This morning told wife it's okay if we settle down and wait for our forte 2.0 .. coz price only 93k.

And guess what? She said she wants the mazda3 .. she just fell in luv with it's flowing lines. She even wanted the hatchback ... but I told her I'm too old for a hatch (I'm 37 u see).

Presently trying to substantiate the extra 20K for the mazda3 2.0 over the 1.6

4k for extra 400 cc at RM1K/100cc
1K for 1 extra auto gear
1K for paddle shifs
1K for dual zone air-con
1K for autocruise
1K for leather steering wheel, gear knob and lever
1K for 6 CD changer and extra 2 speakers
1K for autodimming rearview mirror
1k for sliding arm rest
1K for bi-xenon and LED tailights
1K for fog lights
1k for autolevelling and auto on headlamps
1k for power-fold and signal side mirrors.
2K for 17 inch alloys
1k for extra 4 airbags
1k for active headrest

Totals up to 20K!

Guess have to work harder this and coming years. But 1.6 i think is also okay ... cause i recall ricolim mentioned that it accelerates better than forte 1.6SX during his testdrive. Anyhow .. I'm also taking gahpadu's words that's it is underpowered compared
to his previous City V-tech (and hence to my current vios 2003).

If taking the 1.6 ... dare only upgrade to 16 inch wheels.

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Added on February 24, 2010, 11:19 amAnd to the 1.6 owners .. is there any significant increase of acceleration power if using RON 97 instead of RON 95? Care to share ...

This post has been edited by redz3: Feb 24 2010, 11:19 AM

Care to share why Civic 1.8 not an option.?
I'm not choosing Civic coz already nearly 4 yr model. Think it's a great car but cannot wait for 2011-12 model. Resale value not much of my concern coz plan to use 7-8 yrs. And hopefully millionaire in 6 yrs ... hahaa.
Yesterday sprint my lightweight 980kg vios 2003 , definitely 0-100 km/H in less than 10 sec. But small looking B-segment car ... if it's dimension bigger, I'll keep another 3 yrs to make it 10.

Yup .. guess will follow my (and wife's) heart. We love mazda3's smiling grille .. and the curving lines. Coz both of us work with the public ... and we learn to smile all day long.

Don't care la if it's rear legroom smaller, pick-up slower than civic. Don't care lah if no ESC, keyless entry and start-stop button like Kia Forte. Don't care la if peugeot 308THP has comparable spec yet cheaper. Don't care lah if possible difficult spare part and low resale value.

I think those who already bought mazda3 already decide to 'don't care la' these few things. Maybe when the heart likes ... what the mind say doesn't matter much anymore.

You're right man ... i don't think nowadays can feel excited stuck in the traffic jam in a civic 2.0 if there's 1,2,3 or 4 civic(s) around me. Stuck in traffic jam in a mazda3 1.6 ... bet'cha heads will turn (don't care la if they want to laugh funny at the smiling grille ... coz mazda3 will either way invoke onlookers to smile liking it or laugh hating it ) .

I think those who really dislike mazda3 smiling design are those who like the snouting aggressive nose of lancer , or the angry looking lower grille of civic and forte . Perhaps it's a personality-related thing.

"Here’s another image of the Hyundai i-flow concept which will be unveiled at Geneva next week. The i-flow, which advances the ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language Hyundai currently uses on cars like the new Sonata and Tucson, previews a future D-segment contender, according to the Korean carmaker." ... from paultan.org

Aik! .... is mazda3 2010 flowing curving lines ahead of it's time? or are other designers finding the lines to sexy too ignore?...


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Ya la man .. we're not attention seeking drivers displaying the mazda3 design. I think the buyers (and would be buyers) felt at home with it's design. Van de Acker something guy who designed mazda3 said something about it having the soul a sports car. Think the mazda3's has some kind of positively smiling face yet aggresive soul which i can connect to ... like the Avatar's paraplegic Jack Sully connecting to his flying- dragon via his Avatar's hair tentacles. Either that or I've been watching Avatar too much.


(.... though I like his first blue dragon. The Toruk dragon is way too ugly)

Yes .. i would chose Pug 308THP over mazda3 hatchback but that's due to the 20K price difference which is too much to ignore.

Anyhow ... haven't decided yet this week coz about to start at new workplace (promoted) and new home 1st march. Kia forte 2.0 SX release and price still in limbo last i check its LYN forum. Enjoying the 'wait and see' game this march.

And Australians Down Under loveeee mazda3. Maybe they think it's special like their wallabe, kangaroo, koala, tasmanian devil and platipus. Cheerioo mate ... just cheering up this forum!

haiya ... still flip flopping between forte 2.0 and mazda 3 2.0. The former about to arrive .. the latter ready stock .Arghhh!!! Can't decide.

Mazda3 rear legroom is short ... but could it be becoz the front seat are thick and the rear seat has longer thigh support?
The forte has ample rear legroom but i find the rear seat short of thigh support for adult.