mazda3 1.6s or focus 1.8 trend mt or civic 1.8v

**tr1g3r** · March 8th, 2008 11:40 PM

mga bossing wanted to ask for your help which is the best buy among the 3 base models ( 2008 and brand new )?

all of these models are just below the 800k mark and pasok sa budget. I'm leaning towards the focus because they have a lot of features ( 5speed, driver airbag, abs etc ) on their base model compared sa dalawa and it looks good too which is a plus.

Incase is the focus 1.8 trend good enough(engine, power, suspensions, fuel efficiency etc) ?

Opinions, feedbacks, suggestions, violent reactions

are all welcome thanks

**niky** · March 9th, 2008 11:50 PM

The Civic has the best engine... it's as fuel efficient as the Mazda 1.6, or even more so, in certain situations. The new Mazda3 facelift seems to have better consumption than before, but I don't have a 1:1 comparison against the old one or the new Civic. The Civic also ties with the Mazda for the best looking interior. The Civic has the biggest back seat, but the front seats are uncomfortable for heavy passengers on long trips (back support way too hard). Steering is extremely light but responsive. Rear suspension is the bounciest here. That's not to say that the suspension is bad, but it lacks composure when you drive the car at its limit... and despite having the same tires as the Mazda3, it has much more tip-in understeer.

The Mazda3 has a good blend of sportiness and comfort. It has the most supportive and comfortable front seats. Engine is the weakest, though. Steering is also light, but much better than the Civic's. Suspension better, but it can get floaty if you drive very hard. It has the least understeer of the three.

The Focus has comfortable seats. The rear airconditioning on the gasoline variants seems to take some power from the front vents (the TDCi has a stronger aircon) but the presence of rear vents is a godsend for rear passengers. The interior (and exterior) is the most boring here. The Focus doesn't have a quick steering rack, but it's the best feeling steering amongst the three, loaded with communication and feedback. The Focus also has the most stable suspension tuning, the best handling, and the best brakes of the bunch. The 1.8 engine is much more powerful than the 1.6, and only actually makes just half-a-dozen less ponies than the 2.0.

The one big issue with the Focus is the so-so economy (heaviest car here, kasi) It's okay on the highway, but in traffic, it's a little worse than the other two... and the resale value. The Focus's plain-jane looks means that it doesn't have as good a resale value as the Mazda3 (which actually has decent resale) or the Civic. But, IMHO, it's the best car amongst the three. It feels the most solid, the most like a European car, despite the hard plastics. But if all that matters is straightline speed and economy, the Civic wins.