Over the years, Mazda has wavered this way and that, never quite making it into the first tier of Japanese manufacturers. In recent years, they've had one mass market hit, the Mazda3 compact, introduced in 2003 as a 2004 model. Though the original Mazda3 remained very competitive at the end of its run, car buyers like to see new metal from time to time. So for the 2010 Mazda's bread and butter has been redesigned and re-engineered.

Is the revised Mazda3 a substantial improvement over the original? I took one for a test drive to find out.

Mazda3 Styling and Accommodations

Just before the original Mazda3 arrived  I bought its predecessor, the Protege5 small wagon. I was drawn to the P5 partly by its timeless styling, and continue to find it attractive.

In comparison, the Mazda3 struck me as trendy. Especially the hatchback, which sported an inverted rearmost side window much like that on the Pontiac Vibe. Unlike with the Protege, with the Mazda3 I prefered the styling of the sedan.

Well, the 2010 Mazda3 strongly resembles the 2004-2009, just turned up to 11. Everywhere you look there's more going on, from the Pokemon grille to the RX-8ish front wheel arches to the rear window that dips to a point. Too much going on for my taste, especially since these various bits don't manage to form a cohesive whole.

Inside the car, Mazda's designers were similarly possessed by an urge to weird up the car. The nacelles for the tach and speedometer are joined by a third hump. Meanwhile, the hood that shrouds the HVAC and audio system display (and optional nav screen) continues its arc behind the instrument cluster. Warning light are housed back there, but in normal use all you see is a field of black. Once again, too much going on.

Interior materials are a bit nicer than before, if still short of a VW (which costs more). Padded armrests on the doors are a welcome touch. Judging from the features on the Grand Touring, Mazda hopes to take the Mazda3 a little upmarket. Dual zone automatic climate control, an eight-way power driver seat with memory (unusual in this class), and steering-linked xenon headlights are all new additions to the top trim level.

The front seats, slightly larger than before, are comfortable, but don't provide much in the way of lateral support. In back, space is limited. The rear seat of my Protege5 is considerably roomier.

Visibility to the rear quarters is hindered by thicker C-pillars.

Cargo space is decent, if less ample than in some taller competitors.

Mazda3 Performance

A 148-horsepower 2.0-liter four remains the base engine in the sedan. In the uplevel sedan and the base hatchback, a 156-horsepower 2.3-liter has been replaced by a 167-horsepower 2.5-liter. Now, I would have much preferred to drive a manual. But the dealer only had cars with the automatic, specifically a manually-shiftable five-speed. So that's what I drove.

At least when hitched to the automatic, performance with the 2.5 is nothing special, partly because curb weight is now over 3,000 pounds. Like the 2.3, the new 2.5 both lacks punch in the midrange and delivers few visceral thrills ever towards the redline. Worse, the 2.5 feels less smooth than the 2.3, perhaps unavoidable in a large four-cylinder engine.

Handling remains very predictable and composed. The revised car feels a little less sharp, but then the Mazda3 never felt as alive as my Protege5. The payoff: the original Mazda3 was much smoother and quieter than the car it replaced, and the 2010 makes further advances in this area. Can't let Toyota have the market for Lexified compacts all to itself, after all.

That said, the Mazda3 continues to feel less substantial than a GTI. From the moment you get in and close the door you know you're in a Japanese car, and not a German one.

The Protege was poorly suited to the typical compact car buyer. The revised Mazda3's dynamic qualities are just about perfectly suited to this buyer.

Last Words

The 2010 Mazda3 started out at a disadvantage, since I didn't care for the revised styling. The driving experience, while thoroughly good, failed to compensate. There's more refinement, but at best the same amount of driving enjoyment.

I've seen this progression too many times before. A company has a hit. When the time comes to redesign this hit, they're afraid to stray too far from the original, but also feel the need to offer "more" in every area. There's "more" everywhere you look in this car, but too many of the changes are forced.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion. If you happen to love how the 2010 Mazda3 looks, then buy all means buy one. The rest of the car is certainly very good, if not great.

A Note on Mazda3 Reliability

I cannot practically cover reliability within the context of this review. However, many people are interested in such information, so I've been collecting my own data. Results are posted to TrueDelta.com, with updates every three months. Unlike other sources, TrueDelta clearly identifies what difference it will make if you buy a Mazda3 rather than another vehicle by providing "times in the shop" stats.

To report results, TrueDelta needs reliability data on all cars--not just the Mazda3--from people like you. To encourage participation, those who help provide the data will receive free access to the site's reliability information. Non-participants pay an access fee.

Details here:

http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php

Alphabetized links to my other vehicle reviews can be found on my profile page.
Amount Paid (US$): 22,970
Model and Options: s Grand Touring automatic