The pleasant, practical, fun-to-drive Mazda3 is one of the better small cars available. Its 2.0-liter Skyactiv engine delivers smooth and ample performance, and got an impressive 32 mpg overall in our testing. The punchy 2.5-liter is more powerful, but only got 25 mpg overall. Handling is precise and responsive, and the ride is firm, yet fairly comfortable. Road noise is pronounced. Interior quality is very good, but rear-seat room is tight. The hatchback increases versatility. The sporty turbocharged Mazdaspeed3 is very quick but has too much torque steer and a harsh ride, and is noisy. IIHS crash-test results are impressive.
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