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2019 GTI vs 2019 Mazda 3

ZuMBLe

Autocross Champion
Location
NY
Car(s)
Alltrack 6MT
No issues with my mostly stock MK6 Golf and no issues with my modified MK7 Alltrack. The electronics have not given me a problem on either car. Both cars start up in the cold etc. I'm a little OCD when it comes to my cars so I won't stand of electrical gremlins, or "quirks". I change the oil and beat on the car every once in a while.
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
I really do value all the attributes of the GTI, good acceleration, beautiful interior, good fuel economy, large cargo capacity, decent handling, and a pure joy to drive. But not if it's at the expense of having to take it into the mechanic for repairs every other month, or spending thousands of $$$ on repairs every year. I know of someone who had a MK7 and only kept it for 1 year because it was constantly in the shop for repairs (mostly electrical issues). The last straw was when the fuel pump failed- all within the first year of ownership!
Would be interesting to see what the 2019 Mazda 3 with the Skyactive-X will be priced at. Mazda is supposedly doing more work to tweak the engine to increase the HP- and still achieve diesel-like fuel economy.

At the end its a mass produced product and bad apples do come out but this can happen with any brand or model. I had zero issues with my GTI when i owned it and the overall reliability of this platform is pretty damm good. Given a choice, i will spend my hard earned money on this platform one more time.

Good luck on trying out a brand new platform.
 

sg11

New member
Revived. I love Mazda and my 2016 Mazda3. These two cars are on my radar. I would like to consider the 2019 GTI but looking at how many people are having stalling issues with the 6 speed manual, it makes it difficult. VW still doesn't seem to have a fix for it either.
 

vjmvjm

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Los Lunas, New Mexico
Car(s)
2016 VW GTI S DSG PP
Revived. I love Mazda and my 2016 Mazda3. These two cars are on my radar. I would like to consider the 2019 GTI but looking at how many people are having stalling issues with the 6 speed manual, it makes it difficult. VW still doesn't seem to have a fix for it either.
Enjoy the torsion-beam rear suspension in the newest Mazda 3. More cargo space, cheaper to build, but the reviews say handling has degraded compared to earlier models.
 

XM_Rocks

Autocross Newbie
Location
Austin, TX
I’m just enjoying that EHOLTA went away.
 

vjmvjm

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Los Lunas, New Mexico
Car(s)
2016 VW GTI S DSG PP
Just drove the Mazda 3 (710 mile-old loaner when the GTI was in for the latest recall). The 3 is a competitor for the base Golf, not the GTI. The 3 is very quiet, the user interface is lousy (multiple steps to change a radio station), and the automatic transmission is not for enthusiasts. The adaptive cruise was very jerky, both when following cars and on rolling roads without traffic (downhill braking / shifting). Make sure you drive one before you buy it.
 

victorofhavoc

Autocross Champion
Location
Kansas City
if you're comparing the gti and a mazda 3, the answer is pretty self explanatory... You really want an F150. Maybe not right now, but you'll end up in a truck or a crossover inevitably.
 

Hotsky

Ready to race!
Location
Hamilton, Canada
I test drive 2015 mazda 3 and 2015 golf and eneded you with 2016 golf when i was looking for a daily this past summer. I did also test drive a 2019 mazda 3 and loved it. Much better interior and sportier cockpit then current gen golf/gti. New Mazdas are pricey tho which is why i went with the used Golf. Btw my last car was a gen 1 mazda 3 and i would not hesitate getting another one.
 

6_speed_GTI

New member
Location
Madison, WI
Car(s)
2016 GTI 6 MT, Black
I drove a 2004 Mazda3 for nearly 180k miles. Granted, I had the S trim, which had a little more power and a manual transmission so it was more fun than the base model. That car was super fun, but I have no idea what the new ones are like. They got really ugly so I stopped paying attention. It was the fun of driving that car that made me look at cars like the GTI. I don’t think I’d ever buy a newer Mazda now that I’ve driven a GTI for over three years, but that early Mazda3 was a great car for relatively cheap. It’s a bummer to see what they did to the model. They really ruined it.
 

NopeR

Autocross Champion
Car(s)
18 Golf R
I had a '15 Mazda 3. Boring as fuck.
 

lordnikon228

Go Kart Champion
Location
CA
Car(s)
Golf GTI Rabbit
The new 3 is dull to drive. The rear torsion beam hops over crappy roads. The steering is mushy and worse than the Gen 3 Mazda 3. (Slower steering rack) Visibility is poor due to the enormous C-pillar. The sedan is much better in this regard.
The brakes are crap.

Good looks and refined cabin but not as fun to drive as the previous generations. Comparing a Mazda 3 to a GTI is a joke. Different league in terms of performance.
 

NopeR

Autocross Champion
Car(s)
18 Golf R
The only thing they have in common is that they're hatchbacks and fwd. Otherwise, they're definitely not in the same league.
 
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