Thinking about buying one of these

Get the Quadrifoglio.

Get the Mazda 6 instead. Great car.

But what does that 3-4 year old econobox for 12k do better than a 3k civic?

The new Civic is better and I'm not even joking.

By this metric. We should all be riding honda cubs. But not everyone wants a cub or a civic.
Let it be.
Thanks for your opinion.

Yeah I'm not OP but if I were in the market for a new Mazda it would be between the 3 hatchback and the 6.

Most critics suck its cock, and also this:
roadandtrack.com/new-cars/g6931/2017-mazda3-interior-photos/?

And the 3 is on Car and Driver's 10best, and has been forever.

If you buy something else, short of an Audi for double the price, you're probably getting a worse car.

Civic, MT Focus, Corolla.

>econoboxes
I'll never understand why Americans use fuel efficiency as a pejorative.

Compact cars in the US used to be much worse and people haven't gotten over it quite yet even though compacts are much better than they were historically as well as bigger.

For example Pinto, AMC gremlin, Chevy Vega

Gas has also been historically cheaper in the US with higher commuting distances making compacts less appealing. US automarkers arguably couldn't produce a decent compact car or didn't have an interest to do so until German (beetle) and Japanese competition as well.

I'm in the same boat, they share an engine, have very similar trim options and mpg numbers but the 3 hatch is slightly cheaper, lighter and is a hatch while the 6 is bigger and quieter.

The Civic hatch is a bit much visually, from a numbers point of view it's hard to say it isn't better though

I literally have both of these cars in my driveway. Get the 6, it's gorgeous inside and out. Gets -maybe- 1mpg worse mileage, is MUCH quieter (mine are both 2014s so that's before the new sound deadening in the 6) and so much roomier.

Cons for both are the rattle that develops in door pockets, easily fixed by homemade shims. If you get an earlier 6 like me, the nav is good but not AMAZING like what the 3 has had since 2014. All 5 occupants can sit comfy in the 6, where 4 can cramp in the 3. 6 has a huge trunk but the 3's hatch has allowed me to easily live without a truck, and you can just throw the dogs in the back without worry about your leather(ette?) getting fucked.

No matter what be sure you get the radar cruise control, it is godly. I thought it'd be a dumb feature but I was so very wrong.

If I were in your boat I'd buy 2014-2015 used, can easily find a GT fully loaded for $15k.

I owned a 3 GT back in the 2000s. I was loving the driving experience really much and what technology it had, even for it's time.

I'm now thinking about getting back to mazda with a 2015-2017 GT, but it will surely be a rental since I have a company now. (tax saving)

Something I also really like is the BMW M3 or anything going to M6 (depending on budget). What would you guys advice to do? Go with a newer mazda or get a older used bmw?

Any other idea? this thread is interesting btw.

>radar cruise control
I guess they don't offer it with a manual? I enjoy ridding them so much :(

get the hatchback.
if you want the sedan, get the 2.
best option is 6 wagon.

Interestingly, idk about cruise control, but they do offer automatic emergency braking with manual, it will actually stall the car by braking if you don't push in the clutch.

I actually don't know, I have metal plates in my knees so I only drive automatic nowadays

nice car my friend has a new 2016 Mazda 3 hatch its been reliable good on gas and great handling just kinda slow so dont race it

If you can afford to maintain an M3, it's obviously better in every way. But that's a big "if".

We don't call them "econoboxes" because of their mileage; we don't really use the word "economical" to mean fuel efficient the way the British do. We just call this segment "economy cars" and that's where "econoboxes" comes from.

I'm happy with mine. Great interior and infotainment, good steering and handling (not fantastic, but the rest of the segment is terrible), been very reliable so far. Cons are a tight backseat, lazy throttle response, and lots of road noise on rough surfaces.

It's a compromise car. For outright fun, an FRS/86, Miata, or Focus ST are better. The first two are less practical and the Focus's interior is terrible. The GTI is faster, quieter, and nicer, but it's not actually more fun (the previous generations were but it's been dulled down). Bigger backseat, pathetically short cargo space, noticeable turbo lag, unreliable.

The Civic gives up some steering feel and has a very annoying infotainment system - no volume knob! - but offers more space and a better engine.

The Elantra Sport (not a hatch) is the quiet cruiser of the bunch. Only consider the Sport - it isn't at all sporty, but the non-sport has a torsion beam rear suspension that is quite uncomfortable.

Mazda shit is worse than Nissan (but still better than GM).

Don't

Nothing's worse than Nissan these days, sadly.

Lol. Nice try troll.
Mind proving it?
Oh wait. You cant

certified fagmobile

Haha. Pathetic

>Veeky Forums has confirmed only crazy bitch ex-gf's drive mazda 3's

Yeah that anecdotal evidence from a bunch of virgins proved everything

It's funny when you can tell somebody's entire car knowledge is from Veeky Forums shitposts

dubs will confirm m8

It's literally a term used to describe cars made/bought to be inexpensive for people who don't care about driving, what aren't you getting?

Yeah. Total proof.
Except my wife has a mazda3 and is an incredible woman.
>inb4 hurr durr your wife is crazy. Shes gonna leave you durrrrrrr
Anecdotal evidence is dumb

the best boring cheap econobox out there at the moment

It's not a fucking civic.

Is that 1 through 10 or 10 through 1

checkmate reddit

Test Drive GOLF TSI 1.8

You get Audi-like ride for econo-prices.
It simply trumps Mazda 3

I agree it's a nicer car - quieter, better ride, more low-end power. But it's also less fun to drive, much less reliable, and the hatch is less useful (good numbers but only if you're stacking things vertically). It's not clearly better.

I have the Mazda 6. No complaints. It's fairly attractive, decent on fuel, fairly smooth drive.

With reviews like these you really have to wonder why they haven't made a Speed3/6 again

It'd kill it

Nice meme.

Because a car being inexpensive is good? And it's not like American made cars are particularly high quality, I would never buy a US made brick over a VW or a Toyota

I'm not sure about that anymore, since used car prices seem too high compared to new. Maybe in a few years it'll be better?

My friend has one. What I think:
-Good for what you pay-get Touring or higher if you want them safety features
-Higher trim=bigger wheels=more road noise, and it's especially punishing on a 3
-It IS fun to drive. It will ask you to go faster.

It really depends on what you want to do.
Get this to carve curves while driving slow car fast.
Don't get this for highway cruiser or comfy ride.

get the mazda6

mazda3 looks like a silly manlet with the angry (but simple) look

Just buy a 2014-2016 instead of a 2017 and save yourself $5000-10000 for the same car