The wide-mouthed grin that you find on the front end of the 2010 Mazda 3 is a good indication of the response you’ll have once you get in the driver’s seat of this “evolution” from the 2009 model. According to Ruben Archilla, group manager of research and development at Mazda North American Operations, they took an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to the new model. In fact, the Mazda 3 is one-third of Mazda sales – after you’ve spent some time behind the wheel of one, you’ll understand why so many people love this fun, frugal car.

The entry-level Mazda 3i comes standard with a 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, in either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. The sportier “s” model comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 167 horsepower. The larger engine gets a six-speed manual transmission as standard and the same optional five-speed automatic as the base car.

Overall, the base engine does a decent enough job of producing the power you need to get you from point A to point B, and with the five-speed automatic, it’s swift enough for 5 o’clock lane changes and highway passes. The 2.5-liter four will be a favorite for many drivers, as it picks up nicely in most gears and feels more refined. Fuel economy rates from 25/33 mpg for the smaller engine, to 22/29 mpg for the larger engine – not best in class, though it isn’t horrible.

And when it comes to the suspension, it feels like someone who knows and cares about driving took the time to fine tune this vehicle before it left the factory. You truly feel like you’re in control when it comes to the quick response time and feel of the steering in the Mazda 3. The suspension provides the driver with some “oompf” as you take the road and wind around curves. The Mazda 3 also comes standard with six airbags, head restraints and built-in crush zones for accidents you can’t avoid.

Due to criticism over the Mazda 3’s marginally lower fuel economy, the current model has been designed with more aerodynamics than other cars in its class. This contributes to a sleeker, classier external look. The 2010 model also spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel to minimize wind noise in the cockpit, which will be obvious as soon as you take it out on the road.

Love amenities? Then you’ll love what’s being offered with the new Mazda 3. Do you need to crank up your music to make it through your ride to work? Not to worry, as the 2010 Mazda 3 comes equipped with a Bose 10 speaker surround-sound system and iPod connections. Tell me that won’t soothe your savage drive-time beast. The new 3 also offers bi-zenon, self-leveling headlamps, a three-position memory setting for the driver’s seat and a push-button start. And did I mention that heated seats and rain-sensing wipers are available? These are just a few of the fun features you’ll find on the Mazda 3.

From the interior to the handling around corners and the get-up-and-go when you stepped on that lovely pedal on the right, you’re going to love the Mazda 3. When you drive a sporty car, you want it to have some guts – and you’ll soon find that the Mazda 3 has these to spare.