Mazda 3 2017 Problems

I’m not a fan of the CVT auto, so my pick would be the Mazda, which has a conventional automatic transmission.

All of the cars you name meet your criteria of size, economy, performance and handling.

You could also add the Mazda3 and 6 to the list.

Of all of those I would nominate the Camry as the great all-rounder.

Both are good choices. The Mazda is more restrained, the Ford sportier. If you want a sporty drive I would go for the Focus.