Mazda3 SP23

I've got around AUD$30K to spend on a car and I was thinking of getting the SP23. I've heard this car handles really well and is a neat little package but I was wondering about how fast it actaully is.

Does anyone have any stats for this car? e.g. 1/4mile etc

Also would people recommend this 115kW car to a first time manual driver (been driving auto for 2-3yrs).

Because I am currently weighing up this car and a second hand WRX, however with the WRX I fear that a turboed manual would be a little too much for a first manual car.

Also, any other suggestions for a car are also welcome.

You should buy whichever car you feel better sitting in. Both are decent cars, though the WRX obviously has more power. An unmodified WRX is already fun to drive, but it's also manageable, so I wouldn't worry much about it being your first manual. The WRX is more of a mass-market car than the STi, and it shows in the power delivery. Worth note is that the AWD is nice, depending on what kind of climate you're in.

Even people who have driven manual cars for a long time will have a brief learning curve with a new manual car, because every vehicle has a different feel to the clutch. Buy the car that you like more, not the one that seems better to learn in. If you're dropping $30k, you should enjoy yourself, and after a couple of weeks you'll be comfortable enough with the stick that it's not going to matter.

http://www.mazda3forums.com

Good info on the 3.
If you poke around I thinkyou will find that Mandee ran 1/4 mile in 15.3

Wow, thanx guys, very helpful.

The Mazda 3 is built better than the WRX with significantly better paint, out side panel fit and interior materials but not as fast as the WRX. Mazda 3 as the best stick on the market next to the Honda S2000 but then again the WRX as on of the best all wheel drive systems on the market. When ever I start doing reseach on my next car I always check out http://www.edmunds.com and read the reviews on the car.