Exterior

For 2009, designers ditched the previous design for what Mazda calls a "Japanese aesthetic" in the current car. The vehicle sports a long hood with pronounced front fender flares that flow through the headlamps and mold with the front bumper.

Exterior features include:

* Standard body-colored grille, front and rear bumpers, door handles and moldings
* 16-inch steel wheels with full covers * Optional 17-inch alloy wheels * Optional 18-inch alloy wheels * Optional LED taillamps * Single (four-cylinder models) or dual exhaust outlets (V-6 models)

    See also:

    Manual Transaxle Operation
    Manual Transaxle Shift Pattern The shift pattern of the transaxle is conventional, as shown. Depress the clutch pedal all the way down while shifting; then release it slowly. A safety feature p ...

    Safety
    Front dual airbags come standard, and side-impact and side curtain airbags are optional. All-disc antilock brakes with brake assist are standard on s models and optional on i models. Traction cont ...

    Interior
    Inside, I can see fewer people loving the two-tone color scheme and sport-oriented layout of the dashboard. It screams more tech-geek-friendly than family-friendly, but the quality is certainly on ...