A CAR expert has picked out a bargain hot hatchback that he’s described as the “best value for money” you can buy.
Adam Morris, of the YouTube channel ReDriven, creates videos of popular second-hand motors, and in a recent one he picked up a tidy Mazda3 MPS.
The sporty little car is seemingly a great choice for drivers looking for a high-performance hot hatch for a bargain price.
These can be picked up for as little as £4,000 – with just around £6,500 enough for an example in very good condition.
But the motor has proven to be controversial among petrolheads for its driveability.
Adam said: “If you listen to the critics, this thing is just a cheap, torque-steering mess of a car that’s ready to blow its turbo or timing chain off as soon as it possibly can.
“But, if you listen to the fans, this is easily one of the best value for money hot hatches that money can buy.
“I don’t know if this Mazda design language is ageing all that well.
“Maybe one day it will become retro-cool, a bit like a Ford AU Falcon, but right now it isn’t ugly by any means but it’s certainly no supermodel.
“However, I did see a grey one of these with Mazda6 rims and that thing looked the business.”
The Mazda3 MPS was produced between 2009 and 2013 as the souped-up variant of the Mazda3 hatchback.
Featuring a turbocharged 2.3-litre engine, the motor was seen as a rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Ford Focus RS and, later, the SEAT Leon Cupra.
Behind the wheel, Adam praised the Mazda3 MPS for its driving style, saying: “The big complaint is torque steer, but if anyone out there is complaining about this, I’m sorry, but they’re wrong.
“The issue I have with so many hot hatches is that they’re way too easy to drive.
“Take something like a Golf GTI, you plant your right foot, all of the electronics do the heavy lifting and they catapult you at the scenery.
“Plant your right foot in this thing, and it’s almost like you’re trying to control a wild horse, and that’s what a hot hatch should offer.
“The sensible part of a hot hatch is the practicality and useability it offers, but it should offer an alter ego.
“I love that this car offers the full Jekyll and Hyde personality.”
This has been backed up by other car fans, too.
Plant your right foot in this thing, and it’s almost like you’re trying to control a wild horse, and that’s what a hot hatch should offer.
Adam Morris - ReDriven
In a feature from Autocar in 2017, Mazda expert Frazer Geraghty talked up the MPS edition, saying: “They’re terrific cars — extremely fast but very comfortable, too.
“Being a Mazda, they’re extremely reliable.
“The turbo doesn’t give any trouble and we’ve never known any timing chain issues.”
Another fun sporty Mazda is the Mazda6 MPS – a motor that Jeremy Clarkson himself raved about in the past.
Much like its hot hatch sibling, the super saloon stands out when it comes to price as a used example with around 55,000 miles on the clock can be picked up for just £7,000.
