By Russ Heaps
MyCarData


With an energetic attitude and very few faults to mine, the first generation Mazda 3 that debuted in 2004, was a compelling addition to the economy segment. Spirited performance, decent fuel economy and an up-level cabin made for an entry-level car that didn’t feel all that entry level. When tasked with undertaking a major redesign of the 3, the lab-coat types managed to keep its best attributes and improve on the rest. The second generation indeed advances the 3 and is, if possible, even less entry-level like.

Carmakers can’t seem to help themselves from growing their products with each redesign. In the case of the 3, Mazda exhibited more restraint than most by only stretching the overall length (3.5 inches). All other exterior dimensions, including the wheelbase, are roughly the same as last year’s car. Where the extra length is allocated is somewhat of a mystery; interior legroom and luggage capacity are basically unchanged for 2010.

There is nothing subtle about the exterior styling changes; the lines are dramatically altered. Although the front end with its huge, smiling maw is somewhat polarizing, the design as a whole is more sophisticated and appealing than the previous generation. Whereas, after removing its exterior badges, the previous 3 would defy identification in a police lineup of competitors, the new 3 is a fresh and noteworthy face easily picked out of a crowd.

Mazda offers the front-wheel-drive 3 as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback. Sedan buyers have the choice of two inline four-cylinder engines. Those with the smaller 148-horsepower 2-liter four have an “i” designation in their nomenclature and come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. Those with the 167-horsepower 2.5-liter four can be identified by the “s” in their names and use a six-speed manual tranny to transfer power to the wheels.

The 3i sedan has three trim levels: SV, Sport and Touring. Priced at $16,095, the bare-bones 3i SV is at the bottom of the 3 food chain. While it does feature six airbags, power windows and outboard mirrors, and a 60/40 split fold down rear seat, it is the only 3 without standard air conditioning and is only available with the five-speed manual. All other trim levels, whether an i or an s, offer an $850 five-speed automatic-transmission upgrade.

Hatchback buyers don’t need to make the engine choice because the five-door comes only as an s. Both the sedan and hatchback s models have two trim levels: Sport and the top-of-the-line Grand Touring. Opting for five doors adds roughly $500 to the price of the similarly equipped sedan. My test version was the $23,195 four-door 3s Grand Touring.

Although fuel economy isn’t quite as good as that of some competitors, it’s still solid. The EPA estimates that with the smaller engine and manual tranny the numbers are 24 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. Going with the automatic transmission peels 1 mpg from the highway rating. Armed with the larger engine, the s earned an EPA estimate of 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. Opting for the automatic increases the city number by 1 mpg.

Mazda dialed a degree of sportiness into the 3′s handling; and in doing so, has imbued it with a somewhat firmer-than-average ride. MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link setup in the rear are the key ingredients of the four-wheel independent suspension. Stabilizer bars firm up both ends of the architecture. The ride isn’t harsh, but a tad more firm than that of, say, the Honda Civic. The result, though, is that the 3 corners with pluck, exhibiting a willingness to be tossed around a bit.

Sixteen-inch wheels and rubber are standard on the 3i. Moving up to the 3s changes those out for 17-inch ones. Every 3 comes standard with four-wheel anti-lock brakes, emergency braking assist and electronic brakeforce distribution. Adding traction control or stability control requires moving up to the 3s where both are standard. They aren’t available even as an extra-cost option on the 3i.

The Mazda 3′s cabin compares well with competitors in terms of size. It offers about the same front and rear legroom as the Toyota Corolla. Its 11.8 cubic feet of luggage room also compares favorably with the Toyota.

Seating five, the Mazda interior is comfortable and surprisingly up scale. As you might expect at this price point, plastic is in abundance around the cabin, but Mazda did a good job in disguising it. Tasteful and rather plain, the styling of the dashboard and controls takes the “less is more” approach. The most complicated array of buttons are at the driver’s right hand, and belongs to the standard four-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input jack. Every 3 also has redundant audio controls mounted on the tilt-telescoping steering wheel.

Moving up through the trim levels, air conditioning is included in the 3i Sport, while the 3i Touring beefs up the content list with Bluetooth connectivity, six-speaker audio system, power door locks, keyless entry and cruise control. Jumping up to the 3s Sport makes the larger engine and wheels, dual exhausts, up-level interior appointments and a trip computer standard. Finally, the 3s Grand Touring ups the standard ante with leather seating, heated outboard mirrors and front seats, bi-xenon headlamps with corner-swivel capability, dual-zone climate control, and driver’s seat memory.

Mazda packs a lot of value and driving fun into the tidy 3 package. It has taken what was already better and improved on it for 2010.