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Shopping for a fairly rugged hatchback (or compact cross) w/ AWD. Maybe Forester vs Mazda 3 Hatch? (feddit.online)

submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by misterred@feddit.online to c/cars@lemmy.world

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Hi, has anyone compared these head to head? I like the idea that the Forester has an available manual transmission. The Mazda looks reliable and very fun to drive. The frontend/grille looks kinda stupid.

We're in very rural northern Vermont with quite a few dirt roads, usually but not always pretty well maintained.

Car dealerships aren't close by. The Subaru dealer is just under an hour drive, the Mazda/Volkswagen dealership just over an hour and a half each way. Locally we have Ford, GMC/Chevy, and Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge.

I'd probably buy new this time although I've had good luck buying 'certified' used cars off of leases, most recently a 2015 Audi A3 off of a 36-month lease cancelled after 24 I think? so pretty close to new - with manufacturer + dealer warranties; someone else having eaten the depreciation; low mileage, and full confidence that scheduled maintenance has been adhered to, prior to my taking ownership. Comfort and tech, of course reliability, and ease of third-party servicing and parts are all considerations for me.

Reasoned opinions very welcome; TIA for any thoughts at all. Buying is hard.

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[–] Etnaphele@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Subaru just released the Crosstrek, which looks exactly like an amalgam of Forrester and Mazda 3 :)

[–] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Just in which market? It's been out in the US since I think 2013. I've had mine since 2014. I don't know about globally.

I find it amusing that the Crosstrek is explicitly a taller, more offroady Impreza. The Forester also originally started out as a taller, more offroady Impreza and was based on the same chassis and powertrain at the time, with many of the components being interchangeable including suspension. Then it mutated into its own thing, so they had to reinvent the concept over again.

[–] Etnaphele@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

I’m just totally out of touch, sorry… in Europe came out last year as a new name for the XV (since 2013 the European name for the Crosstrek).

It looks like a good contender, given OP’s reference vehicles :)

[–] misterred@feddit.online 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes, I've been thinking a little about the Crosstrek for years. And in terms of the deliberate cross between hatch and compact SUV, I read some appealing things about Toyota Corolla Cross. Nobody has much experience with that car yet, though. And there are others, from Kia, a new Honda Civic variant, etc. I'm interested but also getting shopping fatigue.

[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Kia/Hyundai makes some cool, high tech and well engineered cars (I daily'ed A Dual Clutch Veloster for a long time), but their cars rapidly disintegrate over time due to low quality materials.

Honda Civic is my choice over the Toyota Corolla, if you want a front wheel drive economy car (I've daily'ed both). The Civic has better handling, and the sedan version has independent suspension, as well as agreat delta of acceleration and fuel economy.

The Corolla will last you for far longer than you will be willing to keep it, but you can't be rough with it.

The Crosstrek is an Impreza with a lift kit. It's decent, and you don't have to worry about scraping like you would with the Impreza.

Also, other than the WRX, it's harder and harder to find a manual Subaru due to the manuals getting phased out.