Do I believe in love at first sight? Yes, I’m certain it happens all the time. Like when driving the 2010 Mazda3 to the grocery store.

We had just made a left out of our subdivision, accelerated sharply, hit a big sweeping country-road sort of curve and coming out the other end – less than two miles into a week-long test drive – I said aloud: “I like this car.”

Mazda’s biggest seller – 44 percent of North American sales in 2008 – is redesigned inside and out for the coming automotive model year, which, like Christmas, seems to get here earlier and earlier. The end result of all the tinkering is a compact that raises the bar for a crowded category that includes the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Nissan Sentra.

The Mazda3, unlike many econ-boxes, feels rock solid.  The steering precision and feel is like that of a more costly sports sedan, the result, Mazda says, of adding a third mounting point near the center of the electro hydraulic-assisted rack-and-pinion steering gear.

The 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine is bigger than the power plant of earlier generations of the Mazda3. The 168-horsepower won’t snap your neck, but there is some fun-to-drive spunk.

Fuel economy is good, but not great. The EPA estimate is 22 mpg in city driving and 29 mpg on the highway. We got 23.5 mpg in a mix of driving that was heavy on suburban stop-and-go traffic.

The Mazda3 has earned the EPA’s SmartWay designation given vehicles that score 6 or better on a scale of 1-10 on each of the air pollution and greenhouse gas indices.

The interior design of this entry-level car is decidedly upscale, with a gauge and screen display unmatched in any car of any price. The display screen containing navigation, audio, and trip information is positioned high on the instrument panel to allow the driver to keep his/her eyes on the road. A second screen slightly to the right provides station frequency and climate control setting information.

The fit, finish and materials are good, and neon blue accent lighting is hidden behind the door handles. A cool touch.

Front passengers will be quite comfortable, but those riding in the back seat have, at best, just adequate legroom. The trunk is plenty big and a 60-40 split-folding rear seat expands the cargo compartment.

Safety gear includes side impact air bags.

The loaded test car  – equipped with navigation system, satellite radio, moonroof and 242-watt Bose sound system – had a sticker price of $22,800.

See more photos on the next page.

The MINI Cooper S proves fighting global warming can be fun.

This distinctive, diminutive cult car is fuel efficient, getting an EPA estimated 34 miles per gallon in highway driving.

But people considering a MINI Cooper – especially the turbocharged S edition – aren’t primarily interested in mpg. They’re more concerned with gpg – grins per gallon. The Cooper S offers plenty.

The turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine roars with 172 horsepower. Coupled with a clickity crisp six-speed stick shift, the tiny car is quick, quick, quick. The spec sheet says the 0-60 mph is 6.7 seconds, but it feels much faster because of the scale – just as 25 mph in a go-cart seems so much faster than the same speed in the family minivan.

Of course, quick is no fun if you’re sliding all over the place. The MINI Cooper is rock solid, the steering laser precise. It’s the sort of handling that gives life to clichés like “riding on rails.”

This is a sports car, even if the looks are too cute by half for some tastes. But the people who like the look are loyal. That is just one reason the MINI Cooper was recently a winner in the Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards.

But with any cult, there are quirks that may turn off some drivers. The controls aren’t intuitive. For example, the switches for the door locks and power windows are at the bottom of the center instrument panel. As with any car made by BMW, expect to spend some time studying the owner’s manual.

And while there is a back seat, don’t expect to put adults back there. None any that you like, anyway.

The starting sticker price is $21,200 and it’s easy to pile on the options. The test car, which featured satellite radio with a lifetime subscription, was $27,850.

See more high mileage cars in our 30 Over 30 story.

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Some people buy a car looking for thrills. Others want a little prestige under the hood. A lot of folks, though, just want something to get them to work and to the grocery store as cheaply as possible.

The 2009 Chevrolet Aveo5 Hatchback is a car for those people.

The Aveo5, and its sedan counterpart, get an EPA estimated 34 miles per gallon in highway driving and you can expect darn close to 30 mpg in your typical mix of run-around-the-suburbs driving. Aveo meets the ULEV II emissions standard.

Your upfront costs are also low. The starting sticker price for a bare bones Aveo is just over $12,000. Nearly everyone will spend more for the LT trim level that includes air-conditioning and sound system with a CD player.

The test car was a comfortably equipped 1LT trim that included power windows and door locks, satellite radio, cruise control and four-speed automatic transmission for less than $15,000.

But what do you get for $15,000? No thrills, certainly.

The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine generates just 106 horsepower. Merging onto heavy freeway traffic takes some finesse – you can’t just leap into a gap. The steering is nimble enough at slow speeds, but the handling grows more vague as the speedometer inches upward.

The cabin is comfortable, with good headroom front and back. The back seat is surprisingly spacious, offering decent legroom for anyone under 6′-1″ or so.

The knobs for the climate control system are large and easy to use while keeping your eyes on the road. Same for the audio controls.

Safety equipment includes side impact air bags for front seat passengers, but not for the folks in the back.

The Aveo5 won’t do much for your ego, but it will help your bottom line. If you’re looking for a commuter car, the Aveo is worth putting on your list.

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

With highway fuel economy of 30 mpg, the Suzuki SX4 certainly conserves gasoline. And, more importantly these days, this compact sedan conserves cash. A comfortably well-equipped SX4 – complete with standard touch-screen navigation system – rolls off the dealer lot for less than $16,000. That makes it financially competitive in its class, and as economical as most cars featured in our “30(cars) Over 30(mpg)” gallery.

Suzuki, best known in the United States for making motorcycles, this fall added a Garmin navigation unit as standard equipment to both the four-door SX4 Sport and the five-door SX4 Crossover. The gizmo comes on top of an already impressive list of standard equipment, considering the price, that includes air conditioning, power windows, doors and locks, anti-lock brakes and an array of airbags that includes side curtain airbags.

The test car boasted cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls and remote keyless entry. All for a sticker price of $15,270.

The 2-liter I-4 engine delivers 143 horsepower, giving the SX4 a bit of spunk. The five-speed manual transmission was crisp enough and a four-speed automatic transmission is available for those who haven’t learned to work a clutch.

The interior isn’t luxurious, but it doesn’t feel cheap. The backseat is comfortable for two and raised a bit – much like movie theater seats – to give passengers a good view. Trunk space, at 15.5 cubic feet, is generous and the rear seats fold down to expand the cargo space.

Suzuki provides a 100,000-mile, seven-year power train limited warranty and free roadside assistance.

The SX4 offers few driving thrills, but plenty bang for the buck.

Copyright © 2008 | Distributed by Noofangle Media

By Clint Williams

Let’s be honest: For most folks, conservation implies sacrifice. Maybe even a little discomfort. Turn down the thermostat to save energy, your feet are cold.

There is no sacrifice involved driving the 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid. Not after you write the check, anyway. In fact, Honda this year is adding some nice touches. The most important addition is electronic stability control, now standard. Options now include leather-trimmed interior, heated seats, navigation system, XM satellite radio and Bluetooth® HandsFreeLink®.

The Civic Hybrid is powered by a 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and a 15 kilowatt electric motor, producing a combined 110-horsepower. That horsepower is harnessed by a smooth continuously variable transmission. Acceleration is best described as adequate, but this isn’t a sports car.

Steering is reassuringly crisp and overall handling is good, helped by a rigid body frame and fully-independent MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension.

The leather-trimmed interior is handsome and the bright, glowing digital displays are very easy to read and have a spaceship look. There are plenty of nooks for storage. Rear legroom is surprisingly generous if there are two adults in the back. But if there are three, the third passenger needs to be the shortest one in the group.

But people will buy this car to save gas. The Civic Hybrid has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon in city driving and 45 mpg on the highway. The test car fell a bit short of that, getting 37.8 mpg, according to the dashboard trip computer, in a mix of city and highway driving typical to suburban life.

That is still significantly higher than a Civic EX-L with a five-speed automatic transmission that gets 25 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.

The higher fuel economy of the Civic Hybrid comes at a cost. The top-of-the-line hybrid tested has a sticker price of $26,750 – $3,195 more than a comparably equipped EX-L edition.

Copyright © 2008 | Distributed by Noofangle Media

See more GREEN CARS stories

By Clint Williams

Imagine a day of running errands – grocery shopping, dropping off the dry cleaning, hauling the kids to T-ball practice – that doesn’t include a stop for gas. Now imagine a week. A month. Three months. Six months. A year. Five years.

That’s the promise of the Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric car expected in dealer showrooms November 2010. Powered by a T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack, the four-passenger Volt will be able to travel 40 miles on a charge.

MORE FROM GRN

Video: Watch an overview of the Chevy Volt

That’s enough range for the bulk of daily driving, GM officials say, citing a U.S. Department of Transportation survey that found 76 percent of drivers commute 40 miles or less daily.

Drive a Volt and the only reasons for stopping at a QT are Slurpees and microwave breakfast burritos.

But those driving a Volt won’t be limited to in-town driving. A 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine to be built in Flint, Michigan serves as an onboard generator, kicking in to charge the battery after 40 miles and giving the Volt the range of a conventional automobile.

The Volt isn’t a gasoline-electric hybrid, GM’s Cristi Landy points out repeatedly during a day-long introduction of the car last week at the Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas. The Volt, she says, “is an extended-range electric vehicle.”

Electricity powers the front-wheel-drive Volt all the time and at all speeds. Hybrid cars on the road now such as the Toyota Prius or Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid use a combination of an electric motor and gas-powered internal combustion engine to make them go. The electric motor is used at low speeds or to boost acceleration. Once you’re up to freeway speeds, however, it’s the gasoline engine that is doing all the work. That explains why the EPA mileage estimates of the Prius are higher for city driving than for highway driving, the flip-flop of what you might expect.

Green Right Now auto writer Clint Williams and GM’s Cristi Landy talk about the landmark Chevy Volt at an appearance at Texas Motor Speedway outside Dallas.