

The three-spoke leather steering wheel feels great in the hands, and the control buttons (cruise control, sound system) have a positive feel. The standard cloth interior is sturdy, in blue or red check with leather at the edges. Standard equipment includes all the power conveniences and air conditioning and foglights. The tranny shifts beautifully and it's an interesting automatic that has a manual-shift feature. Handling is quick and nimble and the 2.3-liter engine delivers spirited performance.

On twisty country roads the Mazda3 is a blast. The five-door hatchback design and folding rear seats makes it suitable for a trip to Home Depot. Oh yes, it's cheaper, too, when you compare content along with price. There isn't much more that could be asked of a car beginning a new generation, especially a compact car. The Mazda3, is bigger, more powerful, more fuel efficient, safer and better-looking than the Protege. The 2004 Mazda 3, or Mazda3, as Mazda calls its line of compacts, replaces the tried-and-true Protege. Chrysler 300 .SKY.S.L.CRUISER.P.T.VOYAGER.TOWN.&. They are electroluminescent, which means day or night the numbers are lit in reddish-orange. The three big gauges are dead ahead for the driver, but they're awfully busy down in the tunnels where they effectively hide from the glare of the sun. A separate compartment is hidden under the floor. We reached in from behind, pressed down on one small square button on each side, and an easy shove forward dropped each seat flat. Cargo space with the seats folded flat in the five-door is 31.2 cubic feet. The cupholders have a canal between them so other things such as a cellphone can be stored and easily reached there. There's a deep but not long console under the driver's right elbow, and between the seats are two built-in cupholders with a neatly hinged cover in black plastic. The glovebox is not only huge (9 quarts), but the door is dampened and it has its own light. There's an attractive faux carbon fiber horizontal strip on the panel.

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