The Mazda3 is a car that I wanted to like SO much... I drove one for a month while on an extended work trip, and took it on three weekend trips to visit my kids back in my hometown (they live w/ the ex).

The chassis feels great, and the feeling when you push into a corner is crisp and basically as perfect as a front-wheel drive car can be. The interior bugged me though - the front footwells felt tight, and my knee was constantly hitting the E-brake or console. The Seat, in particular, was no good - I never felt that I could get it into a comfortable position. Other plusses: It was QUIET. Whisper quiet, and I heard no rattles or creaks at all. It felt almost German in its rigidity.

This was a stripped down rental car special, so I won't comment much on the gutless engine or slushbox. Needless to say, 148 hp fed through an automatic was less than enjoyable, and the "manual" mode basically just allowed you to give the computer suggestions - in the end, it did whatever it wanted.

I'd like to drive one with a manual, better engine, and higher trim level seats and see how different it would be. I've rented a '12 Focus Titanium on another occasion, and despite the similar underlying architecture, I found the Focus FAR more enjoyable. (And despite what the Avg. Joe says, that PowerShift transmission is the only automatic I've ever actually liked! It felt like a manual, rather than the usual vagueness of an auomatic... but I'm digressing.)

How are you enjoying it so far?