Quick update ...

My Mazda3 has now clocked 3,800 miles. It's mostly highway driving, but I have a nearby canyon road that I like to occasionally take on my way home just so I can work the gears and the curves.

Based on my readings from the pump, I am averaging about 34.5 MPG, which exceeds the EPA combined rating. So far, I have a high tank fill of 39.5 MPG (which was probably a short fill) and a low of 30.4 MPG during the initial break-in period when I purposely did a lot of local driving. This is pretty good considering that my commute has a couple of big grades. Unfortunately, the car's mileage computer typically overshoots the fuel economy by 2-3 MPG, and it seems that the accuracy is especially bad if I'm driving on a hilly road.

As I mentioned before, the Mazda3's not a barnburner off the line, but man does it feel good throwing that car into a turn. Aside from a little bit of hesitation on the downshifting in auto mode, I have no complaints about the vehicle.

One other observation ... man, these direct injection engines are LOUD! At startup, my car sounds like a diesel (and most diesels are also direct injected) -- much louder than the VTEC engine on my Integra, and the convention fuel injected engine on our Mazda5. I started noticing this with other cars as well, especially with luxury and performance cars, which are likelier to use direct injected engines. In the parking lot today, I heard a BMW X5 start up and dang if that thing didn't sound like diesel truck! Rumor has it that the Ford Mustang, which has one of the nicer engine and exhaust notes out there, is going to go direct injection soon. I can't imagine someone firing up a Mustang, and the engine clattering like a diesel!