Tuesday, March 31, 2009

2010 Mazda3 Sedan



"The current Mazda 3 is among our favorite small cars, and with more than 1.8 million units sold to date, one of Mazda's most important models. Rather than mess with a good thing, the Zoom Zoom company isn't changing much for the new, second-generation compact sedan. (Mazda has chosen to reveal the four-door sedan now at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show; a five-door hatchback, our favorite version of the 3, will be revealed later.)

The new 3 is about three and a half inches longer than last year's car, and weighs about a hundred pounds more (depending on equipment level), but the other dimensions haven't changed, including the wheelbase. That's a good indication that not much has changed underneath the 3, either-and indeed while the 2010 3 has significant revisions to its chassis, including increased use of high-tensile strength steel to reduce the body-in-white's weight by 24 lb while stiffening the suspension attachment points, it rides on largely unchanged suspension and brakes. Don't interpret that as a bad thing-the last 3, even at the end of its six-year production run, was still at the top of its class in our book.

Choose 2.0-liter or 2.5-liter Four-cylinder powertrainsMazda also didn't make any changes to the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which produces 148 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque. A gem of an engine, it's both rev-happy and torquey, and mates to either a five-speed manual transmission or a new five-speed automatic (which replaces last year's 4-speed automatic.)

Those buyers wanting a little more power can now opt for the Mazda3s, which uses the same 2.5-liter four as the larger Mazda 6i sedan. This new engine replaces last year's 2.3-liter, and produces 11 more horsepower and 18 more lb-ft of torque, for totals of 167 hp and 168 lb-ft. The engine also receives an additional gear-the manual now has six forward ratios."

Mazda Mazdaspeed 3



"Ignore, if you can, all the various 'MPS' emblems on this hot hatch. They won't be on the car when it's sold in North America as the 2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3.

Like its staid sedan and hatchback siblings, the latest iteration of the Mazdaspeed 3 is far from revolutionary. In fact, most changes are cosmetic, including the new wide-eyed front fascia, revised hatch and taillights, and a new hood scoop.

Evolutionary also applies to what's under the hood. The turbocharged 2.3-liter I-4 seen in the last-generation Mazdaspeed 3 soldiers on in the 2010 model, producing the same 260 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Likewise, it's still mated only to a six-speed manual transmission, channeling power to the front wheels.

Still, there are a few things to love about Mazdaspeed's latest compact. To start, the car benefits from additional chassis tuning, including new reinforcements in the firewall and body tunnel to add stiffness. Mazda claims new half shafts were designed to reduce torque steer, and new 18-inch wheels, patterned after those on the RX-8, are capable of handling wider Dunlop 225/40R18 rubber.

And there's also the matter of the car's interior. While the previous 3's cabin wasn't intolerable, the new car's living quarters are a vast improvement. The wraparound dashboard is both slick and sophisticated, and it's highlighted by red-tinted carbon fiber accents. This theme continues with the seating, which wears black leather skins with bright red stitching.

Although it may not represent a quantum leap in power, the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 mixes new refinements with an already potent performance car. We can't wait to get our hands on one when it arrives in the U.S. later this year."