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I have a Mazda3 hatchback which I purchased after trading in my Ford Escape. I am coming from having a big car all my driving life and I have to say - I LOVE MY MAZDA!! The seats fold down flat and the hatch back opens up like an SUV so it's plenty roomy but it also moves like a sports car and gets much better gas mileage than my Escape.
I've had it for almost a year and I love love love it. I also got a great deal and 0% financing!
@scadadle15: That is so adorable! I bet it gets great gas mileage as well.
I'm all about my Honda Fit! It's 4 door + hatchback. Everything folds down. You can fold it different ways too. Great MPG, especially if you have a manual. Manual gets like, 40? Mine gets 30-something. Really spacious on the inside. They handle really really well too. Comfy seats.
I LOVE my Fit. I never thought I could have a hatchback with so much room! Plus, I love Honda. They drive forever.
I drive a 2008 mazda3 hatchback and I LOVE MAZDA...like i'm obsessed.
Previously I drove a 1996 chevy s10 blazer and I swear my mazda holds just as much junk. Its super sporty, zoom-zoomy, and great on gas. Pretty much the best car ever!
I like ALL mazda's, and I love the 5's. I have no reason to own one, but I call it the "mini-mini-van" because of the sliding doors. I've sat in one at the dealership and its pretty cool. I joke with FI that if we ever have quadruplets that's what we are getting because there is room for 4 car seats LOL. I love the idea that its big enough to be a true family car, without being a huge expensive sedan like a Maxima, and without being a huge gas-guzzling SUV. (not against SUV's at all, they just aren't for everyone)
I bought my car new, and I have NO plans of getting a new car anytime soon. I keep good tires on it and do regular maintenance and it runs exactly like it did on day one. You'll never go wrong with a mazda!
@Baimee: Ooh I like those too! Do they seat 5 or 6? One thing I love about the Mazda 5 is that it seats 6, which I think is great since I have 4 siblings and all 6 (sibs plus FI and I) could go somewhere! I'm about to go look at the Fit though!
@pccl: "Mini mini-van" <-- Exactly! It's not a real mini-van, IMO. I really do like it, I'll probably make FI go with me to test drive one soon! Maybe even this weekend. :p And omg, I drove my Mom's Suburban for a trip once....I almost cried at the gas pumps. I mean, she has much more of a need for one - her, my step-dad, plus she has 4 (soon to be 5 by way of adoption) kids and is always hauling sports gear and big trips. Just...not for me, at least for a VERY long time. Lol.
Yea I'm obsessed with Maza also. I had a tribute for a good number of years and then was about to buy a brand new fully loaded Mazda 6 and decided to make a smarter financial decision and got a cheaper ride (Altima). Everytime I see a Mazda on the road, it hurts my heart lol.
It's a five-seater.
I don't think you should worry about FI or anyone else making fun of a minivan, btw. =D Rock it if that's what you want! I get a lot of giggles for driving something sensible in an age group that loves fast cars that have two doors and no MPG. I kept telling dealers I wanted something incredibly safe with good MPG. Oh, that's another thing about the Fit.... it has good safety ratings.
Actually, it's really good I got a safe car instead of that red car with lots of extra speakers and a spoiler that the one salesman pitched at me. My first Fit was totaled in December in a car accident on the freeway when some guy rammed into a motorcycle and then me. I was stopped in traffic, and he slammed into the motorcyclist (who bounced off the top of my car and rolled to safety) and my car was crammed into the center divider mabob. I have whiplash still, but not a scratch on me. My car did a GREAT job of protecting me. It's wonderful to be in a car you can trust.
A bit of a tangent, but an important point (kind of) nonetheless. =)
ETA: Here's a picture of the back of my beloved red Fit (RIP)
i drove the 5 on a test drive and if you like zippy and fun, that's not the car for you.. you're pretty much sitting upright and it does have a minivan feel to it. it was pretty boring to drive. but i like stick and i like power and something fun. if you want 4 door and something zippy and fun, and want a mazda, try the mazda 3.
@MissTX: Lol aww! :(
@Baimee: 
OH my gosh, poor red Fit! Yeah, I'm not too terribly concerned with it being technically a "mini-van." <-- Though I am so not gonna call it that. It will be, "I drive a Mazda 5." Lol. I totally get what you're saying about being one of the few sensible ones. I have a fun, 2-door coupe that I've had for 7 years, almost 8, been paid off for like 4. My next vehicle, even though we're not pregnant or even really TTC, needs to be something I'd want my future kids to ride in, something safe, and something that has 4 doors! A 2-door is just annoying now with my job and having friends/family ride with me, etc.
@roxymalone: I'm not sure I'm really looking for zippy and fun in my next car. My current car is zippy and fun, but I don't necessarily need that in my next. I've had my fun (and gotten my speeding tickets) already. Lol. My main concern is really size right now. I have 2 dogs, my job requires that 2 kids ride with me daily, and we're talking of TTC sometime in the next few years. I was really looking mainly into small SUVs prior to seeing this cool little hatchback today. Lol. Or...mini-van, since FI won't drop it. ;)
We test drove the Mazda3, Toyota Matrix, and Hyundai Elantra Touring (the hatchback version) and were not impressed (at all) with how tiny the Mazda3 and Matrix are. It felt pretty claustrophobic, actually. I drove a VW Golf, which is TINY, before this, and those cars felt poorly designed and smaller than my car, even though mine is technically smaller. I haven't driven the Mazda 5, but we were so blown away by the space, handling, and price of the Elantra hatchback that we decided to purchase that instead!
i have a friend with the 5 and she loves it. as long as you're not expecing it to drive like a car, because it doesn't. just try it.
@crayfish: I didn't even know they HAD a Hyundai Elantra Hatchback! Holy crap that thing is cute! I love the Hyundai Elantra (and Sonata...and Kia Optima...) lol. Definitely adding that to my short list! Yeah the others you mentioned seem a bit small for my needs/wants, but maybe between the Mazda 5 and Elantra I might have something. :) Thanks!
@roxymalone: Yeah, good points! Thank you. I will definitely be trying it all out.
I test drove a Mazda3 but settled on a VW Jetta instead. The Mazda was nice but the VW was just SOOOO much nicer for the same price. The safety ratings on the VW also make me really happy. I've heard good things about the station wagon Jettas. FI on the other hand drives a Mazda RX-8 that he loves (I named it the "Batmobile"). You want zippy? That thing is zippy, haha. Zoom zoom! ;)
We got a Mazda 5 after the baby came. We both love it. It is a microvan and really is just like an SUV but with sliding doors. It is Soooo much easier to get the kid in and out of. It drives more like a car than the other station wagons we test drove. I would highly recommend it. Feel free to pm me with any questions
@Aure: I used to have a major crush on my friend's RX-8! I love my car for the same reasons (her name is Zippy after all) but, for several reasons, may be hanging my zippy car belt (pun intended?) until after kids anyway. :) I imagine I'll be the old lady in the 'Vette. Lol.
@brownieMomma: I knew SOMEONE had to have one! Microvan sounds so much better than mini-van! PMing you!
Btw, for reference: Mazda 5
Urgh, picture not working! It's the computer I'm on (work.) Lol.
I have a Mazda2! Its tiny and cute but has sooo much more space inside than my Tiburon did.
@MissBoPeep: It seems like Mazda has a big plus for being roomy no matter the size of the car category. Very good!
Mine is the pontiac vibe, which they don't make anymore but is the same as the Toyota Matrix. It is a bit bigger than the Mazda 3 Hatchback, but feels way more roomy as the roof is higher. There are a lot of new hatchback out there to choose from, I love hatchbacks!!
Kia has a 7 seater hatchback out, the rhondo I think, and there is the Ford Flex too.
@Genuine513: Ooh thanks for the recs! I like the Vibe, sad Pontiac doesn't make it anymore. :( FI would like it better since he's a "Chevy guy." Lol. Going to go look at the Rhondo and others. Thanks!
I drive a Maza Protege and have for the last 6 years, I absoletly love it, and will be quite sad when I have to buy a new one.....(which prob will be in a year or two) My bf drives a Mazda 3? and also loves it.
Were diffently Mazda fans, and my next car might be the Mazda 3...I drive alot so i need something that is good on gas but also has enough room for the P.E. equipment that I haul around. I'm not a huge fan of hatchbacks through...
We have a Hyundai Elantra and really love it. It's an '07 so we'll be ready for an upgrade soon but it's been a great car. We've had very few problems with it *knock on wood*. Besides some brake maintenance recently (we just hit 90k miles) and a weird reverse issue that was covered under the awesome warranty, we haven't had to put any money into it besides routine maintenance.
Our car will be paid off in August so we've been looking to add a new one to the family (we currently only have one since DH and I work together). We're about 80% sold on the new Kia Sorento. My friend has it and she loves it. It has all the features of the higher end SUVs but for considerably less. Unless something more appealing comes along between now and then, we'll most likely get that.
I have a Subaru Imprezza Sport Wagon and I love it. It's now 10 years old and it has come in super handy on many occasions. The hatchback just allows to cart more crap around.
My parents have had the Mazda Protoge 5 and now the Mazda 3. They were/are both fun to drive. And they have never had any issues...actually I think this is their 4th Mazda. They LOVE them...clearly.
I have a Subaru Imprezza Sport Wagon and I love it. It's now 10 years old and it has come in super handy on many occasions. The hatchback just allows to cart more crap around. My husband and I are in the market for a larger, family friendly vehicle. It's down to the Subaru Outback and the Honda CR-V. I love Subaru's, he loves Honda's.
My parents have had the Mazda Protoge 5 and now the Mazda 3. They were/are both fun to drive. And they have never had any issues...actually I think this is their 4th Mazda. They LOVE them...clearly.
@AmeliaBedelia: I was more suggesting the VW Jetta than the RX-8, haha. I brought up FI's car mainly just to say he loves his Mazda, not because I think it's the family car you're looking for. ;)
@MissParrot: The Mazda 3 is definitely a fan favorite, at least on this thread! haha.
@UpstateCait: I looooove the Kia Sorento. It's just a bit over what we are wanting to spend right now. I test drove one and have a major crush on it though. I'm just looking to see if I can find something a bit smaller/better priced to fit our needs for now. :) So yeah, I'll be jealous of your Sorento. :p
@mshoagie: I like the Outback, I vote for that one! ;) Haha and yes, your parents clearly like them.
@Aure: Yeah I see that now. It was like 1 am. :/ Lol. Obviously I was just like "Picture!" Lol. I'll have to look into the VW Wagons. (Or...Wagens?)
@AmeliaBedelia: Here, I'll fix it, new picture!
They're called SportWagons here, I think. They also make a diesel version. I drive a 2007 Jetta (non-wagon) and I've joked with FI that I'm going to marry it instead of him.
@Aure: Yayyyy pictures! haha. And one of my friends had a Jetta (non-wagon) and loved it. :) They are super cute.
I test drove the Toyota Matrix too and while it is technically a little bigger I found it to be a little clunkier to drive and not nearly as nice in styling and materials as the Mazda3. I feel like my car looks a hell of a lot more expensive than it was especially compared to similarly priced cars. I also noticed that the back seat in the Mazda3 is much more comfortable than the Matrix or VWs.
@MissParrot: The Mazda3 comes in a sedan (non hatchback) version if you're against the hatchback style.
@AmeliaBedelia: I have a Mazda3 hatchback and I... LOVE... IT!!! It's not a big car but it does have plenty of space for me. You can fit tons of stuff in it, I've even put furniture in it. It's great on trips, too. And oh my god.. is it fun to drive!!! I've done some modifications to it, but even before it was a zippy little car. Mazdas in general are just plain fun :)
@scadadle15: When you test drove the Toyota Matrix, did you feel like the walls were closing in on you???? I did, I had to get out of that thing! Something about the dashboard, it was oppressive and I felt like I was inside an army tank or a battleship!
I drive a Kia Rio 5, it is a hatchback, great on gas and quite peppy! I have had her 2 years and she drives as good as ever! Happy shopping!
http://kia.ca/pages/showroom/overview.aspx?model=Rio%205-door
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So, again with the indecisiveness about buying a new vehicle. I know, I know.
I've changed what I want a tad bit - meaning I'm more open to new things. *pats self on back*
I currently drive a 2-door Toyota Solara Coupe. I love Zippy, I really do (she's fast, awesome, and was perfect for high school and college). But now that I'm a big kid, and my baby has quite a bit of mileage on her (she's a 2004)...and I need a 4 door SOMETHING like crazy, here I am.
I saw a Mazda 5 today and thought it was interesting looking. Then I found out it's technically a mini-van and FI made fun of me. :( But it doesn't look like a minivan! *sigh* Anyway, I'm wondering....do any of you have one? Or have something similar? I'm open to pretty much ANYTHING with four doors that isn't a large SUV or "real" mini-van.