Topic: Ford Fiesta vs Mazda 2?

[johngenx]

... but there is fuel economy...

Our Corolla has an old fashioned four speed, and achieves better fuel economy than most cars.

While I do like the 5 or 6 speed units, many makes have had problems with them.  Same with self-shifting "manual" trans units.  With AT repairs costing the GDP of some nations, I want a well made reliable unit.

[Ontariodriver]

My sister owns a light blue mazda 2 and she very happy with it. she paid 7,500 pounds and thinks it's great, good value, good on petrol. She hasn't said all that much about. accept it comes in nice colours and she enjoys driving it and can see out very well in tight parking spots. The fiesta she wasn't keen on. To hard to see out of and for parking in tight Euro streets it also cost a lot more. I more a Fiesta man myself if I has too choose between the two. The thing I worry about will these Fords. The Focus and Fiesta will they be reliable considering that they built here in NA. That hasn't bowed well for ford in the past. The Fusion being the  "acception" to the rule! Because it will killed Ford chances of dominating the domestic market so the Fiesta better be good.

[PlanB]

I would be a little skeptic about getting into a Ford with a newly designed engine. Many new cars built on a freshly designed engines have problems within the first year. Yes you have warranty, but wouldn't you rather be driving? I would.
 

From what I read this model of Ford has been on sale in Europe for quite a while now and has been a huge success there.  One would think that the 'new-model kinks' would be worked out by now.  Ford's reliability and long-term service issues have improved significantly in recent years, so in that respect I don't think Mazda has that big and edge IMO. 

[johngenx]

We owned some Mazdas in the past, and loved them.  Built like brick $hithouses, they were awesome.  But, the last few years seems to have some so-so reports concerning their products.

I'd pick the Ford.