LA 2008: 2010 Mazda3

Mazda has unveiled its 2010 Mazda3 sedan here at the LA Auto Show and we managed to snap some nice shots off as it was spinning around on a huge rotating stand. It's a good looking car that Mazda says carries on its "family face" with stylish bulges and creases that attract the eyes, and we're really looking forward to seeing the hatchback version as well. Underhood is a newly-enlarged 2.5-liter version of Mazda's MZR inline-four that offers up 167-horsepower and can be mated to either a 6-speed stick or 5-speed auto. As before, a standard 148-horsepower 2.0L four will be available and can be had with either a manual or auto tranny with 5 forward ratios each.

Considering the low price class in which the Mazda3 competes, features like dual-zone automatic climate control, Xenon self-leveling head lamps, push-button start and hands-free Bluetooth are very nice touches, as is the iPod integration and an optional leather interior. Increasingly important these days is fuel mileage, so the 3's low .29 coefficient of drag is an important piece of the overall efficiency puzzle and helps the 2010 Mazda3 hit 33 mpg on the highway with the smaller engine option.