- sedan
- North Lima, OH
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- autoshopper.com
2010 mazda mazda3 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Re-engineered premium car at compact price. introductionthe 2010 mazda 3 is a premium car in a compact package. It gets new styling inside and out, a larger, more powerful engine, new transmissions, and even more luxury and technology amenities than the generous helping it offered before. It hasn't been completely redesigned, however. It keeps the same basic architecture, with some upgrades. Introduced for the 2004 model year, mazda calls the 2010 mazda3 an evolution, not a revolution of the previous model. Built on a volvo platform, the previous mazda3 was a sales and critical success for mazda. With that in mind, mazda hasn't radically changed anything on its sales leader. Instead, the company set out to make incremental improvements. inside, the mazda3 adds bluetooth cell phone connectivity, a bose centerpoint surround system, and an available multi-information display that adds a second level of information. The interior is first-class interior with lots of other available amenities. Higher line models get a multi-information display below the windshield that houses readouts for the vehicle information center, climate system, radio presets, and even the available navigation system. A unique cluster of buttons on the steering wheel controls these functions. The readouts are easy to see and the steering wheel controls work intuitively. It's a pretty trick setup. The other controls are mounted high on the dash's center stack, and are also easy to see and use. the mazda3 is practical, with useful small items storage up front, as well as plenty of room for the front passengers. The back seat will fit two adults fairly comfortably, provided the front occupants aren't too tall. In both the sedan and hatchback, the rear seats fold 60/40 to create a mostly flat load floor. The result is a sporty car that feels firm and composed on the road, with moderate lean in turns. The steering is sharp and precise, and the brakes provide a linear pedal feel. The suspension deals well with most bumps, though large ruts can pound through with the available 17-inch wheels. two engines are offered. Sedans are offered as 2. 0-liter i and 2. 5-liter s models, while hatchbacks are only offered as s models. It is offered only with a manual transmission. The moonroof, 6cd and bose package 1395) includes a 10-speaker, 242-watt bose centerpoint surround sound system. The technology package 1195) comes with a navigation system, a full-color version of the multi-information display, sirius satellite radio with a six-month subscription, keyless access and starting, and a perimeter alarm. safety features standard on all mazda3 models include dual front airbags, front side airbags, curtain side airbags, active front head restraints, tire-pressure monitor, and anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution. The styling was just right. No line seemed out of place. The 2010 model uses the same wheelbase as the previous version but it's three inches longer in overall length. Some of the lines on the 2010 model seem somewhat askew, most notably the front end's goofy smile. the smile comes from a bold new grille. Whereas the last model had a small, high-set grille with a prominent lower air intake, the new model has only the grille, now much bigger and set lower. The five-point shape seen on other mazdas, including the restyled 2009 mx-5, creates the smiley face shape. Mazda says the new grille serves a purpose, making the mazda3 slip through the air better while also taking in sufficient air to cool the engine. The result is a polarizing look that we fear customers may dislike. the rest of the car is an evolution of the last model and is quite attractive. The grille is flanked by a pair of angled headlights that wrap around to the sides. They're also adaptive, meaning that they point into turns as the steering wheel is turned. That's a pretty neat safety feature on dark country roads, both for the driver and pedestrians. the headlights come to a point around the side of the car, where they meet up with prominent front wheel flares that surround 16 or 17-inch wheels. The base car gets steel wheels, but higher line models have attractive alloy wheels. The fender flares direct the eye to a rising beltline that starts at the front of the door, bisects the door handles, and leads all the way to the taillights. This line has a stronger wedge shape on the hatchback. On both body styles, another character line is found just above the rocker panel, and it rises as it moves toward the rear wheel. Like the outgoing model, the hatchback features triangular rear side windows and a rear roof spoiler. at the rear, the sedan has a rear lip spoiler. The hatchback features a five-pointed rear window that reflects the shape of the grille. That platform worked quite well in the last (pre-2010) car, so mazda stuck with that winning formula but tweaked it to make it lighter and stiffer. This was accomplished by using more high-tensile strength steel and thicker steel in key locations, adding gussets to areas such as the suspension mounting points, and employing a technique called weld-bonding to strengthen areas such as the door apertures. Weld bonding, which combines spot welding with the use of structural adhesive, enhances the unibody's flex resistance. The result is an even better handling car. interiormuch of the mazda 3 appeal is the interior, which is first-class for a vehicle of this size and price. Mazda has completely redesigned the cockpit for 2010, taking an approach based on human-machine interface studies that places controls and readouts in two key zones. controls most frequently used, including the radio and climate dials and buttons, are.
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