2019 Civic vs. 2019 Mazda 3

[IDriveACivic]

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/toy...cb16f0ca7240001cb6d5d&utm_medium=&utm_source=

Strike 2.

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[xbbnx]

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/toy...cb16f0ca7240001cb6d5d&utm_medium=&utm_source=

Strike 2.

Mazda made a big mistake going with the torsion beam rear imo.

 

[jred721]

The mazda doesnt pan out looks like. Seems that the only saving grace for that car is the interior (which is nice but cramped). The rest of the car seems to fall flat on its face according to the reviews (bad powertrain, lazy handling, cramped interior). That's why the damn corolla won against it in a comparison.

 

[McDavid]

Guess car is not living up to the hype

 

[silverrascal]

I saw one yesterday on the road. It's not as ugly in person. But the back still looks out of proportion to me. It was black so the lines blend better, imho. But in the end, I didn't have the same "I gotta get one" react like I did when I first saw a 10th gen Civic. To each their own.

 

[bbeem]

Looks like it got T-boned, twice! Whats wrong with those doors. They didn't even fix it for the review!

 

[RobbJK88]

I was surprised, to say the least, that the Civic took the win in the most recent comparison test. However... i had the chance to sit in the new 3 hatch at the auto show in early spring and while the interior looks and feels nice... it is CRAMPED.

The doors seem super small and too far forward, meaning i had to climb around the the B pillar to enter/exit the car from my usual seating position. In combination with the cheaper torsion beam setup mazda decided to use which gives it that mid corner hopping that the 8th and 9th gen civics had, and the fact the 1.5T being down on power compared to the 2.5 in the mazda yet still beating it 0-60 i'll gladly stick with my civic.

The mazda is a gorgeous car inside and out IMO... but the cheapened ride/handling and the extremely cramped interior with awkward ingress/egress would keep me from ever owning one (i'd probably go for the mazda6 instead).

 

[AquaGoat]

I test drove a 2019 Mazda3 Sport, the highest trim with all the options. Great interior, great Bose sound system, and the manual transmission felt really nice. To drive the thing was just so boring. I was replacing a base model 2010 Ford Fusion, with a 2.4L and a 6sp MT. And this thing felt just like that. It felt like a decade old Ford. I took it on the 401 (largest Canadian highway) where I do most of my driving, and once I was over about 110kph this thing had nothing left. So passing was a snooze, trying to zip in and out of lanes was terrible.

So it out featured the Civic what with the standard lane keep, adaptive CC, the HUD, blind spot warnings, far superior sound system, etc. And it has a better factory warranty. Maybe the best warranty in Canada. They don't even count mileage, just time. So if you're planning on putting a ton of distance on your car that's a big plus.

Even still, the Civic won by a mile. It's just so much more fun to drive. The steering is a lot more engaging. The 1.5T provides so much more get up and go off the line, and in the high gears as well. And the feature list on a Canadian spec Sport trim is still pretty good. CarPlay, moon roof, and smart keys, all with that wonderful manual transmission. I am very happy with my Civic Hatchback, and don't regret going with the Mazda even one little bit.

Note: I don't usually compare asthetics as they're so subjective. I think it's interesting how these two cars are at the opposite end of the spectrum though. The Mazda has almost no lines, no edges, it looks kinda...blobby. The Civic Hatchback is almost overdone with all the edges, and lines, and busy panels and whatnot. IMO the Civic won out on the looks category as well, but I can see why some prefer the subtler stylings of the Mazda.

 

[VarmintCong]

I test drove a 2019 Mazda3 Sport, the highest trim with all the options. Great interior, great Bose sound system, and the manual transmission felt really nice. To drive the thing was just so boring. I was replacing a base model 2010 Ford Fusion, with a 2.4L and a 6sp MT. And this thing felt just like that. It felt like a decade old Ford. I took it on the 401 (largest Canadian highway) where I do most of my driving, and once I was over about 110kph this thing had nothing left. So passing was a snooze, trying to zip in and out of lanes was terrible.

So it out featured the Civic what with the standard lane keep, adaptive CC, the HUD, blind spot warnings, far superior sound system, etc. And it has a better factory warranty. Maybe the best warranty in Canada. They don't even count mileage, just time. So if you're planning on putting a ton of distance on your car that's a big plus.

Even still, the Civic won by a mile. It's just so much more fun to drive. The steering is a lot more engaging. The 1.5T provides so much more get up and go off the line, and in the high gears as well. And the feature list on a Canadian spec Sport trim is still pretty good. CarPlay, moon roof, and smart keys, all with that wonderful manual transmission. I am very happy with my Civic Hatchback, and don't regret going with the Mazda even one little bit.

Note: I don't usually compare asthetics as they're so subjective. I think it's interesting how these two cars are at the opposite end of the spectrum though. The Mazda has almost no lines, no edges, it looks kinda...blobby. The Civic Hatchback is almost overdone with all the edges, and lines, and busy panels and whatnot. IMO the Civic won out on the looks category as well, but I can see why some prefer the subtler stylings of the Mazda.

I feel like Mazda got tired of winning car mag comparos and losing with customers - the last gen Mazda 3 was very fun to drive, but I think that was lost on the average customer. We'll see if their strategy results in more sales, since making the most fun car didn't translate to great sales.

Honda nailed it with the Civic, mine is good enough that I don't miss the BMW 330i it replaced.

 

[Donkeyhotay123]

The mazda doesnt pan out looks like. Seems that the only saving grace for that car is the interior (which is nice but cramped).

Funny that you mention this. This was one of my complaints when trying out the 2019 Mazda3 Hatch. And for some reason they made the rear pillars and hatch really thick so you have a tiny porthole for a rear windshield. You'd have a better view with cheap Carnival cruise tickets.

Also despite the engine, it is pretty boring to drive.

 

[jred721]

Funny that you mention this. This was one of my complaints when trying out the 2019 Mazda3 Hatch. And for some reason they made the rear pillars and hatch really thick so you have a tiny porthole for a rear windshield. You'd have a better view with cheap Carnival cruise tickets.

Also despite the engine, it is pretty boring to drive.

That's what I saw in reviews too, the 2.5 seems to be really bland and sluggish in the Mazda which is surprising. It also looks like Mazda has given up with the Skyactiv-X engine for it Mazda 3 so Civic still reigns supreme in the engine department as well I guess.

 

[TypeSiR]

They can go up market but that just means fewer cars will be sold. Hope it's worth the efforts and their sales numbers get better in the second half. We need Mazda to stick around to give some healthy competition to the big dogs.

 

[aliu121]

I went to test drive the car twice (FWD and AWD). Both times I loved how nice the interior was and it looks great, but I can't get over the fact that rear visibility and rear passenger space is limiting. I know it has lots of safety features but even then I still like to look back. Also getting in and out of the back is a hassle. You have to duck your head to get in and out. I almost bought the 3 a few days ago, but now am considering the 2020 hatch sport now they have the updated infotainment and has much more space.

 

[Feddy_Ace]

I went to test drive the car twice (FWD and AWD). Both times I loved how nice the interior was and it looks great, but I can't get over the fact that rear visibility and rear passenger space is limiting. I know it has lots of safety features but even then I still like to look back. Also getting in and out of the back is a hassle. You have to duck your head to get in and out. I almost bought the 3 a few days ago, but now am considering the 2020 hatch sport now they have the updated infotainment and has much more space.

I'm disappointed in the new 3's size and I'm glad I chose the Civic hatchback. My 2016 Mazda 3 was great and I almost considered getting another one (I had to sell it because I was moving across country and already had two other cars). The only thing I disliked about it was the cramped interior. I'm only 5'9" but made me feel like a giant. Seeing the 2019 Mazda 3 somehow get even smaller just killed it for me. Mazda would have done well to keep the previous gen drivetrain and chasis while trying to improve interior space. They moved the ball in the wrong direction for sure.

The only thing I miss is that interior. I love my Civic, but let's be real, the interior is lame and Mazda puts on a masterclass with interior design. Look like they've imported some of that to Toyota with their partnership. The new Toyota line-up has great interiors that are clearly Mazda influenced. The Civic feels dated and cheap by comparison.

So far in all the comparable cars I looked at (3, iM hatch, GTI) I feel more and more assured in buying the Civic. There's some things the others do better, but the Civic is just so well rounded and we'll priced it's hard to beat.

 

[aliu121]

I'm disappointed in the new 3's size and I'm glad I chose the Civic hatchback. My 2016 Mazda 3 was great and I almost considered getting another one (I had to sell it because I was moving across country and already had two other cars). The only thing I disliked about it was the cramped interior. I'm only 5'9" but made me feel like a giant. Seeing the 2019 Mazda 3 somehow get even smaller just killed it for me. Mazda would have done well to keep the previous gen drivetrain and chasis while trying to improve interior space. They moved the ball in the wrong direction for sure.

The only thing I miss is that interior. I love my Civic, but let's be real, the interior is lame and Mazda puts on a masterclass with interior design. Look like they've imported some of that to Toyota with their partnership. The new Toyota line-up has great interiors that are clearly Mazda influenced. The Civic feels dated and cheap by comparison.

So far in all the comparable cars I looked at (3, iM hatch, GTI) I feel more and more assured in buying the Civic. There's some things the others do better, but the Civic is just so well rounded and we'll priced it's hard to beat.

I agree, I'm 6'2, but 99% of the time the driver seat for most cars are no issue, I always like to take the back into consideration. I can sit behind myself in the civic with about 1 inch of legroom remaining, while for the Mazda I can't sit behind myself. The GTI I am considering as well (love the car looks, driving, power), since I can fit both in front and back perfectly fine, but the thing thats holding me back is the price of the car, especially since I want the SE model for the leather (dont like the plaid seats) and thats like an extra $6k alone. As you said the civic is well rounded and is the best bang for your buck.

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