Let me know if you have any experience\ thoughts \recommendations regarding Mazda 3, especially skyactiv line of engines which I believe has started in 2011; we are looking 2014 model for my wife;

My primary concerns are DI injection and very high compression: 13:1

Thanks in advance!

Was looking as well with my sis. Ultimately decided the 6 was worth the small price difference. Much more and better car for the dollar.

don't do it...brand new mazda 3 really? I mean if you love it do it! But why brand new obviously you have good credit and can get a loan on a 2014 but why not buy Brand Spankin' used....pick up a 2008-2012 with super low mileage let someone else take the hit off the lot and eat the depreciation off top and you get a used car loan pick up the car private party avoid cashing out uncle sam and you get a much nicer car with say 30-40k miles on it sell it when it gets close to 80k I mean wouldn't the wife prefer say a lexus IS250 maybe a Toyota Camry or Avalon? Shit Im an evo owner and the new WRX's look mighty nice. Maybe even an B7 Audi A4 much nicer cars then the mazda 3 just my rant/opinion let us know what you decide

Thanks you both for your input;
In case of my wife she likes small cars (preferably with sporty feel to it as well not mainstream (boring) appeal); and by small cars I mean small… late models of Camry, Mazda 6, Altima… etc. are out because of the size.

Gas mileage and ability to use regular gas removes many cars from the search; that is why Mazda 3 appears as almost the only remaining choice…
We also looked at Acura ILX and she liked it, but it is too small inside (l lot smaller inside than Mazda 3);

I am not opposed to buy used at all (1-3 years old) if we come across a good deal; I actually always did that with all of my cars, but my wife likes the new 2014 Mazda 3 and obviously there are no too many used ones yet…

Thanks again!

I like the Mazda 3 a lot; it handles really well and feels like it is in a different class than the Honda Civic or especially the Toyota Corolla. I do have one concern though, and that's the direct injection. Newer cars that have it are having valve deposit problems because with DI you don't have fuel keeping the valves clean. I ended up buying a new Acura TSX instead because it still has the old-school non-DI engine. The Acura ILX is non-DI as well.

Do some research on DI and see what you find. Otherwise, it's a great car.

First of all thanks for your reply!
DI was my primary concern as well (see my original post) and very high compression: 13:1 in Mazda 2014 and 12:1 in all DI engines before that…

I have done a lot of research about DI before posting question about Mazda 3…
Many companies have deposit issue with DI for the reason you stated.
Primarily it effects European cars (Audi and WV).. but even Lexus IS250 struggles with that (just FYI: IS350 have additional throttle body injector to clean intake valves)

Mazda did something totally different with their DI: they actually made the intake valves run hotter… at the 400 degrees; at that temperature carbon stay in liquid form and do not deposits on the valves;
Sounds like a very risky idea and I just hope Mazda did they home work.. time will tell I guess.