KansasCity.com's view

You can tell the 2010 Mazda3 is a happy car because the grille has a smile like Jack Nicholson as the Joker in Batman.

“Mazda has never been afraid of taking design risks,” said Carlos Salaff, senior designer. “We always strive to push our exterior, to stretch what is considered normal. We wanted the Mazda3’s dominant grille design to be bold because that will separate this car further from the blasé competitors and, by leaping ahead of the crowd, keep us looking fresh even late in this product’s life.”

Whether you like the face or not depends a lot on the color of the car. Lighter colors accentuate the grille while darker ones play it down.

The redesigned Mazda3 is available as a four-door sedan or a five-door hatchback. It comes with either a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter engine or a 167-horsepower 2.5-liter. There are four trim levels. Base prices range from $15,045 to $22,300 for the sedan and $19,230 to $22,300 for the hatchback.

The test car from Mazda’s press fleet was a Grand Touring sedan with the technology package, a sunroof and a Bose stereo.

The Mazda3 is clearly the company’s bread and butter. The company sold nearly 2 million of the previous generation. In the U.S., the Mazda3 accounted for 44 percent of Mazda sales.

The compact Mazda3 has been a favorite of enthusiasts because it has aggressive handling and sharp looks. The same goes for the new model, but the level of sophistication has been raised considerably, and that is especially evident in the top Grand Touring model.

A six-speed manual transmission, vehicle stability control and heated seats are just a few of the features that are standard on the Grand Touring. The test car was also equipped with Mazda’s very clever multi-information display that has a 4.1-inch LCD screen built into the top of the dash. This screen displays various functions as well as a small navigation screen that is small enough to be out of the way but large enough to be easily read. The multi-information display is part of the $1,195 tech package option that also includes keyless ignition and push-button start.

The 167-horsepower engine spreads its power nicely across the rpm band. It feels docile at low speeds, with plenty of torque so frequent downshifts aren’t necessary, but it also buzzes up to redline with ease.

The six-speed manual transmission has a tight shift linkage, and six gears give nicely relaxed cruising on the highway.

When driven hard, the Mazda3 has a distinctive sporty character, and that is accentuated by responsive handling that gives it road holding more like a sports car than a sedan.

Seventeen-inch wheels fill the wheel wells nicely and provide plenty of grip. Anti-lock brakes, traction control and vehicle stability control are the electronic nannies.

The cabin of the test car was comfortable and well designed. The instrument panel has an “eyebrow” that contains the window for the audio and climate control system as well as the small navigation screen. Discreetly done and easy to read.

The nicely contoured front seats fit well and provided ample support. The rear seat was less comfortable for me because of the lean angle of the back. Rear-seat legroom is a bit tight. The trunk, however, is quite large.

Mazda’s newest compact sedan is a car that grabs your attention with its styling, but its day-to-day competence will keep you happy for a long time.

Price

The base price of the test car was $22,300. Options included the multi-information display, Bose 10-speaker surround-sound audio system, sunroof and Sirius satellite radio. The sticker price was $24,960.

Warranty

Three years or 36,000 miles, with a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

2010 Mazda3 Grand Touring

Engine:

2.5-liter, 167-hp 4-cyl.

Transmission: Six-speed

Front-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 103.9 inches

Curb weight: 2,963 lbs.

Base price: $22,300

As driven: $24,960

MPG rating:

21 mpg city, 29 hwy.

Tom Strongman’s e-mail address is tom@tomstrongman.com.