Mazda3 or Lancer ?

[Bez]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone test drove a mazda3 befor purchasing there lancer ? and what were the reasons for purchasing a lancer over a mazda3 ?

Im looking at buying a new car and its between these two at the moment.

Main things im after are, good fuel economy, quiet, comfortable/smooth ride.

I havnt test drove them myself yet, just after other peoples opinions.

Thanks

[ofey]

When I bought my Lancer in 2008, the toss up was between a Honda Civic Sport, a Mazda SP23 and my current Lancer Olympic Ed *read as an Aspire*.

If your selection criteria are those listed, might I suggest you pick the Mazda.

Try going into your local news agent as well, there's a magazine out now called Australia's Best Cars and you should get a review of each car.

[BR14AN]

I have a 2010 activ and it's a great car that said just picked up a new Mazda 2 for my girlfriend, it ended up being 7000 less than the lancer and seems to be all the car the lancer is.

Differences:
- lancer is bigger
- guttsier
- more o a guy car haha
- the 2 has better fuel efficiency
- the lancer has cruise and blue tooth
Both have 5 star safety

Of course this is a Mazda 2 not 3.

[milobob]

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone test drove a mazda3 befor purchasing there lancer ? and what were the reasons for purchasing a lancer over a mazda3 ?

Im looking at buying a new car and its between these two at the moment.

Main things im after are, good fuel economy, quiet, comfortable/smooth ride.

I havnt test drove them myself yet, just after other peoples opinions.

Thanks

Test drive and see. What you like is very personal. Some of my friends love the lancer, some of them hate the lancer but love the 3.

Honestly, neither the Lancer nor the Mazda 3 are quiet or really that comfortable. The Toyota Corolla and Hyundai i30 are heaps quieter and have a softer ride so are more comfortable over bumpy roads. That said the Lancer and the Mazda 3 are definitely better drivers cars.

For the Lancer, you will get:
-Better discounts when buying new
-More creature comforts/gadgets
-More bang for your buck
-More powerful engines
-Much cheaper to service ($190 for first 4 years)
-Much cheaper to insure
-Slightly more space
-Bigger modding community
-Not as common as the Mazda 3

However, the Mazda does have:
-Softer cabin materials
-Overall better finish
-Better paint
-Solid doors when closing
-Touchy acclerator pedal
-Better resale[/list]

[Dire]

Lancer has too much road noise for some people... But probably 80% of all passengers I've had have complimented how comfy it is. Pretty good considering its manual too The newer the lancer you get the quieter it is though, and I think some of it is just the tires they come with.
Be sure to test drive both, take them onto a nearby highway or something and see if you don't mind it (idk that the 3 is like).

I found the mazda front smiley face thing horrible and the interior a little boring so when I was choosing a car it ended up being a choice between a ford focus or lancer. The focus was more... Solid? But the lancer had more soul

If you are getting an auto, I think 3's have a fairly traditional auto still while lancer's have a CVT, which in (very) short is like a single adjusting gear. Some people find CVT a bit weird, or just don't want to make the change.

And yeah, the capped price servicing is a big plus, it'll save you quite a bit of money if you're getting it dealer-serviced.

Good luck

[08VET]

Mazda = Girl's car

Lancer = Cool

Of course i am biased but the girl thing is true !

Oh and modified lancer>modified mazda 3

xD

Nah but seriously i don't think you can go wrong whatever decision you make. A close friend of mine has a Mazda 3 and they are both beautiful cars !

[rallyhaggis]

Before I bought the Ralliart, I tested a Mazda3 MPS. This would have to have been one of the most ill handling pieces of Junk I have ever driven. It had the most god awful torque steer when it hit boost, and when I took it back to the dealers, they told me it was an improvement on the previous model. to which I replied that was nothing to be proud of!!! Apparently it wont hit full boost until the wheels are pointing straight ahead!! I couldnt believe Mazda would even consider selling something so ill handling.
Another thing I didnt like about it was the road noise from it. I actually found it worse than the ralliart! Needless to say in the end, there was little choice.
CHeers
rallyhaggis

[dannyboi]

The thing that put me off a Mazda3 was the starting price (for an auto) and the included options. The Lancer Activ at the time was much better value at a lower price.
One of the big selling points for both cars for me was the 2.0lt engine that were not gutless. I was really interested in the Cruze CDX but the gutless 1.8lt put me off big time.

[SXy2010]

3/civic/lancer were our top 3 alternates after test driving them found the civic to have an uncomfortable seating and pedal feel but i really liked the quality of the car and i hated that the dealer insisted on coming for the test drive with us ? i am over 40 now ! i wanted the 3 in red very very badly and would have bought it and never test drove a lancer but that we wanted a sedan and boot space and the opening size of the boot is important as coralee uses the car for work and to my dismay after driving the 3 and liking it we opened the boot and the boot opening is tiny on the 3 i was devastated.then we walked into booths mitsubishi the salesman basically threw us the keys and said see you later and we hopped into what felt like home so we bought a lancer and love it ...the moral of the story is drive them all see what feels like your home and makes you smile when you get out of it and when you see it in the car park when you are heading towards it

[Quixand]

Those we're my options too... A Maxda 3 and a Lancer. It may seem like a pretty shallow reason for some people here but the freakin smiley face of the Mazda really pushed me to the Lancer.. and also the Mazda dealer pulling that "We can give you a good deal but only if you buy today" crap... but it didn't really bother me that much cause on that day I was really looking to buy, but just the act alone was a turnoff... but mostly it was really the smiley face that decided it for me.

[blade888]

When I got my lancer the Mazda3 only came in the old chassis and design which was from 2004 before the 2009 second generation wad available. I didn't want to buy a new 'old design' car. So that ruled it out hands down for me at the time.

[aspir3]

The Lancer is better value for money then the Mazda 3.

I am not a fan of the big smile front of the Mazda as well.

[driftnut((]

i tested the impreza, madza 3, and the lancer.. i bought the lancer because it felt smoother, price was better, felt more responsive and didnt sound like its was dying(impreza), you cant go wrong with a lancer they are the better car hands down

[milobob]

Here is another thing I find irritating about the Mazdas:

When you turn off the car, you can't wind the windows. You have to turn it back to ACC ON. In the Lancer and most other makes, you have about 30s-1min to wind the windows.

If you leave the key on ACC, after 30mins the car will shut all power. In hte mazda it keeps going and going and going.. (= flat battery).

The Mazda's increments in audio volume is too big. Volume 5 on a mazda = volume 20 in a lancer. Volume 6 = volume 24.

[Quixand]

BTW Ofey, just bought the magazine you mentioned.. very good read

Although the Lancer and Ralliart didn't really do too well