like everyone said above they are not in the same class, personally if i could i would go for a new WRX simply because it's faster stock than a Mazda 3. Faster stock means less warrenty stuff to deal with when modding.

want comfort/practicality? go for the 3

want proformance? go for the WRX

 

i still say that if you buy the m3 and you put a custom turbo, a cold air intake, and the catback ex, you have a better car, you get a more comfortable car, with better performance, and cheaper like 2 or 3 g's less, so yeah my advice is still the m3, and cheaper insurance.

 

Let me cover the last 4 years of my car ownership.

Aug 2001 - jan 2004
Protege es 2001, loaded, stick, lots of mods. I loved this car not fast but fun. I put 60k on it with LOTS of mods and it never flinched. Then came some really bad snow and in the same week I got stuck 3 times. So I traded her in.

Jan 2004 - Oct 2004
WRX wagon 2002, base, stick. I got a wrx for the extra space and the AWD. After some mods the car's ride was worse than my protege, the interior had 37 different things rattling, and the seats were crap for a long trip. Factor in the 16-20mpg on premium and I was missing my protege. Then at 57k the tranny SHREADED on the way to the movies. I fought for the warranty and won a new tranny. Then I parted the car out and sold it.

Oct 2004 - present
2004 Mazda 3s, Black, leather, loaded.
LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT. The week I got her I saw a guy pushing his new Jag off the road. I stopped and gave him a lift to the gas station (he ran out of gas). On the ride he said, "Damn this is a nice car son, is this that new Infinity?". Nope, just a mazda.

 

Even if this was a made up story, which Im not saying it is. I like it!

 

well I don't have picts of the guy who ran outta gas in his x-type, but I do have picts of my rides.