"Mazda will make vehicles that wink at you," proclaimed chairman Kenichi Yamamoto. As corporate mission statements go, that is certainly a catchy line, and it perfectly captures the personality of the upcoming Mazda MX-3. Sitting quietly in pre-production form, looking quirky, racy, and perhaps even a little frivolous, the car seems to wear a conspiratorial grin. It metaphorically chucks the driver under the chin with a promise of fun times to come, whispering an invitation to go out and raise a little hell. A car that actually winks at you might sound like marketing hyperbole, but the MX-3 carries an undeniable air of mischief.

When it arrives at dealerships in the fall, the MX-3 will enter the fiercely competitive small sports-specialty category. This vehicle class is currently bursting at its little seams with an influx of fresh sporty coupes, including the Toyota Paseo and the Nissan NX, alongside more familiar faces like the Isuzu Impulse, the Geo Storm, and the Honda CRX. Among this pack of traditional two-plus-twos, the CRX stands out as the lone two-plus-none configuration. Mazda, however, is banking on buyers viewing the MX-3 a little differently. Instead of dismissing it as just another zippy two-plus-two coupe built on cheap sedan hardware, the Japanese automaker intends for the vehicle to be recognized as a distinct sports car possessing two major mechanical distinctions: genuine four-passenger capacity and the automotive world’s smallest V-6 engine.

Questions naturally arise regarding just how practical and real that passenger occupancy rate will prove to be for everyday driving. Even so, there is no denying that this high-revving, four-cam 1845-cubic-centimeter six-cylinder engine introduces an entirely new class of powerplant to the small-coupe segment. It brings the silky, aggressive snarl that typically comes exclusively from much larger six-cylinder engines. In doing so, Mazda is also looking to steal some thunder from Volkswagen, which after years of development struggles is finally preparing its own narrow-angle V-6 for production in the Corrado sports coupe.

Catchy styling makes the right first impression for the MX-3, combining smooth, rounded forms with a wedgy profile, a sharply raked windshield angled at 65 degrees from vertical, and a vast, wrap-over rear window. The exterior design looks sharp from every angle, and heads naturally swivel around the car during road testing. Aerodynamic add-ons help trim the coefficient of drag down to a slippery 0.31. Notable aesthetic details include the distinct curvature at the rear edge of the side windows and a tiny glass panel positioned beneath the rear spoiler on the batch’s vertical face. While Mazda has touted this lower glass panel as an aid to rear visibility, it appears so shallow in practice that it functions more effectively as a styling element, keeping the rear end from looking overly thick and flat.

The car’s proportions provide a strong foundation for both comfort and performance. The 96.3-inch wheelbase, combined with a front track of 57.5 inches and a rear track of 57.7 inches, creates a very generous footprint for a vehicle in this class. This wide stance serves as a promising start for superior handling while simultaneously allowing for a surprisingly roomy cabin. From the driver’s position, the interior looks wide, open, and spacious. It also presents an attractive and well-organized layout, though the cabin interior is styled with significantly less distinct contours than the dramatic sheetmetal on the outside.

Up front, the seats easily accommodate large adult passengers without crowding, offering solid side bolstering that thoughtfully stops short of impeding entry and exit. As for the rear accommodations, Mazda claims the back seat is not merely a traditional plus-two penalty box, but rather a space where average-sized adults can ride in reasonable posture. The rear bench is quite wide and visually appealing, featuring a continuous wrap-around effect at the back and sides complete with clearly defined cushion pockets. However, an occupant’s head, knees, and feet must be positioned precisely as Mazda’s packaging engineers intended in order to find a proper fit. It is technically possible to carry two adults back there, but they should be good sports—literally, because climbing into the back is an athletic maneuver—and trips should probably be restricted to short runs down to the local video store.

Most of the car’s sloping front end remains completely hidden over the horizon from the driver’s line of sight. This represents a minor packaging miracle considering the massive lump of an engine the hood has to cover. Although 1.8 liters of displacement is hardly a massive amount of swept volume, housing a V-configured engine alongside its complex valve gear and extensive intake manifolding requires a tremendous amount of far-flung aluminum. A single glance at the crowded outbreak of cam covers and intake runners under the MX-3’s hood immediately demonstrates why orthodoxy for efficiency-minded small coupes has historically favored four cylinders arranged in a neat, simple row.

Yet, despite the spatial constraints, everything fits into place, creating an impressive collection of mechanical hardware. The transversely mounted V-6 features main castings constructed entirely of aluminum, with the two cylinder banks set at a 60-degree angle. Twin camshafts located in each cylinder head operate four valves per cylinder. The breathing efficiency of this multi-valve layout is further aided by an intake tract that utilizes two solenoid-controlled butterfly valves, which vary the effective volume of the manifolding to help fatten up the torque curve.

Mazda engineers correctly anticipated that low- and mid-range torque would require assistance in this short-stroke, high-rpm engine, and some drivers are certain to wonder whether those efforts went far enough. Official SAE net output ratings stand at 130 horsepower delivered at 6500 rpm, alongside 115 pound-feet of torque arriving at 4500 rpm. These figures comfortably meet or beat those of nearly every competitor in the class, with the sole exception of the Nissan NX2000, which cranks out 140 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. However, out on the road, the free-spinning little six often seems to generate the subjective sensations of speed much more effectively than it delivers actual, hard-hitting thrust.

Around 3000 rpm, the exhaust system resonates with a gorgeous snarl that strongly evokes the classic 3.8-liter Jaguar E-type, yet there is remarkably little usable power to be found down in that part of the rev range. Acceleration does not really register in the small of the driver’s back until the tachometer climbs to 4500 rpm, and even then, that sensation is largely confined to the lower gears. Making rapid progress demands keeping the engine spinning at high revolutions, typically living in the range between 5000 rpm and the 7000-rpm redline. While that high-rev necessity can feel a touch overdramatic during routine daily traffic, the engine is happily willing to oblige. It remains marvelously smooth and responsive, though at the top of the tachometer, the classic Jaguar exhaust snarl is replaced by a muted whir that more closely recalls Mazda’s signature rotary engines.

Power is managed by a light-action, rod-linkage manual gearbox that provides smooth, if slightly long, throws for stirring through the five available ratios. The gear spacing on the five-speed manual is likely as good as mechanical packaging allows, but the gap between first and second gear is quite broad. Pinning the tachometer in first gear reaches 33 mph at the 7000-rpm redline, and the subsequent shift to second gear drops engine revolutions all the way down to approximately 3900 rpm—landing just a bit below the effective fringe of the engine’s torque territory. Once production models can be fully evaluated on testing instruments, harder performance data will provide a clearer picture of how these initial impressions translate to the track.

Fortunately, a well-sorted chassis significantly contributes to the MX-3’s back-road fun factor, as well as its composure during high-speed freeway cruising. This is the same corporate entity, after all, that coined the term "stagility" to denote a deliberate combination of vehicle stability and agility. The firm strut-type suspension layout, which serves as a refined evolution of the systems utilized in the Protege and the Escort and Tracer sedans, delivers excellent directional stability paired with quick cornering responses. The engine-speed-sensitive power steering feels light and direct, while the dartiness previously observed in this specific rear suspension design has been brought under much better control.

Buyers shopping the line will actually find two distinct versions of the MX-3. The performance-oriented model detailed here is tagged as the GS. Mazda also offers a base model, but its 88-horsepower, single-overhead-cam 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine leaves it largely out of the performance conversation. Key differences for the base model include a disc-and-drum brake arrangement replacing the GS’s four-wheel disc setup, smaller tires measuring 185/65 wrapped around fourteen-inch steel wheels instead of the fifteen-inch alloy wheels fitted to the GS, and a slower steering ratio of 17:1 compared to the GS’s quicker 15:1 setup. Additionally, an electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission can be specified in place of the manual gearbox on either model, though few driving enthusiasts are expected to opt for it, especially when paired with the playful and high-revving V-6. Official retail pricing has not yet been announced by Mazda executives, but final stickers will need to remain highly competitive among small sporty coupes, pointing toward suggested retail prices residing in the low teens.

The smooth and slinky MX-3 is positioned to take its place alongside the RX-7, the Miata, and the MPV as the sort of specialized, off-center automotive product upon which Mazda has been successfully building its brand reputation. If Chairman Yamamoto ultimately gets his way, the little coupe will not only wink at prospective buyers from the showroom floor, but will also grab them by the sleeve and drag them off, promising a driving experience just a little bit different from everything else currently available on the market.