2001 Mazda MP3

Of all the formidable vehicles sitting in the driveway, my 11-year-old son locks on a blinding blue Mazda MP3.
“Oooo. Let’s take this,” he says, eyes sparkling.
Mazda would be ecstatic.
He may not yet be old enough to drive, but he is exactly what Mazda is after with this little muscled-up sedan. Its electric color, aggressive styling, increased power and, most appealing to an 11-year-old, the first MP3 audio system in a car (it plays downloaded music; maybe you’ve heard of Napster?) are all young, predominantly guy bait if I’ve ever seen it. The MP3 is the first real manifestation that Mazda means business with this “zoom zoom” thing you see in its ads. Well, OK, the Miata counts, but it’s fairly tame and well established. Based on the Protégé ES, the MP3 fancies itself in this rising street-racer compact segment. Subaru’s Impreza WRX also fits the profile and is getting lots of attention. Is the MP3 the real deal? Read on.The Good News
As far as I’m concerned the best thing about this MP3 is that it’s based on one of the underappreciated spirits of the compact world, the Mazda Protégé ES. I have long been a fan of the Protégé’s all-around fun-to-drive factor, especially its crisp handling. To create the MP3, Mazda wisely brought in some aftermarket types who customize for street racing. Along with Mazda’s design team, they worked over the independent suspension, lowered the car a touch and added 17-inch wheels and high-performance tires. Mazda claims 30 percent improvement in cornering. I can’t verify that, but I can attest to an even more agile Protégé, which makes the switchbacks a real romp.

The powerplant is the same twin cam 16-valve 2.0 liter four-cylinder I’ve driven in the Protégé ES, an engine borrowed from the larger Mazda 626. Only the MPS’s setup coaxes 140 horses out of it, instead of 130, and 142 foot pounds of torque. That’s not a huge amount of thrust, but it’s a step up nonetheless. It comes with a five-speed manual, four-wheel disc brakes and rack and pinion steering. Perhaps the best part is the addition of a Racing Beat muffler that makes it sound wicked.

Then, last but not least, there is the packaging. Outside, a rear wing, large front air dam with integrated driving lights, ground effects all around, loud wheels and low-profile tires distinguish the MP3. It’s not nearly as obnoxious as it could have been, and I really like that.

Inside, charcoal seats contrast with silver accents throughout. White gauges, a three-spoke Nardi steering wheel and lightweight pedals round out the practical points, and the Kenwood MP3/AM/FM/CD player sits front and center ready to crank up the hip-hop with maximum base. The player flashes these wild, swirling graphics that I found incredibly distracting. Fortunately, they can be turned off.

The Bad News
The bad news is that the MP3 isn’t a lot faster. With the very hot Subaru Impreza WRX in this race, being lukewarm is not attractive.

Gas Mileage
EPA rated at 25 mpg city/31 highway. That’s a plus.

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $18,020;
As tested, $18,565

Is it worth it?
As real street-racers go, the MP3 impresses me as something of a wannabe. That opinion comes largely from the fact I’ve so recently driven the Subaru Impreza WRX whose all-wheel-drive handling and turbo-powered authority establish a benchmark in this class. By comparison, the MP3’s performance suffers despite its fine handling.

But the WRX also costs about $24,500, considerably more than the MP3. And you don’t get the nifty audio player or the MP3’s packaging, which flaunts far more attitude than the Subaru’s.

I guess the bottom line is style over substance in this case. Or as Puff Daddy might say, the difference between the flash and the dash is whether you got the cash. Yawl.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.