In all 3 tests the rankings vary a lot. For ex, C&D ranks the Focus #1, but Cars.com put it 5th. What does that mean? Just that all the cars are very good, and the best one depends on your priorities. C&D is enthusiast biased, and they always favor cars that are fun to drive (and the Focus and 3 are the best two to drive). Cars.com puts less importance on driving dynamics.
The reliability and fuel economy are all pretty similar among cars in this class, so you can't really pick one over the other based on that. If you want a car that's fun to drive, you're best options are the Focus and 3. If you want a softer, quieter car that has a comfortable ride the Elantra and Cruze are the best.
The are only 2 cars I'd avoid. The first is the Toyota Corolla. They haven't had a completely new model since 2003, and it shows. It's by far the most dated car in its class. The engine is lacking the power and economy of it's newer rivals (the best Corolla gets 34mpg highway, and it's more powerful rivals all get about 40mpg). Part of the blame for that falls on the transmission - a 4 speed automatic. A 4 speed was perfectly acceptable 15 years ago, but today most cars in that class have 6 speeds, but at least 5. The Corolla is sorely in need of an update, so for now I'd avoid it.
The VW Jetta is the other one I'd avoid. The previous generation was great. It had a soft touch dash, grat materials quality, and it drove better than anything else in its class. But it was priced in the same range as midsize sedans, so it never sold very well. To gain sales, they had to make it cheaper. For the new generation they removed the advanced multi-link suspension and replaced it with a simpler setup, the soft touch dash and the high quality interior materials were gone in favor of cheap, hard plastics. Basically, they removed all the reasons why past Jettas have been great. While they were cheapening the Jetta, Ford, Chevy, and Hyundai (which I consider to be the class of the field today) were adding better quality materials, and better engines and suspension. And they did it without steep price hikes.
The 3 is definitely a good car, but before buying it I'd at least test drive the Focus, Elantra, and Cruze. That way you know what else is out there. They're all good cars and the best one for you comes down to preference. If you prefer one of the others, then you'll be glad you did, and if you still buy the 3, you'll know you made an educated decision.
It's excellent on gas and is a good first car for a new driver. There are several other models out there too such as the Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed which is a highly tuned varient for those who like to go fast. There are also a new line of "Sky Activ" models coming out, which are Mazda's answer to hybrids while using relatively conventional gasoline and diesel engines and instead getting their incredible efficiency through engine tuning, light weight materials, and exhaust tuning. The Mazda 3 has a G and a D Sky Activ (Gasoline and Diesel) model coming out.
Also please do not listen to qetwry. With the exception of Volkswagen, all of the brands he listed suffer from poor build quality (The American cars) to very poor reliability (The other German cars).
I think one of the best cars to get is a Toyota Corolla with standard transmission. It's in the same price range and gets better mileage. And, despite what another person said, Japanese cars are among the most reliable and longest lasting of any car. That means less down time, less maintenance and repairs, and great mpg on most of them.
While I am a union member and try to buy American, the likes of GMC and Ford, etc. have downgraded American cars because corporate greed. They design cars that are less likely to be able to be maintained or repaired by the average owner. They pretty much design "disposable" cars--and that's a big ticket item to throw away--not to mention--go into a landfill.
Perhaps, you should give more background on what you mean by a good car. That's quite subjective. Good for the environment? Low mpg? Low emissions? Service? Longevity?
no Japenese cars arent good, i suggest that you go with an American car, eg General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. German manufacturers are also very good, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche, and Volkswagen.
Comments
Here are some comparison tests with the 3:
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/11-chevrol...
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/1107_be...
and one without the 3:
http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGuides/Story.jsp?...
In all 3 tests the rankings vary a lot. For ex, C&D ranks the Focus #1, but Cars.com put it 5th. What does that mean? Just that all the cars are very good, and the best one depends on your priorities. C&D is enthusiast biased, and they always favor cars that are fun to drive (and the Focus and 3 are the best two to drive). Cars.com puts less importance on driving dynamics.
The reliability and fuel economy are all pretty similar among cars in this class, so you can't really pick one over the other based on that. If you want a car that's fun to drive, you're best options are the Focus and 3. If you want a softer, quieter car that has a comfortable ride the Elantra and Cruze are the best.
The are only 2 cars I'd avoid. The first is the Toyota Corolla. They haven't had a completely new model since 2003, and it shows. It's by far the most dated car in its class. The engine is lacking the power and economy of it's newer rivals (the best Corolla gets 34mpg highway, and it's more powerful rivals all get about 40mpg). Part of the blame for that falls on the transmission - a 4 speed automatic. A 4 speed was perfectly acceptable 15 years ago, but today most cars in that class have 6 speeds, but at least 5. The Corolla is sorely in need of an update, so for now I'd avoid it.
The VW Jetta is the other one I'd avoid. The previous generation was great. It had a soft touch dash, grat materials quality, and it drove better than anything else in its class. But it was priced in the same range as midsize sedans, so it never sold very well. To gain sales, they had to make it cheaper. For the new generation they removed the advanced multi-link suspension and replaced it with a simpler setup, the soft touch dash and the high quality interior materials were gone in favor of cheap, hard plastics. Basically, they removed all the reasons why past Jettas have been great. While they were cheapening the Jetta, Ford, Chevy, and Hyundai (which I consider to be the class of the field today) were adding better quality materials, and better engines and suspension. And they did it without steep price hikes.
The 3 is definitely a good car, but before buying it I'd at least test drive the Focus, Elantra, and Cruze. That way you know what else is out there. They're all good cars and the best one for you comes down to preference. If you prefer one of the others, then you'll be glad you did, and if you still buy the 3, you'll know you made an educated decision.
It's excellent on gas and is a good first car for a new driver. There are several other models out there too such as the Mazda 3 Mazdaspeed which is a highly tuned varient for those who like to go fast. There are also a new line of "Sky Activ" models coming out, which are Mazda's answer to hybrids while using relatively conventional gasoline and diesel engines and instead getting their incredible efficiency through engine tuning, light weight materials, and exhaust tuning. The Mazda 3 has a G and a D Sky Activ (Gasoline and Diesel) model coming out.
Also please do not listen to qetwry. With the exception of Volkswagen, all of the brands he listed suffer from poor build quality (The American cars) to very poor reliability (The other German cars).
Just bought the 2014 Mazda 3i Touring! Wonderful feel, great car great price!
I think one of the best cars to get is a Toyota Corolla with standard transmission. It's in the same price range and gets better mileage. And, despite what another person said, Japanese cars are among the most reliable and longest lasting of any car. That means less down time, less maintenance and repairs, and great mpg on most of them.
While I am a union member and try to buy American, the likes of GMC and Ford, etc. have downgraded American cars because corporate greed. They design cars that are less likely to be able to be maintained or repaired by the average owner. They pretty much design "disposable" cars--and that's a big ticket item to throw away--not to mention--go into a landfill.
Perhaps, you should give more background on what you mean by a good car. That's quite subjective. Good for the environment? Low mpg? Low emissions? Service? Longevity?
Yes, it is great.
It will very likely last 300,000+ miles unless you get bored of it and sell it for a newer car.
They are very reliable and rarely have problems. They are good on gas and fun to drive too with their sporty handling and engine sounds.
a mazda 3 going for 16 grand? bs
New or Used?
no Japenese cars arent good, i suggest that you go with an American car, eg General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. German manufacturers are also very good, such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Porsche, and Volkswagen.