The rear seats are roomy. Mazda's engineers cleverly mounted the front-seat tracks in a way that yielded more space for rear-seat passengers, whose knees are now mercifully spared from being scrunched up against the back of the driver's seat. Rear-seat headroom is limited, however; at 5-feet, 11-inches, my hair brushed the headliner. The standard 60/40-split fold-down rear seatback now comes with a locking feature.

Trendy white-faced gauges are new for 2001. A new modular AM/FM audio system comes on all models (with standard CD on LX, LX-2.0, and ES-2.0). Mazda has revised the center panel and improved the cupholders. A new center console provides covered storage. Dual front map lights were added. DX and LX models get new two-tone interior trim.

Interior controls are easy to operate. The stereo is placed higher up on the dashboard than on many cars, which allows drivers to flip stations and fast forward to favorite tracks with just a quick glance away from the road.

Sturdy grab handles above the rear passenger windows work better for hanging up a sport coat or a dress than the puny plastic clips that come in many other cars. Another nice design touch is the use of a grippy dimpled pattern -- much like you'd find on the surface of a golf ball -- on the door handles.