Road Test: 2010 Mazda MAZDA3

Is the 2010 MAZDA3 as good as road test experts say? Take a road trip to scenic San Diego with an automotive journalist on a family getaway to find out whether the 2010 MAZDA3 is worth the price.

On an absolutely gorgeous sunny day, my family took a shiny silver 2010 MAZDA3 down Interstate 5 south from Orange County, Calif., to downtown San Diego’s incredibly hip and scenic Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel.

The 90-mile road trip was mostly pleasurable in the 2010 MAZDA3, although leg room was an issue for my BFF @PriestessRaven, who just happens to stand almost six feet and three inches tall. For this road test warrior, however, was the drive was pretty damned phenomenal.

So, what does the newly-designed and engineered 2010 MAZDA3 worth its amazingly low price tag (base MSRP $15,295)? Come with me on my sunny San Diego road trip and we will find out if Mazda delivered on building an affordable, yet sporty mid-sized sedan. Climb inside the interior was see if my road test car, a 2010 MAZDA3 Grand Touring, made the grade for top touring sedan.

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Exterior

The major redesign of the 2010 MAZDA3 starts striking on the outside. When I pulled up to the super scenic Hilton San Diego Bayfront, I felt like my hip and modern 2010 MAZDA3 paired perfectly with this bayfront hotel’s striking minimalist beauty.

Like downtown San Diego’s many cultural attractions, the 2010 MAZDA3’s new smiley-faced black grille is the most striking example of an international design team who collaborated to bring more emotion and expression into the exterior.

Personally, I really enjoy the new grille on the 2010 MAZDA3. Somehow, the 2010 MAZDA3’s wide toothed grin works in its black carbon grille work. In this design, there are subtle hints of mirth and positivity contrasted with some devilish knowing (for speed!).

On the highway, the 2010 MAZDA3 looks kind of small and sporty, but does not speak to fashion. Up close and personal, however, the 2010 MAZDA3 does have a sexy fashion look with its new grille, curvy fenders, sleek sideline and bootylicious back side. Compared to Mazda’s full-sized MAZDA6, the 2010 MAZDA3 definitely has a more playful and sporty look.

Also, Mazda aerodynamic engineers made great strides to achieve better fuel efficiency and reduce wind noise. At 33 mpg hwy, Mazda engineers certainly got the fuel efficiency right. As for wind noise, I found the cabin to be rather quiet, but the 2010 MAZDA3’s zoom-zoom engine was somewhat noisy. (If you like driving fast, that would be in a good way!)

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Interior

Mazda is known for it minimalist interiors with sporty design and high-quality materials. Certainly, the 2010 MAZDA3 lives up to its design DNA with a super sophisticated and ergonomic interior.

The driver’s cockpit on the 2010 MAZDA3 is super comfortable and the three instrument gauges are super sporty. I thoroughly enjoyed the keyless start and tilt-and-telescoping, leather-wrapped steering wheel with built-in audio controls.

Pleasing textured plastics, burnished silver accent colors and lots of plush black leather makes the interior of the 2010 MAZDA3 a delight to drive and ride. The illumination at night is also rather racy with sexy red lights and buttons everywhere and some soothing deep turquoise accents.

The dash is certainly minimal and this is helped by a miniature computer screen and digital panel for climate and audio built like a wave fashion into the central dash. The central console is handsome with burnished silver accents and few buttons. The stick shift fit perfectly in my right hand and some great access to two cup holders and a versatile storage bin-and-arm rest combination.

I was a bit disappointed in the lack of niches for mobile devices, which made me use both cup holders to hold my keys, cell phone, cups and other bric-a-brac items.

The front passenger definitely has lots of leg room and is still quite comfortable even when a back passenger needs some leg room. In my top-of-the-line 2010 MAZDA3 Grand Touring model, however, the front passenger seat did not have power controls.

In the second row, however, leg room can be quite tight for tall persons as on our road trip with giant BFF @PriestessRaven. The second row seating is rather plush, has a great pull down arm rest with two cup holders and has cup holders built into each door.

Overall, the 2010 MAZDA3 has a well-designed interior with a sporty look and excellent materials. If you are seeking more leg room for back passengers, however, you may want to consider the MAZDA6. The 2010 MAZDA6 is also lacking an integrated information, audio and navigation system with a big screen such as Ford’s SYNC system on the 2010 Ford Fusion or 2010 Mercury Milan.

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Performance

My one word to describe my road trip destination test of the 2010 MAZDA3 to San Diego’s Hilton Bayfront, Sea World, San Diego Zoo and downtown Gaslamp District? FLAWLESS.

Not only is the 2010 MAZDA3 fast and aggressive, but the suspension and handling are superior to many of its mid-sized sedan competitors.

On my road test south towards San Diego, I sliced through Interstate 5 freeway traffic, powered over the bautistas (inland lagoons) of North San Diego County and maneuvered the busy city streets of downtown San Diego. My 2010 MAZDA3 Grand Touring with its 2.5-liter, inline four cylinder, 16-valve, six-speed manual transmission model did all a speed racer could ask for and much more! (The base 2.0-liter engine gets a decent 148 hp.)

For such a low-priced sedan (my Grand Touring road test model topped out at just $24,760), I was quite shocked at the sport tuned feel of the 2010 MAZDA3. And, if you can believe it, this sport sedan gets 33 mpg hwy and 25 city!

My 2010 MAZDA3 Grand Touring with 2.5-liter engine and six-speed manual transmission easily powered over and through traffic, low hills, curvy roads and stop-and-go city streets. The zoom-zoom acceleration, sport-tuned suspension and superb handling all worked together perfectly to deliver a thrilling drive.

I was worried the six-speed manual transmission would be either boring or painful to drive. Not so. Mazda’s MZR transmission performs with a playful touch accompanied by tough engineering for much less thrash at high speeds. Basically, I drove the highway most of the way in sixth gear without having to downshift much at all (although downshifts are smooth and fun!).

Perhaps it is the suspension on the 2010 MAZDA3 that makes me think of cars like Mitsubishi’s Lancer Ralliart and Evolution. Okay, so the 2010 MAZDA3 isn’t an Evo, but there’s just something special about how the car moves and how it takes the curves so tightly and with confidence.

Mazda engineers say this comes from the 2010 MAZDA3’s new “unibody construction,” which gives the car both stiffness and resistance. I don’t know what all that means, but I do know the 2010 MAZDA3 drives like my dreamy bayfront suite at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Bring it on, Mazda and downtown San Diego!

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Safety

Unfortunately, electronic stability (ESC) control does not come standard on the 2010 MAZDA3. The federal government has regulated each 2011 model vehicle and beyond comes standard with life-saving ESC. So, if you are thinking about buying a 2010 MAZDA3, make sure you pay extra for ESC. Mazda calls it “dynamic stability control” and this option also comes with traction control. The 2010 MAZDA3 has been award five stars from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration in its driver crash test rating.

2010 Mazda MAZDA3 Trim Levels, Packages & Options

The 2010 MAZDA3 comes as both a four-door sedan and as a five-door hatchback model. The 3i is available only in the sedan model and has three trim levels: base SV, Sport and Touring. Standard equipment on all 3i models includes tilt-and-telescoping steering column with built-in audio controls, 16-inch steel wheels, power windows and mirrors, 60/40 fold-down rear seats and a four-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary audio jack.

The 3i Sport version also features air conditioning, temperature display and optional automatic transmission. The 3i Touring adds power door locks, keyless entry, 16-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and a six-speaker audio system.

The 3s Sport is available both in sedan and hatchback models. The 3s Sport comes with the larger 2.5-liter Touring engine as well as unique front and rear fascias, fog lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, upgraded upholstery, rear spoiler, sport seats, trip computer, electroluminescent gauges and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 3s Grand Touring is the top-of-the-line model with upgraded headlights and interior illumination, dual zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, leather upholstery and an eight-way power driver seat with memory functions.

“Moon roof” and “Bose” packages are available on all 3i Touring and 3s trim levels. The moon and sun roof combination with fully-automatic opening is rather handy. The “Bose” package features a 10-speaker surround sound system with six-CD changer. The “tech” package (available on 3s trim level only) includes keyless ignition, Sirius satellite radio ready, a navigation system and in-dash display screen.

Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande