2016 Honda Civic vs Mazda3 Sedan Comparison

[Gavnzdad]

Is it just me, or does the Mazda 3 look like something that would've been drove 15 years ago, where the Honda looks more modern?

Also, our closest Mazda dealer is 75 miles away. Chances are it wouldn't happen, but if I needed warranty work, that's quite a distance. I think about little stuff like that.

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[Froggie]

Yes, the Honda Civic looks more modern to my eye.

I was all set to like and buy the Mazda 3; it gets great reviews and some people recommended Mazda to me. But when I went for the test drive I didn't like the following: the sticky-up dashboard screen, the feel of the plastics (esp. the steering wheel), the perceived heaviness of the vehicle (especially for a hatch which should feel light and nimble). To each their own, but for me those issues cooled my initial enthusiasm for the Mazda and I looked at other possibilities.

 

[skittles]

Nope...Honda civic is way better, especially the exterior appearance.

 

[jrasero23]

2016 model year pricing for the two competitors compare as follows:

2016 Civic sedan:

LX 2.0L w/ manual - $18,640
LX 2.0L w/ CVT - $19,440
EX-L 1.5T (fully spec'd) - $24,700
Touring 1.5T (fully spec'd) - $26,500


2016 Mazda3 sedan:

2.0L 155hp model w/ manual - $18,665
2.0L 155hp model w/ auto - $19,715
2.5L 184hp model w/ auto - $25,615


Your quotes seem very off

a 2016 full loaded Civic Touring Turbo TrueCar NYC
$25,525
MSRP $27,335
Factory Invoice: $25,444

2016 fully loaded Mazda 3 S Grand Touring 2.5 Sedan w/ Tech
$27,617
MSRP $29,450
Factory Invoice: $28,283


Either way the Mazda is more money. The only reason I would pick the Mazda 3 over a Civic at this point would be due to needing a hatch, but if you wait the Civic will have a hatch variant in a few months. So Civic all the way

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[VarmintCong]

I ruled out the 2017 Impreza cause of the lack of power after driving a 2016 5 speed manual. (the 2017 gains 4 hp)

So I'm down to a Mazda 3S GT or Civic 6MT Sport. I was very pleasantly surprised driving the 6MT Mazda 3, the shifter is very nice, and very forgiving, like when downshifting. It's a fun car to drive with decent power. And it has so many features - the 2017 has reduced NVH, has a color heads up display, and a new center console more like the Civic, with an e-brake. It's a real driver's car.

But here's why i'm still leaning Civic - the Mazda feels like the 2016 Impreza - it feels last gen - the Civic just feels like a new gen car, much stiffer body, more refined, bit roomier, much better MPG etc. It makes the Mazda and Impreza feel old - both are 4-5 year old models after all. But if I test drive the 6MT Sport and don't like it for some reason, I'll get the Mazda 3, it's a great car.

 

[Dicecube]

I ruled out the 2017 Impreza cause of the lack of power after driving a 2016 5 speed manual. (the 2017 gains 4 hp)

So I'm down to a Mazda 3S GT or Civic 6MT Sport. I was very pleasantly surprised driving the 6MT Mazda 3, the shifter is very nice, and very forgiving, like when downshifting. It's a fun car to drive with decent power. And it has so many features - the 2017 has reduced NVH, has a color heads up display, and a new center console more like the Civic, with an e-brake. It's a real driver's car.

But here's why i'm still leaning Civic - the Mazda feels like the 2016 Impreza - it feels last gen - the Civic just feels like a new gen car, much stiffer body, more refined, bit roomier, much better MPG etc. It makes the Mazda and Impreza feel old - both are 4-5 year old models after all. But if I test drive the 6MT Sport and don't like it for some reason, I'll get the Mazda 3, it's a great car.

Well put. I bet the 6MT over cvt civic will make the Civic be the better choice in the end. I always thought the 2016 civic ex felt like a 2016 Corolla and a 2016 Mazda 3. The turbo civic is amazing though but the cvt kills the driving experience. If I didn't live in a stop and go, bumper to bumper city, I would love a manual transmission.

 

[mvance30]

Well put. I bet the 6MT over cvt civic will make the Civic be the better choice in the end. I always thought the 2016 civic ex felt like a 2016 Corolla and a 2016 Mazda 3. The turbo civic is amazing though but the cvt kills the driving experience. If I didn't live in a stop and go, bumper to bumper city, I would love a manual transmission.

as someone who loved the mazda brand, who sold mazdas (including the newest versions) and isn't much of a fan of Honda, I'd pick a manual civic turbo over a mazda 3. If it was a lease then its up to you, but if I was buying, for sure a civic.

 

[VarmintCong]

as someone who loved the mazda brand, who sold mazdas (including the newest versions) and isn't much of a fan of Honda, I'd pick a manual civic turbo over a mazda 3. If it was a lease then its up to you, but if I was buying, for sure a civic.

The 1.5T has way more power and way better MPG than the competition. I think Mazda's next gen 3 will compete better. Kind of like the new Impreza, it simply can't compete with the Civic til they put a turbo in it.

 

[Ethan]

Planning on making this decision for myself sometime in the future. We already have a 2016 Mazda 3 and I've had extensive seat time in the 2.0 Civic but I want to get behind the wheel of the 1.5T 6MT combo and the 2.5 6MT Mazda 3.

I have 100,000 miles on my 2010 3 and it's been excellent so reliability is a wash between the two cars. Mazdas engines and transmissions have been around a while and have proven reliable. You can get a fully loaded Mazda 3 with a stick which is extremely appealing (my current 2010 3 is the same trim). That said I think I'd go for the 2.5 Touring Hatch which has plenty of kit (Leather, rain sensing wipers, power seats, bose sound system, sunroof, etc) and the MSRP is $23,000. The EX-T is pretty well equipped too... I would just need to add a leather rapped steering wheel and a few other little things.

Honda give me an EX-T equipped Sport Hatch with a manual please lol

 

[VarmintCong]

Planning on making this decision for myself sometime in the future. We already have a 2016 Mazda 3 and I've had extensive seat time in the 2.0 Civic but I want to get behind the wheel of the 1.5T 6MT combo and the 2.5 6MT Mazda 3.

I have 100,000 miles on my 2010 3 and it's been excellent so reliability is a wash between the two cars. Mazdas engines and transmissions have been around a while and have proven reliable. You can get a fully loaded Mazda 3 with a stick which is extremely appealing (my current 2010 3 is the same trim). That said I think I'd go for the 2.5 Touring Hatch which has plenty of kit (Leather, rain sensing wipers, power seats, bose sound system, sunroof, etc) and the MSRP is $23,000. The EX-T is pretty well equipped too... I would just need to add a leather rapped steering wheel and a few other little things.

Honda give me an EX-T equipped Sport Hatch with a manual please lol

What's your feeling on which car will be more fun to drive, 6MT Civic Sport or 6MT 3 sGT?

 

[VarmintCong]

2017 Mazda 3 lost 2mpg, it's now 25/33 for the 6MT. The 1.5T is just an amazing engine.

Nav and LEDs are now a $1600 package. The color heads up display is really cool, but I might find it distracting, and lack of Carplay still sucks.

 

[cycledrum]

Lemme see, difference between Honda Civic and Mazda 3 ...... big difference in parts and engineering quality. Have fun doing lots of repairs to the Mazda once it's over 100k miles.
I've talked to quite a few independent mechanics, asked them, what's the most reliable for the buck car brands .... Honda, Toyota, Honda and Toyota....

I'd mention VW .... Mazda .... Nissan ... they just shake head, uh, no.

 

[regularguy]

Lemme see, difference between Honda Civic and Mazda 3 ...... big difference in parts and engineering quality. Have fun doing lots of repairs to the Mazda once it's over 100k miles.
I've talked to quite a few independent mechanics, asked them, what's the most reliable for the buck car brands .... Honda, Toyota, Honda and Toyota....

I'd mention VW .... Mazda .... Nissan ... they just shake head, uh, no.

I've owned about 7 Hondas and 5 Mazdas over the past 20 years and done repairs and maintenance on them myself. I haven't noticed a huge difference in quality myself. The only weakness that I've observed has been the auto trannies; went out twice on my Mazdas, never on a Honda.
Having driven both the '16 Civic and 3, I'd agree that the redesigned Civic definitely has the edge between the two. Feels more modern and upscale.
One thing that I would note is that resale is typically higher on Honda. If I were shopping for a reliable used car that I wanted to keep for a while, I would definitely go Mazda over Honda for this reason. You could probably get a Mazda 3 that's three years newer than an equivalently priced Civic.

 

[Civics4Ever]

Looks are an important part to me. Mazda looks ugly. Front nose big black grill, yuk. The rear not much better. Easy choice.

 

[RobbJK88]

I love the look of the new mazdas... but they (and so many other automakers) don't offer a compact coupe version of their sedans. Pretty much down to the kia forte or a now out of production scion tC when it comes to affordable coupes.

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