2010 Mazdaspeed 3: Say Cheese

I can dig it.

The front looks better in black. Unfortunately, the back of the cars still screams "RICE!", something only a 16 year old could love.

Yes, it's less smiley, which is why I got mine in black, too. But I'm discovering the truth behind the conventional wisdom that black is hard to keep clean!

Does anyone know if it is true that the 'smile' is interchangeable with non-Speed versions? I know the gills have a function, but I find the non-gilled mouth less offensive.

I think the issue is that the Mazda3 just really needs a body-color grille. It's not necessarily the design of the grille itself (at least, not entirely) but how obnoxiously that design stands out when it's in black. When it blends with the paint, it really looks pretty sharp.

It looks better but is still ugly. The huge hood scoop doesn't help. I don't mind hood scoops, but the way this one is designed makes it look like a broken nose.

much better. but the previous version, especially from 2008.5 on, is still a better deal because it has HID lights and a more stealth-like (no scoop) look.

Almost every car looks better in black. It is tough to keep clean, but when it is, there is nothing better.
And black hides the smiley face better.

It just looks like the smile has buck-teeth with the license plate.

Isn't kind of crazy to have a black car in Texas?? Get's a bit hot down there I think.

Still uggo, but preferable to the red one in IL's fleet.

Ford has an $895 package for the Fusion that includes an option for body colored grill. If Ford can do this for its bread and butter sedan, why can't Mazda (an affiliate of Ford, for goodness sake) do the same?

By the way, the Fusion package is available for the SE trim level, which means you can get a 4 cyl. Fusion with a 6 speed manual , 18" alloy wheels (SE comes standard with plastic covers), and a sport suspension. Sure it is not a 3.5 V6 with 263 HP, but I have driven a regular SE with the 6 speed manual-- and it was fun to drive. Imagine the fun with 18s and sport suspension.

I don't need the power of a Speed 3, and I appreciate the size and cargo capacity of the Fusion.

Black is good on this car but even then I would consider a aftermarket body kit.

Less ridiculous-looking in black, but still ridiculous-looking.

Ahh...that's better.

audisport says:

"Isn't kind of crazy to have a black car in Texas?? Get's a bit hot down there I think. "

After going 2 summers without air conditioning in my 300ZX, I can deal with a black car. :)

I can't believe there isn't a cottage industry in replacement grills painted in the most popular factory colors.

Heck, it shouldn't cost more than a couple hundred dollars to have your local body shop paint the grill to match the rest of the car.

I second the cottage industry on replacement grilles. Acura owners would be the no. customer.

no. 1

Too bad Texas requires a hideous front bumper license plate. Looks like someone knocked a tooth out of its grin.

When you deliberately choose paint colors that help mask the lines of a car, you know you've got an ugly car. The Mazda smiling grill actually makes the Acura beak look fairly good (dare I say, handsome?) in comparison.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2009/08/03/472652.1-lg.jpg

Problem with the black MS3 is, now that the smiling grill is less conspicuous, you realize the rest of the car looks pretty hideous too. This thing looks like a Toyota Matrix:

http://www.edmunds.com/media/reviews/top10/drivers.under.25/05.toyota.matrix.500.jpg

I think that the Mazdaspeed 3 in black looks less smiley, but also it looks more...tame, I think thats the right word

I think it is racist and offensive. Looks like Mickey Rooney in Breakfast at Tiffany's

It does hide the grin a bit, and that's why I think I see so many of them in black (also in Texas). I've seen them mostly in black, a few in red, and 1 silver.

For a proper looking 2010 Black Mica Mazdaspeed3, look no further:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4383582244_c0a5570277_b.jpg

Less offensive but still a heck of a lot of silly.

I dig it. We have a black Yukon XL (yes, in TX), and it has one heck of a 3-zone auto climate control. And does look really sharp when clean. But overall, as it is the family car, too much work. Settled for it because it was a great deal, on the lot, with the right interior color and other options. The savings have been worth it, but the next one will be tan or silver or something resembling the color of dust.

Although my favorite color for the Mazda3 is dark grey, because it is dark enough to tone down the grill, but a little more interesting than plain old black. But considering how quick and easy it is to wash a small car like this, esp. compared to the previously mentioned Yukon, black would be okay.

Yup, I'll agree. The black really tones down the psycho smile effect. But it still doesn't change my opinion that the last generation looked a lot better overall. I used to really want one of these (the regular version, not the 'speed 3), but the more I see them both in pictures and in person, the more I prefer the mk6 Golf.

It looks like the finish of the grill insert is still different from the surrounding sheetmetal (er, plastic since it's a fascia), so it's still not perfect. I think what's best is to get a non-black car (unless you really want it in black), and then take it to a paint shop and have them match it to the body paint color.
A while back when I was thinking of getting an MS3 myself (before I went with a GTI...not sure if that was the right decision), I fired up the ol' Photoshop to try to visualize this theoretical fix.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pe_tor/3975031900/ (not sure if there's a good way to post links in here)

I think this works well, but that might just be me.

I have to admit, the smilie reminds me of the teeth on the 370Z.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9SGuUoZ1Zxec8RaAeMT2QQ?feat=directlink

I don't mind the "mouth-like" front facia - better than nondescript cars (booooring!!!).

Helps, but ain`t enough.

Why did you make us look at it twice? Oh, the humanity!