New car: 2012 Focus or 2012 Mazda3

[CorvallisBMW]

I'm in the market for a new car. I drive 45 miles a day on 100% highway to work and back, and 23mpg on premium in the e34 is getting old. Time to move on. This has to be a practical, fun, efficient, good looking car. I've narrowed my search down to two new hatchback cars. Against my better judgement, I'm going to ask the opinion of r3v...

2012 Focus Titanium

Pros:
-Great styling, fantastic interior (seriously... it's incredible), perfect blend of ride + handling
-Great value for money, comes with stuff like WiFi hotspotting and MyFord Touch
-Super-fast DCT trans, new dual-variable-valve-timing engine with direct injection, 38mpg

Cons:
-No manual available except on stripped-down models :(
-Doesn't hold it's resale value quite as well as imports
-Initial quality/reliability issues with the DCT trans and MFT system



2012 Mazda3 SkyActiv GrandTouring

Pros:
-New SkyActiv engine and hybrid DCT/Auto trans get 40+mpg
-Best handling compact car in it's segment
-SICK bi-xenon, self-leveling, turn-following headlights (yeah, they're that good)

Cons:
-Again, No manual available except on stripped-down models :(
-Dated interior with small screens, not nearly as nice as the Ford
-Short on advanced features like MMI given the price

[Holland]

I would vote focus, and I don't see why you couldn't special order a loaded model with a manual.

[Pantless Spency]

what about a subi hatch?
i like the older mazda speed 3's those are sweet.

[Kershaw]

im a total mazda guy, im sure all of you know that.

but im going to go with the focus. it's essentially the same car, but better. ford spent more time and money on the interior and it shows.

[grippymonkey]

I actually quite like the new Focus.

[Mercury[BKM]]

SkyActiv mazdaspeed3 manual when it is released, it shall be a very nice vehicle.

but fuel economy on these cars wont be much diff than what you're payingon the other car, PLUS its a car payment?

why not just get a nice EK Civic hatch for a few grand, or a Jetta TDI and rock 40mpg and not have a payment?

practical, fun, efficient lots of options, but you will end up paying more money per month on a new car by atleast double or triple over a nice EK civic hatch



plus they look better

just my 2 cents

[Pantless Spency]

why get an EK when you could get an EG?
ek's are like eg's retarded ugly beaten cousin.
if i needed a reliable good on fuel DD i would be all over a 5 speed EG hatch.
i love the body lines of that car.
but teh FWDz sucks.

[Mercury[BKM]]

why get an EK when you could get an EG?
ek's are like eg's retarded ugly beaten cousin.
if i needed a reliable good on fuel DD i would be all over a 5 speed EG hatch.
i love the body lines of that car.
but teh FWDz sucks.

i agree i love EG hatches too, the cars above are FWD as well that he is looking at, and didnt make sense in my head when he said that MPG was getting to him a bit since a car payment + close to the same MPG (still require premium fuel in the skyactiv) would most likely double or triple his monthly ownership costs.



EG civic for references

[325ix]

im a total mazda guy, im sure all of you know that.

but im going to go with the focus. it's essentially the same car, but better. ford spent more time and money on the interior and it shows.

I was going to say the same thing, pretty similar car, only with different badges.

[b*saint]

Aren't they the same car?

[djjerme]

Sorta, they are all based on the C1 platform. The same platform as the Volvo C30. If you could get the 5 cylinder in the Focus, I would go with it.. After having test drove a Mazda3 (the new Focus wasn't out then) I thought it felt cheap, and not very durable. Hence why we went with an A3 (plus my wife wanted AWD, which is not available in either..)

[KenC]

Focus. You're in the cockpit 99% of the time and driving on a highway. The Mazda feels like a rental car inside.

[CorvallisBMW]

Civics are for gays and chicks. /discussion

[b*saint]

I prefer the Ford anyways. I rented a few.

[AsharC]

I am more of a import > domestic. I hate domestic cars.