The economy has hit most of us hard. And car companies are responding by offering more for less. (Which is so nice of them to do, considering we "own" most of them.) And the newly redesigned 2010 Mazda3 mixes sports car drivability and compact affordability. In a car that has enough interior and exterior eyeball that it doesn't feel like you're driving an econo box. (Photos after the jump.)

Going grille-to-grille with the massively popular Civic and Corolla, the new 3 plans to do to its category what the 6 did to the Accord and Camry: offer segment-leading performance and reliability, for far less. And starting at just over $15k they're offering a lot of bang for your buck in a car that doesn't feel entry level.

Eyeball:
Both the 4- and 5-door 2010 3 get a design overhaul that includes a more expressive front end, with a monstrous front grille and corner air intakes that give the cars a grin that can only be described as Cheshire Cat-like. But a grin that makes the more car more aerodynamic and pulls more air into the engine, giving you better performance.

The body's been made more sporty and curvy, with strong fender lines and a wedged beltline that gives the illusion "diving forward" toward the elongated headlamps. Headlamps that make the 3 the first compact on the market with an Adaptive Front-lighting System containing self-leveling bi-xenon bulbs that steer up to 15 degrees into the turn. The 5-door gets a new rear, with a new top deck spoiler and sharper lines on the hatch. All working to erase any trace of "econo".

Ballsyness:
Built more for fuel economy than blasting tuners off the line, (which is the job of the new Speed 3, rumored to be coming soon), the 3 comes equipped with your choice of the 4-cylander MZR 2.0-L power plant that puts out 148-hp and gets around 25/33mpg, or for more Zoom-Zoom check off the 2.5-L version that also powers the 6 and bumps the horsepower to 167. You'll give up about 4mpg and shell out about $2500 more for the added horses. Mazda's Dynamic Stability Control and Traction Control help keep the rubber on the road.

Inside story:
The new 3 gets a premium quality cockpit that belies its class, with features like a eight-way power driver's seat with 3 position memory, rain sensing wipers, multi-information display screen, dual-zone temp controls, keyless entry and an optional 10 speaker BOSE Centerpoint sound system and full navi. (Note that adding all the toys will balloon the cost from a wallet friendly $15 grand to just over $22,000. Still less than you'll pay for most cars with that number of bells and whistles, but coming dangerously close.))

Overall:
Whether you're buying your first new car, or downsizing until your bankroll bounces back, this incarnation of the 3 is a sport compact you can slide behind the wheel of, and still enjoy some luxury and performance. And not have to hide behind darkly tinted windows.

Check the pics below for a closer look.