Mazda3 i Sport
- Price: $18,375
- Resolution: Save money on your ride
- Gas mileage:
- City - 28 mpg
- Highway - 40 mpg
Nobody wants to pay a fortune for a new car since it loses around 20 percent of its value as soon as you drive it off the lot. The same can be said about spending money at the gas pump.
If your resolution is to save money, you are going to want a car that holds its value, gets good fuel economy and doesn't require a lot of maintenance. That's where the Mazda3 i Sport comes in. Overall, the Mazda3 came in at No. 3 in the research firm ALG's 2012 Residual Value Awards' ranking for compact cars.
The Mazda3 i Sport also boasts 40 mpg on the highway with an automatic transmission, meaning stops at the gas station will be few and far between.
But good residual value and great gas mileage aren't the only things the 2-liter four-cylinder Mazda3 has going for it. Its blind-spot monitoring system, traction control system, and Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity will give you a lot of safety value for your money.