Economy Sedan Poll

[ifcar]

Please post your choice and why you chose it, along with as many of those cars in order as you feel like doing. Be prepared to have a reason for anything you say.  

The cars in the poll are the base-engine versions. No Cobalt SS, Sentra SE-R, Focus ST, Mazda3 s, etc. They, and the Impreza and Jetta, are in another price league from the cars above. Also, you are voting for the SEDAN version of each car. Other versions are irrelevent for the purposes of this poll.

Happy voting!  B)


And BTW, the Suzuki Forenza and Dodge Neon were cut because there's a poll-choice limit, and seriously, who's going to vote for them anyway?  :D

[BMWDave]

I voted Mazda3.  I absolutely love the styling, it drives extremely well, and it is well put together, IMO.

[ifcar]

My order, BTW:

1. Focus (Inexpensive, roomy, and fun to drive)
2. Elantra
3. Spectra
4. Mazda3
5. Corolla
6. Aerio
7. Civic
8. Lancer
9. Cobalt
10. Ion
11. Forenza
12. Sentra
13. Neon

[Tom]

1. Focus- I like the ZX3 a lot and might just buy one in a few years, you can get one new for less than 12k
2. Elantra- Good overall car, with good warranty, I like the looks of the hatchback, good price
3. Mazda3- Maybe the best car, but priced above the others.

[SJ_GTI]

I chose Mazda. The 3i still has good power, and I think it can be had with a sport package.

Focus Zx3 would be my second choice, followed by the Cobalt Coupe.

[ifcar]

I chose Mazda. The 3i still has good power, and I think it can be had with a sport package.

Focus Zx3 would be my second choice, followed by the Cobalt Coupe.

*cough* "Economy Sedan Poll"

 

[Tom]

Ifcar, you submited your list right before mine...I didn't look at it and nearly copy your first three    

[SJ_GTI]

I chose Mazda. The 3i still has good power, and I think it can be had with a sport package.

Focus Zx3 would be my second choice, followed by the Cobalt Coupe.

*cough* "Economy Sedan Poll"

Whatever, I picked a sedan.

The focus and Cobalt have sedans too, but I just like those bodystyles better.  :P  

[Raza]

Damnit.  I voted Civic, but that was before I saw the Mazda3.  

[ifcar]

Damnit.  I voted Civic, but that was before I saw the Mazda3.

You're that impressed by the Civic?  :blink:  

[Raza]

Damnit.  I voted Civic, but that was before I saw the Mazda3.

You're that impressed by the Civic?  :blink:

It's not that.  It's that I'm not that impressed by anything else, really.  If we weren't restricted to sedans, I'd have chosen the Focus 3 door, but I think the sedan looks goofy.  I'm not a fan of the Corolla, Elantra, or Spectra (except for the Spectra 5, but again, we're stuck to sedans).  The Neon and Cobalt aren't very impressive either, the Sentra needs some work, the Ion just makes me angry, the Forenza, Aerio, and Lancer don't do it for me either.  The Evo yes, but not the base Lancer.  If I'd seen the Mazda3 (honestly, I didn't even look for it--I hadn't realized the base price was only 15 grand, I didn't think you'd include it) I would have voted for that.  If we weren't restricted to sedans, I'd have chosen the Mazda3 still, but the Focus ZX3 would have been 2nd place for me.

[ifcar]

I see. You're driving the Civic this weekend, right?

[Raza]

I see. You're driving the Civic this weekend, right?

I gave it a go yesterday.  It's a coupe with a factory sports package, so it has the goofy looks and goofy spoiler to go along with it.  By the way, the shifter isn't nearly as sloppy as the xB's.  It's kind of good, actually, considering the price range.  It's fluid, a little light, but the throws are long.  And launching smoothly isn't easy either--the clutch is weird and the lack of torque doesn't make reversing fun.  I might drive it again today or tomorrow.

[ifcar]

Honda usually does get their transmissions, manual or automatic, done right. But the Civic doesn't really stand out, and has a laughably high price.  

[Raza]

Honda usually does get their transmissions, manual or automatic, done right. But the Civic doesn't really stand out, and has a laughably high price.

You can walk away with a base sedan for 13 grand, can't you?  This was an 02 with a few thousand miles on it (around 50), and my friend bought it for around 12 or 13, which I thought was high, but it was a higher trim level with a few "performance" options.  Handling isn't too bad either.  Though when you push the car, it looks and feels very sloppy, like it wants to throw in the towel.

[ifcar]

The CarsDirect target price for a manual midlevel LX sedan is $14,348 (down from a sticker of $16,125). That buys you air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, and a CD player, but not much else. A comparably-equipped Focus SE costs $12,155 ($16,135 sticker), for comparison. The Civic is priced at Mazda3 levels, while not doing very much better than an Elantra ($12,076, including standard side airbags).

[Raza]

The CarsDirect target price for a manual midlevel LX sedan is $14,348 (down from a sticker of $16,125). That buys you air conditioning, power windows/locks/mirrors, and a CD player, but not much else. A comparably-equipped Focus SE costs $12,155 ($16,135 sticker), for comparison. The Civic is priced at Mazda3 levels, while not doing very much better than an Elantra ($12,076, including standard side airbags).

I didn't know how stripped it was at the base price.  I told him to buy something else, but it was what was available at the price.  But overall it's not a bad car.  I'd buy one used before I bought a new Scion, that's for sure.

[ifcar]

A base Civic DX has NOTHING. You get power nothing, no air conditioning, no ABS or side airbags, no CD player, not even a cassette player. $12,240, from a $13,775 sticker.  

[TBR]

I voted for the 3 but probably would have voted for the Focus Zx3.

[Raghavan]

i wouldn't take any, but if i were forced, then the Mazda 3 would be cool

[giant_mtb]

I voted Mazda3...although my second choice would have been Focus, then Corolla.

[Fire It Up]

3.

[93JC]

I won't vote. The only one I wouldn't buy would be the Sentra. Blah.


I would buy any of the rest, but I would be favouring something other than the Crapolla. And the Civic.

I'd have no qualms about owning any of the rest. Including the Neon and Forenza.

[Laconian]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

[BMWDave]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

Indeed, it has helped their sales a lot in America.  They are doing much better than they were before, but they still havent buried the hatchet totally like Nissan did when they started selling tremendous amounts of cars.

[ifcar]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

Everybody loves it, but it's easier to click a button than to spend the extra $3,000 or so on it. That said, it has sold quite well for the price, and it has no doubt helped Mazda significantly.  

[SJ_GTI]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

Everybody loves it, but it's easier to click a button than to spend the extra $3,000 or so on it. That said, it has sold quite well for the price, and it has no doubt helped Mazda significantly.

I think I read an article that the Mazda 3 is the top selling nameplate in Canada now.

[ifcar]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

Everybody loves it, but it's easier to click a button than to spend the extra $3,000 or so on it. That said, it has sold quite well for the price, and it has no doubt helped Mazda significantly.

I think I read an article that the Mazda 3 is the top selling nameplate in Canada now.

I believe that's correct. They like their small cars there.  

[BMWDave]

I wonder what Mazda's profits look like these past few years. Everybody loves the 3!

Everybody loves it, but it's easier to click a button than to spend the extra $3,000 or so on it. That said, it has sold quite well for the price, and it has no doubt helped Mazda significantly.

I think I read an article that the Mazda 3 is the top selling nameplate in Canada now.

I believe that's correct. They like their small cars there.

Almost everyone likes their small cars besides America :D  

[mazda6er]

Voted for the Mazda3, though I strongly considered the Cobalt, Civic, and (less so) the Focus. I can't believe so many people like the ZX3. The looks scream "really freaking cheap!", don't they? As a side note, I've driven a Focus and didn't find the handling that great.