2013 Ford Focus, Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla?

Slowly widdling down my list of the successor to my 2000 Jetta TDI. Things that matter to me are reliability, efficiency, fun, ability to tow and hatchback. I know the Corolla isn't a hatch (Matrix is too ugly) but you better believe it's going to kick but reliability and efficiency wise. What's really holding me back about the Corolla is even before the Jetta I really wanted a red hatchback golf. I settled for the boring silver sedan Jetta. The Focus is so close to being perfect and I could get my hot red hatch, I just worry about the gadgetry and long term reliability. What do you all think?

I would pick Mazda 3. Most fun of the whole bunch and has the best color red IMO. Reliability is a toss up between the 3 and Corolla. Have you driven a Corolla? They're..not fun.

The Focus isn't great for backseat headroom and hatchback space. Although I'm 6'5" so my standards for good headroom are maybe more demanding than most.

However, I think with the right color/wheel combo they are one of the best looking practical/efficient cars you can buy.

That's all I have to offer here.

Is your TDI a manual? If so, I may want to buy it off you. Send me a PM.

Since you're talking about 2 year old cars (technically 3) with 51K max miles, all of these cars should be very reliable. I actually drove all of these cars (different year), and the Mazda 3 is the clear cut winner. IMO, the Corolla is a bad car to drive, and the Focus was ok, but I didn't like the interior setup, specifically how the door glass was positioned compared to the windshield. It felt oddly like a spaceship.

For a hot hatch, you have to look at a GTI and a WRX for a '13.

Of course, you need to drive all of them, because you may end up liking the Corolla the best.

Just don't get a Focus with an autotragic. I am not a fan. Jerky at low speeds, like in traffic.

clutchsmoke wrote: I would pick Mazda 3. Most fun of the whole bunch and has the best color red IMO. Reliability is a toss up between the 3 and Corolla. Have you driven a Corolla? They're..not fun.

Thanks! My wife has a 2005 Corolla and old roommate had a 2010. They aren't the most fun but I love the simplicity. Maintenance on my wife's car has been downright LOVELY and I think the only thing that's ever broken was a center console door broke.

BlueInGreen44 wrote: The Focus isn't great for backseat headroom and hatchback space. Although I'm 6'5" so my standards for good headroom are maybe more demanding than most. However, I think with the right color/wheel combo they are one of the best looking practical/efficient cars you can buy. That's all I have to offer here.

For the most part I'm not really lugging around passengers and I like to buy a car that suites 95% of my needs. For the occasional road trip my passengers could suffer. I've driven the Focus and it seems big enough. Definitely the best looking car of the 3. My issue is browsing around on Focus forums they seem to be a bit finicky. All those electronics kind of scare me for the 6 year plan.

Mr_Clutch42 wrote: Is your TDI a manual? If so, I may want to buy it off you. Send me a PM. Since you're talking about 2 year old cars (technically 3) with 51K max miles, all of these cars should be very reliable. I actually drove all of these cars (different year), and the Mazda 3 is the clear cut winner. IMO, the Corolla is a bad car to drive, and the Focus was ok, but I didn't like the interior setup, specifically how the door glass was positioned compared to the windshield. It felt oddly like a spaceship. For a hot hatch, you have to look at a GTI and a WRX for a '13. Of course, you need to drive all of them, because you may end up liking the Corolla the best.

Thanks. For efficiency purposes I would shy away from the GTI and WRX. I'm not only looking at 2013s but any in that particular body style. So it would be 09-13 Corolla, 12-14 Focus, or 9-13 Mazda 3 (I think I got that right). Trying to stick under $13k and under 60k miles.

Yes my Jetta is a manual. I'll shoot you a message.

NGTD wrote: Just don't get a Focus with an autotragic. I am not a fan. Jerky at low speeds, like in traffic.

All of the cars in question would have to be a manual.

I'd get a Mazda 3 hatch /end thread.

I had a focus and liked it a lot, and I think it will be the cheapest out of the 3 and I do know they increased the warranty on the auto to I think 100k miles. But I would love to drive a mazda3 with the skyactive, that would be an awesome car too.

I really really like my father's 2014 Mazda 3. It's like a hatchback FWD miata.