A new look, more power, and subtle enhancements grace Mazda’s popular MAZDA3 this year, including a new engine and many new standard options. Available as a sedan or a hatchback, these four-door, front-wheel-drive vehicles represent one out of every three Mazdas sold worldwide. Two engines are available, designated by the “i” or “s” classification, the latter of which has both power and displacement upgrades. The base engine is a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder (I4) that produces 148 hp and comes with the SV, Sport, and Touring trims. This is a carryover engine, however the “s” trims - Sport and Grand Touring - receive or have the option of a larger and more powerful motor, a 167-hp, 2.5-liter I4, an engine shared with the MAZDA6. The 2.0 engines come standard with a five-speed manual transmission, while the 2.5s enjoy an additional gear. Both engines have the option of a five-speed automatic. Expect mileage of 24/33 mpg with the 2.0 in automatic guise and 25/33 with the manual, while the 2.5 is estimated to get 21/29 with the manual and 22/29 with the automatic.

The MAZDA3 sits atop a modified version of the Ford Focus C1 platform, which expands overall length 3.5 inches over previous model years to 180.9 inches. A new vacuum booster is the star of a revised braking system, designed to deliver more-confident pedal feel in both light and heavy braking conditions.

The car has been redesigned inside and out, in what Mazda calls a new styling direction indicative of the future of the entire model line. Truly, many elements from other Mazda vehicles seem to have been incorporated into the new MAZDA3, with its slightly anthropomorphized smiling grille, rearward leading bumpers and revised rear end incorporating larger markers all around. Inside, Mazda has made an attempt to up value and luxury in a bid to woo buyers away from larger cars that often offer more options than their smaller competitors. As a result, driver’s seat memory, steering-linked Xenon headlamps, and dual-zone automatic climate control, options rarely seen in this class, are now available on the 2010 MAZDA3.

The economically priced and equipped Special Value (SV) trim, with an MSRP of $15,045, still has a wealth of features standard, including six airbags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with brake assist, a CD/MP3 player, chrome exhaust, bucket seats, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, a fully independent suspension and power windows and mirrors. The Touring and S models additionally enjoy air-conditioning, Bluetooth, alloy wheels, cruise control, power door locks, and keyless entry. However, it is the Grand Touring model that really impresses, with heated leather power seats with driver memory, dual-zone automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers, and directional headlights.