Japanese automakers have ascended the auto industry’s ladder to become some of the most popular and consumer friendly in the whole world. Growing over the past several decades, companies like Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and yes, Mazda, have built themselves into formidable businesses, capable of going head-to-head with the best that America, Germany, and Italy has to offer. With offerings of small, quick, and incredibly reliable cars, trucks, and SUVs, Japanese engineering is now regarded as some of the finest in the world.
Mazda, specifically, has etched its name in automotive lore by specializing in small, sporty, and quick cars that offer drivers not only a thrilling experience, but also top-notch efficiency and scalpel-like precision handling. Over the years, Mazda has become known for vehicles like the Miata, the 3 and 6 model sedans, and the RX models. Although the company has never produced cars meant to compete with the likes of Ferrari or Aston Martin, consumers have looked toward the Mazda line for affordable and efficient options that still offer speed and fun.
Today, we take a look at the 15 fastest vehicles Mazda has ever produced. Several models were not released in the United States, and instead could only be found in Japan or even Australia. There have been dozens of variations released over the years, as well, not all of which had available performance data. Because of that, some models are not included on the list, like RX-7 Type RZ. Concept models and one-offs were also not included, as production models were the only cars considered.
The list was populated using available data from reputable auto industry reviews, as well as company data from Mazda itself. The main figure used to calculate the rankings was acceleration time from 0-60 miles per hour, but top speed and horsepower were also taken into account.
Read on to see Mazda’s 15 fastest cars of all time.
15. Mazda 3 S
Diving headfirst into the list at No. 15, we start with the Mazda 3 S, which was able to make the dash from 0-60 miles per hour in 7.4 seconds. The 3 comes in two different variants, the “i” model, which is the sedan, and the “S,” which is the hatchback. The S outperforms the sedan handily, due to lighter construction and a more aerodynamic stance. Powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder engine, the 3 S can make up to 185 horsepower and reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
14. MX-5 Miata Grand Touring
A longtime bestseller, the Miata has seen a variety of evolutionary stages over the years. These days, it comes in the form of the MX-5 Miata, and the Grand Touring edition is one of the newest — and sleekest. Boasting a 0-60 time of 6.9 seconds, it’s not the quickest of the Miata line, but it’s close. Under the hood, a 167-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine doesn’t bring the most power or speed to the table, but it does provide an ample dose of fun when behind the wheel. This is the perfect small sports car for cruising around the city, but it won’t do much for you on the track.
13. RX-8 R3
Flying onto the list at the 13th position is the RX-8 R3, with a 0-60 time of 6.7 seconds. The R3 is one of several variations of the RX-8, and perhaps surprisingly, isn’t as quick as some of the other versions. It has a similar look and feel to the MX-5 Miata, and also borrows some of its DNA from the RX-7. The RX-8 R3 tops out at a speed of 141 miles per hour behind the power of 232 horses and 159 pound-feet of torque. Traditionally, the RX models are among Mazda’s fastest, but the R3 still doesn’t have enough in it to crack the top 10.
12. Mazda6 MPS
One member of Mazda’s MPS line, the Mazda6 MPS brings a whopping 256 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque to the table. This sedan can reach a terminal speed of 150 miles per hour, and on its way, hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill in just 6.6 seconds. This car isn’t just quick: its economical benefits are one of its major selling points. Mazda claims the Mazda6 MPS can attain 27.7 miles per gallon, and when paired with a considerable amount of speed and power, that makes this offering an extremely well-rounded vehicle.
11. RX-8 Spirit R
The top of the line for the RX-8, as far as exclusivity is concerned, is the Spirit R variation. This is not the same vehicle as the RX-7 Spirit R — not by a long shot. In fact, the RX-8 Spirit R can only make the dash from 0-60 in 6.5 seconds, which, by all accounts, is a bit of a disappointment. It’s also able to reach the apex of its speed at 140 miles per hour behind 232 horsepower. There’s no denying the aesthetic appeal of this car, but when it comes to performance, there are other models in the Mazda lineup that can race past it.
10. MazdaSpeed 3
Cracking the top 10 of our list is the MazdaSpeed 3, which can reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 6.4 seconds. The “speed” in the name is accurate, as this car gets exactly that thanks to a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that kicks out 263 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The MazdaSpeed 3 provides some advantages over the traditional 3 sedan, and even the 3 S. Most notably, it’s outfitted with a turbocharged engine. Also, aesthetic tweaks, including a hood vent, allow for increased performance stats and a more formidable appearance.
9. Mazda 6 S Grand Touring
A step above the Mazda 3, the 6 sedan offers more in the way of power and speed. In fact, the 6 S Grand Touring edition is outfitted with a heftier engine in the form of a 3.7-liter V6 that stomps out 272 horsepower. Although it matches up with the MazdaSpeed 3 with a 0-60 time of 6.4 seconds, the 6 S gets the nod thanks to the additional power it can generate. Of course, the additional space of a sedan also has some advantages over a hatchback, and in this case, it doesn’t sacrifice performance to make that compromise.
8. RX-8
Getting away from sedans and hatchbacks and back to the sportier models in the Mazda line, the RX-8 can jet to 60 miles per hour from rest in 6.3 seconds. Though nowhere close to its predecessor in the RX-7, the RX-8 can still run with the best of them. Spilling out from under the hood is power in the form of 247 horses, along with 164 pound-feet of torque. Using those figures, the RX-8 can reach 150 miles per hour at its top speed, giving this car one of the highest top speeds of all Mazda models.
7. MX-6 LS
Turn back the clock a bit: A trip to the mid-1990s is in store for the next installment of the list. The MX-6 came in a variety of differentiations, but the LS model was the quickest. Notably, the MX-6 LS could rocket from rest to 60 miles per hour in just 6.2 seconds, an impressive feat for an older model. The LS offered a specialized engine — a J-Spec 2.5-liter V6 engine that churned out 200 horsepower, and which allowed it to reach a maximum speed of 142 miles per hour. The MX-6 LS still holds up against today’s models.
6. MazdaSpeed 6
The MazdaSpeed 6 is the performance version of the standard 6 sedan, and it comes with quite a few upticks, as the stats prove. The MazdaSpeed 6 matches the MX-6 LS in quickness, both attaining 0-60 times of 6.2 seconds, but the 6 is vastly more powerful. The 6 belts out 274 horsepower from a turbocharged inline-four cylinder engine, along with an impressive 280 pound-feet of torque. The MazdaSpeed 6 is a true performance sedan, and yet it still wasn’t able to crack the top five of
Mazda’s quickest. Still, for a fast and capable — yet speedy — car, there are few finer choices than the MazdaSpeed 6.
5. MX-5 Miata Club
The MX-5 Miata isn’t exactly known as a performance machine, but the Club version can lay down some quickness when beckoned. The MX-5 Miata Club can actually make the dash from 0-60 miles per hour in6.1 seconds, giving it the fifth spot on the list, far outperforming the other Miata variants on the list. Still, that 0-60 time isn’t that impressive when compared to other sports cars’ performances. Alas, for the top-of-the-line Miata model, the Club offers the most in the way of quickness.
4. Mazda 3 MPS
In what is perhaps the most surprising entry on this list, the Mazda 3 has another variant that managed to reach the fourth spot. The Mazda 3 MPS was able to accomplish a 0-60 time trial a full half-second faster than the 6 MPS. In fact, the 3 MPS was able to do it in 6.1 seconds, thanks to a 257-horsepower, 2.3-liter turbocharged engine. Improvements over the standard Mazda 3 include a stiffer and lower suspension, as well as some precision steering tweaks. For Mazda’s non-sports car line, the Mazda 3 MPS offers the most in the way of quickness.
3. RX-7
Jetting way ahead of all the other vehicles Mazda has produced over the years in terms of performance is the RX-7. The fact is, the RX-7 reaches 60 miles per hour from 0 a full 0.8 seconds faster than any other model, doing so in 5.3 seconds. The RX-7 had a variety of trims and variations that hit the market, but the standard version still holds true as one of Mazda’s fastest to this day. The standard model, which saw production ultimately end in 2002, produced 255 horsepower, and could reach a top speed of 155 miles per hour.
2. RX-7 Type-R
One of the many RX-7 variations, the Type-R could slightly outperform the base model and jet from 0-60 in 5.1 seconds. Like the standard version, it could also hit a top speed of 155 miles per hour. Horsepower was tuned up a bit to 280, and some aesthetic modifications were made for a slightly more aerodynamic stance. The Type-R was rivaled by its sibling models, the Type RS and Type-RZ, but neither of those models had performance data available. Thus, the Type-R claims the No. 2 spot on the list.
1. RX-7 Spirit R
By all accounts, the RX-7 Spirit R is the fastest Mazda vehicle ever produced. It has quite an interesting history, as well, as detailed by the folks over at Motor Trend. A small batch of these cars were produced for Japanese drivers only — with the exception of one, which was made for a Mazda executive. Dubbed a Spec-A version, the one offshoot is actually the only left-hand drive Spirit R in existence. This car is powered by a twin-turbo 1.3-liter twin-rotary engine, allowing it to rattle off some impressive performance feats, finding a 0-60 time of roughly 5 seconds. Most of us will probably never get the chance to see one in person, let alone come across the lone North American model. But as it were, the RX-7 Spirit R holds the top spot on the list of Mazda’s fastest cars.
