[Mitsu4Now]

Hey, i'm in the market for a new car. The reason for this is the birth of my daughter and my current car being VERY small (2002 mitsu mirage coupe). Ok, so i know this is a 6 site and there might be a few bias responses, but i'm looking for some ideas/opinions. I've test driven them all and each has its benefits. I'm looking for something "sporty" with some decent power....thanks in advance.

 

[catiro]

Are you looking at brand new cars?

They are all nice cars you mention. If you are talking about brand new, the 6i will get the best gas mileage out of the 3. The new Passat runs a 2.0l thats turbocharged and will be faster than both the 6i and the 2.5i Legacy. Remember the Passat requires "premium" gas so it will be the most expensive when it comes to filling up the gas tank.

A big plus for the Legacy is that its awd. If you live in areas that snow this may be important to you. The Mazda 6i should be cheaper than both the Volkswagen and the Subaru. For the entry price on a new Passat you can get the Mazda 6s which comes with a 3.0L V6 instead of the 2.3L inline 4.

The 6i will be the best handling car of the three. So if you are looking for a "sporty" ride and good gas mileage the 6i may be the car for you. Just remember that the manual transmission in the Mazda 6i is more peppy than the automatic tranny.

The Legacy 2.5i will be good if you need a good car for bad weather (rain, snow) since it comes standard with all wheel drive.

The Passat will be the quickest of the bunch with its 2.0L turbo engine (the same one used in the GTI) and if you are looking at a car you are going to modify later down the road this may be your best bet. The 2.0T from Volkswagen has a lot of potential and will be easier to extract power from compared to the Mazda 6i and Legacy 2.5i.

 

[strtfghtr]

Are you looking at brand new cars?

They are all nice cars you mention. If you are talking about brand new, the 6i will get the best gas mileage out of the 3. The new Passat runs a 2.0l thats turbocharged and will be faster than both the 6i and the 2.5i Legacy. Remember the Passat requires "premium" gas so it will be the most expensive when it comes to filling up the gas tank.

A big plus for the Legacy is that its awd. If you live in areas that snow this may be important to you. The Mazda 6i should be cheaper than both the Volkswagen and the Subaru. For the entry price on a new Passat you can get the Mazda 6s which comes with a 3.0L V6 instead of the 2.3L inline 4.

The 6i will be the best handling car of the three. So if you are looking for a "sporty" ride and good gas mileage the 6i may be the car for you. Just remember that the manual transmission in the Mazda 6i is more peppy than the automatic tranny.

The Legacy 2.5i will be good if you need a good car for bad weather (rain, snow) since it comes standard with all wheel drive.

The Passat will be the quickest of the bunch with its 2.0L turbo engine (the same one used in the GTI) and if you are looking at a car you are going to modify later down the road this may be your best bet. The 2.0T from Volkswagen has a lot of potential and will be easier to extract power from compared to the Mazda 6i and Legacy 2.5i.
[/b]

pretty much dead nuts on all his points... :yesnod:

 

[Mitsu4Now]

Thanks, i appreciate it.

 

[nxtlevelmazda6]

I just spent the last five months looking for a car until I bought my 6i. I too was looking at VW, Subaru and Mazda cars. Here's what I found out. Don't buy a VW they break down all the time and you will be at the dealorship every other month. The legacy is a good car. The standard AWD is both a blessing and a curse. It's great in the rain, snow,mud and dry pavement, the bad thing though about AWD is that if you drive off a curb or knock one of your wheels out of alignment it might damage the AWD system. Check out NASIOC.com(North American Subaru Imprezza Owners Club) if you want to learn more about Subaru's, they would be more than willing to help you. As for the 6 I have enjoyed every minute of driving. It speeds up fast and handles the curves like a dream. I decided to buy this car because I can keep up with my street racing friends at the track, and it doesn't look out of place in front of a five star restaurant. Good luck on finding a new car

 

[LapisLazuli6]

I've owned a VW. Their customer service and reliability leave MUCH to be desired compared to Mazda (this is my 3rd Mazda since 1999). The parts and labor for VW is also very expensive as well.

I drove a Legacy GT wagon turbo. Great power. Spartan interior and icky dry road handling compared to the 6 (the body roll was awful!). Of course the AWD will be an asset in the foul weather.

The 6 could use more power, but it seems to be pretty reliable and feels a step above the Subie inside. It's also going for good prices now with the 06 MY ending.