Family car Q.: Camry or Accord or Mazda3??

[twkim2000]

Hi!

I am expecting a new first baby next month and I am considering buying a new family car. I am considering buying a car from below brands : Camry, Accord, Mazda3, Civic.

Which car would you like to recommend? Do you guys think Mazda 3 is good enough for family car? The mazda is currently giving pretty good financing rate unlike 2009 Toyota Camry.

What about Camry or Accord? Camry seems a lot chaper than Accord. Which car is do you think better for a famaily car?

As for Civic, the insurance rate is very high compared with other cars. And I think the interior space is very limited.

Please give me some information..

[jeeva86]

The interior space of the civic and mazda3 is pretty much the same. Sitting inside them is so tight. I donno maybe I'm biased cuz I got an Accord. But it terms of Safety, I believe the Accord is the best. Of course comes the huge price tag with it as well. I don't know about Camry since they had their recent tranny problems. Comparing civic/mazda with an Accord, the latter is much more smooth, so no bumpy feeling for the newborn :cheesygri

[IMHIP2]

My research last year on these vehicles showed the interior rear seat room was almost equeal in all of these vehicles plus the Altima

We where looking for a 2nd car that could fit driver plus 4 kids if necessary.

We ended up with a 2007 Mazda 3 GT Sport. Great car. Just what my wife wanted. Sporty and not too big like the Accord, Altima and Camry.

If your concern is size wise for cargo capacity then I think the Mazda 3 was smallest of those you mention. The cargo capacity is smaller than our previous 2000 Civic and definitly smaller than the Camry, Accord and Altima.

If you are interested in the Mazda 3 and are around the GTA contact Jeff-TheBiz in his thread for the best deal.

[thephenom]

I find the Civic interior roomier than the 3, but that could be just me.

I would go with the Accord personally, the Camry felt very dull in my test drive. As much as the accord list price is higher, they do have good finance rate as well as cash rebate if it's a cash purchase.

[bkim3]

In terms of interior size,

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/byEPAclass.htm

Civic
Passenger Volume 91 ft3 (4D)
Luggage Volume 12 ft3 (4D)

Mazda3
Passenger Volume 94 ft3 (4D)
Luggage Volume 11 ft3 (4D)

Camry
Passenger Volume 101 ft3 (4D)
Luggage Volume 15 ft3 (4D)

Accord
Passenger Volume 106 ft3 (4D)
Luggage Volume 14 ft3 (4D)

With only one kid, you can enjoy any car. But in the long run, if you want to have second or more kids, it's safe to say either Accord or Camry would be more convinient.

[ShadowVlican]

in short, i say camry

accord is overpriced

civic and mazda3 are in a different class

[rfdrfd]

If you want more room after you put in a babyseat in the back, then cross: Civic, Mazda3, Corolla, etc. off your list.

Esp. if you want two adults to sit in the back with the babyseat, you need an Accord or Camry or Mazda6.

Accord: more sporty feel, engine revs up more, more peppy, fun, more bumpy like

Camry: more stable, smooth, comfortable ride, not as peppy


Mazda6: sorry haven't been in one for ages, so better not comment on it


So if you like stable, smooth, go for Camry. If you like sporty feel, feel the road more, race someone sometimes (or that feeling), go for the Accord.

[cwb27]

Mazda 3s (and civics) are compact cars, Camrys and Accords are mid size.

[SkylineR34X]

It depends on your need. There's no right or wrong answers.

Mazda3 is a fairly driver oriented car. It's got very good handling with limited body roll on fast turn. Engine is quite peppy, and if you like manumatic transmission it's more of a driver oriented car than the other 2.

Camry is a passenger oriented car. It's not really a fun to drive car. But in return you get a most quiet cabin (among the 3 and pretty sure among all competition), smoothest ride. But in tradeoff, the car has massive body roll when turning fast as it is not designed as a driver's car.

Accord is a compromise between the two. More driver oriented than the Camry but less so than the Mazda3. It is also the most pricey of all.

At the end it's your call.

[Jon Lai]

Mazda 3s (and civics) are compact cars, Camrys and Accords are mid size.

AFAIK the new Accords are now considered "full size", on par with Toyota's Avalon.

[hightech]

I may be biased as I own a 2002 Camry V6, but I would get the Camry. According to Consumer Reports, these are the reliability rankings:

4 CYL:

Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Mazda 6

6 CYL:
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Mazda 6

Go with the Camry if you want a very quiet car. If you want a drivers car (more road feel and noisier interior), get the Accord. The Mazda's.. well they just don't have the same reliability. There is a reason why the best cars have the least number of incentives: The customers will buy it regardless. My previous car was a Ford Taurus with 0% financing for 5 years. It was the biggest piece of crap I ever bought and was happy to get my V6 Camry regardless of finance initiatives.

[VivienM]

Mazda3 is an econobox... If you're looking at Mazda, why not the 6?

And why are there no domestic cars on your list?!?

[SkylineR34X]

Mazda3 is an econobox... If you're looking at Mazda, why not the 6?

And why are there no domestic cars on your list?!?

Let me help you... why not consider the GM W body... They are better than Toyota in quality, handles better than a BMW, more luxurious and comfortable than a Rolls Royce. :) O yea, best of all, IF things break down, parts are cheaper than a Hyundai. JK...

But yea... 6 are generally not as reliable (if you want proof, find it yourself, but I have facts to back myself up)
And GM W's are good cars, but generally, if OP decides to purchase, the depreciation will kill after a couple of years.

[urban1]

I think you need to do a couple of things before making a decision:

-Do you have a budget? Whats your limit on purchase price or monthly payment? Theres also a lot of factors to consider such as gas, insurance, maintenance, reliability, etc. But purchase price / monthly payment alone may eliminate some vehicles as they may be out of your price range.

-Go out and test drive some vehicles. You might get in a Mazda3 and instantly eliminate because its too small or not powerful enough. Or you might eliminate the Camry/Accord because theyre more car than you need.

-Consider what else you will use the vehicle for. Do you need a lot of cargo room? Would a crossover or small SUV be better for you? Theres a lot of other vehicles on the market other than what you listed. Check out some other vehicles when your at the Honda, Mazda and Toyota dealerships. Something might jump out at you that you wouldnt have considered before. Also, check out some other manufacturers such as Subaru, Nissan, and even Hyundai. Something like an AWD Subaru might be up your alley.

-Check out safety crash ratings for any of the cars you are considering. That might eliminate some cars for you.

-Take into consideration the type of driving your going to do. Are you going to be in the city in bumper to bumper traffic or are you in a rural area on lightly used roads? This can impact your decision as well.

Hi!

I am expecting a new first baby next month and I am considering buying a new family car. I am considering buying a car from below brands : Camry, Accord, Mazda3, Civic.

Which car would you like to recommend? Do you guys think Mazda 3 is good enough for family car? The mazda is currently giving pretty good financing rate unlike 2009 Toyota Camry.

What about Camry or Accord? Camry seems a lot chaper than Accord. Which car is do you think better for a famaily car?

As for Civic, the insurance rate is very high compared with other cars. And I think the interior space is very limited.

Please give me some information..

[VivienM]

Let me help you... why not consider the GM W body... They are better than Toyota in quality, handles better than a BMW, more luxurious and comfortable than a Rolls Royce. :) O yea, best of all, IF things break down, parts are cheaper than a Hyundai. JK...

Hey, you said it, not me. :)

(But hey, it seems that GM W bodies now get mentioned in almost every thread without me mentioning them. I call this progress.)

And GM W's are good cars, but generally, if OP decides to purchase, the depreciation will kill after a couple of years.

This is good for the OP if the OP is buying used... and if buying new... well, it really depends on what you actually paid. I'm sure they're offering the usual lots of incentives...

[jeeva86]

Also note that the 3 is not as fuel efficient as the civic, so I think the 3 loses in all ways for you. I think you'll end up with a Camry.

[twkim2000]

Thanks for every good info.

We just narrow down to Camry and Accord. I've driving two different Camry cars: '02 and '90 for the last 4 years. All the two models have some problems... It's not an engine or transmission problems... but my Camry had lots of minor and inexpensive repair problems: electronic matters et... I don't know about 2008 or 2009 Camry.. Any upgrade??

As for Accord, I know the reputation of Honda... Do you guys think Accord is much more reliable than Camry? High price actually pays off? I really hate visiting service center and wait long hours...

Can I have any more advice from Accord or Camry drivers??? And how much can I get discount for Accord or Camry? Is the profit margin for the Accord or Camry is somthing like 7 or 8 pecent above invoice price?

[craftsman]

Thanks for every good info.

We just narrow down to Camry and Accord. I've driving two different Camry cars: '02 and '90 for the last 4 years. All the two models have some problems... It's not an engine or transmission problems... but my Camry had lots of minor and inexpensive repair problems: electronic matters et... I don't know about 2008 or 2009 Camry.. Any upgrade??

As for Accord, I know the reputation of Honda... Do you guys think Accord is much more reliable than Camry? High price actually pays off? I really hate visiting service center and wait long hours...

Can I have any more advice from Accord or Camry drivers??? And how much can I get discount for Accord or Camry? Is the profit margin for the Accord or Camry is somthing like 7 or 8 pecent above invoice price?


The Accord while a decent car has not been what you would call a barn burner in sales. They have been trying to get back into the game since the late 1980's when those Accords were on every street corner. Now you are hard pressed to find them in large numbers...

The Camries on the other hand are everywhere you look. Sales have been strong and growing. People say that the Camry is boring with a plain style. The funny thing is that the boring/plain car sells.

Reliability - I don't think you can go wrong with either. You won't be sitting in the service department for Honda or Toyota for very long. Both of them have an outstanding rep for quality. Of course, once in a while, a not-so-great model comes out... One of my workmates has an Accord which also suffers from small electrical problems - power locks that sometimes locks and sometimes doesn't....

[adwoodw]

We were in the same situatin almost a year ago. We had a baby boy last March but didn't purchase a new car until January.

We were comparing the following new cars:

Honda Civic LX
Mazda 3 sport (hatch back)

Toyota Camry XLE
Honda Accord EX
Chevy Malibu LTZ

We were first considering the Civic, but when we loaded the test car with the baby seat, stroller, diaper bag, and a few other things, we quickly ran out of room. I'm ae bout 6 feet tall (all legs) and have to move my driver's seat almost all the way back to drive the Civic and that would intrude into the rear passenger's leg room. When my wife was sitting behind me, she said that there was more legroom in our older '97 Civic. If the baby seat was behind me, it would also be a tight fit for it as well as the seat back intrudes with the top of the baby seat. After our little test, we decided that we needed a bigger car and looked up another class in size at the Camry, Accord and Malibu.

The Malibu was a pleasant surprize in LTZ trim. Good power and better than average interior for the most part. It also drove quite well but I was able to hear some road noise/squeaks from the rear and drivers side of the car. This is possibly the best mid size american car that I have ever driven and I've owned and driven many GM products before in the past. My wife didn't like the seating position and the dash and I was not too crazy about the instrument cluster and shifter area. The notion of owning another possibly unreliable american car also shifted us away from the Malibu.

We ended up with the Accord. We thought the Camry was nice, but it's been out for a while now and they are everywhere here in Vancouver. My friend even has a red 2008 Camry SE so we wanted to be a little different. Overall, we found the Camry LE and XLE to be a bit on the boring side. Be advised that the SE does not have a fold down rear seat. Overall trunk size is larger in the Camry by 1 cubic feet vs the Accord.

The Accord interior had a more open feel to it compared to the Camry. Although the new Accord is physically larger than the Camry, it doesn't drive like a big boat and handles well for a car it's size. We were also more in favour of the Accord's overall styling. At first, the center stack controlls seemed a bit 'busy', but after using it , I found all the large buttons very useful and I did not have to hunt for the feature I wanted.

Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with either the Accord or the Camry if your main goal is to move people around from a to b. Bring all of the stuff you would have if baby was there (diaper bag, stroller, car seat, hot water jug, etc), load up the cars and take them out for a test drive. That's what we did.

[sunnybono]

Hi!

I am expecting a new first baby next month and I am considering buying a new family car. I am considering buying a car from below brands : Camry, Accord, Mazda3, Civic.

Which car would you like to recommend? Do you guys think Mazda 3 is good enough for family car? The mazda is currently giving pretty good financing rate unlike 2009 Toyota Camry.

What about Camry or Accord? Camry seems a lot chaper than Accord. Which car is do you think better for a famaily car?

As for Civic, the insurance rate is very high compared with other cars. And I think the interior space is very limited.

Please give me some information..

I have had all 3 cars one time or another in my years of driving and based on my experience I would never buy another Mazda again. They are generally pigs on gas and most common parts on a Mazda compared to the other 2 are more expensive!!!!!!

sk

[hightech]

Thanks for every good info.

We just narrow down to Camry and Accord. I've driving two different Camry cars: '02 and '90 for the last 4 years. All the two models have some problems... It's not an engine or transmission problems... but my Camry had lots of minor and inexpensive repair problems: electronic matters et... I don't know about 2008 or 2009 Camry.. Any upgrade??

As for Accord, I know the reputation of Honda... Do you guys think Accord is much more reliable than Camry? High price actually pays off? I really hate visiting service center and wait long hours...

Can I have any more advice from Accord or Camry drivers??? And how much can I get discount for Accord or Camry? Is the profit margin for the Accord or Camry is somthing like 7 or 8 pecent above invoice price?

I just sent you PM.

I have a 02 Camry LE V6 made in Japan (first digit of VIN number is J).

What issues did you have with your 02 Camry and what did it cost to fix?

[gilboman]

Thanks for every good info.

We just narrow down to Camry and Accord. I've driving two different Camry cars: '02 and '90 for the last 4 years. All the two models have some problems... It's not an engine or transmission problems... but my Camry had lots of minor and inexpensive repair problems: electronic matters et... I don't know about 2008 or 2009 Camry.. Any upgrade??

As for Accord, I know the reputation of Honda... Do you guys think Accord is much more reliable than Camry? High price actually pays off? I really hate visiting service center and wait long hours...

Can I have any more advice from Accord or Camry drivers??? And how much can I get discount for Accord or Camry? Is the profit margin for the Accord or Camry is somthing like 7 or 8 pecent above invoice price?

toyota is a little bit ahead of honda in terms of reliability from dependability studies, but really, the difference is negligible IMO.

buying a camry over an accord or vice versa wont really have much difference in the likelihood of problems you will have.

so no, an accord is not more reliable than a camry, they've both had degrees of issues, but they are pretty much can't miss buys if reliability and quality is an important factor to you.

[IoannI]

My cousin has an Olds Alero, not that much leg room in the back. She also has a 3 month old son. Her and her husband manage with the car. Of course they also have a Nissan Maxima, but they never use it when the baby is in the car. Both of my sisters are in booster seats and I drive a Corolla, and it does the job they don't complain and I have the seat almost all the way back (as I am on the tall side). Anyways what I'm getting at is you can manage with a car as small as a Mazda 3. However, when the baby gets older he or she is going to need more leg room in the back. So a you might want to consider the Camry or Accord for the long run. But whatever you choose interior wise you can manage. You might want to check out the trunk space, because baby strollers are very bulky and take up a lot of space.

[belgiangenius]

Go and test drive a Ford Fusion. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

[googoo]

I'll throw a little twist into this discussion.

My buddy just picked up a 2007 grand prix for $17000 on the road!

His even had a power seat, working XM radio, and traction control + all the regular power toys.

It has 30000 KM on it

Great deal.

http://www.georgianpontiac.com/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx

Brent

[gilboman]

Go and test drive a Ford Fusion. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

i know..at how poor that thing is. i went in with some expectations with it being based on mazda 6 platform and euro inspired "handling" and styling.

but what an utter and huge dissapointment it was. handled poorly, didn't feel stable on the highway and the interior had more low quality hard plastic than a fisherprice toy.

[bluestreetlight]

I used to drive my 03 Camry to downtown, and I felt like I was a taxi driver.

[masuk]

think how much time you will spend inside the car........camry might lacks the sporty feelings:cry: but it's a solid car and roomy:lol:

[rfdrfd]

I was surprised that your 2 previous (older) Camry's had problems. My parents had driven (and driving) 2 generations of Camry's and zero problems. I mean zero. They do the normal recommended servicing, and never had any engine, minor or major things to fix.

Camry or Accord, both top top. So ask yourself, which one looks better to you? Just pick that one.

[vi3t]

Thanks for every good info.

We just narrow down to Camry and Accord. I've driving two different Camry cars: '02 and '90 for the last 4 years. All the two models have some problems... It's not an engine or transmission problems... but my Camry had lots of minor and inexpensive repair problems: electronic matters et... I don't know about 2008 or 2009 Camry.. Any upgrade??



My uncle bought the 2009 Toyota Camry a week and a half ago and has no problems yet. But i heard the transmission problem has been fixed.

For the repair problems ... in my opinion, I find even the expensive cars like BMWs and Mercedes has a few minor problems too ... like cars can't be perfectly/100% trouble free.

[VivienM]

My uncle bought the 2009 Toyota Camry a week and a half ago and has no problems yet. But i heard the transmission problem has been fixed.

No problems on a car that's ONE AND A HALF WEEKS OLD??????????????????

Is that really SURPRISING?!

[bestjsg]

I have 2 kids with 2 car seats at the back, a huge truck/cargo space which I can fit 3 big suitcases with no problem, most important thing is that I don't have to bend down to put the babies into the car, honestly if you have babies/kids who still use a car seat , better get something that is higher/taller so you won't hurt your back.......if you have the budget (which really isn't a lot if you choose to lease it - comparable to most other cars mthly payment since MB has higher reseller value and quite low interest rate right now), don't want a mini-van (I had that previously...errr felt like I was 50) , good on gas (9.8 L/ 100 km), ok on power (193hp)...consider my car....just my 2 cents...I still couldn't find another vehicle that fits my family use better at this point...

[Mit_LanZer]

test drive mazda 6. it has so much room inside. i been in it a few times and i loved it. The hatchback where the trunk opens up has so much cargo room. try it if not

[MrDisco]

Let me help you... why not consider the GM W body

hahaha. Down with the W!

I've been cross-shopping sedans for a while now. my quick opinions:

Malibu
-too narrow. I felt cramped in
-cheaper plastics used in some areas
-rear bench does not fold down
-awkward location of rear door lock
-StabiliTrak standard on the 1LT and higher models
-spirited engine in the LTZ trim (similar to that used in the CTS)
-low financing rates
-probably the best made sedan GM has released in a long while

Accord
-1st year for this gen, which traditionally you should avoid.
-Consumer Reports top pick for 08 (buy the April 08 issue when it comes out)
-cylinder deactivation on the v6 engine
-very spacious
-questionable exterior styling
-tiny buttons for the radio/hvac
-standard stability control across the line
-a little nosier and harsher ride vs the Camry
-Honda continues to cheapen out in some areas (gooseneck hinges for the trunk, lack of a trunk liner on the 4 cylinder model, etc)

Camry
-very spacious and comfortable.
-dead simple controls. nice large dials to use with gloves on (le, se trim)
-annoying details: gooseneck hinges for the trunk (cuts into trunk space when loaded), driver's side door pull which prevents you from resting your arm on the door rest, opt. ESC on the base trim :(
-lingering issues with the transmission. i personally found the 4 cylinder engine to be weak with a noticeable lag in power delivery (compared to Honda's 4). for someone used to a big v6, the 4 was a complete turn off.
-very cheap looking interior. Toyota is approaching the great grey, misaligned plastic era of the 90s (see: GM's W body as the grey plastic champ)
-has an additional air bag for the driver's knees
-smooth, pleasant ride
-ubiquitous. the Japanese version of a Buick.

Sonata 09 (coming late June)
-fantastic interior. easily surpasses the Honda and Toyota in a few areas
-spacious all around, with gas struts for the trunk lid
-standard equipment champ
-lingering bias with the nameplate
-pricing that will no doubt give the competition a run for their money

Impala
-quite roomy with one of the (if not the) largest trunk in its class. perfect to swallow up strollers. unfortunately the large trunk space eats into the interior volume
-big smooth engine (sadly the power is going to the wrong set of wheels)
-low financing with room to bargain with on pricing
-cheap plastics on some of the dash trim
-LTZ comes very well equipped, including a hidden storage area in the trick rear bench.
-pleasing exterior only to be marred by the countless orange models that you'll meet in downtown city areas (aka Taxis)

Altima
-too small for my liking
-i refuse to go with a CVT transmission. they cost more to repair and they feel odd when driving
-not that much cheaper once you start adding in the options

Mazda 6
-hard to get excited over the current gen after seeing pics for the new 09 model :)
- one of the weaker v6 out of the bunch

[VivienM]

Malibu
-rear bench does not fold down

Are you sure on that one?

[adwoodw]

Are you sure on that one?

When I looked at an LTZ, they had 60/40 split seats. I was told all of the 08Malibu trimlines had split 60/40.

By the way, the Accord has rather large buttons for HVAC and Radio if you are speaking of the 2008.

[TerryB]

Also note that the 3 is not as fuel efficient as the civic, so I think the 3 loses in all ways for you. I think you'll end up with a Camry.


Duh, Yes the Mazda3 is not as fuel efficient as a Civic...Gee, maybe that's because the Civic has a smaller engine with no torque ??

[TerryB]

Hi!

I am expecting a new first baby next month and I am considering buying a new family car. I am considering buying a car from below brands : Camry, Accord, Mazda3, Civic.

Which car would you like to recommend? Do you guys think Mazda 3 is good enough for family car? The mazda is currently giving pretty good financing rate unlike 2009 Toyota Camry.

What about Camry or Accord? Camry seems a lot chaper than Accord. Which car is do you think better for a famaily car?

As for Civic, the insurance rate is very high compared with other cars. And I think the interior space is very limited.

Please give me some information..



Maybe the new Matrix with the 2.4L?