2006 Mazda MAZDA3

Handling is equally enjoyable, with quick steering and impressive grip from those big 17-inch wheels and tires. Ride quality is also impressively resilient and smooth and is probably the best blend of performance and poise in its class.

Performance

Open the door and you'll be greeted by an instrument panel that would look at home in Mazda's racy RX-8 sports coupe. The instrument panel features three deep bins, with the tachometer and speedometer pointing straight down at the 6 o'clock position at rest—very sporty. The idea comes from racing where you want to have the higher rpm on the tach in your line of sight—say, 12 o'clock.


The gauges have a clean white-on-black design that, at night, switches over to bathe everything in rich, red lighting, which again is very European. The center stack has a nice digital readout at the top for all of your audio information and a neat line of red LED lights under the audio controls that lights up when you do different things like adjust the volume, etc. Our tester was also equipped with the optional navigation system, which features a pop-up LCD screen in the top of the dash, and easy-to-use controls on the lower center console next to the shift lever. A nav system is a real rarity in a car in this class, but certainly welcome.


You also feel welcome in the comfortable seats. The fronts are supportive sport models—a good idea, the way this baby loves to corner. The rear's quite roomy for two adults. When you need to carry cargo, the 60/40 split seats fold easily and create plenty of room.


The 3 also comes nicely equipped. Both the 3s sedan and hatchback feature standard air conditioning (now with a standard pollen filter), outside temperature display, power windows/mirrors/locks, cruise control, a CD sound system, leather-bolstered steering wheel, that powerful 2.3-liter engine, alloy wheels (16-inch on the sedan, 17-inch on the hatchback) and that great styling inside and out. The hatchback adds a cargo cover, rear spoiler and rear wiper/washer. The 3s sedan starts at $17,440 while the hatchback stickers at $17,930, both great values.