Hello. I just bought a new 2008 Mazda3i touring, galaxy grey, ABS/SAB/SAC package, manual transmission. I tried all the obvious competitors (Civic,Corolla, Lancer), and a couple others (Fit and a nice used Acura TL). Ended up with the 3 because it was the best fit for me, great driving position, best ride and handling, and best value for the money. The internet sales guy took $1100 off MSRP which made it significantly less than the Civic LX which was my second choice, and the Civic lacked some key features like alloy wheels and adjustable lumbar support. Plus I think it just looks a lot cooler than all the other compact cars on the market right now, so I was pretty happy to find it for the best price. I had planned to pay cash,but with 2% financing I can do something better with that money. Would have enjoyed a3s for the 2.3 liter engine and a couple of other nifty features like the leather steering wheel and cool gauges, but the i touring had all the featuresI needed and the 2.0 felt plenty powerful enough while getting a little better gas mileage.It definitely doesn't look or feel like a "base model". I think I actually prefer the 16" wheels over the 17" wheelson the s models, for a little smoother ride and the tires will be a lot less expensive to replace. Anyway, happy to be a new Mazda owner, and hope this forum turns out to be lively and useful.