Protege5_TO

If you were in the market which one would you go for:

Ford Mustang or Mazda6?

Thanks,
Protege5_TO

JJB

four doors would be a requirement for my car... so that anwers that.

Redfyre

Hands down MAZDA6! My fiance has a mustang. I hate it. My next car will be the 6.

mygreenmazda

The mazda6 should be your pick or I'll kill you, j/k. But really think about it mazda 6 is a great car to have, its four doors, fast and most important reliable, I hope that you get a mazda6.

pluto316

Mustang GT > Mazda 6

Mustang 6 cyl < Mazda 6

gcs118

Don't forget after all that the Mustang IS a Ford product

00117064

I take the mustang GT over the mazda for the fuel economy
No joke my car pump gaz as sh$t

PuPPet

Mustang... my backup guitarist has a mustang gt that is just pimp shi

Tom Slick

if you are considering a 6 cyl mustang then don't get a 'stang. the GT is a very nice car that is well built. consider that it really only holds 2 adults, if you are concerned with that.

if you want 4 doors then get a 6. it really depends on what you are going to use it for.

btw my protege5 replaced my wifes 6cyl mustang.

99Silverbullet

These cars are really not in the same class are they?

If you can handle only 2 usable seats, and a RWD car for when it rains and snows then get the Mustang. It has to be a V8, GT or Cobra!

I will tell you this though, I daily drove my 99 GT for 3 years before I got a protege as my daily driver. It was cool most of the time, but not very comfortable on long trips. In the first year I had it I got pulled over 11 times. Only got one ticket for my licence plate not being affixed to the car after I had some work done, but it is just a cop magnet. I got pulled over for everything. I never got any tickets, but it still sucks.

I love it more now then I did. It is a fun 2nd car, but If I had to drive it everyday I would get something else.

I drove the Mazda 6. It is a nive car. It handles well and is comfortable.

The one I drove was 27K. There are alot of cars out there for that money. Hell, I only paid 19.5K for the Stang brand new with all the options except auto.

carguycw

How can you really compare the two? They're apples and oranges. The 6 is a practical mid-size FWD sports sedan; the Mustang is a stylish RWD muscle car. The two cars drive, look, and feel totally different.

Here's my plus/minus chart:

Speed: 1) V-8 Mustang, 2) V-6 Mazda6, 3) V-6 Mustang, 4) 4-cyl Mazda6. [Personally, I would never buy a V-6 Mustang because IMHO it's not fast or fun enough to mask the car's other flaws, but that's just my opinion.]
Handling: Mazda6. [1978 Fairmonts don't handle.]
Brakes: Mazda6.
Comfort: Mazda6. [Mustang interior just sucks, backseat is a joke.]
General ergonomics and build quality: Mazda6.
Practicality: Mazda6.
Fuel economy: The "Speed" chart, in reverse.
Cost of ownership, disregarding fuel economy: Roughly equal.
Styling: Mazda6.
Image: Mustang.
Heritage: Mustang.
Resale value: Mustang.

Personally, I would get the 6, but there ain't nothing like a RWD V-8 muscle car if that's your cup of tea. Also, the 6 can't hold a candle to the Mustang's image and heritage, no matter how good it is (just like how a Japanese cruiser motorcycle will never be a Harley, no matter how good it is). Really, it'a question of what you want. FWIW.

BarryG

I think this is a pretty fair estimate. But having owned a '92 Mustang GT and a '00 Z28 both with mods, I would say get the Mazda 6. It won't be as flashy or as fast but it will feel like you're driving a real car with real quality and real responses. I test drove a new Mustang GT and it felt like a cheap piece of crap with a big engine.....that will suck gas like no tomorrow. A real driving experience is more than just a fat engine. Mazda engineering is far superior. I'd take my Protege ES over a Mustang GT any day!

Padanky

I was looking at a Consumer Reports magazine today, they say to stay away of Mustangs!!

Mark_02DX

Depends on the year. New - Mazda 6 hands-down.

But if you're talking about a '67-70 Mustang, that's a whole other story...

ProtegeMaster

The Mustang has demonstrated a consistent history of Worse Than Average reliability, on top of being a comparatively old design hidden under updated sheet metal. It's a poor handling vehicle designed primarily to be straight line fast, per typical, boring muscle car characteristic. Aside from an attractive exterior appearance, I've never been impressed by this car.

Consumer Reports said it best when they indicated, "The base model's 3.8-liter V6 generates more noise than power. The 4.6-liter V8s are much stronger and more in character with the car. Unfortunately, only the top-of-the-line SVT Cobra version gets an independent rear suspension. The manual transmission is balky, and the clutch feels heavy. The front seats aren't especially comfortable, and neither one scoots forward to allow for easy access to the rear."

I personally believe the Mustang has such a strong following because of it's history as a pioneer in delivering powerful performance to the masses, as well as it's American base, which many get all pumped up and patriotic about. The relatively affordable nature of this car, coupled with it's power, make it appealing to many people who place their absolute emphasis on horses and nothing else, as well as those who have no frame of reference in knowing what a truly great vehicle delivers. Mustang is largely riding on historical hype rather than real excellence.

For those who appreciate comfort, handling, comparative efficiency, quality, and reliability however, the Mustang should immediately present as a poor choice based on its sad deliverance of these aforementioned characteristics.

I, obviously, would buy a Mazda6 over a Mustang without wasting a nanosecond debating the issue. I'm far to demanding, practical, and perspicacious to buy otherwise.