I read a lot about the new Mazda 3 and recently rented one out in Oklahoma. It was a base model/automatic, had plenty of power and drove really well. Drove it from OKC to Witchita Mountains and back: very nice car! My issue was it's length: too big. I live in the North East and have a small garage that has to accommodate 2 vehicles, a snow blower, oil tank and all my other crap. The Mazda (hatchback) was just too long ... so I started shopping by size and discovered the FIT, which I hadn't even considered. After a test drive (2013 Fit) and discovering what came standard on the new FIT LX 6-speed I started seriously hunting for the Honda, which I bought. It suits me perfectly because of it's short length (one of the shortest of the sub-compacts besides that "Smart (dumb) Car") and it is a blast to drive, super flexible cargo, great MPG (am getting 40+) etc.

If I had a larger garage I may have continued my Mazda 3 search ... then again I was finding that, in order to get the options I was interested in, I was going to have to spend a LOT more money.

My other vehicle is a 4WD truck. So the FIT (to me) is like a very versatile, comfortable Go Kart: it's a blast! I have no regrets and am diggin it, so bad. Good luck with your decision!

 

I'm no fan of the Mazda 3, but really, please get your information straight. The paddles on the Mazda 3, 6, and CX-9 work whether they are in Sport or Drive. Just like any car with paddles, in regular drive mode a shift of the paddle will eventually relinquish control of the upshift or downshift back to the transmission, while in sport mode the shifts are 100% manually controlled by the driver unless the chosen gear is revving the engine too high for that gear, in which case the transmission will engage a sort of rev-limiter until the driver upshifts.

If I recall my '09 Fit worked the same way.

 

For a long time I thought for SURE I'd be getting the Fiesta ST. I already had the Fiesta and loved that ST, and every review was tops about the ST.

Somehow I discovered, I'm really not into "speed"; I'm into practical and just simple fun.

The Mazda 3 sure seems to read as a fantastic car, but for me the looks didn't appeal or the features. The Fit was my "perfect car".

When I went to a new car show, I narrowed it down to two cars, the ST and Fit. The Honda people must have thought I was nuts because I just kept returning to the Fit.

Love my Fit M/T.

 

I hear you. Let me put it this way. I had an Evo X at one point, two actually, and my old 11 Fit Sport gave be grin that the Evo. I liked the Evo, but loved the Fit. If Honda every put Recaros from the factory here in America, it would be a perfect daily driver. At least to me.

Congrats on the new Fit!!

 

I love my Fit too. I wanted an M/T in yellow, but had to have a car at the end of June when CVTs in silver, steel, or red were the only options (we moved and had to have a car in our new home). I'm in no way disappointed though; I love the CVT. In fact, I'm lucky I got my red EX at all.

 

I was completely open to these two and was having a hard time. I even looked at insurance and the Mazda3 added $90 onto my insurance every six months when the Fit only added $18. I ended up going with the Fit because I liked it and felt like I get more bang for the buck. It's a lot cheaper for what you get. I really wanted the touch screen, backup camera, etc and that is much more expensive with the Mazda. I do see the Mazda3 on the road and still think it's a great car but I'm happy with my choice.

 

But in the front, on the Fiesta, you rub shoulders with the passenger. Way too narrow.

 

If I could wait I would suggest getting the upcoming "4th generation" Mazda2- as noted it maybe in showrooms as early as the end of this year. This is a more comparable to the 2015 Honda Fit.

And the Mazda2 is still made in Japan vs. Mexico

 

Thanks, Ken! Funny you mention that ... after initially dismissing the Mazda2, I read about the upcoming version and it looks great -- a bit bigger than the current model and the new styling is cool... but I'm going to take my time, I'm in no rush.

 

You are welcome Redhouse.

If the 2015 Honda Fit had a "J" VIN it would get the edge- but damn I just am hesitant especially for a "MX" Honda plus in it's first year at its new plant- versus a Mazda2 nice "J" VIN nicely displayed in the corner of the drivers windshield side and door side, etc.

 

I'm still driving a Mazda Protege5 that I bought new in 2002. Love the car but it's getting very rusty (which is a common problem with the vehicle) and it needs to be replaced soon. I thought for sure I would buy a 3 or 'Speed3 but I don't like the new body styling or the location of the radio. Maybe I'm just old fashioned but a DIN or double DIN radio slot gives me peace of mind that I can upgrade down the road if the factory unit stinks or the technology becomes obsolete. I currently have a Pioneer AVH-X4500BT in my Protege5 that syncs with my iphone5, plays mp3's from a thumbdrive, plays DVDs, streams Pandora, hands-free calling, etc. Anyhoo, the new FIT is now first on my list. I'm just waiting for the QC issues to get worked out.

 

What's the deal with everyone saying that you get a lot more value with the Fit than the 3 (i.e. for the same $$ you get much more options with the Fit)?
Bottom line is, the Mazda 3 is at a totally different level than the Fit. It feels like it costs at least $10,000 more than the Fit. It has a sporty, Euro look- compared to the Fit econobox look, the interior has a much higher premium quality feel to it, it handles much better and gets better fuel economy.
Sure, the Fit has more cargo capacity and more rear seat space/legroom.
But overall, I think the Mazda 3 offers much better value. To me, it's all about how the car performs, handles etc- not how it's optioned out..

 

Handling is sort of subjective, no? I test drove a 3 twice before I even knew about the fit, and with nothing to compare it to, I wasn't incredibly impressed. It wasn't bad, but I didn't get out thinking "man! that's the car for me!" I found it a tad underwhelming when accelerating to merge into traffic and visibility was poor, IMO. I did like the looks of the exterior a lot. I guess the interior was more premium looking, but I don't think those aesthetics represent an actual higher quality of materials. I work with a woman that has a fully loaded CX-5 and hates it SPECIFICALLY because of how the interior has fallen apart in one year. She says the "leatherette" is cracking on the seating surfaces and she's had to replace two front window motors that died. Look up the Mazda Infotainment system and read what people say about it. Apart from the screen ON (not IN) the dash, it has some real bugs. Not the the Display Audio doesn't, mind you, but I haven't experienced any AND I paid thousands less for my system.

Add into that the fact that there is significantly less cargo room (5 cubic feet is essentially a mini fridge) AND that to get the tech options of the fit you have to go at least i Grand Touring, and the Fit IS a better value. I paid just under $20k out the door for my EX. To get a comparable Mazda would have easily been several thousand more. Is that worth it for marginally better handling? I think if money were no object, I'd still be driving my Fit.

At the end of the day, pick one, sign the papers and don't look back. They are both great cars and will serve you well for years to come. Drive it in good health and don't be an asshole on the road.