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2015 Mazda 3 Sedan

TheShaun

Bejeweled
Anyone have one of these or a previous model they can comment on.

We are headed out car shopping. Mazda 3, Honda Civic, Audi A3 Sedan, Hyundai Sonata, VW Jetta

these are all on the list to look at. Any experience with these
 
We bought a car last year and found that Kia really seemed to offer a lot more features in the type of car we were looking for the price. (Kia Rio 5). Car has been excellent and very comfortable and great service.
 
Based on my experience with motorcycles, it is hard to beat a Honda for reliability.

I am not so sure about the reliability of the newer engines, but I have experience with older engines (mostly the ones produced during the 90s) and I can tell you they tolerate a GREAT deal of abuse. My friends and I have never managed to wreck one of those engines.
 
I had a Mazda 3 for a rental car last week and a Honda Civic the week before. I really liked the Mazda enough that if I were in the market I'd think about one. The Civic was fine but not quite as comfortable as the Mazda. Sorry, no experience with the others.
 
The Sonata is the odd one out in that grouping, being bigger than the rest. The Elantra would be closer to the Mazda 3, Civic, etc. The Mazda 3 is a lot of fun to drive, although it was a little cramped for me. Very light, agile, and sporty.

I bought a 2015 Mazda 6 a few months ago. It didn't last long before I ran over something that cut the brake lines and I ended up totaling it into a big pole rather than hitting a bunch of stationary cars. It was probably a fluke, but it made me too nervous to get a replacement. I ended up buying a used 2013 Genesis for less, which I love.

Best thing to do is try them all and see how they feel to you. Honda is going to have the best resale, so if you're going to flip in 2-3 years, that's a very strong consideration. Mazdas have done poorly in this regard in recent years, but now that they are free from the Ford collaboration and seem to be back to their roots with much better looking cars, maybe that will change somewhat. They sell a fraction of the number of most other cars though, so it's something to keep in mind.
 

Commander Quan

Commander Yellow Pantyhose
I have a 2005 Mazda3 with 120,000 miles. 6 months ago I had to replace a wheel barring, and the front struts need changed, but other than that the car hasn't needed anything except brakes and tires. I'm in no hurry to replace it, and with the 5 speed it's a fun zippy little car.
 
My wife has a 3, and I have a Civic...both previous gens, not the most recent so some things might have changed. But I'll say that the 3 is definitely sportier than my Civic, but my Civic has been more fuel efficient. Granted I drive stick, but there's a 10 MPG difference between us. I also find my Civic to be a little more user-friendly. The ergonomics just make sense. I also find that working on my Civic is a lot easier-- I just changed filters out on both cars the other week. Mazda's engineers are either dumb or trolling everyone. I had to dismantle the dash to reach the cabin air filter and had to dig out from under a ton of plastic in the engine compartment just to reach the engine air filter. The resale on my car has also held up a lot more. We bought the cars within a month of each other and the wife spent a thousand more for the 3 since she needed the automatic, but my Civic still holds more value now based on the KBB. I enjoy driving the 3 and it's been reliable, but if we did it all again, I would have bought two Civics or an Elantra.
 
I have a 2007 Mazda 3 with 75,000 miles on it. Been a great car so far with no mechanical problems. I test drove everything in its class and it was by far the best for the money.

Wasn't a fan of the previous model...hated the smiley face on the front grill. A little too cutesy for me. However the new styling of the 2015 looks pretty good.
 
Mazda3 is a great car but you will get more bang for your buck with the Hyundai plus a better warranty. Honda is always good. Keeps their value and parts are a dime a dozen. The Audi has a high cost of ownership/repair and not as good gas milage. VW's are kind of in the middle in and can be hit and miss.
 
I bought a new Mazda 3 in 2012 and no problems. They are a good car and you should have trouble free motoring.
 
I am biased to a point, I run a Honda dealership service department so of course I stand behind the Honda. Mazda is also good. Hyundai/Kia are building better cars, but still are not holding their value. I would recommend steering clear of the German cars just due to cost of service and repairs.
 
Well it wound up being the 2015 Acura ILX

Pretty much a luxury Honda Civic(built on the same platform). Looks better than the civic though, it will be a good car for you.

I haven't been a huge fan of Acuras styles lately but the new TLX looks pretty decent.
 
I have a 2007 Mazda 3i with 66,000 miles that I bought in 2010. I've had to replace an oxygen sensor, but otherwise no unusual maintenance. I bought it after test driving a Toyota Corolla, Camry, and Honda Civic. My honest impression was, and still is, that it's a daily driver for people who actually enjoy driving.

The Civic was almost as fun to drive, but the Camry and Corolla were just boring in comparison. Granted no naturally aspirated 4-cylinder will get you too excited, but I moved to the Mazda 3 from a supercharged Pontiac Grand Prix GTP, and I have still enjoyed driving this thing. And the new ones even have a Heads-Up Display as an option, which is the feature I miss most from my GTP.

*edit* Just realized you already made your choice, but I'll leave this here for posterity. Congrats on the new car!
 

TheShaun

Bejeweled
Pretty much a luxury Honda Civic(built on the same platform). Looks better than the civic though, it will be a good car for you.

I haven't been a huge fan of Acuras styles lately but the new TLX looks pretty decent.

That's exactly it. We tried the fully loaded Civic and then the Acura. Fit and finish were far better on the Acura and worth the extra bit of cost
 
I would recommend steering clear of the German cars just due to cost of service and repairs.
Interesting that over here the Japanese are known for expensive spare parts. They are very reliable, but if they need service, it's not cheap. Besides, I have the impression that there are more 3rd party parts available for VW cars.

Anyway, the TS is in America, and not here :)
 
Many of the Honda plants are located in the US, Canada, and now Mexico. "Japanese" car is really a misnomer over here. Must just be the difference in location as I don't believe any of the German cars are built here and they are manufactured relatively close to you (although some Hondas are built in England).
 
Many of the Honda plants are located in the US, Canada, and now Mexico. "Japanese" car is really a misnomer over here. Must just be the difference in location as I don't believe any of the German cars are built here and they are manufactured relatively close to you (although some Hondas are built in England).

Thats how Toyota and Hyundai are too. Most built in the USA. Alot of American cars built in Mexico(although we still do have quite a few plants in the US still).
 
I bought a 2005 3 brand new. Had it in 3 times for rust issues. It needed body work all 3 times. Maybe that's where they came up with the name. At the time Mazda provided the thinnest paint finishes on the market. Not sure how much things have changed. To top it all off, I had an accident with it and mangled up my bumper and exhaust tip... Guess how much it costs to fix an exhaust tip on a Mazda 3... The price of an entire, one piece exhaust system right from the manifold to the tip... Only a minor set-back of $2200.. No big deal. I swore I'd never buy another Mazda because of the grief it gave me.
 
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