I did a search and didn't see where these specific magazine articles had been compared. One was a comparo with daily drivers like the VW GLI and Accord EX. The Mazda crushed the other cars in performance but was faulted for poor luxury features and cosmetics/trim. It used the list price as the comparison for the other cars. Also complained about the ride being too firm. I thought it was a fair comparison, although their use of list price and emphasis on luxury tilted the results in a much different direction than I would have.
The R&T article has been discussed before: obvious symptoms of severe power loss glossed over by the "we could only get 91 octane" remark. I'm surprised that Mazda didn't argue the results with them. Anyway, just for fun (I know it's not valid) I plugged the numbers for the C&D comparo into the grid for the R&T results (the C&D results were pretty typical of a healthy MS6 with 0-60 at 5.4, 1/4 mile 14.0 @99mph and skidpad of 0.86). The Mazda would have scored 195/200 points, easily trumping the Subaru Spec.B even giving it the track win. Overall it would have come 3rd, and price dependent would have been second to the Spec.B. I want a recount!!! Anyway, I suppose we should thank the tepid reviews for the very advantageous pricing that many of us are experiencing now. BUT, how can the Mazdaspeed division look itself in the eye in the morning when its baby is being dumped on over and over because of BAD PROGRAMMING? :swearin: (sorry, long day, just a bit emotional, need to drive a bit... :drive: ).
The R&T article has been discussed before: obvious symptoms of severe power loss glossed over by the "we could only get 91 octane" remark. I'm surprised that Mazda didn't argue the results with them. Anyway, just for fun (I know it's not valid) I plugged the numbers for the C&D comparo into the grid for the R&T results (the C&D results were pretty typical of a healthy MS6 with 0-60 at 5.4, 1/4 mile 14.0 @99mph and skidpad of 0.86). The Mazda would have scored 195/200 points, easily trumping the Subaru Spec.B even giving it the track win. Overall it would have come 3rd, and price dependent would have been second to the Spec.B. I want a recount!!! Anyway, I suppose we should thank the tepid reviews for the very advantageous pricing that many of us are experiencing now. BUT, how can the Mazdaspeed division look itself in the eye in the morning when its baby is being dumped on over and over because of BAD PROGRAMMING? :swearin: (sorry, long day, just a bit emotional, need to drive a bit... :drive: ).