New Mazda 3?

[Laconian]

Well, I am now an owner of a new 3. I guess I do not much understand the griping, but the 3 is an excellent compact and the mileage beyond excellent ($17 for a tank of gas?).

I also enjoy the commander knob to operate the infotainment system. The lack of lunging and reaching towards the radio is excellent.

It's not a fancy model. I have a 4 Door i sedan with the preferred package.

The 2.0 is a pretty sweet engine, it strikes a great balance of pep and fuel economy.

[Raza]

I'm a Golf guy, but the 3s GT hatch is very tempting. The 3 is one of the few good looking cars made today. Congratulations!

[12,000 RPM]

If I got a 3 it would be the i sedan with navigation. Golf is a much better hatch

[MexicoCityM3]

Well, I am now an owner of a new 3. I guess I do not much understand the griping, but the 3 is an excellent compact and the mileage beyond excellent ($17 for a tank of gas?).

I also enjoy the commander knob to operate the infotainment system. The lack of lunging and reaching towards the radio is excellent.

It's not a fancy model. I have a 4 Door i sedan with the preferred package.

Congrats. Best choice in the segment.

[Raza]

If I got a 3 it would be the i sedan with navigation. Golf is a much better hatch

I like the 3 sedan too, but the hatch just looks that bit better.

Why the i over the s?

[MX793]

The s is a pretty hefty premium over the i.  I love the 3 hatch, but its styling does compromise a lot of the hatch's practicality by impinging on cargo space.  I like the sedan as well, and the car has always been one of the best driving cars in the segment.  I'd like to find a used one to replace the Jetta in a couple of years as my winter car.

[12,000 RPM]

I like the 3 sedan too, but the hatch just looks that bit better.

Why the i over the s?

Just seems like a better value.  I am happy with my car's performance and it is an appreciable upgrade... 10% better power to weight ratio stock, and a much needed 6th gear. With a $500 91-93 octane tune you are at base 2.5 power levels. If the infotainment situation isn't as awful as I imagine it could definitely be a Civic replacement.

[WookieOnRitalin]

Just seems like a better value.  I am happy with my car's performance and it is an appreciable upgrade... 10% better power to weight ratio stock, and a much needed 6th gear. With a $500 91-93 octane tune you are at base 2.5 power levels. If the infotainment situation isn't as awful as I imagine it could definitely be a Civic replacement.

I reached the same conclusion. For the price, why? What do I gain on a daily basis? A little more power for passing and merging on the highway? I'm not drag racing in it. The car will be commuting and spend most of its time below 50 mph. In that case, I should choose the model more optimized for that type of driving.

[Raza]

I'll take the power, personally. It's not like 184hp is too much power. It would be the second least powerful car I've owned.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Lame. The second least powerful car I've owned was rated at 63 hp. It's hard to beat that.

[Raza]

Lame. The second least powerful car I've owned was rated at 63 hp. It's hard to beat that.

How many horsepowers are in a Power Wheels? They should count.

[Eye of the Tiger]

How many horsepowers are in a Power Wheels? They should count.

Probably 1-2.  Some of those things are stupidly fast for having hard plastic tires and only braking on the rear axle.

[CaminoRacer]

Probably 1-2.  Some of those things are stupidly fast for having hard plastic tires and only braking on the rear axle.

Apparently they have the crappy plastic wheels so that they'll spin when it takes off, otherwise it could break the fragile drivetrain.

[Rich]

I'll take the power, personally. It's not like 184hp is too much power. It would be the second least powerful car I've owned.

Its 30 more hp and about .5 sec to 60?  Not worth it

And this part is for you.... I think the 2.5 comes with a bunch of driver assist aids standard.

Plus it's fwd. mpgs > torque steer

[Raza]

Its 30 more hp and about .5 sec to 60?  Not worth it

And this part is for you.... I think the 2.5 comes with a bunch of driver assist aids standard.

Plus it's fwd. mpgs > torque steer

If you're getting torque steer at 184hp, there's a problem.

[12,000 RPM]

U can get 2.5L power/torque from the 2.0 for $500.... problem solved

Maybe if it was the 2.0L or a 3.0L V6. But the difference isn't big enough.

[Raza]

U can get 2.5L power/torque from the 2.0 for $500.... problem solved

Maybe if it was the 2.0L or a 3.0L V6. But the difference isn't big enough.

Problem solved. Just $500 + your warranty is all it'll cost me? Totally worth it.

[Eye of the Tiger]

If you're getting torque steer at 184hp, there's a problem.

Dude, my Swift torque steered.

[MX793]

If you're getting torque steer at 184hp, there's a problem.

My 2.3L Mazda3 with ~160 hp had a bit of torque steer.  Nothing major, but you could feel it tugging at the wheel in the lower gears (and if you let go of the wheel and floored it in 1st it would turn).

[12,000 RPM]

Problem solved. Just $500 + your warranty is all it'll cost me? Totally worth it.

You had a problem free 2.0T VW. You will be fine.

[Raza]

You had a problem free 2.0T VW. You will be fine.

It wasn't problem free...it was covered under warranty when all of the problems happened. 

[Raza]

Dude, my Swift torque steered.

Seems like there was a problem.

[Raza]

My 2.3L Mazda3 with ~160 hp had a bit of torque steer.  Nothing major, but you could feel it tugging at the wheel in the lower gears (and if you let go of the wheel and floored it in 1st it would turn).

My Passat did too, at 170HP.  But my 200HP Jetta didn't.  Considering the Mazda3 is newer and reaps the benefits of newer tech and whatever, I doubt it has torque steer issues.

A silver Mazda3 hatch parked in front of my house last night.  Damn, the hatch is so good looking and so much better looking than the sedan (which isn't bad, but the hatch is much better).

[Eye of the Tiger]

Seems like there was a problem.

The active torque vectoring yaw angle managmemt system was out of calibration.