Up front, the five-point grille is back but reshaped, smaller and located lower on the schnoz of the car. It thus provides it with a sportier personality while playing a different aerodynamic role. As such, the new shape allows the cooling system to breathe better, while diverting unnecessary air outwards. The drag coefficient has been lowered to 0.29.

The 2010 Mazda3 GT boasts a 2.5-litre four that is shared with the Mazda6 and develops 178 horsepower.

The beltline is more present but lower all around the car, pushing its silhouette downwards while improving lateral and rear visibility. Finally, a major change here, the headlight and taillight clusters are bigger and sweep through the car's corners and stretch out to the beltline. In addition, the clusters' design is inspired directly from the Nagare concept car, with engraved motifs inside.

The flat hood with the Mazda logo on it instead of in the center of the grille completes the outer changes, while the interior is also redesigned and presents a two-tier dash that's more modern, yet still closely resembles the one in the old-generation car.

New engine, new power
Under the hood of our GT test car is a 2.5-litre four that is shared with the Mazda6. Derived directly from the company's old 2.3-litre unit, it develops 167 horsepower, but also delivers improved fuel economy figures.

Moreover, the new engine mounts and a lighter mechanical design, the 2.5 is more efficient and quieter, even at wide-open throttle, and even on the steepest Californian roads. It's mated to a sweet 6-speed manual, with short throws that make dynamic driving easier, and also proves agreeable in more relaxed driving conditions.

The 2.0-litre engine is back in GX and GS versions, but bolted to a 5-speed manual or an optional 5-speed automatic. The unit received only minor modifications to make it more fuel-efficient.

The navigation screen is pretty small and high on the top of the dash, which makes it sometimes hard to read.