- Jun 3, 2001
- 10,358
- 5
- 0
After living out of province at school for the better part of the last 6 months, when I finally got back home I decided I'd spend the money for a new car. Being 19 and finally making a healthy salary dictated my childish testosterone that it must be frugal yet sporty and good looking.
There are many competitors in the sub $25k (CDN) field. Honda Civic, Mazda 3, VW Rabbit, Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac Pursuit, Dodge Caliber, Ford Focus, etc.
Some of these were clearly not to my taste or purposes: Dodge Caliber (Gremlin styling) or VW Rabbit (VW).
Some were unafforadble: Honda Civic (5.9% interest finance rate? No thanks!)
So I had narrowed it down to the MZ 3, Cobalt/Pursuit, and Ford Focus.
I liked the styling of the Pursuit variant of the Cobalt/Pursuit so I decided thats the flavour I shall pursue. (pun intended)
Test drove the Mazda 3:
I love this car. The interior is well assembled, it handles like its on rails, and the engine is quite powerful for the segment. However, I found the engine to sound classic 4 banger raspy when it was under load. Definitely did not make me want to drive aggressively.
The ATX with the shift gate was a very nice feature. Of the three cars, it had the best interior and gauge cluster.
Styling was definitely best of the three, at least for four doors.
Downsides of it were significant in Canada-- No MP3 player, worse stereo of the three (no Bose option in Canada), no side impact airbags availible.
Cost - $22,500 + 3.9% financing for 60mo
Ford Focus ZX3
Tons of features. This car is loaded with all sorts of neat gadgets you don't expect to find in this segment such as heated side mirrors, heated seats...well, I guess that's about it. But those are definitely worth something in the arctic wasteland of Canada.
Stereo in my test driver was the Sony option. Sound was OK...beat the Mazda, but did not touch the Pursuit.
The high seating position was...different. This car gives you a really strange feeling with the high seats. I'm not sure what to think of it.
In terms of driving, this car FELT the most confident of the three in terms of handling. The small go kart never gave the slightest complaint when being thrown around. Truly fun to drive.
The engine was the whimpiest of the three - 136hp. It also had the typical Ford effect...floor it and there was a lag...lag...then you'd take off in a very non linear fashion.
Cost - $19023 + 3.9% financing for 60mo
Pontiac Pursuit GT
The car I ended up choosing. Like the Focus, this car came with a few unique toys--the Driver Information Centre would be the most obvious one. Conveying things like my MPG, average speed, two trip odometers and oil life remaining (GM actually bases your oil changes on the oil gauge) its a very interesting tool. Its also the only car of the three to be equipped with a Radio Display System--very useful for finding stations in places you've never been. It works surprisingly well.
Speaking of the stereo--easily the best of the three. 7 speaker Pioneer setup with MP3 capability, nothing short of fantastic. My only complaint is on certain songs the highs can drown out the midrange due to the overbearing tweeters. Does not happen often.
Handling - worst of the three. No doubt about it. This car is definitely a good handler, but it feels like a skittish kid on caffeine in every turn. The uncommunicative steering does not tell you anything, ever. However, having had this car for a month I'm starting to figure out what it can handle...it just takes a MUCH longer time to be confident with than the other two cars.
Engine - best of three. It is a 171hp VVTi premium sucking beast. While it requires premium, it will not knock or ping with regular fuel. The engine is very quiet at all times, unless you rev it. When you push the car hard, the engine note is intoxicating. Best of the three.
It comes with Pirelli tires which have not received favourable reviews. I have yet to experience trouble with them, but I have not winter driven on them (yet).
Fuel economy is OK at best. I get about 34mpg highway and 23mpg city. But keep in mind I do drive very hard and it only has 2400km. It will improve.
I have had issues with the car. The shifter is really anal about 1st gear--dealer says its normal. The car has intermittent rough starts--dealer says its normal. And I have a squeak in my backseat--dealer says its normal. I have a very intermittent squeak in the glove box area I have not got blown off by the dealer yet.
The final deciding factor: This car cost me a full $5000 less than a Mazda 3. I liked the Mazda 3 better, but with this car I negotiated invoice +$500, I get my first two payments made by GM ($880 right there), and I get 0% interest for 4 years. The Mazda 3 could not compete with someone as budget oriented as myself.
Annoyances about the car: Driver side door is poorly padded. Sh!tty for long cruises if you rest your arm there. No interior storage (does not bother me, I don't use the cubbies if they were there). Shifter is irritating, but I'm used to it now. It is also irritating on the highway, the speed sensitive steering is both good and bad. It makes parking so very easy, the steering is so overboosted its a breeze. However, on the highway, the steering feels like a big insensitive brick. It makes my arm tired after about 2 hours of driving.
Cost - $21,500, first two payments by GM, and 0% for 4 years
Bad luck: My windshield was smashed by a rogue rock already.
There are many competitors in the sub $25k (CDN) field. Honda Civic, Mazda 3, VW Rabbit, Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac Pursuit, Dodge Caliber, Ford Focus, etc.
Some of these were clearly not to my taste or purposes: Dodge Caliber (Gremlin styling) or VW Rabbit (VW).
Some were unafforadble: Honda Civic (5.9% interest finance rate? No thanks!)
So I had narrowed it down to the MZ 3, Cobalt/Pursuit, and Ford Focus.
I liked the styling of the Pursuit variant of the Cobalt/Pursuit so I decided thats the flavour I shall pursue. (pun intended)
Test drove the Mazda 3:
I love this car. The interior is well assembled, it handles like its on rails, and the engine is quite powerful for the segment. However, I found the engine to sound classic 4 banger raspy when it was under load. Definitely did not make me want to drive aggressively.
The ATX with the shift gate was a very nice feature. Of the three cars, it had the best interior and gauge cluster.
Styling was definitely best of the three, at least for four doors.
Downsides of it were significant in Canada-- No MP3 player, worse stereo of the three (no Bose option in Canada), no side impact airbags availible.
Cost - $22,500 + 3.9% financing for 60mo
Ford Focus ZX3
Tons of features. This car is loaded with all sorts of neat gadgets you don't expect to find in this segment such as heated side mirrors, heated seats...well, I guess that's about it. But those are definitely worth something in the arctic wasteland of Canada.
Stereo in my test driver was the Sony option. Sound was OK...beat the Mazda, but did not touch the Pursuit.
The high seating position was...different. This car gives you a really strange feeling with the high seats. I'm not sure what to think of it.
In terms of driving, this car FELT the most confident of the three in terms of handling. The small go kart never gave the slightest complaint when being thrown around. Truly fun to drive.
The engine was the whimpiest of the three - 136hp. It also had the typical Ford effect...floor it and there was a lag...lag...then you'd take off in a very non linear fashion.
Cost - $19023 + 3.9% financing for 60mo
Pontiac Pursuit GT
The car I ended up choosing. Like the Focus, this car came with a few unique toys--the Driver Information Centre would be the most obvious one. Conveying things like my MPG, average speed, two trip odometers and oil life remaining (GM actually bases your oil changes on the oil gauge) its a very interesting tool. Its also the only car of the three to be equipped with a Radio Display System--very useful for finding stations in places you've never been. It works surprisingly well.
Speaking of the stereo--easily the best of the three. 7 speaker Pioneer setup with MP3 capability, nothing short of fantastic. My only complaint is on certain songs the highs can drown out the midrange due to the overbearing tweeters. Does not happen often.
Handling - worst of the three. No doubt about it. This car is definitely a good handler, but it feels like a skittish kid on caffeine in every turn. The uncommunicative steering does not tell you anything, ever. However, having had this car for a month I'm starting to figure out what it can handle...it just takes a MUCH longer time to be confident with than the other two cars.
Engine - best of three. It is a 171hp VVTi premium sucking beast. While it requires premium, it will not knock or ping with regular fuel. The engine is very quiet at all times, unless you rev it. When you push the car hard, the engine note is intoxicating. Best of the three.
It comes with Pirelli tires which have not received favourable reviews. I have yet to experience trouble with them, but I have not winter driven on them (yet).
Fuel economy is OK at best. I get about 34mpg highway and 23mpg city. But keep in mind I do drive very hard and it only has 2400km. It will improve.
I have had issues with the car. The shifter is really anal about 1st gear--dealer says its normal. The car has intermittent rough starts--dealer says its normal. And I have a squeak in my backseat--dealer says its normal. I have a very intermittent squeak in the glove box area I have not got blown off by the dealer yet.
The final deciding factor: This car cost me a full $5000 less than a Mazda 3. I liked the Mazda 3 better, but with this car I negotiated invoice +$500, I get my first two payments made by GM ($880 right there), and I get 0% interest for 4 years. The Mazda 3 could not compete with someone as budget oriented as myself.
Annoyances about the car: Driver side door is poorly padded. Sh!tty for long cruises if you rest your arm there. No interior storage (does not bother me, I don't use the cubbies if they were there). Shifter is irritating, but I'm used to it now. It is also irritating on the highway, the speed sensitive steering is both good and bad. It makes parking so very easy, the steering is so overboosted its a breeze. However, on the highway, the steering feels like a big insensitive brick. It makes my arm tired after about 2 hours of driving.
Cost - $21,500, first two payments by GM, and 0% for 4 years
Bad luck: My windshield was smashed by a rogue rock already.
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