Disclosure: DriveSTI loaned us a Mazda 3 for a week. No other compensation was received. As always, opinions and thoughts are my own.

New York may be a big city but it’s so easy to get around. I’m one of those die-hard New Yorkers you’ve heard about. The ones who don’t have a desire to learn how to drive because they grew up taking public transportation. (Let’s not even discuss the parking situation.) All I need is a metro card and a little time and I’m good to go all over town.

But I’m not going to lie – I do love being driven around. Monday through Friday I’m an MTA gal but come the weekend, I enjoy sitting in the passenger seat. It’s all the perks without any of the responsibility.

And I didn’t have any desire to learn how to drive…until I stepped inside a Mazda 3.  Aside from it being a beautiful car and smooth ride, the Mazda 3 had features that made me feel like I could slide into the driver’s seat.

Now I’m not a car expert, I don’t know the terminology – I’ll leave the real shop talk to Joseph. {check out his post – ROOMY, SPORTY & EFFICIENT: ATYPICAL DAD’S EXPERIENCE WITH THE MAZDA 3}

But here is what I loved about the Mazda 3 as a passenger and as a wanna be driver.

As a passenger I loved the high arm rest (Joseph did too). I never knew what a difference one could make but it’s so relaxing to sit back, rest your arm comfortably. It makes being a passenger so much better.

In our own car, Joseph has the cell phone hooked up to the car and the GPS. I can never figure out how to lower the volume (I always want to lower the volume, Joseph insists on blasting it) – all I know is that there’s a lot of buttons and steps. In the Mazda 3 – the volume control is not only on the console but on the steering wheel.

There are multiple reasons why I don’t drive, basically it all boils down to fear. But driving in a Mazda 3 made me feel safe. It’s not the kind of car where you can hit the gas and get crazy. The Mazda 3 is compact and not intimidating for a beginning like me. It’s the first car I’ve been in that I felt like, I could drive in this car.

After the rough winter, NYC streets are filled with bumps and pot holes. The Mazda 3 kept up – able to easily swerve around them with ease. (Though Joseph is a pretty good driver). But even the little bumps that were unavoidable, the Mazda glided right over them.

I find being on the expressway overwhelming, there are cars, truck and motorcycles zigging in and out of lanes. Even sitting in the passenger seat, I feel like I need to be on the lookout. One of my favorite features is the warning in the rear view mirrors if a car is in your blind spot – it makes a beeping noise and two little cars appear in the mirror. I also loved the video cam for parking. It’s just one of those safety features I appreciate. I think those two features eliminate any extra anxiety for new drivers.

If there was ever a car that could tempt or teach me how to drive – the Mazda 3 would definitely be it. The only thing I’ll miss is being able to sit back to enjoy the view and the smile on this kid’s face as he looks out the window. But I won’t get ahead of myself just yet…

 

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