Interior

The cabin seats five, with textured fabric upholstery in Sport models and upgraded fabric with red piping in the Touring. The stereo display sits within a circular cutout, a cue shared with the Mazda RX-8 sports car. Models with an automatic transmission have a traditional gearshift — not the gated shifter with a manual mode that most other Mazdas employ. The rear seats fold down in a 60/40 split, allowing 27.8 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume. With the seats up, volume drops to 13.3 cubic feet. Those figures beat the Yaris but fall well short of the larger Fit and Versa. A long list of standard features includes power windows and locks, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, a four-speaker CD stereo and a height-adjustable driver's seat. Touring models add a trip computer, a six-speaker stereo and leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls. Although both stereos include an MP3 jack, a USB port for full iPod compatibility isn't among the factory options. A telescoping steering wheel is also unavailable.

    See also:

    Seat Belt (Except Center-Rear Position)
    NOTE: When using the center-rear seat belt, refer to “Center-Rear Position Seat Belt”. Fastening the Seat Belt 1. Grasp the seat belt tongue. 2. Slowly pull out the lap/shoulder belt. 3. Ins ...

    Exterior & Styling
    Technically the same generation as the 2008, the 2009 model's restyling is definitely noticeable, as the nose extends lower and the grille is now larger and smile-shaped. Unlike the Mazda3, this s ...

    Hazardous Driving
    WARNING. Be extremely careful if it is necessary to downshift on slippery surfaces: Downshifting into lower gear while driving on slippery surfaces is dangerous. The sudden change in tire speed ...