Hyundai i30 or Mazda 3 ?

LizzyBennet

Been looking to buy a new car now for weeks I need something petrol as I wouldn't drive a diesel enough. The hyundai i30 and Mazda 3 have both caught my eye, I don't know a lot about Mazdas are they considered a good make ?

Also any other options I should consider ? I don't want to go smaller than those cars I would love a saloon or a sporty hatch back but finding a 131 I can afford thats petrol is proving harder than I thought.

ba_barabus

Out if those 2 I'd take the Mazda as I think it's better looking and has a better quality feel. I've driven the 1.5l petrol and found it economical and lively.

colm_mcm

would 131 be the current model though? they're not out that long are they?

noelf

Honda Civic tax €280 Mazda 3 €390 Hyundai i3 being replaced shortly oh also the Honda ..

ba_barabus

colm_mcm wrote: »

would 131 be the current model though? they're not out that long are they?

You're right. They came out on a 141 plate.

Sorry I didn't spot that in the OPs post. There are 2 mazda3 1.6 petrols in Sandyford but I'd check how much they cost to tax before buying. You could get a surprise.

Only other petrol cars that are common in that class that I can think of are some sort of VAG group car, think Golf, Leon or Octavia or an Auris/Corolla.

bazz26

What about a Focus:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Ford/Focus/ZETEC-1.0/5772014998674702836/

ba_barabus

bazz26 wrote: »

What about a Focus:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Ford/Focus/ZETEC-1.0/5772014998674702836/

I'm lead to believe the like to visit the pumps very often

bazz26

Mmm, interesting. The official figures while optimistic are not far off what other cars of similar size are claiming.

colm_mcm

real life mpg is supposed to be bad enough though.

bazz26

Traditional 1.6 one here so:
http://www.driving.ie/used-cars/Ford/Focus/1.6-Petrol/6443225314944958909/

LizzyBennet

from what I can see Mazda 3 would be 200 tax a year if I'm working it out right which is fine because right now I'm paying 144 a Quarter as I'm driving a 2005 ! What I really want to know are they a reliable car ? Im not into cars I know the basics and what is generally considered a "good" buy , by us muggles :P I like the look and shape of the Mazda but I rather the inside of the Hyundai so Im torn

ba_barabus

The petrol mazdas have a brilliant reputation for build quality. The Hyundai is great too.

DUBLIN_person

My dad is currently driving his 4th petrol Mazda, his last one being a Mazda 3, which was kept for 9 years, no major problems with any of them so far, on the Mazda 3, the only thing in 9 yrs that needed to be done apart from routine servicing was a new battery afaik. So glowing recommendation here anyway.

Offaly Exile

colm_mcm wrote: »

real life mpg is supposed to be bad enough though.

Colm, you are worrying me a bit as I was looking online at 1.0 petrol Focus cars up North. I only do about 11/12,000 miles per annum, mostly rural so I was ruling out diesel. How bad is 'bad enough' ?

On the subject of Focus diesels what would you think of something like this as an example http://www.usedcarsni.com/2012-Ford-Focus-1-6-TDCi-Titanium-5dr-164355011

I'm afraid to mention the dreaded letters DPF :rolleyes:

ba_barabus

Offaly Exile wrote: »

Colm, you are worrying me a bit as I was looking online at 1.0 petrol Focus cars up North. I only do about 11/12,000 miles per annum, mostly rural so I was ruling out diesel. How bad is 'bad enough' ?

On the subject of Focus diesels what would you think of something like this as an example http://www.usedcarsni.com/2012-Ford-Focus-1-6-TDCi-Titanium-5dr-164355011

I'm afraid to mention the dreaded letters DPF :rolleyes:

My sister in law had one after a crash. She's doesn't drive hard and was reporting it was far heavier on petrol than her 1.6l petrol Focus. On board computer was reading 32mpg.

Offaly Exile

ba_barabus wrote: »

My sister in law had one after a crash. She's doesn't drive hard and was reporting it was far heavier on petrol than her 1.6l petrol Focus. On board computer was reading 32mpg.

Thanks for the info. Interesting that a 1.6l engine is more fuel efficient than a 1.0 litre. Honest John mentions that newer 1.0 version more fuel efficient.

Offaly Exile

LizzyBennet wrote: »

from what I can see Mazda 3 would be 200 tax a year if I'm working it out right which is fine because right now I'm paying 144 a Quarter as I'm driving a 2005 ! What I really want to know are they a reliable car ? Im not into cars I know the basics and what is generally considered a "good" buy , by us muggles :P I like the look and shape of the Mazda but I rather the inside of the Hyundai so Im torn

Lizzy, apologies for dragging your thread off the subject of Mazda v Hyundai. Good luck with whatever you decide to buy:):)

colm_mcm

LizzyBennet wrote: »

from what I can see Mazda 3 would be 200 tax a year if I'm working it out right which is fine because right now I'm paying 144 a Quarter as I'm driving a 2005 ! What I really want to know are they a reliable car ? Im not into cars I know the basics and what is generally considered a "good" buy , by us muggles :P I like the look and shape of the Mazda but I rather the inside of the Hyundai so Im torn

It would be fairly sure that the €200 a year tax on the petrol mazda3 is on the 1.5 sky activ g engine, which is the new model. I'm not sure your budget would stretch to one, they aren't that common a car either.

So far this year, for example, it's been 70% saloon and 70% diesel, so effectively if you're looking for a petrol hatchback, you could be ruling out 85% of the ones out there.

Just FYI On the one model in 2013, they sold no 1.4 petrols and only 6 1.6 petrols for the year. They are band c tax.

Redtop

I would definitely recommend the Mazda 3. They are very much under-rated. Better handling & better build quality, in my personal opinion. As a company, Mazda seems to be investing a lot in new technology (e.g. "Sky-Active").

bazz26

Redtop wrote: »

I would definitely recommend the Mazda 3. They are very much under-rated. Better handling & better build quality, in my personal opinion. As a company, Mazda seems to be investing a lot in new technology (e.g. "Sky-Active").

Not much relevance to the OP who is buying petrol but they also have a terrible track record with their in-house diesel engines and there are still question marks over the reliability of their new SkyActive diesel engines and the ability of their dealer network to resolve those issues.