So here's the sequel, and this time the kid packs knockout power. We compared it to "an aspiring welterweight fighter with all the moves but no punch." And it prevailed despite a serious shortage of horsepower. The result was the MP3, a brilliant blend of supple ride and athletic handling that emerged as the winner of a five-car hot-compact free-for-all ( "Budget Banditos," November 2001). A little over a year ago, Mazda took its first cut at this project, enlisting the services of Racing Beat, the longtime Mazda tuning shop, to handle suspension development. However, the truth is we've seen this hot-rod-Protegé movie before, albeit at slower speed. ![]() In our most recent econobox comparison test ( "Little Cars 6.1," June 2000), a Protegé ES took home the Oscar and has since been updated: more refinement, better handling, more power. Given the foregoing, Mazda could have no more logical starting point than the Protegé, an entry-level compact sedan that also happens to be among the best in its class. It's called Mazdaspeed, and if it turns out to be a profit center, à la Toyota Racing Development, well, so much the better. It's conceived to demonstrate Mazda's commitment to fun-to-drive, and also to help establish a new performance subsidiary that will sell stuff to young owners who want their cars to stand out from the herd. ![]() If zoom-zoom is going to have credibility, some of the other Mazdas gotta get some zoom, too. It's equally clear the Miata can't sustain this image building all by itself. That's what the zoom-zoom ad campaign is all about. Some of our favorite models (pictured here) include the Solyte DLX softside carry-on, the Freeform hardside carry-on and the Stryde Glyder checked bag, which makes the case wide instead of long so it's less likely to tip over.It's no secret that Mazda wants to be perceived as a purveyor of vehicles that stimulate the driver gratification glands a little more than competing products. We've also been impressed by each of the sizes, including carry-ons, checked bags and underseat luggage. It's certainly not inexpensive, but as direct-to-consumer luggage brand prices have skyrocketed, Samsonite's have remained fairly consistent.īoth hardside and softside styles from the brand have excelled in our tests. In particular, it stands out for its durability and ease-of-use features: There's been no struggling to open and close the cases, and packing them has been a breeze thanks to the functional compartments that maximize space. Samsonite earns our top spot for the best luggage brand because it has a wide assortment for every preference - from business travelers to vacationers - and has continuously proven to be high quality as we've tested it over the years. ![]() But first, here's everything you need to know about our top-tested luggage brands.
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