Harumph. The iPod Setup Falls Short
Other than an electronic throttle calibration that's far too aggressive on the 2.5-liter car (and which can be easily fixed by Mazda's engineers before the car goes into production), there's only one real misstep, and it concerns a display in the top of the dash. Base cars use a backlit, red dot-matrix display atop the center console, familiar from other Mazdas, to show radio station and other audio information. Higher-spec 2.5-liter cars use a smaller version of the red display but add a separate window, called a "Multi-Information Display" to its left. This MID displays trip computer functions as well as music information (such as iPod track information). The problem with the MID is that it displays information in white and in a dramatically different font and size than the main, red display-it looks so out of place that it might as well be from another car. Top-of-the-line models with navigation system substitute the white monochrome screen for a full-color display, but when displaying trip data, the screen still doesn't match any other displays in the car.
And unfortunately, we were so frustrated with the iPod integration that we decided to use the (thankfully also standard) auxiliary jack and use the iPod's internal controls instead. Like some other iPod integration systems, this system doesn't allow quick scrolling through albums, so browsing through a fully loaded 40GB iPod was basically impossible. Luckily, the Bluetooth audio integration (for both streaming MP3s from your phone as well as making calls) worked flawlessly.
It's Still at the Top of the Small-car Heap
All in all, the new Mazda3 is likely to remain one of our favorite small cars. Small ergonomic foibles aside (and let's face it, ours are minor complaints), the 3 is once again proof that a small, relatively economical car doesn't have to be a penalty box. It's also cute, distinctive, and it looks substantial on the road. Mazda hasn't yet released pricing, but expect the 2010 3 to see only moderate price increases-figure around $17,000 for a well-equipped 3i, heading up to close to $25,000 for a fully loaded 3s Grand Touring. Even despite the tough times in the automotive industry, we expect the new Mazda3 to be a hit-and can't wait to see what the new five-door hatch looks like.