Newport Beach, CA – Most sequels, unfortunately, turn out to be stinkers, Basic Instinct 2 comes to mind as does Poltergeist 3.  So how exactly do you improve on the original good thing?  I’m no expert on that question either but the folks at Mazda seem to be nailing it every time they put pen to paper (or mouse to CAD as it may be).  First they hit a home run with the redesigned Mazda6 and to follow that up they step up to the plate and knock another one out of the park with the new for 2010 Mazda3.
               Affordable… Very.  Sporty…You bet.  Economical...Yes.  The 2010 Mazda3s 5-door Sport is all of that and more.
                Let’s start with the affordable part.  $20,330 gets you the Velocity Red Mazda3s pictured here.  The standard equipment list is long and includes goodies such as 17-inch alloy wheels shod with all-season tires (16 inch steel wheels come standard on the Mazda3i model), a slick-shifting 6-speed manual transmission, Sirius Satellite Radio, 6-speaker audio with CD and MP3 playback, remote keyless entry, leather wrapped, tilting and telescoping, multifunction steering wheel with Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls at your finger tips.  Leather wrapped shift knob and very cool electroluminescent interior/dash lighting mainly found on cars north of the $40K mark.  Independent front/rear suspension, traction control, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, front/rear stabilizer bars, power steering, two 12-volt power outlets, duel-exhaust outlets, sport front and rear bumpers and roof-mounted spoiler, A/C, power windows & locks, in-dash multifunction display and more still yet.  Again, all this for $20K!  Even if you added the optional sunroof and navigation system you are still well under the $25K investment level.     
                OK so you get a lot for your hard earned dollar, but are you going to be bored to death driving around in this thing?  In a nutshell…hell no!  This is a Mazda remember, Zoom Zoom and all that!  The 2.5 Liter DOHC 16-valve VVT inline 4 cylinder barks out an impressive 167 horsepower and 168 lb-ft torque.  See the big grin on the front fascia of the Mazda3?  You are going to have one just like it after your first and every subsequent spirited drive to pack the hatch with groceries, the dry cleaning, whatever.  You’re not going to set any land speed records with 167 horses being fed to the front wheels but if you can’t have fun tooling around in this Mazda3 please have someone check your pulse.   

                So the 2010 Mazda3s is affordable and sporty, what about my carbon footprint?  Mazda’s got you covered once again with an EPA estimate of 21 MPG City and 29 MPG Highway for a combined of 24 MPG.  Over the course of my time spent with this very eager driving partner I averaged just shy of 23 MPG in mixed driving scenarios between running around town and a couple of jaunts up to Los Angeles.  Without the always-on, boy racer lead foot, MPG returns could be even better.
               You can get your 2010 Mazda3 in either 4-door compact sedan or a 5-door hatch configuration, my preference is the hatch because of its versatility.  If you opt for the Mazda3i with the smaller 2.0 liter inline-4 cylinder making 148 horsepower and 135 lb-ft of torque you get the sedan only.  You have to move up to the 3s for the choice between body styles. 
               Mazda left well enough alone in the handling department.  Aside from some new high-strength steel and retuning the suspension the platform basically remains the same as the outgoing model.  The updates give the Mazda3 improved body control with no increase in ride harshness and have improved what was already a fun and communicative car. 
               The exterior styling and updated interior are where you will really see the efforts that Mazda put forth into this redesign.  The smiley front end takes some getting used to and has received some mixed reactions but when you’re behind the wheel you are thankful for the increased aerodynamics that decrease wind noise and increase fuel mileage.  The flared wheel arches are faithful to the Mazda family line-up and the tail ends of both the sedan and the hatch are more curved and flowing then in the past.  Inside you feel as if you spent twice as much on your chariot than you did.  The fit and finish are excellent, the plastics are not all soft to the touch but are of very high quality and the cloth (leather if you belly up to the Grand Touring model) seats are very comfortable on short and long stints behind the wheel and when the spirited driver comes out of you they hold you in place very well.
               Affordable, sporty, economical, comfortable, pump friendly…run…don’t walk, to your nearest Mazda dealer and sign up.         

Column and photos provided by Rich Branch, EVP of Race Central TV and Radio Network Partners.