My Mazda 3 has served me reliably for 12 years. It rarely gives me problems, has a smooth ride and gets excellent gas mileage. I have driven it back and forth between Orange County and the High Desert (Tehachapi/Bakersfield), approximately 400 miles round trip, innumerable times and I have always felt safe in the knowledge it would get me where I needed to go. While it may not be the fanciest or most prestigious vehicle, it is very comfortable and has more than enough room for me and three other passengers. The trunk provides ample storage space for trips to the grocery store, luggage or whatever I happen to be lugging around at the time. Additionally, maintenance is fairly easy. In 12 years, I have had to replace my brakes only a few times and had to buy new tires three times. Some of the more minor things like changing light bulbs are easy enough that I can perform these tasks myself instead of having to ask a mechanic to do so. Overall, the Mazda 3 is an affordable and reliable car that does not sacrifice comfort for efficiency.

I purchased this car as a certified pre-owned and, all-in-all, I haven't had to do much in the way of repair/maintenance, and I paid cash, so I've definitely gotten my money's worth out of the car. It's not the best car I've driven, but to be fair, I haven't driven that many. In the four+ years that I've owned the cars, the brakes have held up, the engine still runs fine, and very little has had to be replaced.