I don’t like Mazda. First, they are the worse cars for rust. I’ve never seen a car rust as fast as the Mazda 3. Albeit, this is a nordic country problem. Also, they do feel sporty, but artificially so. They boost the damper rates to keep roll down, but they are way too high. Fords, with the same basic suspension are superior: better ride and identical performance. Last, they have followed the German cockpit trend (cocooning). I like a nice open feeling interior, which has almost completely disappeared in modern cars.
I’m thinking Subaru or Acura for my next ride…maybe a Hyundai Elantra Touring if I can’t spare the extra money.
Classic open concept interiors of German favorites:
