2011 Mazda MAZDASPEED3

Once again unwilling to take even a small break, Mazda has added additional features to its Mazdaspeed3 just a year after a major redesign. The optional Technology Package that previously added a 242-watt Bose stereo, alarm, proximity fob for entry and ignition, and a navigation system has been beefed up with rain-sensing wipers, LED taillights, and automatic adaptive bi-xenon headlights – all features unavailable previously.

Otherwise, they ain’t fixin’ what ain’t broke with what might be the best hot hatch out there. A 2.3-liter, direct-injected, 263-hp turbocharged four-cylinder still sits beneath the hood, grafted to a six-speed manual tranny. It’ll get you to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, but unfortunately Mazda has failed to address the substantial torque steer so many have complained about. Still, the limited-slip differential does its job quite well, except in wet conditions, where the inexperienced driver may find some unintentional hooligan antics livening up the ride. The MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear was stiffened last year, and you can definitely feel it in the corners as well as over bumps, which resonate into the cabin. Yes, it provides a significantly harsher ride than its less performance-oriented siblings, but if you’re looking at a Mazdaspeed3, you’re more interested in tackling turns and carving corners than a haughty highway haul