2010 Mazda 3s

The 2010 Mazda 3s traces its roots to the Mazda GLC, a rear-wheel drive hatchback introduced in the US in the year 1977. GLC stood for “Great Little Car” which well proved to be a relatively accurate prediction of its future. The GLC went through its own metamorphosis and hit the streets on 2004 as the first of the Mazda 3 series. At the time of its introduction, it was the most expensive in its category. High pricing was justified at that time by the car’s remarkable styling, lush interiors, excellent performance, impeccable handling, and impressive capabilities. It only managed to get four out of the five stars in the Safety Testing Program conducted by Euro NCap. Mazda 3 eventually came with six standard airbags as an offer to improve occupant safety.
The 2010 Mazda 3s is built on the Global C1 Platform of Ford, something which it shares with the likes of the Ford Focus and the Volvo S40. It comes in two basic styles – the four-door sedan and the five-door hatchback. There were only two original trim levels namely the i and the s. The Mazda 3s was introduced equipped with a 2.3L engine. Today the 2010 Mazda 3s comes powered by a 2.5L engine which was adapted from the Mazda 6. It offers horsepower of 167 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. This offered power is the primary reason why driving enthusiasts point to the 2010 Mazda 3s as a suitable choice for those looking into downsizing from a more powerful and bigger car.
Sporting some new and pleasant refinements, the 2010 Mazda 3s comes with a different front and rear fascias, front seats that are more aggressively bolstered, 17-inch alloy wheels, dual exhausts, fog lights, upgraded upholstery, rear lip spoiler, trip computer and electroluminescent gauges and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The 3s Grand Touring version comes with additional features including an 8-way power driver seat with driver memory function, leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated side mirror, and the automatic Bi-Xenon headlights with auto-leveling, and corner swivel illumination.
Options include the Moonroof and Bose Package consisting of a sunroof plus a 10-speaker surround-sound system with an in-dash 6-CD changer. The Technology Package includes the navigation system with steering wheel controls and the keyless ignition/entry. The small high mounted display screen satellite radio, like the iPod interface, is a dealer-installed option.
The 2010 Mazda 3s is equipped with standard six-speed manual transmission or 5-speed automatic transmission. Shoppers for economy cars will derive decent driving impressions from the 2010 Mazda 3s largely due to its chassis tuning which is definitely performance-oriented. MSRP ranges from a low of $ 15,045.00 to a high of $ 23,195.00. The 2010 Mazda 3s earns big points for acceleration, interior materials, and steering/handling but earns small points for navigation system control and rear seat room. It faces competition from the Honda Insights, Kia Forte, Mitsubishi Lancer and the Volkswagen Golf.