Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring

10thG

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http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/2016-honda-civic-touring-vs-mazda3-s-comparison/

2016 Honda Civic Touring vs. 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring Comparison
November 3, 2015

It’s time to update your definition of “compact car,” because cheap, basic transportation doesn’t cut it anymore. We now expect a whole lot more from our small cars. We want them to be stylish inside and out, packed with technology, and as sporty to drive as a BMW 3 Series. Oh, and they still have to be efficient, practical, and inexpensive too.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-vs-2015-mazda3-5-door-07


The 2016 Mazda3 has been winning the game for the past few years. The 2014 redesign of the ’3, long one of our favorite small cars, added standout styling and a luxury car-like list of options to the sharp driving dynamics we had always loved. We gave it an All-Star award in 2014 and named it best-in-class shortly afterward.

Honda has had a tougher time adjusting to the new compact-car ideal. Despite constant updates, the outgoing Civic was uncompetitive and boring, with a staid design, uninspiring dynamics, and outdated interior tech. But the completely redesigned 2016 Honda Civic is armed with a daring new look, a new turbo engine, and a vast array of tech to change all that. Can the ambitious Honda unseat the current king of the compact-car roost?

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-front-end


Beige and bland no more
The 10th-generation Civic’s styling makes it immediately clear that Honda is not playing it safe anymore. A fastback-like rear end, a flashy chrome grille, and swoopy headlights and taillights create a look that’s bolder and more distinctive than any Civic in recent memory. But maybe it’s a good thing that the 2016 Honda Civic doesn’t look like a Civic anymore. Even though certain angles are less than flattering, we can’t help but applaud Honda for going out on a limb with a car this mainstream.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-front-end


We’ve had a bit more time to get used to the 2016 Mazda3’s design, but it still catches our eye. Flowing character lines and sophisticated-looking chrome accents make for a more cohesive look than the Honda’s more angular, slightly disjointed appearance. At least with the hatchback version we tested (the ’3 sedan is a bit dowdier), the Mazda looks more subtly upscale than the Civic, which is maybe trying a bit too hard.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-cabin-03


The 2016 Honda Civic has made a similarly big change on the inside. The Touring model we drove boasts nicely grained plastics, expensive-looking brushed aluminum trim, and supple leather seats. The atmosphere is bright and airy thanks to a low cowl and large windows, and the simplistic gauge cluster is easy to read at first glance.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-cabin-01


The Mazda’s cabin is similarly well-trimmed, with rich-looking two-tone leather seats and an attractive dashboard. It also holds one significant advantage over the Honda: ergonomics. The ’3’s infotainment system is intuitive and logical, with a rotary controller that falls easily to hand and requires minimal distraction from the road. Things aren’t so simple in the Civic. As with nearly all new Hondas, trusty knobs and buttons have been replaced by finicky touch-capacitive controls. This adds a whole lot of frustration to simple tasks such as adjusting the volume or tuning the radio, and we frequently get lost within the touchscreen’s overly complex menus. At least the Civic offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability on nearly all trims so that you can rely on your smartphone’s familiar interface rather than Honda’s subpar system.

Fortunately, Honda hasn’t lost its touch for space efficiency. The 2016 Honda Civic’s rear seat is downright huge, putting the Mazda’s slightly cramped quarters to shame and making us wonder if it’s even worth stepping up to the larger Accord anymore. The Civic’s trunk, too, is capacious -- and there’s a hatchback version coming soon that will surely offer even more space inside.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-vs-2015-mazda3-5-door-06


Out on the road
The 2016 Mazda3 holds up its sporty reputation with crisp turn-in and a firm but not harsh ride. Its steering is precise and nicely weighted, and the whole car feels agile and lightweight whether you’re looking for a parking spot or driving too fast on a back road. It’s fun to drive, period -- not just for a mainstream compact car.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-grille

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-badge-and-tail-lam

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-wheel

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2015-mazda3-5-door-head-lam


The new Civic has a sophisticated chassis, too, but its pleasing solidity makes it feel more mature than the Mazda. The Civic remains hushed at composed at higher speeds, while the Mazda allows more road and wind noise into the cabin. You might think that the Civic is a few hundred pounds heavier than the Mazda based on its quieter and more planted demeanor, but it actually undercuts the ’3’s weight by nearly 100 pounds. That means the Honda can still hustle when you want it to. Its steering is a bit heavy but has good on-center feel, and it’s hard to upset the buttoned-down chassis.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-grille

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-badge-and-tail-lam

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-wheel

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-headlam


Despite being down 10 hp and 20 lb-ft of torque compared with the Mazda’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder, the 2016 Honda Civic’s 1.5-liter turbo-four has strong midrange power delivery that makes for better responsiveness in everyday driving. The Honda’s CVT can quickly find the meat of the powerband and deliver torque when you need it. The Mazda doesn’t lack for grunt, but it makes its peak power and torque slightly higher in the rev range, meaning there’s a bit more of a waiting game when you put your foot down. The Honda CVT’s flexibility also affords significantly higher fuel economy ratings for the Civic -- a 4 mpg advantage over the Mazda’s 31 combined mpg.

We do wish there was a way to manually control the Honda’s transmission, which sometimes causes the engine to drone unpleasantly. It does without the paddle shifters found on the Mazda, and the ’3’s quick-shifting six-speed automatic is still the better tool for enjoying more spirited driving. You can also get the Mazda with a stickshift regardless of engine choice or trim level, while only the base-model Civic LX, with its less powerful naturally aspirated four-cylinder, can be had with a manual.

Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-honda-civic-vs-2015-mazda3-5-door-03


What really matters
So yes, the 2016 Mazda3 still satisfies our inner boy-racer more than the Civic does. The ’3’s styling has also held up well over time, and its interior technology is accessible and intuitive. But as much as we continue to appreciate the Mazda’s precision and sophistication, it’s hard to deny the 2016 Honda Civic’s remarkable improvements.

For $3,000 less than the Mazda, the Civic offers a well-equipped, well-rounded package that checks nearly all the boxes. It looks good inside and out, and its new turbo engine manages an impressive balance of efficiency and power. Despite a frustrating touchscreen interface, the interior is both highly practical and convincingly premium. And most important, the 2016 Honda Civic’s confident, refined way of going down the road will make you feel like you spent more money than you did. It took a little while, but Honda has finally figured out how to get back on top of the small-car heap.


Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring 2016-civic-specs



Honda Civic 10th gen Automobile review - 2016 Civic vs 2016 Mazda3 s Grand Touring specs
 

martyr

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Nice results for the CivicX. :thumbsup: Sounds like the Mazda still has slight edge in performance and feel but the Civic is the better all-rounder, accelerates faster, feels more buttoned down, has better MPG and is cheaper to boot.
 

Design

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Fair review, and about what I expected. Civic is a bit more upscale with a more compliant chassis. Mazda 3 is more driver oriented. I think Honda found a good niche between practicality and fun.
 


Kane76

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The Civic definitely looks more expensive.
And they used the nicer looking of the Mazda3 models, the hatchback. If they had used the Mazda3 sedan it'd be a landslide win in the looks category for the CivicX
 

Tegster

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How is that an advantage?
Sounds like the article is saying that the Mazda's 6 speed auto feels better for spirited driving and the CVT is missing paddle shifters for manual control.

But they say the CVT can still quickly find the meat of the powerband and deliver torque when you need it and allows for better MPG.
 

firsthonda

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I am Still Waiting to hear the real World MPG for the Civic. I feel like if you drove both cars the exact same way the Mazda would dominate in MPG. Do we have to really baby the civic to get the good gas mileage because of the turbo? Also will the Si be a much better in the steering department and overall feel?
 


RobbJK88

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I am Still Waiting to hear the real World MPG for the Civic. I feel like if you drove both cars the exact same way the Mazda would dominate in MPG. Do we have to really baby the civic to get the good gas mileage because of the turbo? Also will the Si be a much better in the steering department and overall feel?
Motor Trend consistently averaged around 33 miles per gallon. Knowing full well they didn't baby the throttle during their tests and it was a brand new car under break in period that's pretty good if you ask me. I'm sure they have their real world mpg on their site for the 3 as well. Will be interesting to see final results, but, knowing how stringent honda is about fuel efficiency, and how it's a relatively new idea for mazda, i think the civic will still come out on top in terms of mpg.
 

Golf6

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Unless it's a Mazdaspeed 3, I don't think the Mazda3 is much to look at in either hatch or sedan form.
 

Civil

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How is that an advantage?
CVT's are to cars what Windows are to PC's: testing ground. CVT's still have a way to go in reliability. Civic's first attempt at CVT for 2014 and 2105 ended up in recalls. I won't be surprised to see recalls for the CVT's in the 2016 civics either.
 

Slickone

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CVT's are to cars what Windows are to PC's: testing ground. CVT's still have a way to go in reliability. Civic's first attempt at CVT for 2014 and 2105 ended up in recalls. I won't be surprised to see recalls for the CVT's in the 2016 civics either.
Who knows how reliable Mazda's AT's are though. When I worked at a Mazda dealer many years ago, there was never a day we weren't replacing a transmission.
Also recalls don't necessarily mean people are having reliability issues. They're supposedly using the Accord CVT now (or a version of it), which is said to be reliable.
I don't understand the Windows analogy.
 

Civil

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I don't understand the Windows analogy.
Sorry, I'm an IT guy and used an IT analogy. Microsoft Windows are known to be buggy every time they are released. Instead of spending money to the kinks out, Microsoft lets the users stress test them and find the bugs. They then start releasing updates to address the issues, which is kind of equivalent to auto recalls.
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