As you’ve surely seen by now, the 2010 Mazda3 has hit the streets with a spring in its step and (literally) a smile on its face. The redesigned front end may be the easiest place to look if you’re trying to tell the difference between a new Mazda3 and an older one. Up front, there’s a large grinlike (yes, grinlike) area, said to allow for more cool air intake than in the previous model. And it isn’t the only thing about the car that has changed: every bit of sheetmetal is new, in fact, and the chassis is now stronger and lighter. Wheelbase is identical, but overall length is up by a couple of inches. In addition, the interior has been given a significant redo, and the lineup benefits from a new engine and new transmission options.

Since the first time behind the wheel of the new 3 at Mazda’s initial launch nearly a year ago, we’ve had opportunities to test the Speed3 and the 2.5-liter-motivated hatch. This, however, was the first time we were able to take the base model out for a spin-and we got some performance numbers while we were at it. When it first arrived, the original Mazda3’s 2.0-liter engine put out 148 horsepower and 135 pound-feet of torque-and it still does. However, the transmission choices have improved. The base 2.0-liter sedan comes backed by a five-speed manual; our i Touring was equipped with the five-speed automatic, a new option with this engine.

While this source of power hasn’t changed all that much, the new transmission option makes a big difference, providing more gears than its newest competitor, the all-new Kia Forte, and matching what’s available in the rival Honda Civic. This five-speed also allows manual shifting, which is a nice bonus at this price point. Off-the-line acceleration won’t break any records, but there’s plenty of power coming from the four-cylinder (and a nice, sporty engine note), and steering was very good. The ride was pleasantly compliant on rough roads, yet the Mazda3 is just as sporty and fun as ever when driving on twisty two-lanes. Not only that, but at freeway speeds, the 3 sedan was surprisingly quiet. At the track, the smallest Mazda3 reached 60 mph in 8.8 seconds (for reference, a comparable Kia Forte sedan we tested took 10.3 seconds) and ran through the quarter mile in 16.7 seconds at 83.1 mph, also faster than the Forte. From 60 mph, it came to a stop in 136 feet.