2018 Mazda3 to Introduce HCCI Engine, Promises 30% Better Fuel Efficiency

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Finding a fun car with a sub-$400 lease payment though is a challenge.

Fiesta ST

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Fiesta ST

Or GTI

[gpomp]

Originally posted by Xtrema

Fiesta ST

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2

Or GTI

Yup

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Fiesta ST

I just looked at Car & Driver but is it true that with 197 HP that tiny little car still needs 7 seconds 0-60? How is it that slow?

I had also looked at the Focus ST but the online calculators had it over $400/mo if I recall.

Really trying to stay closer to $300/mo side which is looking to be very difficult.

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Really trying to stay closer to $300/mo side which is looking to be very difficult.

That's $100 drop will not get you anything fun.

There is no way you can get decent turbo for that price. All you get will be pedestrian 1.4/1.5L turbos or <2L NA.

Also I think someone is trying to sell a low mileage Fiesta ST in market place too for < $20K.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Xtrema


That's $100 drop will not get you anything fun.

There is no way you can get decent turbo for that price. All you get will be pedestrian 1.4/1.5L turbos or &lt;2L NA.

Also I think someone is trying to sell a low mileage Fiesta ST in market place too for &lt; $20K.

The problem is the well known $299/mo Cadillac ATS 2.0T AWD 8AT deal that is currently not available. If it was still going, I would have already signed the papers. Knowing that was available and might again sometime in the future ruins absolutely everything haha. The car is not worth anywhere near its $50K window sticker, but it's obviously vastly preferable to the econo-boxes which cost the same amount. Because of that deal, everything else seems like a rip-off and I can't get my head around it haha.

The sweet spot for most other cars seem to be $400/mo but that is more than I'm willing to spend on a car payment right now.

[pheoxs]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


I just looked at Car &amp; Driver but is it true that with 197 HP that tiny little car still needs 7 seconds 0-60? How is it that slow?

I had also looked at the Focus ST but the online calculators had it over $400/mo if I recall.

Really trying to stay closer to $300/mo side which is looking to be very difficult.

Front wheel drive + turbo = hard to get grip and to launch. Even second gear when full boost hits I generally lose traction. Keep in mind the fiesta is incredible light (2700lbs) so its very nimble in the corners and playing around but low speed it doesn't have much weight to catch grip.

Also with the gearing IIRC I have to shift into 3rd right about 85-90km, so that adds more time to get up to 100.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by pheoxs


Front wheel drive + turbo = hard to get grip and to launch. Even second gear when full boost hits I generally lose traction. Keep in mind the fiesta is incredible light (2700lbs) so its very nimble in the corners and playing around but low speed it doesn't have much weight to catch grip.

Also with the gearing IIRC I have to shift into 3rd right about 85-90km, so that adds more time to get up to 100.

Yeah that 3rd shift is probably what kills it the most. Even a Civic with the boring CVT , 200+ extra pounds, and 174hp is faster. The Fiest ST is probably more fun to throw around though.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[Team_Mclaren]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


The problem is the well known $299/mo Cadillac ATS 2.0T AWD 8AT deal that is currently not available. If it was still going, I would have already signed the papers. Knowing that was available and might again sometime in the future ruins absolutely everything haha. The car is not worth anywhere near its $50K window sticker, but it's obviously vastly preferable to the econo-boxes which cost the same amount. Because of that deal, everything else seems like a rip-off and I can't get my head around it haha.

The sweet spot for most other cars seem to be $400/mo but that is more than I'm willing to spend on a car payment right now.

you want fun and mentioned ATS?

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


you want fun and mentioned ATS?

Well it's definitely better than Mazda 3 and Civic in some regard.

And the fact is that it's a $55K car that dealer will sell it for $40K or lease it like a $30K car. Damn good bang for the bucks.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by Team_Mclaren


you want fun and mentioned ATS?

Can you find me a brand new car with a better combination of power/fun and luxury for $299/mo lease, free maintenance & oil changes? I haven't been able to find one yet. It even had AWD.

As I said earlier, I think the ATS is a very underwhelming vehicle overall and not worth anywhere near it's $50K price tag. HOWEVER, comparing an ATS to a base model Civic with no options or some other $20K econo box that also costs $299/mo, it looks pretty damn good.

A base Civic DX with zero options and a manual transmission costs more money to lease than that.

A base Mazda 3 with zero options that only costs $17,000 after incentives is still $295/mo to least for 36 months - they don't even offer a 24 month option and if they did it would be over $300. The ATS deal is insane value.

Sadly the deal is not available right now or I would have already done it.

[mazdavirgin]

Originally posted by jwslam
Not sure I would trust the insane amounts of pressure required, especially in a first gen model.

There'd be so much more integrity required in the components, most likely resulting in a heavier engine...

Tier 4 diesel engines do >30,000 PSI in the fuel rail... Should be a solved problem so I don't know that I would worry overmuch on that front.

[Darell_n]

Gasoline will also ignite at half of what diesel requires. Pressures shouldn't be an issue.