Just another point of view.  FWIW, I owned two Corollas before my
Focus.

While I considered the Corollas' handling acceptable, the Focus's
handling is considerably superior.

Both Corollas had automatic transmission failures.  While I've had some
issues with my 2001 Focus (currently at 118,000 miles), certainly
nothing as major as that.

The Mazda 3 is a Focus.  (Actually 2nd generation platform, the same as the
Volvo S40).

NOT!  Have you driven a Corolla????  Not sporty? and yet you think it's
similar in power to the Focus?????

I took a '04 Corolla out for a week drive when my Focus was disabled after
an SUV hit me.  During a light rain, where my Focus could handle curves
with ease, the Corolla was breaking free and gave almost no feedback to me.
In other words, I could not feel the road.  Where I could go 120+ kph with
the Focus, I had to slow down to 60 with the Corolla as it floated above
the road.  To me that is ONE HELL OF A SERIOUS HANDLING PROBLEM!  Review
after review I've read backs up my assessment.  Whether it is the tires or
the general setup of the car, or more likely both.  The only person who
could love such handling is an 80 yr old fogey.  Sure it would soak up the
bumps but only to the degree that I didn't feel the road at all. Fit/finish
on the car was comparable to the Focus but a few things like driver
position and visibility are definitely inferior.  The Corolla is a bit
heavier than the Focus and has a smaller less powerful engine - therefore
in a direct comparison the Focus is faster and more agile.  The Corolla I
drove had the SAME real world mileage not "way better mileage" despite it's
smaller engine.  (I get 37-44 miles per imperial gal highway with the
Focus).

People also have a habit of negativity about NA designed cars in general -
over and beyond actual facts and figures about reliability. In other words
people opinions don't affect the reality.  If "foreign" designed cars are
so reliable then perhaps you could help explain why in my jurisdiction, the
Focus is the cheapest car to insure despite having a higher than average
population of youthful drivers.

The next gen Foci???  You mean the Euro version or the Mazda/Volvo
versions?

Actually the Focus has been on the recommended list 5 years running by
Consumers Report, only the 2000 has received a non-recommended rating.  The
reliability factor is directly traceable to the fact that Ford didn't
assign enough engineers to revise the car when porting it from Europe.  The
NA design had an entirely different drivetrain, different passenger
compartment protection, different bumpers, different paint, different
interior materials, etc.  In addition the German design/British engineering
didn't factor in the extremes in weather experienced by Canadian users
which led to further issues.  Since Ford applied more engineers and fixed
the problems, the model has experienced few and fewer problems through it's
history, with the 2003 versions and beyond are above average in
reliability.

I will attest to this from personal experience.  I have owned a Buicks, a
'98 ZX2, '00 Focus sedan, '03 Focus (until the incident with the SUV), and
my current '04 ZX5.  Same drive train in each.  No problems with the
Escort, a series of problems with the '00 and nothing on the 2 newer
versions.  I also drive on a regular basis Sebrings/Taurus/Hyundai/Altimas
as part of company's pool vehicles while the Altima feels very much like a
slightly more sophisticated version of the Focus.  The other cars are just
basic transportation - the Corolla falls in the same class.