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As far as mentors go, one could do a lot worse. Fans of globalization may know that the gap between Ford's Focus and its other sedans spans as wide as the Atlantic. Whereas the Taurus and Crown Victoria dip, bob, and lumber, the Euro-bred Focus revs, sprints, and slices. There's a lot of the latter in the Mazda 3, which has a frisky feel that goes beyond its lightness. Whoever was in charge of the 3's suspension (which got upgraded from the Protégé's rear struts to multi-links) figured there are enough Honda Civics out there, and figured correctly. The 3 doesn't lean a lot through corners, doesn't dip under braking, doesn't squat on launches. The 3 seems right at home in Mazda's "zoom-zoom" commercials.
The always-firm, never-harsh ride can't fend off constant chopping but mutes the major shocks. The 3 has one of the quickest steering racks in the class to add some zest to the city commute, and the 160 horsepower in the s version adds to the suddenness. The easy-to-read disc brakes complete the picture, and what I expected to be the 3's worst aspect - its transmission - turned out just fine. Former Mazda owners should be familiar with the shooting-in-the-dark feel of the company's past automatics. This is the first Mazda tranny I've driven that understood such notions as when to shift up and when to shift down. Let's hope it's not the last.
While the 3 sounds like a car that elicits no complaints, being inoffensive isn't everything. As accurate as that steering may be, where did some of that good old Protégé road feel go? Mazda also seems to have served up two doses of road noise and only one of engine noise; the reverse would've been more fun. The 3 s's 2.3-liter engine revs easily and satisfyingly, but cranking it up emits so little sound that it almost seems like it's coming from the car in front. When you have something interesting to say, why whisper?
This seems to be where Mazda's new philosophy comes into play: the company wants to be sporty yet reserved across its model range. While that did wonders for the transformation from Mazda 626 to Mazda 6, it's kind of a letdown from the Protégé, which was set apart in its class by being hard, vivid, and proud of it. It's a little sad when the BMW of compact cars settles for Mercedes.
European leanings are also evident in the 3's interior. First, let's talk class. The s model of the 3 comes with a thick leather wheel containing cruise controls on one spoke and, like on pricier cars, radio controls on the other. The materials and fabrics are high-quality, leather's optional, and this is the first compact car with the ambition to offer DVD navigation technology. The 3's stereo sounds great to these ears, and since the custom-tailored head unit can't be replaced, it had better. MP3 compatibility is a frustrating $325 dealer-installed option.
Now let's talk ambience. The all-black interior means business, and every switch and lever takes a firm twist or push. The passionate red gauges (tri-colored on the s) adjust for brightness. The three-barreled instrument panel and Mazda's jet-engine air vents set it apart. Japanese packaging efficiency shows itself in the glovebox, which has no problem swallowing entire hands and arms, much less gloves. One possible gaffe is the zig-zag shiftgate, which had several drivers stumbling out of the blocks in manual mode by accident.
One female passenger found the firm, supportive seats unforgiving; the front seatbacks also resist returning to their original angle. The back seat, long a Protégé strength, can still fit two average-size adults in average comfort. Above-average describes the wonderfully flexible telescoping steering wheel, making the 3 the least-expensive car to offer one standard. When this feature trickles down to all the 3's competitors in five years, you'll know who to thank.
Mazda also added its own touches to the 3's shell. Projector beams take the place of plain halogen lamps and struts suspend the trunk, which has an inner emergency release handle. Our test car's Winning Blue Metallic paint drew so many compliments that we felt like winners already.
One nice thing about the 3 lineup is Mazda's variation on No Child Left Behind. While most other makers deprive their low-end submodels of hardware, both Mazda 3s (entry-level "i" and upscale "s") get the nice suspension, stabilizer bars, disc brakes, and manually-shiftable automatic transmission. The i gets a smaller 2.0-liter version of the s's engine (though it lacks balance shafts and valve timing), but who dares call 148 horsepower inadequate?
Almost every i can be expected to come with the s's 16-inch alloy wheels, which are part of the $1,400 Power and Alloy Wheel Package that also throws in power windows, locks, mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control, six speakers, and extra driver's seat adjustments. With that and $900 air conditioning, an i will have everything found in the s except for the colored gauges, leather wheel, and fog lights. $675 remains to separates the two models, leaving the consumer with an easy question: do I need the extra engine grunt?
Optional on both is the essential Antilock Brakes & Air Bag Package (side bags for front passengers, curtain bags for all side passengers), reasonably priced at $800. Other combos include the $890 Moonroof & 6 CD Package and the s model's $490 Sport Package, which buys 17-inch wheels. The list of individual options is long. Black leather and navigation, to name two, run $590 and $1,750, which are on the low side.
Enthusiasts might mourn the loss of the edgiest compact out there, but we are the minority. Mazda has so far reported a worldwide supply shortage of the 3 - a crisis the Protégé could only dream about. The world admires what Mazda has done with itself, meaning cars like this will be rolling out of Hiroshima for years to come. We should all be so fortunate.
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