Which small car would you get: Civic, Mazda3, or Corolla?

[Dulanic]

I just ordered a tC after test driving it so I may be a bit biased, but Id say the tC.

 

[Shelly21]

A Mitsu. Galant.

 

[jlee]

A girl at work recently bought a Mazda3, and she loves it. I have a '98 Corolla, and can't complain..the 03+ Corollas have the TRD supercharger option (~$2500), which will perk it up considerably. Also, the Scion tC looks pretty good.

I'm not a huge fan of Civics..

 

[maziwanka]

i think the 3 as well

 

[mugs]

I bought a Civic last year, but I wish I had paid more attention to the Mazda3 or Corolla. Not that I don't like my Civic, but the Mazda3 looks really sharp. But as JZero pointed out, I don't really like their association with Ford. And Shelly21, I don't think you'll find many people recommending Mitsubishis these days. 🙂

 

[tennisflip]

Mazda 3

 

[Confused]

I would go for the 3


I'm seriously considering a 6 myself, the 3 (4 door) however is still a very nice car 🙂


Confused

 

[SoyBoy004]

one of my friends got the dark gray mazda 3, SUHWEET car for the OTD price tag of 20,700 with all the options.

 

[Ryan]

tC

 

[CRXican]

Mazda 3 without a doubt

 

[uknowwhohoe]

tC

 

[Ryan]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: minendo
After seeing what happened to my girlfriend's civic in a rear collision, I will never buy one.

Most any modern car is going to basically collapse in a collision.

How recent?

My car (a 92 Stealth) took a harder hit, yet it held up better than that aluminum can on wheels.

How much damage there is to a car is not indicative of how effectively it handles crashes. The Civic has a large crumple zone, handling the energy from the crash better. But then again, crumple zones can only do so much to protect you in the event of a large crash.

 

[rh71]

Mazda 3 based on looks alone.

 

[WolverineGator]

Mazda3 based on performace / features alone.

( www.mazda3forums.com )

 

[HiTek21]

I'd get the Corolla XRS or the tC

 

[BigSmooth]

If you've got it narrowed down to just these three, definitely do some extensive test-driving to see which one fits you best. I like the 3 myself, but the others are also good cars.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: minendo

Originally posted by: Jzero
Not sure exactly, and it probably is different for different models, but crumple zones are pretty much where it's at. The theory is the car absorbs the damage so you don't have to. I make no judgement on how effective it is.

I'm sure her and her multiple doctors as well as physical therapist can tell you how effective they are. 😉

Of course, even in the safest cars, getting rammed twice over the course of a week will probably still result in some phsyical injuries. 🙁

 

[Achtung]

FWIW, the Civic has five-star crash test ratings for almost all of its tests.

Honestly, you just have to drive them all to see which one you prefer. The Mazda is the hot car right now, but its reliability is unknown. I still like it, but the Civic and Corolla are more than capable.

 

[erikistired]

xB

 

[MillionaireNextDoor]

Originally posted by: minendo
After seeing what happened to my girlfriend's civic in a rear collision, I will never buy one.

They call it crumple zones where it bends and deforms to absorb the impact, to save those within. Otherwise they've got a lawsuit.

 

[MadPeriot]

civic

 

[flyers1]

Mazda 3. I own a mazda 6s and love it. If I were looking for something smaller than the 6, I'd definately go with the 3

 

[flyers1]

Mazda 3. I own a mazda 6s and love it. If I were looking for something smaller than the 6, I'd definately go with the 3

 

[newbiepcuser]

Originally posted by: HiTek21
I'd get the Corolla XRS or the tC

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
In order: Mazda 3, with Corolla a close second, followed by walking, followed by wheel chair, followed by not going anywhere, and then Civic far after that. The civic is just less of a car than either of the other two. It's been on the same basic model for about the last 150 years now and is badly in need of a new design.

Why you gotta be dissin' on da' champ? Civics are great if you take them for what they are: reliable and efficient economy cars for sensible people who want a competent, comfortable A to B scooter that doesn't add undue stress or hassle to one's life, and doesn't cause sticker shock at trade-in time. (And doesn't put the driver to sleep.)

Just because they haven't renamed the car doesn't mean that it hasn't been redesigned a dozen times along the way.

The 2001 Civic barely shares a single phillips-head screw with the 2000. The longest run for the Civic I can think of when it wasn't 100% redesigned was 13 years, from 1988 to 2000, but the car was redesigned significantly twice during that time, for 92 and 96. (Bodies and interiors were 100% new in 92 and 96, but engines and suspensions were only partially changed for those redesigns.)

Have you driven a Corolla lately? (Don't worry if you've forgotten. It would have been so dull that few people would remember. Like popping a downer. Boring!)

To the OP:

The current Civic design has excellent safety ratings. It's too bad that the best version with ABS and the more powerful but equally efficient V-TEC engine (the EX) starts to cost some real money, but it only comes one way from the factory: nicely loaded. (Save money on the EX by choosing the stick shift. It's one of the best, smoothest, most accurate shifters in the business, and the clutch is light and smooth too.)

If you like the idea of near-nybrid fuel economy, without the cost and complexity of a hybrid, and don't mind a pretty stripped 2-door in either black or silver with slightly less (but still adequate) performance than other Civics, consider the Civic HX. It comes with alloy wheels, available CVT auto or 5-speed, power locks, mirrors, and cruise, but AC is extra. (A Civic HX with AC, side air-bags, keyless entry, and manual transmission would run in the mid-$15,000 range.)

Consider resale values too. If you're buying new, buy a Civic. If you're buying a Mazda, buy it used.

I personally choose the used Mazda route with a 2001 Protege ES, because I could get a loaded, fun to drive 2 year old car for $9,500.

My other choice was a Civic HX 5-speed with AC, side air-bags, and keyless entry. 😉

Sometimes, when I think about the relatively poor gas mileage the Mazda yields, I wish I had bought the Civic. Other times, when I look at my small, fast-shrinking loan balance (and my ABS insurance discount), I'm glad I bought the Mazda.