Medyo magulo ata ito??? Camry will always be superior to a Mazda 3 in every angle maliban sa fuel economy since the Camry has a bigger engine and heavier body which of course is the consequence of being a luxury vehicle. Of course there is also the price difference and its BIG so I am still quite puzzled why compare the two. Dapat ata Mazda 3 VS Honda Civic VS Mitsubishi Lancer VS Toyota Corolla. Or Camry vs Accord vs Mazda 6 vs Galant....
On the 2nd one, Santa Fe for me the CRDI version that is for fuel economy. Aircon no comment kasi parang pare pareho lang sila sakin.
magulo nga... a 3.0 mazda 3? or a 3.0 camry?
but if you would take a look at it, a 3.0 mazda 3 would be faster because of a powerful engine inside a mazda 3 casing.
on the second question, the sta fe would be a more logical choice. its much more refined. but the everest wins hands-down on off-roading capability.
If you're shopping for a 3.0L V6 powered mid-sized sedan (or a compact sedan), I don't think fuel efficiency would matter that much.
On the SUVs, the Sta. Fe is the best compromise for fuel efficiency, comfort & performance. Sure... it won't handle like some compact SUVs but it has space for 7 people. The Everest also is nice if you wanna go off-road.
Errrmmm... I though that one of your criteria is a fuel efficient SUV? Why ask for another suggestion regarding not-so-fuel-efficient SUVs? In that case, get the Outlander 3.0L V6 or the Forester XT.