 I've had my 6i hatch (auto) for over 10 months and put on almost 14K miles. Mazda got it right! I'm a former Honda Civic owner (15 years, 3 Civics) who wanted more features and horsepower and did not want to lose reliability. So far, I have had no issues (other than a little sputtering in the cold with no warmup). The 6i is not as quick to accelerate under 20mph as my Civic was, but it's not a VTEC. The gas mileage truly stinks with the way I drive; I've gotten as low as 19mpg and no higher than 26.5mpg so far. Car hugs the curves, though. I wish it came in a hybrid - I'd trade this one in for it. The amount of room I have is astonishing. I recommend test driving to see if it's for you.