The yaris got 32mpg when tested by car and driver whereas the mini gas hog cx3 only managed 28
You buy the yaris because it is a car designed by people who cared about its handling
Another reason to look for a new car is that small cars sales have dropped, so good discounts might be available.
“You buy the yaris because it is a car designed by people who cared about its handling”
Somebody else, maybe, not me
I’m no Mazda fan . . . I didn’t drink the Koolaid
I don’t dislike the brand, but I’m not fan, either
Having a fun and exciting ride to work is not one of my priorities
It’s just not that important to me . . . and I’m not alone
So I won’t be buying a Mazda, or a Yaris, either
Yaris and handling in the same sentence ! That has to be a mistake.
Another thing to consider when buying new vs used Honda or Toyota. If some idiot totals your car your insurance company will treat you much better on a 2 or 3 year newer car with less miles on it.
They still make the Yaris 5dr hatch, the Yaris IA (Sedan) is the rebadged Mazda 2.
I can’t speak for anybody else . . . I wouldn’t buy ANY Yaris, regardless of who actually built it
You need to remember that “reliable” can often go hand in hand with how the car is driven and the maintenance regimen.
Since your planned car is apparently going to see a lot of short hop driving this may mean more regular oil changes and so on.
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Sorry, I’ve been away for a few days. Thanks to all folks who have responded. You have given me some new options and things to think about. And yes, as most of you suspect correctly, I’m not looking for high performance in this next car.
Since Mazda has divorced from Ford they have started designing and building cars that are actually fun to drive, very fuel efficient, and much more “upscale”. The difference between a 2011 Mazda 6 and a 2017 is like night and day. If you haven’t looked at Mazda in a while they are worth another look. I’m not saying you will fall in love but you might be surprised at how different they are now.
Did you miss the part where I said “fun and exciting ride to work is not one of my priorities” . . . ?
I don’t mean to sound rude by bringing it up again
I’ll just accept that you may have forgotten I mentioned that
While I enjoy my job wrenching, I’m not interested in a fun ride to work, car races, or any such things
I’ve got enough excetement and/or trouble in my life right now, I can’t be concerned about every trip to/from work being an exhilarating experience
I’ve got other interests, though, besides cars
Note to anybody reading this . . . I have absolutely nothing against the idea of having motor oil running through your veins, eating, drinking and sleeping cars, cars are your life, etc.
But it’s not me
Perhaps, but I thought we were trying to offer advice to 2davidc8. He is, after all, the OP. 
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Yes, that guy is the OP
But you guys are addressing your remarks directly at ME
I might add something else . . . nowhere in OP’s comments did he say he was looking for a car that was fun to drive. So I will assume it’s not important to him. And other people can assume something else
But a small, fuel efficient car, by default, is going to sound like a tin can as it shouldn’t be weighed down with a bunch of sound deadening material. It will have thin sheet metal where it can afford to. This is the norm be it a Toyota or a Mazda.
It may not be what everyone wants, but that’s what the op wants
My previous Corolla got excellent fuel economy . . . 37mpg, and I used ac all the time . . . and it was no tin can
It obviously didn’t handle like a sports car, but it wasn’t a rattle trap, and it wasn’t so loud that you couldn’t hear yourself think, either
The Corolla is not a small car. Even my mom’s ECHO had problem finding parking in San Francisco.
Whenever we went out to that city, we usually took my 13 inches shorter xB, despite all that clutch abusing steep hill parallel parking, because it could seat 4 comfortably(my right knee had this interesting tendency to turn off overdrive in the ECHO) and it was the shortest car we had. There’s hard plastic everywhere and the little engine buzzed at 3000 on the highway. But it could do 40mpg on the highway if I really tried.
I had no problem with it being the tin can that it was. For the money, I couldn’t find a more versatile car than that little box.
My Corolla was classified as a subcompact
How is that not considered a small car . . . ?!
If I don’t find anything smaller that I like, then yes, I may consider a Corolla. The car does not have to be “fun” to drive or have super performance. It’s for grocery shopping, doctor’s appointments, church, volunteer work, movies, maybe dining out in San Francisco (50 miles away), trips to visit my wife’s nieces and nephews at school in San Luis Obispo (about 220 miles away), things like that. It does not even have to be all that great on snow. Later on, I’ll consider a larger car for ski trips and longer road trips. But that’s a topic for another day…
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You can’t go wrong with a Honda Fit. I had a 2007 Sport model and just loved it. Fuel economy was consistently in the mid 30s or better, and I never had a problem with it mechanically.
Don’t be so sensitive you old curmudgeon!!! 
My attitude is that, when buying a cheap car, if I have a choice between two inexpensive cars with one being fun to drive and one being boring I just think it makes sense to have some fun, as long as it doesn’t cost you more. I wouldn’t pay a premium for fun (a la BMW) but a used Mazda 3 from 2012 or 2013 can be had for between $8K and $10K, if you don’t want one all tricked out. I don’t see that a Corolla is any cheaper and, in fact, most are more expensive.
I would never even consider a Yaris because in my snobby opinion that is not truly a car (defined as a vehicle I would allow my children to be inside). You can lump the Chevy Aveo in that class as well.
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