2012 Mazda 3 i Grand Touring
- Fuel economy: 33 mpg combined
- Starting price: $22,550
- Zero to 60: 9.9 seconds
Mazda touts this sporty car as a "fun-to-drive sports compact." Offering noteworthy fuel economy and power, the 2012 Mazda 3 comes in a selection of models in either a sedan or hatchback body style. But the i Grand Touring sedan model offers the best overall fuel economy for the performance.
Testing by Edmunds puts an automatic SKYACTIV Mazda 3 sedan dashing to 60 mph in 9.9 seconds. The Mazda 3 gets its get-up-and-go from a SKYACTIV-G 2-liter, four-cylinder engine that pumps out 155 horsepower. The automatic transmission gets 28 mpg city, 40 mpg highway and 33 combined mpg, according to Environmental Protection Agency estimates. There is no manual transmission available on the i Grand Touring model.
Dynamic stability control, traction control and six air bags come as standard safety features. The optional tech package comes with blind-spot monitoring and an adaptive front-lighting system on the Grand Touring model.