rolla-XRS said:
You'll be sorry with the Mazda.
First off...it's a Ford in Japanese clothing. Sure it looks sharp inside and out...but I question it's staying power for reliabiltiy and resale value.
Let my stat by saying that i freaking hate IGNORANT people !!!!
FAAAAAWK !!!!
Fist off .... the only FORD with Mazda badges is the mid 90s to present Mazda B-Series ( before that all the B-Series were Mazda Trucks and the B2000 truck was appraised to be the most reliablwe truck ever made ).
Second of all FORD bought shares ( 17% and today they have 33% ) into Mazda in the 70s because they could not / did not build any good FWD cars .... FORD went on and just used Mazda engines and chasis.
Ford Probe = Mazda MX-6
Ford Festiva / Aspire = Mazda 121 ( rated as the most reliable car in the world in 2000 beating the Toyota Camry )
Ford Capri = Mazda 323 GT Turbo from the 80s
Ford Escort = Mazda Protege ( early 80s / early 90s ) very reliable cars becasue of the BP motor in them ( turbo block with individual oil squirters webbed reinforcement ... looks a lot like the Ford Cosworth block and it can take a lot of boost .... 400whp Miatas and Proteges with STOCK internals running 10s on the 1320 )
Ford Telsar = Mazda 626 ( NA and Turbo 2.2L & 2.0L ... the last generation MX-6 and 626 that were sold in Europe had the FE3 motor 2.0L that produced 260hp in the 80s )
and that is just to name a few .... there were tons more cars oversees that were sold as Fords but with Mazda hardware underneath
Mazda had nothing to do with the Cougar, Taurus, Tempo, Crown Victoria and their van and truck line up.
Second...industry scoop is that they are having build quality issues (hence supporting my first point).
I don't know where you are getting your scoops from ... but it smells like god poop. Mazda has always had
Their little rinky-dink dealers will not be able to keep up with your demand for warranty repairs and service. (ie: You wait for parts. You wait for service. You just plain wait).
All the new cars are exeptionally built and i don't know where you are getting all this BS from ... the major thing that the Mazda 3 has issues with was the SRS light turning on the dash because of a sensor and that was all recalled and fixed by replacing the 5$ part.
Toyota has managed it's sales and dealer growth in a steady upward fashion.
Toyota makes some reliable cars but they still need to learn how to build fun cars .... and Mazda has been the #1 Japanese car company when it comes to driver inspiration and exiliration. No one builds little econo boxes that handle and feel like a Mazda. " IT JUST FEELS RIGHT "
Mazda is also the most innovative Japanese car maker .... no one dares bring out the things Mazda does .... and that is why Mazda owners are a special breed .... they are people that want something different something better than just the average car.
- Mazda embraced the rotary technology in the 60s and continues to this day to provide RX products ( R-100, Cosmo, RX-2, 3,4,5,6,7,9 )
- Mazda was one of the first to inroduced the 4WS system ( 626, MX-6, 929 )
- Mazda put a turbo and 4WD on their bread-and-butter cars ( 323 and 626 ) since the early 80s .... GTX and GT models.
- Mazda was first to introduce a factory GPS unit ( 1989 Mazda Cosmo )
- Mazda was the first to introduce a sorround sound stereo system in a car ( 1989 Cosmo ) and also a car computer control system ( touch screen, single point interface for all functions )
- Mazda also had the first production Twin Turbo system ( 1989 Cosmo )
- Mazda used a Miller Cycle engine in their Mazda Millenia
Toyota cars are fine .... just not fun. When did Toyota ever have a 4WD Turbo Corolla or Camry in North America ? Mazda had Turbo 323 and 626 since late 70s.
I drove the new Corolla .... BORRRING car ... too much engine and road noise and the power band on the car leaves a lot to be desired ... and i even drove the 170hp model .... and it does not feel like the Mazda 3.
But then again...you're asking which is better at a Toyota enthusiast site. 
True.
