What about the '06-'08 Ford Focus TDCi MT?
Napunta na rin naman sa practicality yung usapan, it seems that this car best balances practicality with performance.

Previously, I crossed it out because Focus TDCi units were still around 450k. However, there are 2008 units now only at 390k, which is quite close to the price of a Mz3/Mz6.

Pros:
- FAST (0-100 in 9.5s, no sweat reaching 200, making it as fast as the Mz6 and faster than the Mz3)
- VERY FRUGAL (10 km/L in city driving, and it's a diesel)
- Manual transmission (more engaging and enjoyable for me, no Powershift issues)
- Good handling (more nose-heavy than the Mz3, but otherwise similar since they share the same platform)

Cons:
- Ugly rims (needs to be upgraded to 18" with 1.5" lowering springs)
- Ugly interior (no choice but to live with it)
- Not as prestigious as a Mazda 6

Assuming I can haggle to 380k, I still have to change my wheels which will cost more or less 40k, and then lowering springs, which will cost 15k, and possibly projector headlamps (25k). That brings the total to 460k, all in.

It seems that it's much more expensive than a Mz6 now, but once you factor fuel costs, winner pa rin. Assuming I travel 1,250 km a month, with the Mz6 doing 6 km/L, the Mz3 doing 7 km/L, and the Focus doing 9 km/L; gas at 52 and diesel at 45, my monthly fuel costs will be:

Mazda 6: P10,833/mo
Mazda 3: P9,285/mo
Focus TDCi: P5,625/mo

That's savings of over 5k/month compared to the Mz6, and 3.6k/month compared to the Mz3. If the Mz6 is 330k, I can recoup the extra cost of the Focus in a little over 2 years. If the Mz3 is at 320k, it only takes 3.5 years to recover the cost.