Mazda Mazda3 Review

The redesigned Mazda3 will impress driving enthusiasts, and it improves upon its predecessors in a number of other areas. If I were in the market, it would be high on my list. But these days, my backbone does as much as my right foot to sway my opinion — and I have to concede that Mazda doesn’t have the most comfortable small car out there. I drove a

Mazda3 sedan with an automatic transmission; I’ll offer up a short take on it here. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive review of the car, read our evaluation of the stick-shift hatchback version here; you can also compare the 2010 Mazda3 to the 2009 Mazda3 here. The turbocharged MazdaSpeed3, sold only as a hatchback, is covered separately in the Research section.

The Cabin

If the Volkswagen Jetta leads the pack in small-car cabin quality, I’m prepared to award the silver medal to Mazda. The dashboard panels have upscale textures and padded surfaces, and most controls feel high-rent for the segment. The windshield and dash slope far forward, giving you a sense of roominess that’s similar to the Civic. Over time I felt like I was sitting above everything: The cockpit doesn’t wrap around you so much as it’s arrayed before you, a layout that might take some getting used to.

The cloth seats have supportive backrests, though there could be more shoulder support; the sport seats in 2.5-liter models are intended to help with this. There’s enough bolstering to hold you in as you sling the car through a corner, but my 5-foot-11 frame never had enough thigh support. Read the rest of this entry »