Help me with car choices, please

[Multicore]

We have a 2014 Mazda3 2.0 that gets terrific gas mileage. I average 44 American MPG in one moth of typical driving and my SO can manage 39.

Mazda since revised the product and the new one has crummy gas mileage relative to that. So I don't want it. And a used low-mileage example of the older model is hardly less expensive than a new car with a warranty etc. So Mazda appears to be out.

Requirements

- trunk/hatch door that opens so the dogs can jump in/out.
- trunk space is separated from the passenger cabin by rear seats that can fold flat but when up the dogs can see forwards
- under $30 new
- automatic (not manual shift)
- front wheel drive
- doesn't require plugging in
- fuel consumption roughly equal or better than the car we currently have

I don't know the US car market well but I think this all points to a Prius. Markets outside the US have various interesting cars but here not many fit the specs.

What concerns me about a Prius is the road conditions here. Eastern Massachusetts roads are a lunar crater-scape that will only get worse in the next few years. So we need wheels, tires and suspension that can take that beating. On the plus side, high-milage used Prii, e.g. areound 200 kmile, list for ambitious prices.

The current car and the dogs look like this. We park on the street so bumper damage is normal and we can't plug it in.

 

[NTK]

The 2014 Mazda 3 fuel economy spec is 41 MPG highway and 30 MPG city. The 2023 is 37 & 28, respectively. Engine output has increased from 155 HP to 191 HP (23%), torque from 150 ft-lb to 186 ft-lb (24%), while weight has increased from 2915 lb to 3126 lb (7%). I'd consider a marginal (10%) reduction in fuel economy a worthwhile tradeoff.

2014 Mazda 3 spec

2014 Mazda 3 2.0 Automatic Sedan

Further proof that thrift and fun are not mutually exclusive.

www.caranddriver.com

2023 Mazda 3 spec

2024 Mazda 3 Sedan – Compare Specs & Trims

Compare specifications of the 2024 Mazda 3 Sedan with the vehicle trims available. See comparisons for price, engine, fuel economy, transmission, and more.

www.mazdausa.com

 

[Rednaxela]

Very happy Prius IV driver here.

My average fuel consumption:

I think it’s still quite a marvel of engineering.

It’s Driving Miss Daisy though, so you have to want to embrace that.

 

[Ken1951]

Having driven a 2012 Mazda 3 SkyActiv for about 120K miles in 5 years, I always got better mileage than was rated. It seems you are as well with your 2014. If I was in the market for this type of car again I would not hesitate to buy another Mazda 3. Don't obsess about the minor change in rating. If you've had good luck with your current Mazda, buy another one. If you go for something like a Prius I'd recommend ditching the rock hard tires they come with. Not very good in cold weather IMO. Good for mileage maybe, but that's about all.

 

[Multicore]

The 2014 Mazda 3 fuel economy spec is 41 MPG highway and 30 MPG city. The 2023 is 37 & 28, respectively. Engine output has increased from 155 HP to 191 HP (23%), torque from 150 ft-lb to 186 ft-lb (24%), while weight has increased from 2915 lb to 3126 lb (7%). I'd consider a marginal (10%) reduction in fuel economy a worthwhile tradeoff.

2014 Mazda 3 spec

2014 Mazda 3 2.0 Automatic Sedan

Further proof that thrift and fun are not mutually exclusive.

www.caranddriver.com

2023 Mazda 3 spec

2024 Mazda 3 Sedan – Compare Specs & Trims

Compare specifications of the 2024 Mazda 3 Sedan with the vehicle trims available. See comparisons for price, engine, fuel economy, transmission, and more.

www.mazdausa.com

The old model is overpowered for our driving anyway. We seldom reach 2k rpm. So it just doesn't feel like the right move to make with this multidimensional end of the world looming.

But it's pretty much the only 5-door in it's price range that isn't dinky. So I take your point.

You know, perhaps my impression of the new model's inefficiency comes in part from a friend who got the new model in 2019 and reports pretty poor consumption. But his car has 4-wheel drive and his driving style is kinda, how should I say, masculine? Not that women can't be heavy on the gas pedal and like sniffing the exhaust car in front asap.

 

[Ken1951]

The old model is overpowered for our driving anyway. We seldom reach 2k rpm. So it just doesn't feel like the right move to make with this multidimensional end of the world looming.

But it's pretty much the only 5-door in it's price range that isn't dinky. So I take your point.

You know, perhaps my impression of the new model's inefficiency comes in part from a friend who got the new model in 2019 and reports pretty poor consumption. But his car has 4-wheel drive and his driving style is kinda, how should I say, masculine? Not that women can't be heavy on the gas pedal and like sniffing the exhaust car in front asap.

The AWD will drastically impact the fuel consumption. I am a very "light-footed" driver and have always gotten several more MPG than rated. Even when I was driving a V8 SUV through the mountains down here when I was teaching in a very small county and going to a different school each week and sometimes 2 schools at opposite ends of the county in the same day. Stick with the Mazda 3 and be happy! (I suggest Soul Red - maybe the best color ever!)

 

[Multicore]

The AWD will drastically impact the fuel consumption. I am a very "light-footed" driver and have always gotten several more MPG than rated. Even when I was driving a V8 SUV through the mountains down here when I was teaching in a very small county and going to a different school each week and sometimes 2 schools at opposite ends of the county in the same day. Stick with the Mazda 3 and be happy! (I suggest Soul Red - maybe the best color ever!)

We have the soul red already. It would be hard to downgrade to one of the oh-so-many shades of nearly gray that are so fashionable for cars now.

 

[kemmler3D]

Having driven both (including on the east coast) If the Mazda 3 is more power than you need, then I think you'll be pretty happy with the Prius.

I would say (Ars Technica addressed this in their article about the Prius recently) that the Prius tech is present in the hybrid versions of several of their cars, and nobody ever got fired for buying a Camry, as they say.

 

[Multicore]

Having driven both (including on the east coast) If the Mazda 3 is more power than you need, then I think you'll be pretty happy with the Prius.

I would say (Ars Technica addressed this in their article about the Prius recently) that the Prius tech is present in the hybrid versions of several of their cars, and nobody ever got fired for buying a Camry, as they say.

But Camrys in the US market don't come with a 5th door/hatch, only with a limo/sedan style trunk. Apparently 5-door cars are so infra dig they had to invent SUVs and "crossovers".

 

[LightninBoy]

The hatchback is such a versatile form factor. Its a shame they aren't appreciated more here in the states.

I bought a 2008 Honda Fit for my college aged son and I'm impressed with the interior versatility. They stopped making them in 2020 I think.

 

[restorer-john]

Why not keep the old Mazda3 as a 'dog car' for trips to the dog park/beach/vet whatever and buy a proper ball-tearing, asphalt-ripping car for those trips to the shops? YOLO.

 

[Multicore]

Why not keep the old Mazda3 as a 'dog car' for trips to the dog park/beach/vet whatever and buy a proper ball-tearing, asphalt-ripping car for those trips to the shops? YOLO.

View attachment 245430

It's a long story.

Whatever that car is, meh. Cars are such a snooze. Practical for many tasks but banal. Even good ones because cars are effing everywhere, all the damn time, insisting on themselves. Like pop songs done to death in commercial contexts. Even the good ones end up sucking.

I dream of retiring soon to somewhere were there's a velodrome for racing that I can get to on my Ducati.

 

[restorer-john]

It's a long story.

Whatever that car is, meh. Cars are such a snooze. Practical for many tasks but banal. Even good ones because cars are effing everywhere, all the damn time, insisting on themselves. Like pop songs done to death in commercial contexts. Even the good ones end up sucking.

I dream of retiring soon to somewhere were there's a velodrome for racing that I can get to on my Ducati.

I was just having fun. The dogs will fall off the Ducati. LOL.

 

[Multicore]

I was just having fun.

I know. Me too.

And they won't be welcome at the velo, neither. I shouldn't think.

 

[Multicore]

Very happy Prius IV driver here.

My average fuel consumption:

View attachment 245362

I think it’s still quite a marvel of engineering.

It’s Driving Miss Daisy though, so you have to want to embrace that.

I never understood Toyotas design. Why drive the wheels with both the gas engine and the electric motor?

 

[restorer-john]

Why drive the wheels with both the gas engine and the electric motor?

All I know is those things are creepy when they pull out of a car spot under electric power- silent. Electric cars really need reversing beepers.

 

[kemmler3D]

But Camrys in the US market don't come with a 5th door/hatch, only with a limo/sedan style trunk. Apparently 5-door cars are so infra dig they had to invent SUVs and "crossovers".

Ah, good point. My mom actually had a Camry wagon when I was a kid. Great car. Don't know why they discontinued them exactly, that happened even before the ascendency of the dreadful SUV form factor.


Prius should work, then. Popular for a reason.

 

[Marc v E]

We have a 2014 Mazda3 2.0 that gets terrific gas mileage. I average 44 American MPG in one moth of typical driving and my SO can manage 39.

Mazda since revised the product and the new one has crummy gas mileage relative to that. So I don't want it. And a used low-mileage example of the older model is hardly less expensive than a new car with a warranty etc. So Mazda appears to be out.

Requirements

- trunk/hatch door that opens so the dogs can jump in/out.
- trunk space is separated from the passenger cabin by rear seats that can fold flat but when up the dogs can see forwards
- under $30 new
- automatic (not manual shift)
- front wheel drive
- doesn't require plugging in
- fuel consumption roughly equal or better than the car we currently have

I don't know the US car market well but I think this all points to a Prius. Markets outside the US have various interesting cars but here not many fit the specs.

What concerns me about a Prius is the road conditions here. Eastern Massachusetts roads are a lunar crater-scape that will only get worse in the next few years. So we need wheels, tires and suspension that can take that beating. On the plus side, high-milage used Prii, e.g. areound 200 kmile, list for ambitious prices.

The current car and the dogs look like this. We park on the street so bumper damage is normal and we can't plug it in.

If your car isn't breaking down all the time I would keep it another 2 or 3 years.

By that time Chinese ev's will have flooded the market and even some old well known car makers will be able to produce ev's at or below the price of internal combustion engines.

As a result the second hand market will be provided with lots of good ice cars which will drive the price down.
The alternative that I would suggest is wait 2 or 3 years and buy an ev.

Whatever you do don't spend a lot of money on an ice car because imo it will loose all its value in just a few years.

 

[kemmler3D]

Chinese ev's will have flooded the market

I dunno, cars are not like DACs where people will wing it with a new brand, there are also trade quotas and regulations that may come to bear. It's intentionally pretty hard to "flood" an automobile market.

That said I wouldn't argue with the overall point - even Hyundai is putting out some decent EVs now, and I think we all expect the price to come down and availability to go up on that timeframe.

I am less bullish on the adoption rate of EVs at any price, mainly because of 1) range anxiety 2) slow charge times 3) many people park on the street and can't trickle-charge at home. Infrastructure could lag adoption and make the EV experience kinda crappy in some areas. But again wouldn't dispute the overall trend, just not sure it will be night-and-day dramatic.

 

[Marc v E]

In California 18% of new cars is now an ev. In Germany pretty much the same. The grow rate seems pretty much exponential, which is confirmed by the adoption rate in Norway, where they are now past 80% of new sales.

An ev has half the cost of maintanance and driving costs compared to an internal cumbustion car of the same size.

An average commuter travels 45 miles and at the top end 60 miles a day. An average ev has 200 to 250 miles and can be charged at home, during the night.

China has about 260 ev brands and has lower wages and production costs than in the west. For example an mg 5 ev costs about 35.000 euro; an mg 4 costs 30.000. They are comparable to a mazda 3, and now already cheaper when owning over a period of a few years.
Cars get cheaper when produced in large quantities, which is what is about to happen with evs.