Mazdaspeed 3 vs Honda Odyssey... wait what?

[jfolt]

came across this on yahoo! autos, arguably the be-all, end-all in automotive journalism

Reality check: Let’s talk about space and size. For around the same price and fuel economy and comparable power as the Mazdaspeed3, you can get the 2012 Honda Odyssey which seats seven passengers (two more than the Mazda), has nearly double the passenger volume (172.5 cubic feet versus 94.6 cubic feet) plus another 25 or so inches in length (202.9 versus 177.6).

On a serious note, who ever wrote this.... I.... nevermind I'm speechless

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/5-small-...ge.html?page=4

[VeeDubDriver]

came across this on yahoo! autos, arguably the be-all, end-all in automotive journalism

Reality check: Let’s talk about space and size. For around the same price and fuel economy and comparable power as the Mazdaspeed3, you can get the 2012 Honda Odyssey which seats seven passengers (two more than the Mazda), has nearly double the passenger volume (172.5 cubic feet versus 94.6 cubic feet) plus another 25 or so inches in length (202.9 versus 177.6).

On a serious note, who ever wrote this.... I.... nevermind I'm speechless

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/5-small-...ge.html?page=4

Since it was an article on small vehicles with poor fuel economy, I think the point they are trying to make is that the brick of an Odyssey has similar power and mileage, but is a much larger vehicle. I always thought the MS3 should get better mileage, but it may be an issue of it performing (mileage-wise) better in real life than on the EPA test cycle.

[Roboturner913]

LOL, retarded:

Reality check: The much smaller Subaru Impreza Wagon WRX STI gets the same fuel economy as the brawny Ford F-150 truck, which carries a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that can generate 302 horsepower and 278-lb-ft of torque and weighs (curb weight) 1300 more pounds than the Subaru Impreza Wagon (4,685 pounds versus 3,384 pounds).

Reality check: The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera (with 7-speed PDK automatic transmission) gets better economy than the Ralliart trim of the Mitsubishi Lancer.

Well, that settles it then! I'll just be getting a 911 instead of a Rallart Lancer and an F150 instead of a WRX.

I see what they are trying to do, but I really don't think anybody interested in buying a WRX is going to not buy it because it gets below average gas mileage. If you were talking about something like a Hyundai Accent getting bad mileage, then yeah, OK.

[Mike!]

Wow... and an STI gets the fuel economy of a "much bigger" F-150... as if size is a benefit in all situations.

The MS3 and STI may not haul 5 kids or 3 yards of soil, but the Ody and F-series aren't touching them on a backroad either. But, apparently, it's all about size per dollar.

[Aw614]

People buying those cars know what they are getting with gas mileage, if I was after fuel economy, I would get a fuel efficient car.

[audiphile]

So if I want better fuel economy and don't care about performance I shouldn't purchase the performance model?? Thanks, got it.

Embarrassing "article". No way it would have made it to physical print if we still did that kind of thing. It bothers me how the Internet has watered down journalism, and automotive websites seems to be the worst offenders. At least this one seems to have been run through spell check.

[VeeDubDriver]

It is curious that an S4 gets the same mileage as a MS3: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find....31584&id=31180

[FlashRedGLS1.8T]

It is curious that an S4 gets the same mileage as a MS3: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find....31584&id=31180

Given the posts in this thread, it is not curious.

[rockit]

as an auto enthusiast, i would take a honda odyssey over a MS3 in a cocaine heartbeat.

i am an odyssey fanboy.

carry on.

[audiphile]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

[VW1.8Tsunami]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

LOOL, wow

[Roboturner913]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

She probably lives in my neighborhood.

I live in a former GM town and we can't drive either of our cars (Mazda, Nissan and a Toyota) without some local yokel putting their 2 cents in about it. A couple times a week somebody leaves a note under the windshield wiper saying something like "every foreign car you buy is an American job lost" or something equally stupid.

[scsuh]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

posts like this are pretty much the norm on any yahoo affiliated site.

[scsuh]

LOL, retarded:

Reality check: The much smaller Subaru Impreza Wagon WRX STI gets the same fuel economy as the brawny Ford F-150 truck, which carries a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that can generate 302 horsepower and 278-lb-ft of torque and weighs (curb weight) 1300 more pounds than the Subaru Impreza Wagon (4,685 pounds versus 3,384 pounds).

Reality check: The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera (with 7-speed PDK automatic transmission) gets better economy than the Ralliart trim of the Mitsubishi Lancer.

Well, that settles it then! I'll just be getting a 911 instead of a Rallart Lancer and an F150 instead of a WRX.

I see what they are trying to do, but I really don't think anybody interested in buying a WRX is going to not buy it because it gets below average gas mileage. If you were talking about something like a Hyundai Accent getting bad mileage, then yeah, OK.

i agree that their premise is misinformed. for example, not everyone who purchases a car values size as one of their top priorities. but they do have a point in regards to fuel economy. there really is no reason that the wrx/sti/evo continue to get the abysmal fuel economy that they do, especially when cars and trucks that weigh significantly more and have similar power outputs manage to get just as, if not better, fuel economy. but i imagine it is something that subaru/mitsu will address with their coming redesigns.

[Mike!]

i agree that their premise is misinformed. for example, not everyone who purchases a car values size as one of their top priorities. but they do have a point in regards to fuel economy. there really is no reason that the wrx/sti/evo continue to get the abysmal fuel economy that they do, especially when cars and trucks that weigh significantly more and have similar power outputs manage to get just as, if not better, fuel economy. but i imagine it is something that subaru/mitsu will address with their coming redesigns.

Gearing and tuning for performance over economy is likely the cause of that... there's more to it than weight and peak power. Like you say, however, a shift towards reducing CO2 emissions is happening, and you're more likely to see bumps in fuel economy with only minor increases in power for upcoming generation changes.

[SpecialFX]

Well damn! I guess I need to cross off the sti from the vehicles I want to buy to save money on fuel!

[Slipstream]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

This is why I stopped reading news story comment sections for a long time (and probably need to continue not reading them)... I lose a little more faith in humanity every time I do.

[GTI 20v]

I think I found somebody dumber than the author.

I'll bet my left nut that more than 50% of the contents of this woman's house were made in China and purchased at Wal Mart.

[HereticByDefault]

The MS3 is very capable of getting decent gas mileage so long as you stay out of boost.

The WRX/STI and Evo needs to be tuned to lean out the fuel mixture at partial throttle to get that gas mileage up. But in order to do that, they need factory catalytic converters that can keep the emissions (which are heightened from leaning out the mixture) down to a normal amount.

There isn't much to the Evo's and STI's aside from their power plants. All other aspects were cut to keep cost down. Using better catalytic converters and tuning for fuel economy is one of those areas I would assume Subaru and Mitsubishi said "**** it. People will buy them anyway."

[bbk]

We like performance cars, but also appreciate getting close to 30 mpg while cruising on the highway with the S4 & Carrera.

[adrew]

Not as bad as this:

[01tj]

She probably lives in my neighborhood.

I live in a former GM town and we can't drive either of our cars (Mazda, Nissan and a Toyota) without some local yokel putting their 2 cents in about it. A couple times a week somebody leaves a note under the windshield wiper saying something like "every foreign car you buy is an American job lost" or something equally stupid.

I don't live in a GM town but I hear the same stuff around here. "GM makes the best vehicles and everything else is un-American". I thought it was just a red-neck thing

i agree that their premise is misinformed. for example, not everyone who purchases a car values size as one of their top priorities. but they do have a point in regards to fuel economy. there really is no reason that the wrx/sti/evo continue to get the abysmal fuel economy that they do, especially when cars and trucks that weigh significantly more and have similar power outputs manage to get just as, if not better, fuel economy. but i imagine it is something that subaru/mitsu will address with their coming redesigns.

Compare the 0-60 and track times of the vehicles and you'll see why the smaller vehicles are getting the same mileage. MOST people buy large vehicles like a van or a full size truck out of necessity so it helps to save a bit at the pump. MOST people buy the smaller vehicles listed because they enjoy driving and will sacrifice a little mpg's for performance

[InfinitiG]

Whoever wrote that article needs to be kneed in the face.

[Roboturner913]

I thought it was just a red-neck thing

Well, northern Indiana is not exactly a bastion of sophistication and forward thinking.

[01tj]

Well, northern Indiana is not exactly a bastion of sophistication and forward thinking.

LOL, didn't look up your geo. It doesn't matter how bad it is there, we will still always get that label.

[feels_road]

Also interesting that (besides the power/fun factor) they didn't bother to mention that all but the (known to have abysmally poor mileage) MazdaSpeed3 are AWD.

[Yo Teach]

The esteemed author must have gotten his/her (no idea if the name Shadee is male or female) automotive opinions from the Lounge, where the answer to every automotive purchase advice thread is "Buy an E30 3-Series/Cherokee/Miata!"

[feels_road]

(no idea if the name Shadee is male or female)

In my experience, Sade is female, and Chadi is male. YMMV.