Topic: Selecting a 2012 compact car

[DomD]

The Sky is much more fuel efficient than the old 2.0 while making more power.  Win-Win.

I agree that the Focus has a TINY back seat. Otherwise I love it.

The Mazda5 is also surprisingly sporty for what it is.  Thirsty though

What about the Golf Wagon?  If you want interior room and a hatch that's the way to go.

I wouldn't call the Sky much more fuel efficient.

The list:  Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra, VW Golf

Time to go test drive them!

Amen to that.  Drive them and you will know.  I drove Jetta, Cruze and Elantra back to back on the same day - very illuminating.

From the current crop of compacts (there has never been a finer selection, IMO) it would be down to the Focus and Elantra for me, with the Civic SI being a wildcard possibility.

But what I like may have little to do with what you like.  You're in the market - go drive them - and tell us all about it. 

Jaeger

The Civic Si is tempting at the price they are being sold at, but having to use premium fuel kills it for me.

fusion?

if you are thinking skyactive go all the way...cx-5?

Not sure if I want to wait for the cx-5, or if it is the type of car I would want.  I'm not a fan of SUVs or Crossovers.

[tortoise]

[The Sky 2.0] also returns better fuel economy at 7.1/4.9 L/100 km, city/highway, versus 8.1/5.9 city/highway for the GX

For an engine that's more powerful I say that's a pretty big jump.  Granted these are TC's numbers but the relative difference is still significant.

[DomD]

[The Sky 2.0] also returns better fuel economy at 7.1/4.9 L/100 km, city/highway, versus 8.1/5.9 city/highway for the GX

For an engine that's more powerful I say that's a pretty big jump.  Granted these are TC's numbers but the relative difference is still significant.

I was looking at the MT numbers which are 7.6/5.1 vs 8.1/5.9

[mmorriso]

9.7% difference?

[DKaz]

What I figure, the only thing that the Skyactiv 6MT gains over the regular 5MT is the extra gear, so the extra gains on the city fuel efficiency side is in the engine and on the highway fuel efficiency side is a combination of engine improvements and an extra gear designed for low RPM cruising.

The Skyactiv 6AT on the other hand is where the real improvements came.

[DomD]

The 6MT is supposed to be lighter and have fewer parts.

[mmorriso]

honda fit?

[DomD]

I thought about the Honda Fit.  It is an impressive car and I have read some good things about it.  There is something about the look of it that I don't quite like.  But maybe I should go for a drive in it just to see what it is like.

Still right now it is between the Focus and Mazda3.  Will probably take out the Ford again soon and this time put the kids in the back to see how they fit.  Something that has been bothering me about the Focus is the huge number of options packages available and how certain things like alloy wheels require certain packages.  Very confusing.  Still I think I know what I would want, the SE with the Sport Pack with 16" alloy wheels (maybe even the 17").  We'll see how hard it would be for the dealer to actually find that specific car if I choose it.  I do really like the exterior styling.

[mmorriso]

$3000 off mazda5 right now.

[DomD]

Thanks, but definitely not interested in a mini van.

[Canadiain]

What of the regular civic?

I was in the same boat as you, looking for a new manual box compact , my priorities were decent economy, nice handling and feel, sunroof, room in back for growing kids, and good "value for money"..  Trying to stay under 2.0litre for the sake of economy.

The Focus was ruled out based on it being a couple of grand more than the others when optioned up, the Elantra was deadly boring to drive, but had a nice interior with decent rear seatroom (and heated rear seats, my kids may never forgive me). The Mazda Skyactive was the nicest to drive, but seemed cramped in the back despite the spec numbers and the dealers were stuck with a less than favourable finance package and pricing, plus over a grand extra in delivery charges compared to what I ended up buying.  In the end I put my deposit down on a Civic EX.  Got a good finance rate and a reasonable deal off the list price, delivery charges were only $1200, and it was the best compromise for me of interior refinement, driving dynamics (despite the 5 speed. The engine is a joy to thrash and the box is precise and snappy), economy (big plus there), plus low running costs for gas and servicing (oil minder rather than 8k service intervals) and potential resale value.  Maybe Im in a minority in liking the split level dash and easy to see without taking my eyes off the road speedo...

Other minor details that weight into the decision to some extent are the mazda rust issues, I plan to hold this car for a long time, and the fact the Civic was canada built so a large chunk of my money supports the local economy. Of course if the Civic had been crapily built that would count for nothing...

I know the press have had the knives out for the Civic as it wasnt a quantum leap on from the previous model, but the bar is still raised pretty high, the economy has been improved, the refinement improved, stability control added (as it was in all the others), and the interior enlarged still farther, and the price dropped.

If you must have a hatch then you options are limited, but if you are open to a sedan then the Civic is a strong contender for an everyday economical vehicle that still OK to drive and has room in the back for growing kids.  For us the 3 was too tight back there...

[DomD]

Looks like I have to retract a couple of statements about mini vans and SUVs... 

We took the kids to the Mazda dealer today put the car seats in the back for the Mazda 3 stuffed the kids in, and.... it was more crammed than the Protoge5.  ARGH!!!  I was so set on a compact well handling hatch back, but it just won't work for us.  I'm fairly tall and have to have my seat all the way back in most cars to drive but with my son behind me I could not move it all the way back in the 3 or he would not have enough room for his legs.

Despite the numbers on their websites I think the Elantra actually had bigger back seats.  But having driven it in some hard rain as well as a Mazda 3 sedan with a dirty back window we would really not like not having a back wiper.

I may still have a look at the Kia Forte5 to see how the back seats are in that.  But a new list is starting to take shape.

Kia Soul, Kia Sportage, Mazda 5, Mazda CX-5, Hyndai Tuscon...  I still have to do some more research to refine it, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.  Right now I'm just sad that I was pretty much set to decide between two great cars and have to almost start over.

BTW, the Mazda dealer said that the CX-5s have just left Vancouver and should be here on the East Coast in 4 or 5 weeks.

[rrocket]

What about a Subaru Legacy...or Outback wagon?

[DomD]

Subaru cars seem overpriced to me.  I don't need AWD where I live.

Does anyone know if heated front seats are bigger than regular seats?  I was just thinking that the Mazda3 we tried last night had heated front seats and I was wondering if one with regular seats would have more room.

What are the chances Mazda will offer low interest rates on the CX-5 when it gets here?

[tortoise]

Heated seats don't make a difference.  The 3 is small inside,  no getting around that.  I too was surprised to see how much bigger the P5 was inside despite the exterior dimenion.  Rear facing wasn't an issue with the P5 but my wife rode in a 3 with a car seat in the back and said she was stuffed against the dash.  And she's only 5'1".

With a kid in a rear facing car seat we needed something that had a reasonable amount of backseat room.  We realized immediately that the current crop of compacts were off the list.

If you're fairly tall you may find the Mazda5 a bit cramped too.  To sque eze in the extra row of seats it feels like they made the interior to a 7/8th's scale.  I'm 5'10" with a long torso and I feel like I just fit.  If you do fit it would be worth taking a drive.  They handle nothing like a minivan.

The Soul is TINY inside.  Not much cargo area.  The Sportage is also small inside.  It might have more cargo room than the P5 but aside from width I don't think the back seat was any roomier.   The same will be true of the Tuscon. 

The Elantra GT might be coming to Canada if you can wait that long.

The Mitsubishi RVR or Lancer Hatch are also worth considering.

I highly doubt you'll see attractive rates on the CX-5.  Mazda is desperate for that car.  And if you're considering the CX-5,  look into the new Ford Escape.

[CanuckG35]

I'm now looking for a new compact car now as well.  We found someone to take over the lease on our 2011 Edge Limited and my wife wants a compact car as a replacement.  So we'll be off test driving some cars on Saturday.  More than likely it will come down to the Civic, Elantra, and Focus.  One of our major requirements is that it needs to have leather.  The Elantra will no doubt be the best bang for the buck feature wise.  And even though I'm not overly keen on the looks of the Civic, the great residuals will make it hard to pass up.  And we receive A-plan pricing from Ford so the Focus Titanium might make it a great choice as well.  It will be all up to the wife so we'll see what she likes best. 

[Canadiain]

We took the kids to the Mazda dealer today put the car seats in the back for the Mazda 3 stuffed the kids in, and.... it was more crammed than the Protoge5.  ARGH!!!  I was so set on a compact well handling hatch back, but it just won't work for us.  I'm fairly tall and have to have my seat all the way back in most cars to drive but with my son behind me I could not move it all the way back in the 3 or he would not have enough room for his legs.

Despite the numbers on their websites I think the Elantra actually had bigger back seats.  But having driven it in some hard rain as well as a Mazda 3 sedan with a dirty back window we would really not like not having a back wiper.

We ran seats in the soon to be replaced 08 civic when we first had it, although the kids are in boosters now, they were OK.  The new Civic has an extra inch in the back and the room in the front is huge.  Im 6" and dont have the seat anywhere near all the way back.  My 6-4" buddy is not cramped at all.  Even with the seat all the way back the legroom in the back is still surprisingly good.  Ultimately Rear facing seats are only going to be a factor for maybe a year?  For such a short time, I wouldnt base too much of a long term decision on that.

Ive never had a problem with visibility out the back of the civic, not even had to do the squeege thing at the gas station.  I guess the aerodynamics must take care of it.  Very few bug strikes at the front in the spring either.

My other car is a 2007 Subaru legacy (wagon), its not really any bigger in the back than the Civic, and if you dont need the AWD there is no point in paying for the extra gas.(10l/ 100km vs <7l/ 100km for us)  In the Ontario winter though that car with winter tires is an absolute star. If gas milage is a factor in your decision making none of the cute utes can hold a candle to a compact, and to be honest I dont think they are that much more practical, the additional practicality of small SUVs seems to mainly exist in the minds of marketing people in my opinion. 

When you compare the standard equipment on base and mid model Subarus and what you would have to option in elsewhere to get there then they suddenly dont seem quite so overpriced.  There is a small premium for AWD, but you wont be having to pay to go to more expensive trim packages to get air and keyless entry etc etc etc that you might with other comparable vehicles, and if AWD is important it should be pointed out that not all AWD systems are created equal, Subarus is among the best out there.

Remember to factor in the delivery charges too when comparing deals, they can be an eye opener!

[2latecrew]

Its far from exciting and doesn't handle like a 3 and the interior is not like a Focus or Elantra but if the main concern is a compact with room for kids seats? Have you tried a Sentra? We have an 07 and I just had a 2011 for a rental (surprised how much quieter and better the interior was on the 2011).

We have a 5 year old in a car seat and my 8 year old in a booster and they have tons of room. It feels almost like a midsize inside. It drives like a midsize on the highway with the CVT. 2000 rpm and very quiet and soft.

Its no fun though and not too pretty  I am pretty ambivalent towards the Sentra as a car but I have to admit its very accommodating for kids.They are pretty cheap also.

[SaskSpecV]

I may still have a look at the Kia Forte5 to see how the back seats are in that.  But a new list is starting to take shape.

Kia Soul, Kia Sportage, Mazda 5, Mazda CX-5, Hyndai Tuscon...  I still have to do some more research to refine it, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.  Right now I'm just sad that I was pretty much set to decide between two great cars and have to almost start over.

The Forte5 has decent room in the back seat, and OK hatch space (in between a Mazda3 and Focus hatch).  But it's not much bigger than the 3, and may not be enough for your needs.  If space is really an issue for your family, but you still want a compact hatch/wagon, you may want to consider a Hyundai Elantra Touring (before the Elantra GT arrives).  It has a very spacious backseat (about 4 inches more than a Focus), and near-wagon cargo capacity. It looks plain, but is an exceptionally well-packaged vehicle.  The ride & handling is also very good (steering is a little light though), and the interior is comprised of good quality materials (though plain, like the exterior).  The weakness is the powertrain - the 2.0L engine is old-school.  Good midrange (for a small 2.0L), but top end is a little thrashy. With a M/T it's still fun to drive (especially with B&M short throw shifter) but likely considerably less enjoyable with the 4AT.  NRC fuel economy is mediocre (8.9/6.4), but my real-world results have consistently met/beaten these numbers.  There are excellent deals to be had before the new (smaller) Elantra GT arrives (I was offered $4500 off the MSRP for cash purchase of a 2011 ET). 

But like you, if I was shopping for a compact today I'd be starting with the SkyActive3 hatch and the Focus SEL hatch. It's too bad they are a little too small for your family.  The ET actually has a little more room than we need, so I could sacrifice some space for the extra power/better economy of the newer hatches.

[DomD]

Thanks for all the advice guys, that is a lot to take in.

Is the Subaru Legacy Wagon the only sedan wagon currently available?  I may have to revisit the need for a hatch with my wife and just shop for a regular sedan.  The lack of back wiper bothers her more than it does me.