Costco

Grey and red! The new (?) grey looks really good.

00TL-P3.2

If only Ceramic from the MX5 & CX3 were available on other models
Ceramic on Red would be perfect for me.

West6MT

So update on where things are:

Other than what's out there right now showing up in the system, the wait will be 3+ months for red interior cars that come with the black wheels, regardless of exterior colour (builds start in April on these). Waiting that long is a bit too much realistically (wont get into why here, but there are a couple reasons).

I've asked if there might be a black with red interior with the grey wheels (early launch cars built in Dec have a grey gunmetal kinda wheel on them vs the black that the hatch should come with). Doubt that is out there.

So,...right now,.....the following are available (that I'd be interested in I think):

White with red inside and black wheels - I am unsure about the white paint, otherwise I'd have already locked one down
Black with black inside and black wheels - Nice choice, would be happy with this
Red with black inside and black wheels - Nice choice, would be happy with this (dad, wife, & good friend like this)
Polymetal grey with red inside and the gunmetal wheels - On the fence if I'd like the polymetal grey long term, but the dealer has one sitting in the showroom ready to go, so easy peasy. This colour looks better with the black wheels (I could push hard on them swapping with another car perhaps), and I'd prefer a later production date if I am honest.

Maybe I should ask about machine grey with red inside, because that might actually look pretty good.

My opinion on what I am feeling/liking changes minute to minute. sigh

Yumcha

White with red interior, bud. White cars are IMO, nice. Black wheels with a white exterior is very sharp...I would know. Both the sea cucumber and Owdee are in this color scheme for the winter -- so at least half the year.

If not, get the gray it you prefer. But, I highly endorse a white car as they are IMO, easier to care for.

Midnight Mystery

Machine Gray =

Polymetal Gray =

Midnight Mystery

Oh... And white is

00TL-P3.2

I've been thinking Polymetal was maybe what CA calls Machine Gray. Not a color option we get here, didn't realize they were 2 colors..

I still vote White/Red, SWP looks great in the sun when cleaned up. Red/Black would maybe get my #2 choice based on your above post. SRC is stunning in the sun.

Midnight Mystery

Polymetal is that weird gray, commonly found on Jeep Rubicons or anything that was made for the Marines.

00TL-P3.2

N/A in the US, only Machine Gray here. Only the sedan has the configurator for the 2019.

Yumcha

FWIW, white exteriors are easier to maintain. And you do live in a harsher climate of Canada.

oonowindoo

Agreed except for the black wheels...

I thought they look like donuts when they first introduced those and still think the same way today ... Brushed aluminum FTW

Costco

Oops, I was thinking of machine gray

I haven't seen poly metal before, just assumed it was that charcoal-looking color. Poly metal = T1000?

Actually agree with MM on this one, I like those non-metallic colors, but it looks a little odd on the 3. Not bad though.

Midnight Mystery

I think it has something to do with the 3/4 angle.

mrmako

Is the red the really nice Mazda Soul Red? That color is fantastic.

White = Meh... Very bland IMO. Only certain cars get away with it and look good.

West6MT

The red is that soul red (which I think Mazda changed slightly maybe, because it looks a bit darker/better to my eye on really new models). I was snooping around the lot last night and it was pretty darn nice looking tbh. I am tempted to get it, even though it sacrifices the red interior (only can get black for that paint colour).

I am on the fence about white. I might try to have a look at the white tomorrow morning if I get a chance. Right now, the only vehicles with red interiors available (for a long while) are white or the polymetal grey (with the wrong -ie launch colour gunmetal - wheels).

Midnight Mystery

Weird how you can't get red on red...

Yumcha

Some food for thought, sir: The interior is where you spend most of your time in your new ride. The red is something most of the cars out there do NOT have. It is super sharp. While the white exterior is not your first or second choice initially, against the backdrop of the interior color, that red will stand out even more, IMO. As I've posted, white is easier to care for as you do not see the swirl marks on the surface as easily over time versus say, black (or a darker hue), where in sunlight, unless you've done an immaculate wax job, will show. Sand-blasting, given the winters we have up here, is a factor so cars will age a bit quicker. If you were in BC like Vancity, I'd tell you to hold out for the color you want (i.e. black) but given where you are, white may make sense as you do want to keep it longer.

Obviously, get the color you want though. @Costco will chuckle but I like white because it must be a -thing since that's pretty much the only color us buy.

West6MT

wrong wheels on this pic, they come with black ones


All these Polymetal examples below have the launch wheels (except this first one, which has the black which is better IMO)

West6MT

I actually found a picture of a red car with the red interior. Must be some pre-production/journalist unicorn car that exists somewhere.

Yumcha

Costco

It totally is a thing. When I emailed dealers for my BRZ I asked for white. It wasn't until I went to the dealer to buy that I changed my mind at the last minute. Majority of my extended family has white cars or prefer them, even the second generation Asians.

My buddy even wanted white for his Tacoma, but decided against it cause a lot of our friends have white cars. His wife wants a white car next.

My cousin's Outback, white. Brother's Charger and Cherokee, both white. Cousin in law is a muscular 6'1, 200 lb dude with a white Mini Cooper his brother has a white Wrangler too, wtf.

Mom has my sister's hand me down charcoal ES, she complains about the color. A lot. Sister didn't want to hear the complaints so she got, you guessed it. Dad and the only aunt that could drive both had white Camrys. My uncle just bought a new white one.

I never really thought about it within my own circle, but noticed it otherwise. Wow. The more I thought about it, the more mindblown.gif I became. There are others too. Like 5/8 of Asians I know have that color, if bought when new it's like 3/4.

Costco

Oops on the tangent.

I had only seen that blueish looking polymetal gray, I like the way it shifts in different lighting. Probably that in first, soul red second and white third, but all really close. Can't go wrong IMO.

Just go to a lot and look at them in person when it's sunny out. Get up really close and look at the metallic flake and everything. Even at night if you're so inclined. I'm notoriously indecisive but thought white was for sure my color, all it took was one glance at a blue BRZ and within a few paces back and forth and further inspection, I decided again. Took less than 5 mins.

Also, red interior for sure. The contrast is great.

West6MT

Yeah, the polymetal looks super different depending on the light. It is nuts how much it changes.

Of course today it is cloudy, raining, terrible out. I'll be passing by a dealer soon, but the conditions are not ideal. Might still stop in and snoop around.

West6MT

You make a good point sir,...

Yumcha

Not sure if I'm making your decision-making easier...But, keep us posted, bud.

00TL-P3.2

If it's Crystal White Pearl, I say yes. If it's the base white, then it's a no for me.
Soul Red did change (in 2017 IIRC) to Soul Red Crystal, slight change in the color.
The Polymetal looks interesting, and better than Machine Gray to me.

West6MT

It's snowflake white pearl (the white paint). I don't see crystal white pearl in the config for a few other models I quickly checked. Maybe not offered anymore?
Ah,...so they did change the red. Looks better now for sure.
The polymetal is an interesting colour. I go from liking it to meh,....depending on the light/when I see it etc. I wish that grey colour VW has for the new GLI was a Mazda colour,...damn that grey looks good. Saw one this morning at the dealer I pass on the way to work. Makes me want a GLI lol (which is close on price, but is not a hatch,....and I'd have a hard time finding a VW dealer that will give me the same trade-in value/deal vs Mazda,...and I am bitter about German reliability).

SamDoe1

The GLI is the sedan version of the hatchback. GTI is the hatchback to get, and is (IMO) a much better hatch from a driving standpoint than the Mazda will be. VW offers a 6/72 warranty so to hell with German reliability. Send it.

Costco

Shots fired!

For real? 2018 A3 I drove had really quick steering and was very nimble while being stable and supple on the freeway, but felt a little numb.

SamDoe1

Shots fired in what regard? The GTI is the benchmark hot hatch and always has been, that shouldn't be a surprise to any of us lol.

I've never driven the A3 but the S3 I tried out was pretty good for the handling. None of them are going to be Porsche or BMW M level driving feel but it was pretty good.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

We traded my wife's GTI in on a Mazda3 because of the lack of German reliability; granted, the 2012 GTI didn't have the warranty of new VWs.

The above said, with the exception of the extra ~25 hp in the GTI, it is a hard call as to which hatchback is the better driving experience.

SamDoe1

The 2012 GTI was the mk6 right? The newer ones are an entirely different architecture than the mk6 models. I'd drive a newer one and compare again if I were you. The reliability is a definite concern and I wouldn't have bought mine with a standard 3/36. That said, after 6/72 I'll be ready to move on anyway so no big deal to me.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

No, my wife's GTI was a Mark 7; my brother has a 2017 "Facelifted" Mark 7 GTI and the driving dynamics are virtually identical except his is the "Performance" version and has a bit more power.

SamDoe1

If you had a 2012, you had a mk6. The first year of the mk7 was 2013 in Europe and 2014 for the US.

West6MT

I am aware of the GLI & GTI relation (which actually is only somewhat true for previous versions, but very much is the case for this newest one).

Have you driven the 2019 Mazda 3? How can you compare the 3 to the GTI if you haven't driven the 2019? I am not saying one is better than the other to drive, but genuinely asking if you are speaking from experience here, because the 19 drives differently from the 2018 I drove late last year. I haven't driven the current GTI, but have driven the modern gofl etc, and both that and the Mazda drive nicely. The Mazda reminded me of the loaner BMWs I've had quite a lot of seat time in over the last little while in terms of how it rides and in some ways handling. I will say though that the Mazda is a comfy & nice place to be (better than the VWs inside), and the steering is sharper.

GTI is more money than the GLI. Base GTI close in price to the Mazda I am going to go with. To get comparable features I'd have to spend roughly 3-4k more for a top trim GTI.

If I was getting a VW, it 100% would be a Golf Sportwagon anyway.

That VW warranty is not available in Canada. And honestly, I wouldn't even care if it was. My BMW has a 7yr 200k (124k miles) warranty that expires later this year, and I am getting rid of it right now (partially) because I am sick of going to the dealer with it for warranty repairs.

horseshoez

iTrader: (2)

Incorrect, we had a MK7.

SamDoe1

Ah, didn't connect the dots on the Canadia warranty being different. In that case, I'd rethink the decision. I haven't heard of anyone having major issues with the mk7 Golf, unlike BMWs, but I'm a risk averse person to begin with.

I haven't driven the 2019 but did drive the 2018 when I was looking for my Golf. To be honest, I thought the design change for the Mazda was last year not this year, sorry. FWIW, I thought the VW was better to drive in that it seemed to just be more spirited and wanting to have fun. The Mazda drove great, don't get me wrong, but it drove like a good solid daily driver rather than a refined performance hatch. GTI is more expensive but need to weigh that against the fun factor if that's what you're looking for but I'm really not sure why the GLI is more expensive other than a "because we can" sort of situation. I'd at least give it a go and see if it's worth the cash to you. If not, then at least you won't wonder every time you push the start button.

Ok. Must have had some pre production prototype 2012 mk7 then.

00TL-P3.2

I mean Snowflake White Pearl, but had Soul Red Crystal on the mind & mixed the 2.

SWP and SRC look great in the sun, both lose a bit of luster when dirty or with overcast skies.
From the prior photos, the Polymetal reminds me of the gray that was available on the F150 when I bought mine (completely blanking on the color name). I went with the Magnetic color, as I liked the metallic paint more than the more glossy primer look of the other gray.

Costco

You are correct, though the latest GTI I've driven was a Mk 5. It was pretty vanilla. I do want to change that, but I mentioned that once I drive something I really like, it's hard to get it out of my head.

Mk I on the other hand, very fun. Mk IV VR6, fun for what it was at the time but a total otherwise

Mazdas up until lately tended to be lacking in power but make up for it in other ways. I just feel more involved driving them.

The warranty is a huge selling point on the new VWs. Not just peace of mind but also them believing in their products to actually back that up.

Like Sam is saying, the US market gets the Golf models a couple of years later than the majority of the world. Mk VII is still very new...

West6MT

The Mazda is sort of a risk-averse type buy for me. The pendulum of priorities swung back to the reliable commuter side of things because of my BMW ownership experience and moving to a new city, which means a lot more seat time in my vehicle (even though I work at home some days now). I still wanted something nice inside and somewhat fun to drive. The new 3 surprised me at the autoshow (was not on radar at all) and it kinda hits all the boxes strongly enough to make it the best choice for me right now,......I think. I am REALLY indecisive, especially with cars. Stuff like the GLI or GTI tempt me, or the sportwagon because of the awesome cargo & non-SUV'ness of it, I have to admit. I was back and forth about things to worry/not worry much about, and kind of decided if there is a good option without a turbo, that's a better long term choice vs having more things that can go wrong (even though generally turbo engines are pretty reasonable these days on the reliability front depending on manufacturer). I struggled with considering VW's or not (Almost bought a sportwagen before I got my BMW).

Whatever I buy, I am suffering a not-insignificant power loss vs the 335, so I am not worrying too much about that. GTI/GLI would be better than the 3, of course. I sort of prioritized reliability and livability/features highest, and the 3 is strong on those. Inside, my wife said it's nicer than my BMW (can't really argue with that for the top trim), and feature wise it's on par,..12 speaker sound system, adaptive LEDs and auto high beams, touch handles to unlock car, etc,...sans a kick under the bumper to open the trunk thing. Ergonomics are very good, and it's a comfortable seat/place to be. It kind of gives me everything the BMW does, with the exception of the power (which kinda sucks, but what can you do). If I went sportwagen, the 2019's don't offer LED lights (which I do really want), and for a comparable interior/feature set it's way more money. But that might be the trade off for the sweet sweet cargo space it has. Difficult balance and equation for what to consider and ultimately buy. Already spending more than I'd really like to, so I don't want to go any higher than I already am (wife would NOT be pleased, and we try to be reasonable with purchases and spend within our means). So I am trying NOT to run out and look at anything else, because that would lead to weeks more of indecision & spending more $$$ in the end realistically. And for me mentally/time wise, I need this wrapped up like, asap.

The 2019 does drive differently from the 2018. Handling is still sharp, but it's better/more compliant over rough roads/bumps, and is definitely more quiet inside. I'm sure I'd like the GTI/GLI, and I am sure it is a more sporting drive (power wise anyway, not sure handling wise which I'd prefer). If I have time, I might check one out (GLI/GTI), although I've more or less made up my mind on the 3 and what I am getting trim/colours etc.