Opinions on Mazdas, Protege5/Mazda3 Options

[elvasoshexai]

I've owned toyotas basically all my life (i currently have 3)

i'm looking to get a new car... my 93 camry is getting old and parents don't want to spend more money fixing it (in the last 3 years we've had to replace brakes, fix exhaust leak 3 times, almost time for timing belt change, it needs a new steering U-joint, had to get new tires last year)

i was looking @ protege5's and mazda3's... i was wondering if anybody here has owned these cars and what they think about them... like.. reliability... etc..

i do know/notice the interior quality of both cars is pretty poor comapred to toyota (cheap seats on mazda3, cheap dash/trim parts on protege5)

also, it will be an automatic (family car, my bro and mom has to be able to drive as well)

i test drove both already... but i still can't decide... both seem kinda lacking in low end lower... similar handling...

i'm leaning towards the protege5 while the rest of my family likes the mazda3...

[elvasoshexai]

yea.. i looked @ the following cars:
03-04 accord
02-03 camry
04-05 civic
03-04 corolla
02-03 protege5
04-05 mazda3

camry is too big (even bigger than current camry.. and handles like my sienna)

civic is kinda lacking in power if you always have 4-5 people... civic handles better than camry or corolla... but is damn cramped inside...

corolla/mazda3/protege5 has about the same interior space. but the mazda3/protege5 handle better... and look nicer (even tho it looks sooo cheap)

mom likes the accord
i like the protege5
my 2 brothers like the mazda3