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Hatchbacks Mazda3 Mazda3 2.3 vs. '07 VW Rabbit
389 messages, Last post on Apr 17, 2009 at 12:40 PM
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Replying to: psychoart (May 02, 2007 9:02 pm) Yes I'm aware the GTI is turbocharged, and I'm also aware that the Mazda speed3 exists. The thing to remember is that the Rabbit is more of a world wide car for the masses, whereas the Mazda 3 is a bit more niche than that (sportier than most in its class). So the Rabbit is going to be playing to a wider audience and not as "sporty". The GTI is the version of the Rabbit/Golf that is the sporty version. |
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Replying to: aviboy97 (May 02, 2007 9:38 am) I think Mazda has done it already. In mazda.co.uk there are a whole slew of different Mazda3 models including one called Mazda3 Katano. What I find especially interesting is that there are quite a few different Mazda3 diesels, including a 2.0 litre hatchback with 143 hp that reportedly delivers 47.1 mpg overall fuel economy! And being a diesel it has incredible torque, too!
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Replying to: autonomous (May 03, 2007 2:14 pm) That said, I'm a big fan of diesels and do hope they catch on here more than just at the fringes. |
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Replying to: psychoart (May 02, 2007 9:02 pm) Honda wont be bringing one over until around 2009 and its going to be in accord guise... so you have basically pointed out 2 diesel vehicles that will cost A LOT more than a tdi rabbit, and that will be coming out at the same time if not later than the vw. I don't see how vw has the disadvantage in this.  have you seen in some situation just after it rains that you or some other drivers still have their wipers still running while they've passed in some area that rain less? In some cases, the wipers might be running at a faster speed than needed, and the driver hasn't adjusted the speed of the wiper yet, damaging the wipers. yes i've seen these drivers, and i'm NOT one of them. The fact still stands that a feature like this doesn't neccesarily make that gen. of golf 'better' than the rabbit, its just a feature that you prefer. Me? I'd rather take the slew of safety features, side mirror turn indicators, nice stereo and aux jack, and NOT having to upgrade to the best golf to get decent performance/features. with regards to the gti, thats for another thread, but there are many who prefer the vw's more livable nature than the performance-on-its-sleeve mazdaspeed3. Different strokes for different folks. |
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I know I may be repeating some of what folks have already said but I drove both today at a Mazda/VW dealer in San Francisco. I had driven both before but not back to back. IMO anyone considering both should really drive them back to back with no time in between to get a true comparison. My needs are second car to get to the commuter train and back as well as pick up the kids from day care. Driving impressions: After the C&D comparison test I was expecting there to be a significant difference. The VW's handling and acceleration were good. Ready low end torque. There was nothing about the VW that was a deal killer. The VW I drove had the optional 17 inch tires and I would be interested in whether anyone else thinks that made a difference. The VW auto tran. was more intuitive and responded quicker in the manual mode. However, at the end of the day, I think 3 was more fun to drive as it was more precise and responsive. The ride in both were also comparable as I didn’t feel any of the softness that I was expecting in the VW. (17 “ tires?). Slight edge to the 3. Interior: IMO The Rabbit has a much nicer interior. The cloth seats are more substantial, felt more comfortable to me, the plastics looked high-quality, the dials were laid out nicely, and the radio was simple. The 3’s interior was passable in comparison. While I liked the black center counsel which looked high quality, the rest of the interior felt cheesier. As most of us spend time looking at the interior, I like nicer than not. All that said, the 3s interior was not bad and what you could expect in a $17,000 car. One big difference that I was not expecting is the substantial difference in cargo space in the hatch area. I didn’t look at the cargo figures but the 3 had much more cargo room. The VW does not rule out a home depot run. But with 2 small kids, you end up toting more crap than you often think. Pricing: On CarsDirect, the 3 prices about $1,000 less than the VW. However, the VW is listed on the deals of the month and I’m not certain how much dealing there’s to be done on the 3. Essentially could be about the same price. Quality: Here’s the sticking point. Based on the above, I’m leaning toward the VW which surprises me as I’m a big fan of the 3. However, VW quality is a huge issue cost-wise and time-wise (who has time to waste taking the car to the shop?) My Mazda experience with a ’90 miata was a brake job and a new clutch at 60k and that was it. So still on the fence and it may come down to which I can get cheapest.
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Replying to: wilkich84 (May 26, 2007 1:45 pm) You didn't mention reliability which many motorists consider very important but you do make the comment about wasting time and money servicing vehicles. Have you compared the reliability information provided by Consumer Reports and others? VW has a huge hurdle to overcome in that regard. |
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Replying to: autonomous (May 28, 2007 7:49 am) |
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Replying to: autonomous (May 28, 2007 7:49 am) if you think about it....its the people who subscribe to them that get to dish out the ratings on the cars...having said that, what are the chances of consumer reports buyers continually buying vw's that they have rated badly in the past? you think they would have learned their lesson.  I dunno, its seems like a good way to keep cars that have been rated well, continually rated well; and a way to keep suppossed crappy cars crappy.  aside from pricey service, my bunny has been good to me. |
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Replying to: eldaino (May 29, 2007 5:24 am) On thing for sure, both VW and MB, recently admitted quality is their top priority, because their are lagging in it and it shows in sales numbers.
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Replying to: d_hyper (May 29, 2007 10:39 am) |
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