ALL REVVED UP.

Taking zoom-zoom to the next level

If Mazda has been slow delivering on the promise of its zoom-zoom advertising campaign, as some have charged, it's time to quit whining and start driving. With the new 3, an entry-level five-door, Mazda is now in overdrive, offering a hot little runner that is the best game in town for buyers of sporty import hatchbacks.

Everyone at AutoWeek who has driven the car-from our editors at Brewery Park headquarters in Detroit to our track testers in California- is impressed with its numbers and road manners. The Mazda 3 brings a superior level of performance and refinement to its class. Owners tell us they rejected BMWs, Saabs, Volkswagens and Acuras, more legendary driver's cars, in favor of the 3, a car that manages to be fun, versatile and good-looking while not costing you an arm and a leg.

With a base price of $17,415, the dynamic 3 comes in well below the funky Toyota Matrix XRS we tested last year, a $19,235 car whose powertrain underwhelmed. Unlike the Matrix's torque-challenged 1.8-liter four, the 3's 2.3-liter produces lots of good, bottom-end twisting force. On the highway you are liable to find yourself cruising in fourth gear instead of fifth, without the thrashing and buzzing most four-cylinder engines generate (the Matrix XRS needs its sixth gear to quiet it down).

The 3's acceleration times are good, running to 60 mph in 7.97 seconds, better than the Matrix's 8.14 seconds (Jan. 20, 2003) and a significant improvement over the 9.53 of its Protege5 predecessor (June 3, 2002). The 3 charged through the slalom like a pro, hitting 46.0 mph and besting the Matrix's respectable MR2-topping 45.5 mph. In fact, the Mazda's handling prowess matches that of several dedicated sports cars we've tested, including the BMW M3, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, Aston Martin Vanquish and Infiniti G35 Coupe. This speaks well for the 3's suspension and steering, seeing as it does this on M+S-rated tires.

The car hops just a bit over poor pavement and tire thump is moderate-only a little comes through to the cabin. Overall the Mazda 3's ride is quiet and composed, with the atmosphere of a larger, ...