You walk out to the parking lot after a grueling 8 hour workday in polyester khaki pants and scan the horizon for your colorful and trusty steed. Many legends have been told about it but you would never believe such negative things said about your ride. You have depended on this work-horse to get you to and from work safely all the while being capable of performing during those impromptu illegal street racing moments. Wait, am I talking about a horse or the MazdaSpeed3 hatchback? No, you are not reading HorseQuarterly.com. I am talking about the 2010 MazdaSpeed3 and its absolutely devilish amount of torque steer. Sort of like a Mini Cooper S amplified by 11. Then hit reverb and that is what it feels like to be driving flat out in the MazdaSpeed3. By the end you will be praying it throws you into the bushes but somehow it’s other worldly surefootedness keeps you on the road. Powered by a howling banshee of an engine, the MazdaSpeed3 makes 263 horsepower from its 2.3 liter 4 cylinder. But whereas the motor in a VW GTI is all smoothness and instant torque, the engine in the MazdaSpeed really makes you work the sloppy manual shifter to try and keep from bogging down into turbo lag. Although improved since the last generation, the current manual transmission (the only one available) reminds me of Tiger Woods marriage in that it’s a painful, complicated mess. Another point of contention is the new styling of the 2010 MazdaSpeed3. It has so many unnecessary creases and curves and giant gaping smiles/air dams that it is nigh on impossible to pick out a design theme. Even Charo told the 3 that it looked over the top. Then she went on about something to do with hootchie-koo. But either way, Charo has a point. Where the previous generation had very attractive, albeit conservative, hatchback styling this one is trying so desperately to be now that it is already last week. Starting at $23,945, the MazdaSpeed3 may seem like a bargain when you look at it compared to the new 2010 GTI which costs about $1,000 more. Unfortunately you will want to tick the box for the upgrade package that adds six-disc audio changer, Bose sound, Sirius Satellite Radio, push button start and Mazda’s very own itsy-bitsy navigation screen. Why does Mazda bother with this joke of a navigator on the 3? Was it secretly designed by laser-eye surgery doctors trying to up the number of drivers seeking 20/20 vision? Because if you don’t have really good vision you won’t be able to understand anything going on down at the tiny screen by the base of the windshield. As you can tell, the MazdaSpeed3 needs some serious polishing before it can make a wise ownership experience over a 2010 VW Golf GTI. The GTI may cost a little more but it feels more polished and every piece of trim oozes class. Speaking of that, who picked out the new MazdaSpeed3’s seat fabrics? It looks like they skinned a chair that was on the lanai deck of a Carnival Cruise ship. Please make leather optional, Mazda. Category:Home › Home • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 2 • Will higher gasoline prices mean lower sales for new cars? — part 1 • Should the crew of the Sea Shepherd board whaling ships? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 13 • Grandparents: Can blogging chronicle your genealogy? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 12 • Are teachers unions the cause of public school problems today? • Which makes a better pet: A dog or a cat? — part 11