[Billy Baldone]

If any of you can tell me how the 2 compare,I would appreciate it.I have a Miata now,and love the drivetrain,i just drove a 3 and liked it.No one has a Focus with a stick I can drive,so a little help is necessary.Right now I am leaning toward the 3.[driving]

 

[completely_focused]

Even if it is not a manual, test drive a focus so you can get an idea on the other differences from the M3. Most that have decided to get the manual version really liked it.

 

[russmistro]

Well if you are going for the 2.5 in the Mazda it's probably gonna perform much better with more HP and trq. As far as how they FEEL while on the road you have to get into both and be the judge.

 

[feta_mgp]

The Mz3 looks ugly with its smiley face design IMO. The handling on the Mz3 is the only car in the C-segment that has gotten better reviews than the Focus. That said, they share much of the same suspension architecture still, despite the fact that Ford doesn't own a stake in Mazda anymore. The Focus is a more upscale car in terms of interior, fit and finish, and overall design if you ask me.

The Focus is more of an economy car with the added benefits of greatly tuned suspension and enough power to get you going when you need to. The Mz3 is more of a compact sport sedan that gets decent enough fuel economy to call it an economy car. It's more easily tossed around corners but the Focus is not far behind.

As far as manual shifts go... if the Mz3 is anything like it's performance brother the Mazdaspeed 3, the shifting will be sloppy and imprecise. The Focus however has gotten nothing but great reviews on its manual transaxle behavior.

Hope this helps.

 

[lscrx]

In reference to your original post, I have a 5 speed SE sport and think It's one of the best shifting I've ever driven. Better than the multiple Hondas (2) and Mazdas (4) that I've owned.

*edit
I just read your first post again and LOL'd when I saw you currently drive a Miata.

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[chopper dave]

I've driven the 3 automatic and own the Focus SE sport manual. There was more slightly power in the Mazda, but the Focus suspension feels so much more refined, while not giving up anything around the corners. Mileage on the 3 was pretty poor compared to the Focus, ~25 on the Mazda and ~32 on the Focus. I'm assuming you're not considering the 3 automatic- it was horrible. The 3 also has a pretty poor interior and uncomfortable seats.

 

[Dgc333]

I drove a 2.5 Mazda 3 and a 12 Focus within an hour of each other when we were trying to decide on a new car. these were both automatic cars.

The power was close enough to being the same that I couldn't tell the difference. I believe the Mazda has about 8 more HP and 10 or so more ft-lbs of torque. The Focus was definitely a smoother and quieter driving car but the Mazda was not bad, way better than our PT Cruiser. There was nothing in the handling that made one car standout over the other, I was impressed with both.

Looks is certainly personal taste I was only interested in the hatchback body style. I liked the looks of both 5drs as well as the Subaru Impreza hatchback.

The Ford Sync and Mazda's equivalent looked like they could have been designed by the same person with a small display between the gauges and another one in the center for the other functions.

The Focus has a much larger selection of colors, interiors and wheels. But if you like what Mazda offers then it doesn't matter.

What finally made the decision was;
1. The Focus's city mpg is the same as the Mazda's hiway with no noticeable difference in performance.
2. I had X-plan and a $750 certificate which made the Focus a better deal than the Mazda's zero percent financing.
3. I would really prefer to buy American when I can get a product that can stand muster to what has been considered the top of the heap.

We have 2100 miles on our Focus SEL now and I have not regretted my decision for even a second. We have been averaging 34+ mpg around town. The powershift tranny has been flawless. And, the Sync system has been trouble free (didn't see the need for the MyTouch so didn't get it).

 

[BetaDnB]

The manual transmission is German built. That should say plenty. It's by far the smoothest and most precise transmission I've ever shifted.
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[kingburger]

I own an NA Miata, a 2007 Mazda3 2.3L and a 2012 Focus 5-speed. I like my new Focus quite a bit, with a few caveats. You should be your own judge. Here are my impressions:

The shifter on the Mazdas both are more precise and have shorter throws than the Focus, though the Focus manual is still very precise (no complaint). Engine-wise: the Focus is quick, but doesn't feel it (it feels somewhat isolated). The Mazda feels faster/responsive (though it may not be) with better torque off the line.

Handling: I find the 3 to be quicker and more nimble feeling (with much better steering) than the new Focus. To me, the Focus feels more like a VW Golf (very Germanic) but the 3 is more out-and-out fun to drive. To be honest, I'm not in love with the electric steering, etc. Sometimes, it feels unnaturally heavy and not as linear off-center as I would like.