Mazda 3 at $30,000 Rides Like Cars Twice Its Price

Who said modesty and fun can’t go hand in hand? Mazda’s latest 3 sedan and hatchback start at a humble price of around $17,700, and top out at less than $30,000 with all the options. (Those $100 all-weather floor mats? Bring ‘em on.)

Jamming over narrow, bumpy Michigan roads, the Mazda 3 doesn’t seem scrappy or harsh, like many compact cars. Rather, it hums along smoothly over ragged ridges of bad pavement, showing off a supple suspension that’s so good as to be unlikely. Mazda has sprinkled engineering magic dust into that charming chassis: it rides as well as cars twice its price.