mazda 3, great looking car.

[CrzyMR2T]

i think mazda did a great job with this car. handles great with the E type suspension, has decent power, nice interior, and it looks good. i think its good all around. it also doesnt look weird like the scion tc. the wheel base on the scion seems too long, which makes it look weird in my opinion.

sedan








hatch 5 door

[goat_launcher]

Meh. Still miss the Protege...they could have at least kept it another 3 years

[Twin2218]

I am looking to buy a new car. My first choice is the Mazda3 but I do not know much about them. Are they typically expensive to maintain? My second choice is the Toyota Corolla and everyone tells me I should go with that. Anyone have any other opinions??

[CrzyMR2T]

jd power has the mazda at about average, but i dont think its been out long enough to get an accurate idea. i mean measuring by the number of vehicles having problems isnt always accurate either. from what i heard so far though, the mazda 3 seems to be doing good. i dont think the reliability difference between the 3 and the corolla is big enough to really matter. i think they re both just as reliable as long as you take care of it with schedueled maintenance, and change your oil and oil filter. insurance should also be cheaper on the mazda 3. you can check out the mazda 3 on their website, www.mazdausa.com. toyota corolla is here http://www.toyota.com/corolla/

i would personally go with the mazda.

just go test drive both, or some other cars, and see what you like. i ve test driven the mazda 3, and i liked it a lot. a lot better than the civic, or the corolla.

[Raven52]

Personally I think the "3" could not have entered at a better time for Mazda. I owned a very reliable Mazda 626 for a very long time and only had to put a thermostat in the car. Then I decided to purchase a 1986 RX-7 with 75,000 miled on it. Well, even though it was the most fun car to drive, it was a hit on the wallet to keep on the road. Finally, it just died on me. The seals went bad and off to donation it went.

I figured after the couple years of the RX-7 draining my pocket, I needed to go with something more reliable. So I went out and purchased a 2003 Honda Civic coupe. Well all I have to say about the Honda is that, yes you are getting a reliable car, but it may have been the most boring car I had ever driven. I missed the feel of the Mazda in a bad way.

So just 2 days ago I went to my local Mazda dealership and turned in my boring Honda Civic and picked up a 2005 Mazda 3. All I can say is that I am losing sleep over this car because I want to drive it all of the time! The dealership gave me a huge deal on the car and I was able to get the car on the road for $13,200 after the leftover on my trade-in and the dealership knocked $1500 off the price of the car. The one good thing about Honda cars is that they do hold their value better than any car on the market.

So to show how greatful I was, I purchased a 2005 Mazda Tribute for my wife! She needed a new car anyway. The Tribute stickered at $22,260 and we got it on the road for $18,400.

I did all of my homework before I purchased these cars and I know that I got the bottom line lowest price for both of these vehicles.

I love my Mazda 3! I suggest that if you are hesitant, go test drive one and I am sure your mind will be made up very quickly. Also, I would go with a 2005 as well. A lot of the little hiccups have been worked out of the 2005 models. At least consumer reports gives the 2005 Mazda 3 perfect scores. You have to check this car out!

[CTSommers]

Got my Mazda 3 a few weeks ago because it is the best car in it's class/price range hands down. The steering on the car is outstanding and the car displays a lot less body roll through turns than the Corolla or civic. The interior in this car is also well put together, well thought out and has a more up market look and feel to in then others in it’s class. Oh yes it also has more power than the corolla and civic. For more info on the Mazda 3 I would highly recommend reading the reviews at http://www.edmunds.com

[jyot soni]

i really like 3 and its styling is much better than protoge{sp??}. personally i like hatch back rather than sedan. it really stands out in the crowd and makes heads spin. a nav system in this class is first and the interior fit & finish and materials are top notch{ better than jetta IMO}. it also gets as good gas milage as corolla. i own corolla but if i had a chance i would trade it with 3.

[jerzralliart]

i think it looks like a hyundai accent on steroids

[dave_l_bell]

I know a great deal about MAzda's. I work for a dealer and the 3 and 6 are amazing vehicles. If you have questions feel free to email me.

[vmays@eastman.com]

I have a 2010 3, I only have one major gripe, and that is road noise. Compared to my 2001 jetta it's unbearable. I guess I could spray some more undercoating in the fender wells, but I feel that should be taken care of at the factory. Other than that, it seems to be a really reliable car, with a rather well appointed interiior...

[Wynnie James]

I think the Mazda 3 is cute. I'm thinking about getting a new car at some point and I like the looks of it.