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The Cost of Car Insurance
Liability insurance is like Mafia protection. It's a pain in the neck, it's expensive and you'd... Read More
The Cost of Car Insurance
Liability insurance is like Mafia protection. It's a pain in the neck, it's expensive and you'd... Read More
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TheCarConnection.com's team of car experts pored over road tests from respected Web sources to bring you this conclusive review of the 2010 Mazda 3. Experts from TheCarConnection.com also have driven the Mazda 3 sedan, and can offer you a definitive opinion on this economical yet sporty line of compact cars. This review also looks at competitors to the 2010 Mazda 3 line so that you can be fully informed if you're considering a new vehicle.
Likes:
- Expressive exterior style
- Quality of interior
- Excellent performance
- Smooth, quiet engines
- Luxury features in an economy car
Dislikes:
- Some options only available with larger engine
- Navigation screen is small with driver-only controls
- Only average fuel economy with the bigger engine
Mazda follows the introduction of its spacious, sporty 2009 Mazda6 midsize sedan with an equally impressive compact sedan, the 2010 Mazda3.
The Mazda3 has been a success for Mazda since its introduction. It represents one third of Mazda’s sales and it’s easy to understand why after spending time with one. It’s a fit, frugal and fun compact car.
The 2010 Mazda3 is available in either a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback both with front-wheel drive and a choice of two engines. Both feature updated exterior and interior styling with a prominent new five-point grill that is the new “global face” of Mazda. It’s a handsome, upscale look with some sportscar wedge to its profile and a “happy” face in front (look at the nose and headlights and maybe you’ll see its smile, too). Inside, the cockpit is more sophisticated and more plushly trimmed than before.
The entry-level 2010 Mazda Mazda3 “i” is equipped with a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission. The sportier “s” model comes with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine from the Mazda6 that pumps out 167 horsepower. The larger engine gets a six-speed manual transmission as standard and the same optional five-speed automatic as the base car.
