I am nearly 2 years into ownership of a 2007 Mazda3 Grand Touring (GT) 5door hatchback. The Mazda continues to be a fine car and I would buy another one without a doubt.

I replaced a BMW 3-series with the Mazda so my taste goes more toward sporty cars than econoboxes. In this regard, the Mazda fits the bill. The handling is tight, but while the ride is somewhat firm it is not punishing. The steering is very BMW-like, in that it is somewhat on the "heavy" side, and not overly assisted. The fat leather wrapped steering wheel includes lighted audio and cruise control buttons, and has tilt and telescope adjustments. The low profile tires do produce more road noise than I'd like (especially on rough pavement) and around town the engine sound is pronouced, probably to provide a "sporty" ambience. On the highway, the 3 is steady and comfortable, and the engine noise subsides. I have comfortably taken my 3 on a 1500 mile highway trip and would not hesitate to do it again. It will cruise confidently at 80 without a complaint. For safety, anti-lock brakes and stability control are standard on the GT.

The overall theme of the Mazda3 is features for the dollar, especially with the GT. I was surprised to find such niceties as heated seats, rain sensing wipers, automatic HVAC, tire pressure monitoring, and automatic HID headlights with a leveling feature, which are usually not found in this price class. Add a sunroof package, and you get a Bose stereo upgrade with CD changer. This is one loaded small car.

If you need a fair amount of versatility and storage space, the hatchback is the preferred route. The 60-40 split rear seats fold nearly flat. A privacy cover over the cargo area pops out and you have nearly the storage of a small SUV. I have had 14 bags of mulch in the back with room for more. There are also some handy storage bins hidden under the rear floor for smaller items above the spare. The panels that cover the storage can be removed and arranged to form "shelves" in the hatch area, however I can never figure out how to use this feature without consulting the owners manual- it's not intuitive. One caveat- the fabric used on in the rear hatch area is very nappy and tends to magnetically attract any remnants of the contents, so if you plan to have pets ride in the back you might be sorry when it is time to clean up.

The GT is equipped with the larger 2.3L engine. Mine has the 5 speed automatic, which includes a manual shift mode if so desired. My observed fuel economy around town is about 23mpg, on the highway you will likely approach 30. The driveability is good and even with the automatic the drivetrain is peppy. Sometimes on hills and with the AC running you might yearn for a bit more power, but I think that could be said for most 4cyl cars.  If my wife could drive a stick, I would have gone for the MazdaSpeed3 with the turbo, but it only comes with a 6-speed manual.

The interior of the 3 is comfortable and overall the materials are of high quality. The exception is the area under the seats where it seems like the design team could have done a better job by covering up the underseat hardware better or adding more carpeting. Legroom for rear passengers is adequate if the front seats are not all the way back. The controls are logical and the blue/orange gauges impressive. The climate control/automatic ventilation system generally works well. although like other reviewers I've found the AC to be a bit weak on hot days, I have to leave it on recirculate mode all the time to keep the interior cool. Given, my car is black on black which doesn't help either.

Speaking of black, for the GT the lone interior choice is black leather. I would prefer a lighter interior color as here in the south black is not a good call. And a black interior limited my choices of exterior colors that would look good, the only one I could live with was black, so in the summer it's not the best. I would like to have seen additional interior colors (and perhaps leather as an option, not mandatory) but it appears that in 2008 things have not changed.

There is an outdoor temperature display on the dash, however it shares the same spot as the temp setting for the HVAC. If you adjust that, the ambient temp goes away and is replace by the HVAC temp. To regain the outside display, you have to hit a small button labled "AMB". So it is impossible to see both the outside temp and HVAC setting simultaneously. It would have been nice to have both remain separate. On the dash/radio display, there is a trip computer which can display MPG stats (real time and cumulative), miles to empty, and a clock. The Bose stereo (optional) sounds good, has a 6 CD changer, but could benefit from a subwoofer.

In the console storage compartment, there is an input jack for an Ipod/MP3 player cleverly hidden, and with a small passageway for the cord from the lower console to the upper portion. In this manner, it would be possible (and preferable) to leave an Ipod connected yet out of sight of prying eyes. Unfortunately, if your car is equipped with the optional satellite radio (Sirius), the MP3 jack is disabled and can only be used by purchasing a $150 "splitter" for the wiring harness which must be installed as a dealer option.

One quirky nuisance of the 3 is the pedal placement. On the automatic, the brake pedal is way too far to the right, too close to the gas pedal. Even with a normal sized foot and shoes, it is easy to hit the brake when wanting the gas. My passengers keep asking what the "banging" sound is when we are driving- it is my right foot hitting the console in an attempt to find the small space between gas and brake. I have heard this complaint from other owners, however I can't comment on whether it is the same on cars with manual transmissions nor do I know if this was fixed in 2008. From a safety concern, I have inadvertently hit the brake while trying to apply the gas, and also hooked the sole of my shoe on the brake when lifting off the gas. In the event that quick action is needed, this could cause an accident if it happens at the wrong moment. While on the subject of pedals, there is a "dead" pedal along the left firewall to rest your left foot, unfortunately it is carpeted with the same overly nappy material used in the back, so it catches bits of grass or anything else on your shoe. It would be much better if it included a rubber pad instead of carpet.

I'm still happy with my 3 and would consider buying another one. I don't think I can say that about many cars I've previously owned. It is still enjoyable and fun to drive every day, and there have been no problems with the car so far. Mazda's "zoom zoom" team has a star player with the 3, don't buy a Civic, Jetta, Focus, etc. without checking out this car, especially if the versatility of the hatch is something you need.

Final thought - if you are in the market for a 3, in early 2009 a redesigned 3 will debut as a 2010 model, so be aware. The pictures look impressive, and engine size is upgraded to 2.5L. It is too early for any driving reviews however I am sure those will be coming soon.
Amount Paid (US$): 23,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2007
Model and Options: Grand Touring 5 door Hatchback