A comparison - Vibe vs Mazda 2

[Solstice06]

I used to be on this site quite a bit (user: Anegada) but dropped off the radar a while back. I just totaled my ’04 Vibe in what can only be described as a minor 3-car accident. As a replacement I decided to go with a Mazda 3 and as suggested by Joatmon I thought I would offer my comparisons of the two cars so far. I am comparing my 5-door ‘05 Mazda 3s with my ’04 Vibe. I realize that the 3s is the upper trim of the 3 but its the only real comparison since the 5 door does not come in the i-trim. When it’s all said and done however, my ’05 Mazda 3s had a comparable price to my very similarly equipped Vibe…the only thing missing was the leather seats in the ’04 Vibe.My first impression is that these two cars are not as similar as they may appear at first. The Mazda 3 is first and foremost a car while the Vibe has a much more utilitarian and crossover feel to it. Interior Design and Features:·The 3s has no home-style prong, not that I ever used the one in the Vibe, but its nice to have the option!·Storage compartments: This is where the Vibe really outdoes the 3s. In the 3s there’s no logical easy to reach place to out my cell phone, sun glasses or smokes. The Vibe had a place for all three with the armrest storage still empty. The 3s does have better storage in its doors but I’ve never viewed door storage as safe to access when driving.·Look and Feel: While it is subjective but I would say the 3s beats out the Vibe. I prefer the overall fit and finish of the 3s (barely) and I have always preferred interiors where it looks like one large front piece rather than the more modular utilitarian look of the Vibe…admittedly the Vibe’s utilitarian looks serve as a great part of it’s overall character and appeal.·Front Legroom: About even on both. While my right leg rests against the center pillar in the 3s in the Vibe my left leg would always rest against the door. About even.·Seats: About even. I prefer the slightly higher position of the Vibe but the 3s’s lumbar support (an option) is great, especially on long trips. You can crank the front seat up on the 3s while seated something that is very difficult to do with the turning knob in the Vibe. ·Rear Legroom: Hard to say (I don’t sit in the back) but I have to go with what I’ve read. The Vibe has better rear legroom.·Rear Storage: Hands down the Vibe beats the 3s. Its not even a contest. The 3s does have storage areas under the cargo floor, but they don’t come close to offsetting the overall space available in the Vibe.·Another gripe – no standard thermometer, no standard automatic lights (yep some of you may think that’s a good thing!), and no direct access to a CD in the 6 CD player (you have to cycle through them) are small but noticeable things missing in the 3s. On the flip side however, steering wheel mounted cruise control and stereo controls are big pluses.·Lastly and one of the biggest faults in the 3s, the rear seats do not fold flat. Fold flat seats are like TIVO - once you experience it you never want to go back.While the Vibe beats the 3s in some areas, the overall fit, feel and look of an interior (at least to me) is more important than storage and rear legroom. However additional small things in the Vibe like a standard outside thermometer and direct access to CDs in the in-dash CD player balance it all out. My verdict on the interior…a rather boring tie.Exterior Design:Completely subjective so I won’t even score it.Driving Experience:This is actually tougher to measure than the stats would have you think. Yes the 3s has more horsepower, more torque, and a manumatic (whether the latter is a fault or advantage is up for debate) but the Vibe was just so much fun to drive. It had very little front lean when cornering and the smaller engine actually added to the thrill of driving. However, the engine has a huge fault…the base engine anyway…its too underpowered. Cruise control constantly had to drop a gear when going up a relatively steep hill. The 3s’ bigger engine begs the question of the Vibe…why, terms of the joint venture aside, didn’t NUMMI go with an Ecotec instead of the Toyota engine?The 3s is great to drive too. Its bigger engine provides the passing ability for the highway, its cruise control does not have to drop gears as often, and the extra torque is greatly appreciated. Its hands down a better highway drive than the Vibe. However regular street driving is much more of a contest. The 3s has slightly more lean than the Vibe and with the 3s’ standard 17-inch wheels there is more road noise transmitted through the cabin. However, wind noise in the 3 is at a minimum, unlike the Vibe. The sports tuning character of the 3s just “feels” good and I am constantly left with the impression I am not utilizing all the car has to offer (in a good way). In the Vibe the “envelope” so to speak was reached quicker, something that added to the fun of driving, but sometimes left me begging for just a little more. One last thing – gas…Vibe easily wins. I averaged about 30 miles a gallon combined in the Vibe. The 3s gets about 26. Normally not a huge difference but with the prices the way they are now…we’re talking about a 2 gallon advantage in the Vibe to drive the same 377 miles you could on a full tank in the Mazda 3…that’s $6 US. Assume 377 miles a week and that’s a good $312 a year savings with the Vibe. Final verdict on driving: Verdict: Highway - Mazda 3, City/Street Driving - Vibe.All in all, both the Mazda 3 and Vibe share pluses and minus but I would probably say they are about even. It boils down to what's important to the driver as to which is better. Vibe had better safety ratings, gas use, etc,,, the M3 has a better engine and seemingly better fit and finish.

[BOZACK]

I like the Mazda 3 and was looking at it when I bought the Vibe. The Vibe won with the gas milage and the fold down seats and storage. The Mazda was just a little too small in storage for me.

[GMJAP]

Quote, originally posted by Solstice06 » You can crank the front seat up on the 3s while seated something that is very difficult to do with the turning knob in the Vibe.Making this a lever in the 05 and 06 was one of the few improvements over the 03/04.Great review, and cheers for posting it! Kinda reinforces my impressions when I considered both, though I had different priorities in making the decision. Hope you enjoy the M3 for many years.

[ramenboy...]

i agree with boz and gmj...great review!i was also looking for a 3, but there weren't any on the lot. there was a matrix and a vibe and i grabbed the vibe. both the 3 and the vibe are great cars, and like they said, storage, mpg, horsepower...it depends on the driver's priorities...drive safe!

[JohnC]

Thanks for the review...very interesting.

[Faultline]

Nice review....As you can see in my sig, I have a turbocharger on my Vibe now.I have to agree that the Vibe is very fun to drive, even before the turbo...there is just something about it, that is a blast to drive!..And for sure, that did not go away with the turbo charger.It is still a blast to drive , and even more so.I see the Mazda 3 and I really envy the 2.3 motor, i am always thinking , I wish I had that motor size, and I wish I turboed it too

[goodvibe]

Good review. It is a smaller car. Ride and road noise was actually worse than my lowered GT(except for large bumps) whem i tested. I don't agree that it leans more than a Vibe and it takes a set quicker. The drivetrain is much quieter. I prefer it to a base if you don't need the space but there really is a huge cargo and rear seat diference there. A 3 would not be large enough for me. Gas is also cheaper than a GT which is more comparable in performance since the 3 uses regular and doesn't get reved like the 2zz but the 3 is easily beat here by the base Vibe. I ended up with an 05 6 because I of size. I'm getting 24 mpg with the 6 cyl auto. Gas is costing me about the same as my GT which usually got 26 mpg premium. Missing the stick a bit but this tranny is not too bad. This drivetrain is so quiet that I'd have to look to shift. By the way, everbody with GT that's trying to use regular is missing out on the fact that premium is great deal relatively speaking since its often less than .20 more due to lacck of demand and the percentage increase over regular at the normal .20 extra is less than ever. Good luck in getting that Solstice. They're supposed to be real sports cars and not just a cosmetic exercise.