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Are you having problems with your Mazda 3? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Mazda 3 issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Mazda 3 in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.
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The Focus is a good car with a serious flaw; it has a dual-clutch automatic transmission that gives trouble. I would happily have a 2012 Focus with a manual gearbox, but I wouldn't buy one with a dual-clutch auto. I'd be looking at a Japanese or Korean brand and going for something like a Mazda 3, Honda Civic or Accord, Hyundai Elantra with a good record of reliability.
It's probably easier to eliminate those that don't stack up, those being the VW Golf, Holden Cruze and Ford Focus.
All have transmission questions over them.
The best options would be the Mazda 3 and the Hyundai i30.
As promised when you first contacted us we got in touch with Mazda about the problem with your GPS, and we finally got a response. Unfortunately, it doesn't answer your question. A company spokesman told us that: "without actual car details (of your car) it is difficult to comment or provide accurate feedback, so we would highly recommend that the customer (you) contacts Mazda Customer service, which allows us to look into his situation and communicate with him direct." So, get on to Mazda and put your request directly to them.
You need to decide on whether you want an SUV or a hatch before you do anything else. The SUV gives you a better view of the road, is practical, and the CX-3 is a good choice, but hatches can also be attractive. I would rule out the Mazda2 in your case, as it would seem to be too small for your needs, but the 3, Corolla and i30 are all good cars that would deliver on the things you want.
We have contacted Mazda and we’re waiting for their response. We'll update you once we hear back from them.
I’m not a fan of the CVT auto, so my pick would be the Mazda, which has a conventional automatic transmission.
A 2008 Mazda 3 Neo would be a good choice, but I would be trying to get it for $8500-$9000, $10,000 is too much unless it is a very low mileage example. Others to consider would be the Honda Civic VTi, which would be my preference, and the Hyundai Elantra.