YACT: 2006 Civic, Mazda 3, Altima, or Corolla?

[mugs]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

I've read articles that state leasing a car is cheaper than owning one, plus you always get to drive a new car. The 5 year least costs significantly less than the 3 year on a monthly basis, plus the car is fully warrantied for the lease term. In other words, all I will pay for the car is the monthly lease payments.

Plus maintenance, right? I've never leased, but do they require you to have maintenance done at the dealership or anything like that?

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: KnightBreed
2006 Economy Sedan Comparison Test: Honda Civic vs. Mazda 3

Thanks. I plan to test drive the 3. 🙂

Fuel economy is still a weak point for the 3. We drove both cars with lead feet just to keep up with the Southern California freeway pace, and it showed, especially in the Mazda which recorded a mediocre 22.3-mile-per-gallon average in combined city/highway driving. The Civic's 7-mpg improvement on that number is significant.

22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

they tested the 3s, which has 20 more ponies and handles a hell of a lot better than that civic. the 3i supposedly does a hell of a lot better (based off user opinions i've seen in comparison to the 3s). the 3i would have been a better comparison.. the 3s pushes the border on "ecobox" IMO. Altho, with that said, there are some things on it that really should have been better (ie, the rattles I'm getting... it's too cold to rip apart the dash... and like hell if I'm giving my car to the dealer 😛)

but if the OP already test drove the civic and feels in love with it... go for it.

 

[Caesar]

Mazda 3 Hatchback > Civic > Mazda 3 Sedan > Altima/Corolla

 

[Reel]

I was looking at about the same price range as you did back in November. I test drove the Civic and the Mazda 3. I was not impressed with either. Sure they have a lot of toys and features, good mileage (civic) and a good price tag, but I found myself unimpressed with the handling and acceleration. I ended up going with the Altima 2.5 S Special Edition. Try test driving it. As people said, it is a different class of car but I completely relate to you putting it on the list because I ended up in the same market and ended up making that decision.

 

[velis]

As was said before, Corola is really an old model though it does strike me as the most reliable of all the options. If design does not bother you, go for Toyota.

I own a Mazda 3 (sport version - 5 doors) 1.6 medium equipment (top-line edition Europe). I am very satisfied with quality of materials and workmanship in the interior, but i still can't get used to the design of the rear exterior. The sedan variant is nicer, but the trunk simply doesn't cut it for me. Sometimes I just want to shove big things into it 😉 Driving it is a charm, very responsive when above 2500 RPM, it takes the turns really well and it's rather stiff susspension really works well when turning.
However, I'm very unsatisfied with fuel consumption. I can't get it under 7 liters per 100 km while driving to work, which is 18 km one way. If you commute through many traffic lights, your consumption will go >8. It seems it really consumes a lot when idle. I've also had some minor issues with it like bad mounting of external wheel isolation (sorry, my english too bad to tell exactly the part which gave me a problem, but that's probably just my particular car anyway and it was a minor problem, fixed promptly anyway), cold engine rattling (quite annoying, sounds like a diesel for a minute or so) and driver's seat screeching. Still have to go to service for the last one. And last, but not least, it's loud. Go to 130 km/h and you'll find it quite difficult to talk to others in the car. I guess that's the only unfixable problem in my Mazda and I'm really sorry I didn't detect this when I was out buying. Would have gone for the Corolla if I had. We have several at work and they are really fine cars. Interior a bit lesser than Mazda's though.

I haven't driven the honda yet, but external design really seems fine. I also owned a 96 Civic which I was wery satisfied with. Both Honda and Toyota are quieter than the Mazda, but I'm sure you'll get similar minor annoyances on each of these cars. Just thought i'd give you some first person insight on one of the contenders.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

The 3s is as fast as your 240. Why is it surprising that it gets similar economy numbers? If fuel economy was an issue, the 3i has the smaller 2L engine that gets numbers much closer to the Civic.

 

[Proletariat]

Hey folks, has anyone seen that Ford Fusion car?

IS it any good?

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: KnightBreed

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

The 3s is as fast as your 240. Why is it surprising that it gets similar economy numbers? If fuel economy was an issue, the 3i has the smaller 2L engine that gets numbers much closer to the Civic.

Because it's FWD.

 

[Ornery]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

60 month lease

WTF? If it has not already been said. Unless you can write it off on taxs or something, Buy it. If you can;t afford to buy it then you should not be trying to get it.

Even in CAD, $400/mth for 5 years ought to outright buy the car! It's not like you can break that lease, can you? And, even your sister could sell hers at this point, so what's the difference?

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: Ornery

Originally posted by: Marlin1975

60 month lease

WTF? If it has not already been said. Unless you can write it off on taxs or something, Buy it. If you can;t afford to buy it then you should not be trying to get it.

Even in CAD, $400/mth for 5 years ought to outright buy the car! It's not like you can break that lease, can you? And, even your sister could sell hers at this point, so what's the difference?

he said he can write it off for his taxes... i'm not quite sure what the advantage of leasing vs buying is for that... anyone care to explain this to me?

 

[clickynext]

Between the 3 and the Civic, it's close. I've never driven the new civic, but the Mazda is one fun ride.

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: KnightBreed
2006 Economy Sedan Comparison Test: Honda Civic vs. Mazda 3

Thanks. I plan to test drive the 3. 🙂

Fuel economy is still a weak point for the 3. We drove both cars with lead feet just to keep up with the Southern California freeway pace, and it showed, especially in the Mazda which recorded a mediocre 22.3-mile-per-gallon average in combined city/highway driving. The Civic's 7-mpg improvement on that number is significant.

22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

I'm getting about 25 MPG in my Mazda 3 hatchback (automatic). I drive about 32 miles each way to work in stop-and-go Los Angeles traffic. The 32 mile trip usually takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes, so I'm essentially just doing city driving even though I'm on the freeway.

When my family went to Palm Springs, I drove my car separately and I got about 30 MPG going about 80-85 the whole time.

 

[Pocatello]

Originally posted by: igowerf

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: KnightBreed
2006 Economy Sedan Comparison Test: Honda Civic vs. Mazda 3

Thanks. I plan to test drive the 3. 🙂

Fuel economy is still a weak point for the 3. We drove both cars with lead feet just to keep up with the Southern California freeway pace, and it showed, especially in the Mazda which recorded a mediocre 22.3-mile-per-gallon average in combined city/highway driving. The Civic's 7-mpg improvement on that number is significant.

22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

I'm getting about 25 MPG in my Mazda 3 hatchback (automatic). I drive about 32 miles each way to work in stop-and-go Los Angeles traffic. The 32 mile trip usually takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes, so I'm essentially just doing city driving even though I'm on the freeway.

When my family went to Palm Springs, I drove my car separately and I got about 30 MPG going about 80-85 the whole time.

How you drive make a huge difference in MPG.

 

[BMdoobieW]

Mazda 3

Tami and I love our 2005 Mazda3s sedan with the Sport Package.

 

[AmericanRebel]

I would go with the Mazda 3, its much sportier and more attractive. However, if your really looking for a sporty compact daily driver, i would go with a Cobalt SS or an SRT-4. I don't know what kind of lease you could get with those, if that's what you want to do

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

22.3mpg is inexcusable for an economy car. I get that in my 240sx driving with a lead foot. I say if you are buying an econobox, it should be damn good at being an econobox.

BLA BLA BLA. My '06 3s GT Hatch has a 5-speed auto and I average 28MPG. Have seen as high as 31 in all highway driving.

 

[jbWHO]

not my opinion but

1.my wife thinks civic is girly car.

2.co-workers thinks it's a car for high school & college girls. (they laugh at guy who drives '06 civic like he's bad ass)

and from my view, i drive '04 mazda 3i & i like it a lot.

i get around 300~310miles w/ full tank. (mix of both)
Trip to virginia i got around 360 miles w/ full tank.

I tried civic ('05), corolla ('05) and altima ('02)
and was planning to pick one of them, but i test drove 3, and i signed the deal right there so...
(3 felt better in terms of handling)

just test drive all the car and go w/ the feeling. everybody has different preference so.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

new civic for sure....that thing looks real nice

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Gibson486
Did Nissan every improve he comfort of their cars? I have a 2001 Altima and it is so uncomfy.

I recently drove a 2002 Altima SE with leather... one of the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in.. It was so awesome!

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: otispunkmeyer
new civic for sure....that thing looks real nice

Until you see the spastic interior. Sheesh, someone was smoking crack when they designed that thing:

Civic - weired out
Mazda 3s GT - classy

 

[Ryan]

VW Golf GTi FTW 😱 I spent some time in one today - OMG, awesome car 😱

<--Former "hates everyhting" vw critic

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Mazda3 or Scion TC (unless you need 4 doors).

 

[DainBramaged]

I have heard of quite a few accidents involving the Civic in which they turn into a steel coffin.

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: NFS4
Civic - weired out

Whoa. Weird place to put the parking brake.

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
Mazda3 or Scion TC (unless you need 4 doors).

i'd have to vote against hte tC... the seats really just aren't that comfortable. makes driving no fun anymore 🙁

jbWHO, something has got to be wrong.. only 300-310 miles on a tank? I'm pretty sure other 3i's are getting a bit more, as i get that on my 3s (well, for the past couple of months... in the summer I was getting at least 320).