Looking to purchase a car, have some questions about Mazda3

[MortalWombat]

Hi all,

I recently got in a car accident (got rear-ended by a Chevy Silverado) and am pretty sure my car (Ford Fusion, 2011) was totaled. That being said, I've been on the prowl for a new vehicle. I'm extremely interested in buying a compact car, especially after I had various problems with my Ford even when I had only driven it for 2 years and the mid-sized class is a little to heavy for me. I've really narrowed my choices down to a Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra Limited, and Mazda 3i Grand Touring. The Mazda appears to be a little on the pricier side, though I'm hoping I can get the 2013 to match down to the Hyundai Elantra Limited (22k with taxes and everything included) or get a 2012 for cheaper.

That being said, for me if I can get the Elantra and Mazda 3 down to the same price, I was curious what the take was in terms of reliability and resale value when it comes to Hyundai vs Mazda because that will be the thing that concerns me most. I don't have much experience with either of the two companies as my family has really just owned Toyotas and Acuras. I'm really trying to stay away from Honda as I live in the north and as far as I'm aware, Honda has yet to fix their rear wheel well rusting problem.

Thanks in advance!

 

[waylonrobert]

If you can, wait. The 2014 Mazda 3 should be here by late Summer/early Fall.

 

[color0]

The 2012 Skyactiv cars actually have had teething issues, the 6MTs can get occasional throttle surging if you rev-match your downshifts, and some 6ATs (including mine) have had the car drop completely out of gear while driving, mostly suspected to be a valve body defect. The 2013 cars I have not heard of any problems yet, mine has been running well.

Reliability aside, you should test drive both and figure out which one makes you feel safer (accident avoidance), more comfortable (driving/sitting/relaxing/entertaining/etc.) and which one suits your usage model more. It's 2013, most new cars are not "bad" by any stretch and it's very much a matter of taste. I had an Elantra for two weeks, I appreciated its styling to an extent but hated that you couldn't see out the rear window, or the rear side windows either for that matter. The Mazda3 has better visibility out all sides except the A pillar, where they both block out important ground/lane/curb details. Engine, chassis, suspension you can opine for yourself but the 3 is the safer car, purely because you can actually see out of it.