Above average ride quality( sporty and firm) with a properly weighted steering. Accleration could be better on the low end by adding 20 to 30 extra horses.Still manages Low 7 sec 0 to 60MPH. Manual gear is above average with short and direct throw. Gets little balky when it is warmed up. Typical front wheel drive understeer through out tight to long radius turns. Easily modulated with the throttle.

Low end torque is immense. Really high revs. Very sturdy car, tight steering. The semi-auto transmission isn't that great. Pretty fuel efficient. The exterior styling..kinda looks like a fish. Inside is great. Even though the seats are cloth, it's still nice. And this car is extremely fun to drive

Performance- It's not the Speed3 but it is fun to drive & there is plenty of get up & go in the 4 banger. Fairly quite except under hard excelleration. Build Quality - Outside was a 5 out of 5. The inside is a 4 out of 5. The seats are a little to stiff & while material quality is good, there is room for improvement. Appearance - Let's just say the front grows on you. It looks best in all black as it reduces the impact of the smile. Personally I liked the old front end. The back is fine, but the tail light housing sticks out & could be a costly replacement. Fun Factor - 4 out of 5

The 2010 Mazda3 S Grand Touring Hatchback excels at most everything it tries. Performance is good, with ample acceleration and power when you want it. The 4-disc ABS brakes provide ample stopping power, and the handling is superb save the fact it should come with Falken performance tires to add better grip and stability in corners. Build quality is superb as to be expected from Mazda. The aggressive styling is also a plus, especially with the Aero package. The only thing I would change are those front fenders. Cost of ownership is good: fuel economy mainly highway ranges from 315-380 mpg, and maintenance is reasonable. Just plan for servicing 4 brakes instead of two. The best part is that it's really fun to drive, especially in the automatic with manual sport mode.