Should I Trade My 2018 Mazda 3 for a Hybrid Toyota Corolla?

LCarteric on 04/10/2024 - 19:27
Last edited 04/10/2024 - 20:51

Hi everyone,

I'm considering trading in my 2018 Mazda 3 for a hybrid Toyota Corolla and would love to hear your opinions. My Mazda 3 has been great, but it's already clocked 86,000 km, and I'm looking for something more fuel-efficient and eco-friendly.

The main reasons I'm thinking about switching are:
Potential long-term savings on fuel
The advanced features in newer hybrid models

That said, my Mazda 3 is still in good condition, and I've enjoyed driving it. I’m just wondering if it’s worth the switch now or if I should wait until it has more kilometers on it.

If anyone has experience with the hybrid Corolla, especially in comparison to a Mazda 3, I’d really appreciate your feedback!

Thanks in advance!

Poll Options expired

  • 76
    2018 Mazda 3
  • 3
    New hybrid Toyota Corolla
Automotive

Comments

  • GnarlyKnuckles on 04/10/2024 - 19:33
    +3

    In a way I guess it depends how much spare cash you have. The 'play it safe' option would be to hang onto your trusty Mazda for at least a couple more years. If you have plenty of cash though, the more fun option would be to upgrade, and hope the new car is hassle-free. How much did you buy the Mazda for, and how much are they offering you for it as a trade-in, by the way? What would be the total cost to upgrade?

    • Carteric on 04/10/2024 - 20:15

      Thanks for the reply! You make a good point about playing it safe. I actually bought the Mazda secondhand for $20k, and I’ve been told I could get around $17k for a trade-in.

      • srven3 on 04/10/2024 - 20:40
        +5

        3k to upgrade from 2018 car to 2023/2024 of an equivalent class is a no brainer in my opinion. If however that's not the case then not worth it. If it's a Corolla 2018 then not a chance.
        Drive the cheapest safe car your ego can afford.
        It'll filter out the women that are not worth dating and save you money for housing and holidays.

        • JIMB0 on 04/10/2024 - 20:57
          +2

          It'll filter out the women that are not worth dating and save you money for housing and holidays.

          A well maintained 15+ year old Camry is a good filter.

          • srven3 on 05/10/2024 - 09:30
            +2

            @JIMB0: I had a 11 year old Getz when i met my wife. She's a keeper

        • EightImmortals on 05/10/2024 - 06:33

          Where can you get a corolla hybrid for 23k? (or did you mean used?)

      • Murkymerv on 04/10/2024 - 23:42
        +5

        You've been told you'll get rather than what you'll get , a big difference.

      • SlartiBartFozz on 06/10/2024 - 15:19

        The fuel cost of the hybrid will be amazing but the service cost is much higher, so you're not really saving much overall.

  • fantombloo on 04/10/2024 - 19:44
    +14

    eco-friendly

    Keep your current car. Upgrade when it's no longer serviceable.

    • Carteric on 04/10/2024 - 20:15

      Thank you!

  • pegaxs on 04/10/2024 - 19:56
    +5

    I know I'm going to get negged to oblivion here and start some "i DrOvE aN *insert Chinese made car here* OnCe aS A HiRe cAr aNd iT wAs TrAsh!@!1!12@!!" drivel… but maybe consider an EV if you want something more "fuel efficient". MG just cut the arse out of their MG4 prices and made them cheaper than the Corolla Hybrid. This isnt even including the difference in fuel prices where you will make the most savings.

    86,000km in 6 years is about 14,400km/year, or about 40km a day on average, well within the range of ANY EV to manage. Hybrids take the worst of both petrol and EV's and mashes them together. You still need to service like a petrol car, but the EV part of the system is so small it has about 5km of range on EV only mode.

    Now, EV's work great if you are doing mostly city commuting and short haul work, but with a little planning, it can easily be used to go on longer trips. The other thing they dont do well is if you live in an apartment complex and have no access to a charger/power point. If you live in your own house and have off street parking, it may make more sense going EV than hybrid.

    MG4 seem to get a really good wrap in the press and from owners. You can pick up demo base models with under 1000km for well under $30k drive away. BYD Dolphin is another, but I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole until they reduce the price of the "Premium", the base model is trash. Too slow. Battery too small.

    Outside that, I own a Corolla Hybrid as well, and I cant rate it highly enough. If you have no off street parking or no access to readily available charging, Corolla any day of the week.

    BUT! in saying that, your Mazda still has lots of life in it and realistically, the most "economic" thing to do is to just keep driving it. If it isnt having issues and is running fine, just keep driving it. You dont really need to change it, as the change over costs between it an a Corolla is going to take decades before you see any ROI from upgrading for cheaper fuel.

    InB4 I get called a CCP shill, EVangelist, Tesla fan-boi, greenie/hippie, Labor voter, woke or any other derogatory term at the mere suggestion that OP should consider an EV if they are looking at a change based on "money savings".

    • Pcosmic on 04/10/2024 - 20:00
      +4

      Why you so worried about what others think?

      • pegaxs on 04/10/2024 - 20:02
        +1

        I'm not, I just think it's humorous how others get in a tizzy every time "EV" as an alternative is mentioned (especially Chinese made ones)…

        • EightImmortals on 05/10/2024 - 06:34
          -2

          And by 'tizzy' do you mean 'fire blanket'? :P

    • Gdsamp on 04/10/2024 - 20:06
      +10

      you are a CCP shill, EVangelist, Tesla fan-boi, greenie/hippie, Labor voter, wokist for suggesting OP switch to a coal powered car

    • maverickjohn on 04/10/2024 - 20:15

      id agree to this as well.
      to go up to a hybrid to save a few dollars of petrol makes no sense.
      either switch to ev or hang onto your own a little more until you get an ev you like.
      im more about the joy of riding as such id upgrade to an m340 or something fun.

    • Carteric on 04/10/2024 - 20:17

      Thanks for the suggestion, but I’m not considering an EV right now due to charging limitations.

      • pegaxs on 04/10/2024 - 22:32

        As in the car's charging limitations (time it takes to charge)? Or your personal circumstances dont allow you access to a charger (no access to charger/power outlet/street parked/apartment complex/etc.)?

      • Murkymerv on 04/10/2024 - 23:46

        Good conclusion 👏👏👏

    • serpserpserp on 04/10/2024 - 20:50

      But EV's don't go broom broom. Can't you see my issue?

  • Gdsamp on 04/10/2024 - 20:02
    +3

    eco-friendly

    Any marginal reduction in your environmental impact achieved by switching your ICE car for a slightly more efficient ICE car would by wiped out the next time you go on a plane

    • Carteric on 04/10/2024 - 20:18
      +1

      Thanks for the suggestion

  • bhubb18 on 04/10/2024 - 20:06
    +10

    Trading in a 5 year old car to get something more economical is wild haha.
    Spend another 15k to save ~2k a year?

    And the most eco friendly thing you can do is to own a car for as long as possible.

    • Carteric on 04/10/2024 - 20:18

      Thanks for the suggestion

    • techno2000 on 04/10/2024 - 20:40
      +3

      He cant even save $2000 every year driving the hybrid corolla.Not unless he spends $5000 every year on fuel in his Mazda 3.
      Meanwhile his new car will be depreciating more than $2000 every year.

    • pegaxs on 04/10/2024 - 22:00
      +15

      Wooo, I like math… let's work it out… (all average fuel consumption/prices sourced from Redbook for equal)

      2018 Mazda 3 average "combined" fuel consumption: 6.5L/100km (15km/L)
      2024 Corolla Hybrid average "combined" fuel consumption:: 4.2L/100km (23km/L)

      86,000km in 5 years = 14,400~km/year

      Mazda 3 = 14,400/15 = 960 litres of fuel a year.
      Corolla Hybrid, 14,400/23 = 626 litres of fuel a year.

      Average fuel price over past 5 years, let's say $1.65/l (low of $1.55, high of $1.75)
      Mazda 3 = 960 x $1.65 = $1,584
      Corolla Hybrid = 626 x $1.65 = $1,033
      A saving of $551 per year…

      Trade in price for a middle of the range Mazda 3 auto would be around $17,500.
      Brand new Hybrid Corolla Ascent is around $32,300 + ORC (about $34,500~ish)
      Change over $17,000…

      ROI = Change over / yearly fuel savings = $17,000/$551 or 30.85 years
      OR
      (Changeover / average cost of fuel per litre) x consumption = 237,000~km before the Corolla saved OP any money…

      • MS Paint on 04/10/2024 - 22:26

        This guy mathematicals.

        • pegaxs on 04/10/2024 - 22:28
          +2

          Corolla Hybrid makes cents, cheers!

          OP would literally have to do close to 440,000km in the Corolla to pay off the change over. :D

      • A-mak on 05/10/2024 - 18:54

        Is there any difference with insurance factored in? Might have to ask OP. Could be considerable, could be nothing or could be even worse.

    • mapax on 05/10/2024 - 12:48

      Can the negger explain the reason for the neg?

  • serpserpserp on 04/10/2024 - 20:48

    No.

  • MS Paint on 04/10/2024 - 20:49
    +6

    but it's already clocked 86,000 km

    So still good for another 250k kms with regular servicing.

  • Bignudge on 04/10/2024 - 21:54
    -1

    I read your post a few times already… and I find it hard to believe. But if it's just a straight trade without any money ontop then it's a no brainer to grab the Toyota Hybrid :)

  • TheMindsetTraveller on 04/10/2024 - 22:09

    $40k for a Corolla hybrid, or slightly more for a ZR, and wait upwards of two years, or…

    Go get a MG4 for $31k and go pure electric.

    Given that Israel has declared war against the palenstine, Iran and middle east, petrol prices are only going to skyrocket like it has this week.

    • kerfuffle on 04/10/2024 - 23:07

      It’s not slightly more for a ZR. A ZR is $45K

      Source: own a ZR hybrid sedan

    • Murkymerv on 04/10/2024 - 23:52

      What , Australia can't see its way out of that shit show ? Aren't we screwed then , not blaming Russia this time 😱

  • AustriaBargain on 04/10/2024 - 22:29
    +1

    86,000 km

    That's barely been driven. If you want to treat yourself to a new car then do it though, life's too short. We'll all have robot servants by the time we're old, the Greens PM will give them to us for free.

  • kerfuffle on 04/10/2024 - 23:07
    +2

    Your car is still young. Keep it.

    Also, depends on what trim you get for the Corolla. Ascent Sport, no

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 10:59

      Thanks for the suggestion

  • Euphemistic on 05/10/2024 - 06:28
    +1

    Hold the mazda until you can get an EV. The fuel savings will be a lot less than the depreciation and loan costs.

    Replacing with an EV is the only way youll save on fuel, even if you need to charge at the supermarket while you shop a couple of times a week. More realistically, using your average kms, you could probably charge less than once a week.

    Youve already got a fairly fuel efficient car. A hybrid wont make massive savings.

    You arent changing class of vehicle going mid size hatch to mid size hatch. Its not worth spending a bucket more unless you need more space or seats etc.

    Keep the mazda, its got at least 200k km left in it. In a couple of years it will probably be easier to charge an EV

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 10:59

      Thanks for the suggestion

  • saltypete on 05/10/2024 - 09:41
    +1

    Wait. If it's 2018 be looking closer to 2028. By that time charging limitations will be much more of a known and there'll be a lot more choice. Then buy whatever EV suits. Limiting your options to 10 yo hybrid tech for years to come would be a bit sad….

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 10:59
      +1

      Thanks for the suggestion

  • 82norm on 05/10/2024 - 09:52
    +2

    Btw. The Corolla hybrid has a very small boot too over the 3.

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 10:59

      Thanks for the suggestion

    • kerfuffle on 05/10/2024 - 13:52

      Not if you buy the Corolla sedan

  • Brucet on 05/10/2024 - 10:26
    -1

    Hybrid battery last between 5 to 10 years depend on how much you drive.Replace battery may cost you thousands of dollars.

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 10:59

      Thanks for the suggestion

    • Mugsy on 05/10/2024 - 11:53
      +1

      This is the reason that swayed me away from hybrids. I do very low kms but I still need a decent car as most of my driving will be 1hr+ away. As it is, I'm now looking at second hand petrol cars as there are so many cars that are now hybrid only. Trying to get something that lasts to replace my 15yo car… and hopefully the replacement car lasts another 15yrs+… at which point, the wife and I will probably downsize to one car only which will definitely be a hybrid/EV/cold fusion reactor or what ever the going technology is at the time.

      But for OP, I concur with those saying to hold onto the Mazda now… let the EV tech mature first. When you need to change your car, you'll be getting a better replacement.

  • 2esc on 05/10/2024 - 12:52
    +1

    "but it's already clocked 86,000"

    So you mean its only just run in.

    86,000 is nothing in that time you want something more economical but your hardly use the car anyway? Money wise you would be better to keep it.

    If you were getting close to 300,000 then I'd understand but if you have money to spend/burn in the change over go for it.

    As your not doing many kilometers I'd imagine they are city kilometers not rural so a EV could be a good option for you.

    • Mugsy on 05/10/2024 - 18:02

      Meanwhile, I'm looking at trading in my 14yo sedan that has only done 81,000kms on it.

  • deepdag on 05/10/2024 - 21:07

    Hey OP,
    I recently sold my 2017 Mazda 3 after 150k km and I really enjoyed my car till the end. No breakdowns as I serviced regularly and it cost me 8.5l per 100km so quite efficient too. You still have some good life in your Mazda. Unless you can claim the extra expense of buying new car through business or work, I would hang on for some time. That’s my 2c 😂

    • Carteric on 05/10/2024 - 22:53

      Thank you ; )

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