth. The GTI is good but its really not that close. I have put 36k on my GTI and after the first 100 miles on the same curves i knew who was better.

Brakes...MS3 has way better feel. I have never really liked the GTI brakes. They arnt bad...just dont have good feel and seem to fade really easy. The brake dust on the MS3 is as bad as my BMW though. I cant wait to get the MB Boost wheels which are gray so can hide all the dust.

Well thats about it...my GTI is for sale on Autotrader if anyone is interested. :)


I would love to see what the response is to this at a VW forum.. those guys swear the GTI is a better car

[coololddude]

they are both super hatches. life is good when we have so many choices and not a real lemon in the bunch!!

[nextcar]

The GTI has been good to us and only had to bring it in once for a rattle in the dash and CEL for a airbag sensor. I did complain to VW customer service for the speedo which is way off. When your doing 80mph its actually 72 and it gets worse the higher you go. All GTIs 2006 and up are like that which is really stupid. No fix and VW says its within limits.

But it has been a good car with decent avg MPG of 27. I am really impressed though with the MS3. Im getting 30.3mpg on the fwy at 80mph. But im still breaking in so i will have to see what happens after a few 1000 miles.

I will have to look into the shifter weights and corksport MMI...thanks for the info Kain.(drinks)

30 mpg at 80 mph sounds too good to be true. you might wanna check your tire pressure. when mine was at 50psi, i got better MPG.

[Redlinez]

I got 26mpg with my 06 GTI with the REvo program. Great mpg and tons of torque fun. I guess I need to drive the MS3. Problem is, I can't get rid of my Trans Am.

[Mpower]

30 mpg at 80 mph sounds too good to be true. you might wanna check your tire pressure. when mine was at 50psi, i got better MPG.

I cked the tire pressure and its a few PSI over what the door sill stated which if i remember was 35. Next fillup i will recheck to see if it matches the MPG stated on the meter. Maybe i got lucky or i dont put my foot in it enough.

Djthom...no ecu flash done to the GTI...i left it all stock. I did want to do the APR flash but never got around to it. :(

[lutexas]

Before buying my 08 GT speed3 I tested almos any available sport car from 20 to 35 000$ (Honda S200, Nisan 350Z, Mazda Miata, Pontiac soltstice, VW GTI, Subaru WRX and Mazdaspeed3).
I was looking for a 2 door coupe but I
I decided for the speed3 for these reasons:

-it provides more passanger and cargo spacethan a 2 door coupe and you have a similar driving experience. So I reduced my list to the hatchbacks
- the mazdaspeed3 is more powerful than the GTI or the WRX.
-I liked the mazdaspeed3 transmission more than the GTI or the WRX.
-I liked the mazdaspeed3 interior and exterior look more than the GTI or the WRX.
- Japanese cars (spped3, WRX) are more easy to modifie than german cars (GTI)
- mazdaspeed 3 offered more power for less money.

This weekend I took my mazdaspeed3 to a race track (Texas world speedway) and I really enjoyed driving my 4 door hatchback as it were a racing car .

[parkerfe]

I too considered the GTI before buying my 2008.5 MS3...I found the MS3 to be more fun to drive and I liked the interior better as well...

[lestat13]

I raced a GTI the other night that was stock except for tint, HIDs, and springs. Are they still 1.8T? It def looks more aggressive than the MS3 and like you said, most people don't even give me a second look on the road or in the parking lot. The thing was faster than I imagined, but still beat him by a few lengths from a 30-100 pull. It looks like it handled incredibly well through the traffic circles though. I don't know, I still can't say I think the handling of the MS3 is as good as everyone says it is. Coming from a dropped Integra the MS3 still kinda feels a bit like a minivan, but the Integra is one of the best handling cars ever made (yes, so is the Miata) so my judgement is biased. Hopefully I will think the handling is just as nice when I throw some roadmagnet springs on next year.

Glad you like the Mazdaspeed3!!

[SwampAss]

2.0t Fsi

[Alexsered]

I raced a GTI the other night that was stock except for tint, HIDs, and springs. Are they still 1.8T? It def looks more aggressive than the MS3 and like you said, most people don't even give me a second look on the road or in the parking lot. The thing was faster than I imagined, but still beat him by a few lengths from a 30-100 pull. It looks like it handled incredibly well through the traffic circles though. I don't know, I still can't say I think the handling of the MS3 is as good as everyone says it is. Coming from a dropped Integra the MS3 still kinda feels a bit like a minivan, but the Integra is one of the best handling cars ever made (yes, so is the Miata) so my judgement is biased. Hopefully I will think the handling is just as nice when I throw some roadmagnet springs on next year.

Glad you like the Mazdaspeed3!!

Integra being the best handling car ever made? I'm not trying to be mean, but it seems like you have the stiff car syndrome. Just because a car is very stiff (lowered) and has no body role does not do anything with the handleing. Two perfect examples is the EVO X and the new R35 GTR. Every reviewer says it has a good bit more body roll (the minivan feel) but when you actually take it out on the track, it pulls much better G's and actually gets much better time. Stiff is not always better.

[lestat13]

To clear things up, I said one of the best, not the best, but ask people who auto x and 2 of their favorites over the years have been the integra and miata. Personally I loved the way it handled, it went wherever I wanted it to without putting up a fight and always held on, especially on tight backroads at high speeds. My MS3 doesnt do nearly as well on the tight twisties.

Not bashing the MS3, I love my new car, just defending my statement.

[Alexsered]

I have autocrossed in the mx-5 and the speed6 speed3, and even the cx-7. just for fun. But the best times I ever got were in the mx-5 with the speed3 just less than a second behind it. I mean, it was very very close times. the MX-5 was stiff, low, and handle great, and the speed3 had a good bit more body roll, and I really couldn't believe how close I got to the mx-5 times.

I would have to argue that onthe tight twisties, the speed3 has handles almost as good as the mx-5/miata, it just doesn't feel like it does. With some proper heal/toeing, you might be surprised by the times you get with the mazdaspeed3.

I'm not bashing any car, I just think alot of people have the mentality that if a car is very low and very stiff, that it would handle like a dream. That is just not the case when it comes to pulling g's

[lestat13]

Thanks! I need to get my speed to the auto x and see what I can do off the backroads!

[tiagotiago]

I'm not bashing any car, I just think alot of people have the mentality that if a car is very low and very stiff, that it would handle like a dream. That is just not the case when it comes to pulling g's

+1

Ok, on a billiard table smooth racetrack(without high curbs) or auto-xing (like in lestat's case), it will hold true, no question about it. But at least in my part of the world, the roads are far from smooth, and usually have their fair share of bumps/poor design, and you need some suspension travel to keep having tire grip, otherwise the wheel would just bounce off the bump and be airborne, where it's useless.

[coololddude]

i traded in a 2006 MX5 for my MS3. the MX5 is definitely faster in the twistys, but the MX5 had better go home everywhere else!!

[Graf Orlok]

I test drove the GTI before I settled on the MS3. I really liked the GTI's fit and finish as well as DSG. My criteria was that I needed a four door hatch and in this market, the MS3 became an obvious choice for value as well as reliability ratings. Coming from an Audi A6, reliability was a major concern and as much as I really loved the GTI, I just couldn't handle going down the VAG road again.

I should also mention that the VW dealer didn't let me 'test' the car anywhere near it's potential while the Mazda dealer encouraged me to. For me, this made the sale.

Also on the subject of cornering, if you haven't yet checked out the YouTube video of a Porsche Boxter chasing a modified MS3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zap-BRWW8aM), definitely give it a look.

[chief_wiggum]

^^^^^

that video makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside!

[ericrapp]

To clear things up, I said one of the best, not the best, but ask people who auto x and 2 of their favorites over the years have been the integra and miata. Personally I loved the way it handled, it went wherever I wanted it to without putting up a fight and always held on, especially on tight backroads at high speeds. My MS3 doesnt do nearly as well on the tight twisties.

Not bashing the MS3, I love my new car, just defending my statement.I think it is generally agreed in the racing world that the Teggie is maybe the best balanced handling sport compact! with the double wishbone and what not.

[ericrapp]

you got the wrong color car for compliments :PYou and i have an issue. The color is subtle and very aerodynamic. i am pretty sure the CB is faster, but I agree it stays under the RADAR. hahah

[ericrapp]

The head to head comparo. Wow to have both cars and the M to use as a metric. Thanks for the good read

[///M Compact]

I bought my MS3 to use as a work beater and to share track time with my 318ti Club Sport. I had considered a GTI but the Louisville VW dealers don't like to special order cars and no one in their service departments possess opposable thumbs. The MS3 is fast on the track but I don't find it all that enjoyable to drive at or near the limit. I still kick myself for selling my pristine 1988 M6, so I'll run the MS3 for a while longer until I can financially justify another ///M car fix.