with all the negative feed back on the 015 fit from owners crying over paint, fit and trim issues along with the car magazines explaining how the spirit & fun has been engineered from the 015 i decided to check out what was available in the marketplace within a few grand of the fits price.

i own a 09 sport 5 sp auto and really think it is the best car built by anyone in ten years....so much that i purchased a 013 base MT for my son. sadly the bean counters at honda as with other companies sucked the fun outa a good product, all in the name of a dimes savings. they tell us different but hey markenting aways bumps engineering or maybe i should have said production cost VS profit wins everytime. the engineers have to create a new model that will wow the market place with little or no cost to the consumer & stay competitive too.

having been a mazda owner twice, a 2000 protoege (GLC) NPI and still owning a 91 MX-5 i can testify madza builds great cars! incidently the protoege was sold to my son who used it for about 7 years before getting the 013 fit.

sorry to ramble...SO!...if i were to purchase a new 5 door hatch back today within the price range mentioned it would be a Mazda 3 sport....that is, after some more investigation & a road test .....but it looks like a great alternative......:)

G.D...

 

I was looking at trading my '11 Fit Sport for a '15 Fit EX-L but after seeing one in person I don't want the '15 Fit. I also own a '15 CX-5 and I love that car. I'm considering trading in my Fit for a '14 Mazda3 S GT. The Mazda3 would cost $4k more than the Fit.

 

I was so close to getting the '15 Fit, but instead purchased a '14 Mazda 3 Sport 2.0 GS trim(equivalent to the i Touring model in the U.S.). The Fit was my only choice initially, but with no cars available and my preorder being in limbo, I needed a new car ASAP as winter was coming and my beater is starting to go(alas winter came yesterday with 2 cm of snow).

So I started looking around and found that I can purchase a 2014 Mazda for the same price as the Fit. The Mazda dealership was willing to match my price on the Fit because the Honda dealers around here were only willing to sell it at sticker, with maybe a few hundred off and free oil changes. Keep in mind that I am in Canada, and some smaller cities like where I am have only a couple of dealerships per manufacturer. Yes, I know people shop across states and fly over to buy, but airfare here is nuts because its Canada and competition is generally not there for cars:P

So in the end I am glad that I bought the Mazda instead of the Fit. Its definitely a more refined car with the 6 speed automatic that rev matches and holds gears close to redline, an engine that is more powerful, and a suspension that keeps wanting you to push it. Fuel economy is actually not bad, as it can get anywhere from 30 to 40 mpg depending on how you drive. Like the Fit, they actually cared about weight and kept it under 3000 lbs. Then their is the engineering of the engine and under the hood technology(which they call Skyactiv if you ever wonder what that marketing jargon means) is simple yet effective. Also, some people hate the tablet mounted screen, but I actually find it easier to read and control with their BMW i-drive like knob.

I admit the Fit will still get better mileage, but at the expense of utilizing a CVT and a less powerful engine, but its still mileage. And of course I will miss the Fit's bigger cargo space and those magic seats. But to be honest, I am not sure what else I will be missing out on with the Mazda. I know definitely that the amount of quality issues is less so with the Mazda even though it is also a first year made in Mexico product. Just go check out the Mazda 3 forums and you will not see many initial quality problem posts like you do here.

So no, I am not trying to talk people out of the Fit, nor am I saying that the Mazda 3 is better all around. But I think skipping the '15 model year is a good idea at the moment. Maybe next year or the year after's models will have the quality issues fixed and some more refinement that will make me think about buying it again. Alas for now I bid farewell to the Fit!

 

i'm with you...thinking you may a wise decision.....too bad honda had to change up the honda to basically fit THEIR agenda not the consumer's.
i'm sure it cost a bundle to built the mexico plant. myself i have no personal experience with the new skyacti engine from Mazda but as stated in my post still own my 91 MX-5 and owned a 2000 protege' and both were great cars and both still on the road!
if I get the itch to buy new soon i am definately gonna check out the Mazda 3 series. here in central florida there's an international car show every november in orlando that is well worth attending for local folks. the show allows the consumer to really look over the car. get some good seat time and ask questions to factory representatives. the only thing missing is the salesman's breath on the back of your neck and the meesily five minute test ride most dealers allow...a driver can't know a car in a five minute test drive C'mon! thinking your gonna be very happy and keep us posted on the first year of owneships....
hang tuff!
gizmodog

 

Unfortunately I opted to purchase the Fit. I should have went with my gut and picked up the Mazda 3 instead. I think the only thing the Fit would win is a headroom/creative storage space contest. Everything else on the Mazda is leagues better.

 

Drove my friend's 2014 Mazda 3 before deciding to go for the 2015 ex Fit.
Bought Aegean Blue and have over 3,500 trouble-free miles on it.
I love this car. I love the gas mileage. I love the spaciousness. I love the technology and the price was right. Now, when I get in her Mazda 3, it feels cramped inside.
The Fit may not be for everyone but I have no regrets.

 

I'm holding off too. Honda lost me as a '15 Fit buyer when I found out the MT turned 3500rpm at highway speeds. I don't have to buy their half-baked, phoned-in crap.

I'll look at the HR-V when it comes out, which is probably 6 months from now.

 

I agree with you 100% on all of these points. I do think the Fit does better in hauling things along with the great mileage.

But as for the tech, the Mazda's rotary dial interface has the Fit's all touch screen interface beat IMO. It might not seem that way initially, but after using the dial for a day, I realized that it is faster to navigate and is less distracting. I know the Bimmers and Mercedes have gotten flack for this type of interface, but its because their interface menus are so long and have too many options it would seem. The Mazda only has 4 main(3 if you don't have the nav) menus, and most things are found in a short list of options. And if you need to type in an address or something, there is still a touch screen option. Just my 2 cents...

 

If you ask me if I regret not getting the Fit, I would say no, I think I made the right choice with the Mazda 3. But, I still love the Fit and would like to get one maybe in another couple of years, we'll see.

But the thing that I see happening right now reminds me of when I purchased a new 2001 VW Jetta back then. The price was right(good value), it was a great car to drive, and I really loved everything about the car. But I had many issues, little issues with it, and those things killed me. Between the many hours I spent at the dealers, phone calls, with the dealer and the VW company, downtime with no car, time off from work, and sleepless nights, I came to hate VW and their dealers.

In the end, I realize that the Jetta at the time was a cheaper version of the Audi A4 that went upscale with that generation. No matter how much better that Jetta was compared to the past gens, it was still a VW being sold and serviced by VW dealers with the same VW mentality. As for the VW company they were able to sell and offer the car, but it was at the sacrifice of keeping their costs low, which effected quality, reliability, and warranty service.

I might be wrong here, but I see some parallels with this new generation Fit. Granted the situations are not 100% the same, but for what Honda is able to offer buyers in the Fit at the price point that they set, they are under a lot of pressure to make a profit on each car sold. So to make up for what money they can't make, they are trying to keep manufacturing costs down(made in Mexico now), sell them with lower profit margins for dealers who then don't like to service you, and at the same time not pay out on warranty issues if possible.

But who knows. Maybe in a couple of years if they at least get their manufacturing and warranty issues resolved, I will be back. But in the meantime, I acknowledge that they by no means is everyone who buys a Fit going to have issues. This was the same as my Jetta, as I knew many people back then in that community who did not have issues and were happy. But you are taking a greater risk of the headaches I spoke about.

Again just my 2 cents...

 

i would also throw the impreza hatch into the mix. if you want just an AT hatch, it's got pretty much everything you want and rides nice.
i dont know about the new 3, but the last gen's 3 rear seat footwell area was very cramped.

and the impreza's are made in japan until 2015, i thinks. is 3 made in japan?

 

excerpt from USA,TODAY, under money topic. Hell, michigan test drive evaluation at the hell creek ranch...
MAZDA3 DETAILS:

What? Re-do of the brand's best-seller, a front-drive, four-door, five-passenger compact. Available as four-door sedan or "five-door" hatchback. 2-liter engine models designated "i"; 2.5-liter as "s."
When? On sale since September.
Where? Made at Hofu, Japan.
How much? Starts at $17,740 including $795 shipping, for i SV base model with six-speed manual. 2.5-liter models, $25,390-up. Most popular, the i Touring, 2-liter, automatic, starts at $21,440.
What makes it go? 2-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 150 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Six-speed manual is standard, six-speed automatic optional.
2.5-liter four-cylinder rated 184 hp at 5,700 rpm; 185 lbs.-ft. at 3,250 rpm. All have six-speed automatic; manual planned next year.
How big? About 1 inch bigger all around than Honda Civic sedan. Hatch, about 5 inches shorter than Mazda3 sedan, otherwise identical. Weight, 2,781- 2,982 lbs.
Trunk (four-door), 12.4 cubic feet. Cargo space (hatchback), 20.2 cu. ft. behind rear seat, 47. 1 cu. ft. with rear seat folded.
How thirsty? 2-liter rated 29 or 30 mpg in the city, 40 or 41 highway, 33 or 34 combined city/highway. 2.5-liter: 27 or 28 city, 37 or 39 highway, 31 or 32 combined.
Test cars: 2.5-liter, automatic got 32 mpg (3.13 gallons per 100 miles) in hard driving on rural two-lanes. 2-liter, automatic: 30.8 mpg (3.25 gal./100 mi.) similar driving but more wide-open throttle. 2-liter manual, 25.9 mpg (3.86 gal./100 mi.) in vigorous suburban driving.
Burns regular, holds 13.2 gal.
Overall: Stylish, quick, fun. Noisier, stiffer-riding than others...

and now this....Ground was initially broken for Mazda de Mexico Vehicle Operations at Salamanca in the state of Gunajuato back in 2011, but production has just now gotten under way. The first vehicle to roll off the line? A Mazda3 sedan destined for the United States. :(

GD

 

Story and January press release here

Mazda 2 Story and October press release here

 

Yes. Starting with the 2014 Mazda 3's, they are being produced in Mexico. The higher model 3's with the 2.5L engine are still being made in Japan though.


I still want a Fit actually, and would take one made in Mexico over the Japanese made Impreza. I didn't consider the Impreza because of their high prices, ho hum styling, and bland interior. Not to mention the standard 4wd, which I do not want. I live in a city that sees 20-40in of snow in the winter, but IMO a good set of winter tires is all that is needed. The 4wd is helpful, but you still need winter tires. In the end, 4wd means lower fuel economy, high maintenance and repair costs, which then effects their resale values. Of course the WRX STi's are another story :P


Lastly, I don't think that a made in Mexico car means a lower quality product with more initial quality problems then a car made elsewhere. It all depends on the manufacturer and their focus. Also sometimes sh** happens, and then its up to them what they do next.

Heck, look at today's article about Land Rover setting up production in Brazil. Before you know it, Ferrari might start building cars in Costa Rica for all we know :)

 

I actually just traded my '11 in for a Mazda 3 i touring hatch.

Right off the bat, I got better mileage with an automatic 3 than my manual 11 sport.

I have a very long daily commute and I just needed something bigger. So far I don't regret the change.

With that said, this is my third mazda lifetime. I had an '04 6, I still have a 96 Mx-5, and now I have the 3.


Honestly, another one of my reasons for ditching the Honda was corporate customer service. I had a few major issues with the Fit, and Honda turned a blind eye. I was very disappointed.

 

I was between these two cars and I wound up in the Fit. The Mazda was just more money, even though they were willing to negotiate below MSRP and Honda wasn't. It would have still been more money. Cargo room was high priority for me and the 3 just didn't compete. Even if the volume of space was similar (which it isn't) Mazda doesn't utilize the space very well. I did think it was a nice car, but as soon as I learned about the Fit I knew which way I would go. I don't think I would have loved the 3 the way I love this Fit.

I work with a woman that drives a '13 CX-5 and HATES it. The "leatherette: is starting to crack and she's had two motor replacements in the driver window. It's not accurate to say Mazdas don't have quality issues.

Right now, I have 7,000 trouble free miles and had no fit or finish problems. The Quality Issues thread should be read carefully. There are a number of people on there with genuine, major and unacceptable issues with there Fits, but the VAST majority of the posts in that thread are people commenting on the problems that the few are having. Or reposts by the people having the problems. Once people see that there is a 15 page thread titled "Quality Issues" it's as if a hive mind takes over and everyone speaks like this thing is plagued with problems. There are tens of thousands '15
Fits on the road just rolling along without a hiccup.

 

Your post inspired me.

 

It's a first year model. It's gonna have a few quirks.
I'm sure my Mazda will have quirks.

For me, my decision to trade was based more on the 11 vs the 15 Mz3. When I purchased my 11, it was the most efficient non-hybrid on the market. That changed. Quickly.

Add a baby to the mix, and my decision was made.

 

Dude, you're going to absolutely love that mazda. It's a sexy looking car for sure and it performs wonderfully. You will have it for years and hundreds of thousand of miles. New cars are fun, no matter what emblem is on the grille. Drive it in good health and good luck.


But always regret that you didn't get the Fit haha -_o

 

That reply is to be expected on a Fit messageboard :P


It's funny though, after a few commuting trips, I find myself more relaxed in the Mazda.

The gearing on the 5spd 2011 was strange. 70mph highway produced weirdly high RPMs, so it felt like I was a meth freak driving it.

I'm assuming they fixed that with the granny gear on the new generation.

 

yah, when i test drove the impreza-hatch cvt 2yrs ago it was more of a boring ride than anything else. but for someone like my wife who can care less about cars, i thought it might suit their needs. :D i was looking for a MT one but they didnt have any in stock.

i can really never tell wat kind of audience visits this site as not everyone is a car person.. some just wants a reliable cheap car.

i ended up getting the '12 fit sport MT 2yrs ago and im really glad i did..