2010 Mazda Mazda3

In the auto industry, it’s sometimes better to improve what you have than to start from scratch. That’s the approach Mazda took with the 2010 Mazda3. After a successful six-year run, the Mazda3 is reengineered for 2010, not totally redesigned. Mazda calls it an evolution, not a revolution. They made the right call.


The 2010 Mazda3 keeps the same basic Volvo-sourced architecture as the outgoing model, but it gets new styling inside and out, a larger, more powerful engine, and even more luxury and technology amenities than the generous helping it offered before.

Styling

That new styling includes a bold new grille that seems to smile at you. But there’s a reason for the big grin. The new model replaces a small, high-set grille and a prominent lower air intake with a much larger, five-pointed grille. Mazda says the new grille helps the car slip through the air better while also taking in sufficient air to cool the engine. But it’s not only the looks that make the new Mazda3 a car worth your consideration. Mazda’s popular subcompact is a premium car in a small package, and it offers features and amenities that you wouldn’t expect in a car at this price.


The Mazda3 is offered in i and s models, an array of trim levels, and four-door sedan and four-door hatchback body styles. Mazda3 i models, which are only sedans, start at $15,045. The s models start at $18,740. Based on the 2010 Mazda3 updates, the MAZDASPEED 3, on sale in fall 2009, is set apart from the Mazda3 models with a 263-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter four with more aggressive body styling and 18-inch wheels.


Equipment increases as you move up the range. The top-of-the-line Mazda3 s Grand Touring comes with such high-end features as Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, electroluminescent gauges, an iPod adapter, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, leather upholstery, and adaptive bi-xenon headlights. Plus, you can add such options as a Bose Centerpoint surround sound system, keyless access and starting, a navigation system, and adaptive headlights that point into turns. That’s a lot of equipment for a car that barely tops $25,000 fully loaded.

Interior

The interior environment is first-class for a small car. Designed based on human-machine interface studies, the new cockpit places the controls and readouts in two key zones. The dials and buttons most frequently used, those for the radio and climate system, are placed high on the center stack, where they can be most easily accessed. Mazda3 s models get a second tier of readouts for the vehicle information center, climate system, radio presets, and even the available navigation system. These are found in a Multi-Information Display that is located just under the windshield. Mazda says it chose this location because it is very close to the driver’s line of sight, making it easier and safer to check those readouts.