i wouldn't necessarily call mazda that much worse than a honda or toyota. just not as consistent. some models have been known to carry more problems than others. some mazda models have been known for just as good if not better reliablity than hondas and toyotas. generally speaking, wih most any honda or toyota you buy, you can safely assume it's gonna be a reliable car. but you can only do the same for certain mazdas and not others.
on the otehr hand, all cars including hondas and toyotas are capable of being problems if not taken care of right. i'd be comfortable saying mazdas are reliable cars in general. i have a 03 miata myself and it hasn't given me any trouble so far.
