Actuall, the Mazda 3 shares a lot of its componentry with the NEW generation Focus (which hasn't yet been released) and the NEW Volvo S40/V40 which have only just been released. I would not recommend going for the previous versions of those cars, as they will soon be phased out, though for North America the Focus is only undergoing a restyle and will retain the old chassis/componentry for several more years.
My dad was in charge of the Mazda 6 for a while, it's a wonderful car, you might want to consider looking at the 2.3L version of that as well. If not, then the Mazda 3 is definetely a better choice than the Civic. Smoother engine, nicer looking, better handling, more space, better crashworthiness, you really can't go wrong with it.
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me-- "Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Sometimes I feel like the moon is made of cheese"
my Hindibonics-speaking Indian roommate--"Dawgs, do you have any idea how much bacteria that would take?"
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