2014 Honda Civic vs 2014 Mazda3 | Edmunds A-Rated Compact Cars Face Off

[@carbrickscity]

This is not even a contest. Mazda3 is not only way better than the Civic, but is also the best in its class.

[@trishbrad00]

I love my Mazda 3 sport. 183,000 miles and runs perfect. 44 mpg highway.

[@xxMIK1989xx]

James is right about Mazda being better suited for tall people. I'm 6'4" tall, and recently was looking for a new car in the compact segment. Went and sat in different cars: Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza and Mazda 3. And out of all of them, only Mazda could accommodate me comfortably legroom wise. So it's something to keep in mind for those over 6' tall.

[@Submitr]

Everyone has this archaic view of Honda as the ultimate reliable car manufacturer and that very well may be true. But the thing is other car manufacturers have stepped up their game QUITE a lot. This isn't the 90s or the early 2000s where Honda may have been king, this is now.

[@PantomimeHorseMusic]

I've always loved Hondas, and I've owned five of them (including two Civics), but I think they've lost their way a bit. It's getting better, and my 2012 Fit reminds me a lot of my 89 Civic, but the new Civic needs help. Mazda has become what Honda was in the 80s and early 90s - all their cars are fun to drive. Hopefully Honda gives us something better when the new Civic is released.

[@jshanyao0214]

mazada makes great cars, but sale number is not even close to ok. they need better marketing and sales team

[@nickjohnston9944]

Its more about the education of the consumers. In Australia we are more car savvy and the Mazda 3 outsells nearly everything. Driver enjoyment is important. If you don't know that then I cant help you ;) also fuel economy is important AMERICA pay attention.

[@94navin]

well they got screwed when they were with ford. Now their on their own and every month their breaking sale records. mind you the camry outsells the whole mazda sales combine but their getting up their

[@xaionik]

tim allen Ford owned stake in Mazda since 1976. Ford only had a 33% stake in the company and the sold most of that when the recession hit. They still own a 3% stake. If not for Ford, Mazda would have been dead or acquired by someone else.

[@94navin]

Please look up the sales figure for mazda from the time ford and them split. Every single month has made records sale. Ford held them back

[@carbrickscity]

Nick Johnston Agree. If people here are more car savvy then the Mazda will sell way more than it is right now.

[@wtDrake]

I wish they'd compare the Civic's 5 speed manual vs the Mazda 3's 6 speed manual, screw the automatics. I bet the manual Civic 1.8 is still a fun daily driver.

[@lilvipa1]

The 1.8L vtec is time tested. But damn, civic got some competition now besides corolla.

[@enemay]

Awesome comparo, Mazda 3 really is the car to beat in this segment.

[@anemite2]

the points for the civic were so forced, it really it doesnt have competition, mazda has better design, performance and even technology

[@applesappleapple]

I think they're both equally fantastic cars, but I'd still buy the Civic. Nice to have the best safety and reliability on your side

[@zxbc1]

Civic's IIHS rating is worse than Mazda3's, most notably in side driver torso score. Honda's reliability is below Mazda's overall in the new survey from Consumer Report.

[@lilvipa1]

Cheaper insurance is why i chose civic. Great safety rating.

[@kc5077]

I'd choose the Mazda 3 hatch with a 6 spd manual, but they forgot the Civic is available in Hybrid, Natural Gas, Coupe and Si trims and has crazy resale value. P.S. You might as well buy a new Honda over a used Honda, it's probably cheaper.

[@venom5809]

Honda, you can drive it for 13 plus years and only change the brakes, oil and tires.

[@Dongzzzzzz]

I have my mazda 323 for 20 years and water is dripping from the exhaust wich means good combustion,i always see water dripping in the exhaust on a brand new car,plus mine dosen't have rust even if it's flooded

[@TheRazosvg]

Great video! Love this format!

[@edmundscars]

Thank you, VincyMuscle - new episode coming to an internet near you, next week

[@bmwdinamo]

Mazda 3 is best in segment

[@edmundscars]

VIDEO: ***** Civic vs. Mazda USA 3 Which is your pick?

[@marknouris]

Honda

[@MrGunzngirlz]

Honda always. Especially considering that Honda may add a Hatchback model pretty soon. Its also hard to claim that the Mazda uses better materials when the Civic has real leather seats available and the Mazda doesnt. The CVT in the Honda is unbelievably smooth as well. They forgot to factor in the Civic Si which is much faster than any of the Mazdas (as well as more fun and capable). And Honda will have Android auto available which will be alot better than any dial operated system (those are becoming old hat anyways, and theyre only still around to please the technologically ignorant).

[@jocider5698]

Mazda3!!!!!!

[@guyproulx1660]

title should say, honda civic vs rustbucket

[@jocider5698]

Because that Mazda is clearly rusty.

[@JericTamayo]

I don't like CVT! Mazda3 has a dual clutch and very preppy when it comes to changing gears. The Mazda3 is more ergonomic and definitely more fun to drive while being able to save money. So yeah, no brainer. Mazda3 for the win.

[@carbrickscity]

Mazda3 doesn't have a dual clutch. It just has a traditional 6-speed automatic, which is still better than the Civic's CVT. The most important thing, however, is that you can get the Mazda3 with a good 6-speed manual in any trim level, while you can only get a 5-speed manual in the base Civic. You are right! Mazda3 clearly wins!

[@JericTamayo]

vader11111 Yeah, my bad ^^' it's actually a regular automatic that's more "torquy" and holds the gears longer than a conventional automatic and saves 4-7% more on gas consumption. But yeah, better than a cvt

[@dalecocking2907]

does the honda come with a manual trans?

[@Roman-uc3bs]

Buy a Civic, because, "Sometimes you just want to FEEL sporty; you don't want to BE sporty....." I rest my case. # Mazda3>>Civic

[@whibley3422]

Civic all the way

[@jvrdlc]

a fully loaded Mazda 3 can set you up to 30K now thats a midsize sedan almost fully loaded territory. a well equipped civic Touring is close to 24K, so theres the difference

[@supremewhip]

The difference is the Mazda3 fully loaded will come with MUCH more than a fully loaded Civic. Many of the items the Mazda3 offers that come in entry level luxury cars only.

[@jvrdlc]

supremewhip but on a small compact car, thats the point... now what feats are you talking about

[@supremewhip]

Compact car or not, it is comparison of content, not size. Now look at the comparisons offered on many sites like Edmunds, Motortrend, etc if you want a list.

[@SujanKakumanu]

They said it pretty clearly in the video. Both honda and mazda price match each other. You don't have to get the high end Mazda3 to get the same features as a civic. Similarly equipped, they cost the same.

[@kc5077]

The Mazda 3 offers a larger engines, hid adaptive lights, start stop with I-eloop, adaptive cruise control with collision warning to name a few options.

[@cadsux]

In terms of reliability, Mazda: KBB best brand/5 Years Cost of Ownership, 2 years in a row. That's past warranty folks, and made in Hiroshima, Japan, not in America like Honda. Also, the Mazda3 was ranked #1 Compact Car by both Car & Driver and Motor Trend Magazines, June 2014. Honda Civic was ranked #4 and #3 respectively.

[@jitengori9268]

The 2015 Mazda3 will be made in Mexico- seems that a lot of manufacturers are moving in that direction including VW, BMW, etc....

[@cadsux]

They go cheap with the production, but not on their prices

[@Eldaino999]

hondas, the civic included, have been made in america for years man. the japanese vs american made is such bs. honda built their reputation on american built cars.

[@cadsux]

Dain Laguna I have friends and coworkers who own/owned Civics and they are disappointed with the recent generations of Civics because of that. BTW, I used to own a Honda Accord Coupe V6 .

[@Eldaino999]

cadsux if they are disappointed with them, fair enough, but it has nothing to do with american production. No mass produced civic sold in AMERICA has ever been 100% built in Japan. American market civics were built in America starting in 87..... So unless your friends are talking about their old 86 civic, that argument makes no sense.

[@cadsux]

Consumer Reports Reliability Survey 2014: #1 & #2 is Lexus/Toyota. #3 is Mazda, and #4 is Honda. Not bad for first year refresh models. Mazda3 scored 72, while the Civic scored 71. Biggest complaint with both the Honda Civic and Mazda3 were the infotainment systems, with the Civic having more complaints about its transmission. EPA Fuel Economy Trends report (1975 - 2014) lists Mazda as the most fuel efficient brand as well, with the Mazda3 bringing the average up. Certainly not the CX9.

[@BurusutazuPersonal]

I always wanted to go look at the new Mazdas, but there is not a dealership near me.

[@jamesgjt]

Clearily is the mazda 3 will win agaist the civil. For fun to drive, is always the focus. For equipment and value, always the hyundai. The revised civic is much more like carrying over the last gen, not much of an improvement. And it is set as a cheaper and more like beginner vehicle like the corrola. It is more reliable vehicle

[@edmundscars]

Hey everyone - what vehicles would you like to see go head-to-head?

[@Ottaro]

I'd love a VW CC vs Mercedes CLA250 comparison.

[@edmundscars]

***** Great suggestions - We'll see if we can make it happen

[@nyjatt911]

E63 and M5

[@cadsux]

Hyundai Veloster Turbo vs Nissan Juke Nismo or VW GTI.

[@YongtaoYou]

Mazda6 vs Honda Accord

[@jhon.e4437]

Well Mazda fall short to the reliability status because marketing was cut short, even their "car of the year award" was only held at Japan, hence to few customers saying it is reliable. Mazda was there when the great oil price hike hits and they were far more prepared like Honda.

[@Jo-bt3xr]

Wow, I have to quote that from one of the comment “ Honda is the car you married and Mazda is the fun date”!😍😍😍well said!

[@jeanlenor1858]

Everyone here going "Mazda wins" but I never see one on the road. I see a 14 honda civic at every turn. You guys are such liars.

[@jeremiahparedes5359]

Mazda being a better car overall doesn't mean people will buy it. Some don't care to research on other brands except toyota or honda and some still has the perception of Mazda in the Mazda-Ford days. But one things for sure, if you try and drive a Mazda 3 Gen 3 o 4 you would know it's really better than the Civic.

[@SaedeldinAbdulfattah]

The problem with the Mazda it’s not so good to normal day use because the diesel engine and the particulate filter require 30 minutes of driving in 100 kh at least 2-3 times a week

[@matthewgrayson8]

The civic is still better in almost all ways it' also with out a doubt a better value

[@nirvana922]

Does the mazda 3 have great durability and liability as the civic? That should definitely be a category.

[@Eldaino999]

mazdas are typically reliable, but they do have a higher cost to own. I wouldnt call them as bulletproof as hondas either.

[@bradym762]

Dain, Mazda has won awards as the cheapest to own brand for 5 years...

[@Eldaino999]

jim brady based on what? i'm not saying they are unreliable. But being reliable and cheap to own are two different things.

[@cadsux]

Mazda is more reliable and affordable to own in the long run than Honda. Consumers Reports Reliability Survey 2014: #1 & #2 is Lexus/Toyota, #3 is Mazda, #4 is Honda. KBB Lowest Cost of Ownership for 2013 and 2014 is Mazda, based of factors such as insurance, maintenance, repairs & depreciation, so yes, cheap to own is an indication of reliability.

[@B-rad1]

cadsux the Mazda 3 is also the least reliable car is Mazda's line up for 2014. Alternatively the civic is the most reliable in Honda's line up. Going off of the brand as a whole is a horrible way to compare two specific cars.

[@maxmillion125]

when you talk about value, why dont you talk about long term value of the vehicle, like resale value of the civic holds very well compared to Mazda cars which drop instantly and sharply!

[@cadsux]

Really? Check Kelly Blue Book. Used Mazda3s and CX5s hold their value as well as Honda Civics and CRVs. I like both brands.

[@maxmillion125]

I've worked recently with a Toyota car dealership and they don't used KBB, they use Galves and we used to get used Mazda for cheap!

[@cadsux]

Depends on the market and which value-in-trade system is used too. In Northern California, both brands sell really well, which is bad for shoppers like me looking for a deal. It's no surprise a Toyota dealership gets Mazdas cheap. I need a great deal!

[@maxmillion125]

Toyota Honda are the 2 top brands for midsize and compact economy cars in USA. Mazda is getting there but still needs time. Meanwhile Hyundai and Kia are growing market share faster than Mazda

[@Slimecrazy234]

Mazda 3s hold their value surprisingly well.

[@DanielSparten]

Lol superior touchscreen in the mazda? Look like it was added in the last minute of the interior design.

[@rafspitfire]

Mazda 3 all the way!

[@RedMclaren]

lol, I knew James would represent the Mazda3!

[@edgarcontla6924]

I can change the frontal fascia from ciivic 12 ti 14?

[@ddpaek]

I don't care for this format of comparison. I subscribed because I like cars. Show me more photos/videos of cars. You three are all a handsome bunch but I'd rather see the cars as you guys discuss.

[@TheLegnair]

Mazda 3 has turbo with the engine... Civic and Si has VTEC inside the engine. all motor pride :) I doubt xrs can smoke si. " HONDA HAS A GOOD RESALE VALUE "

[@jbar_85]

Rai well, VTEC doesn't do anything with a CVT. Trust me, I know. Lol!

[@thwipp89]

mazda gets excellent reviews but i read way too many reliability issues. reliability is a HUGE factor to me. i chose a 2013 civic when i got a new car last year. i had a 2003 civic and i spent about $200 in non-maintenance issues in the first 10 yrs. in the 11th yr, it started showing its age a bit but i think the first 10 yrs spoiled me. my first civic did right by me, so i'm sticking with them til they prove otherwise.

[@OneManArmy4Life]

FRS vs Miata? These are great videos...

[@Mbrace818]

"Fun to drive" was basically the same category as "performance". Kind of unfair that the Mazda 3 got two votes for the same thing. The last category probably should have been reliability, which would go to the Honda. Anyway, I'm getting a 2011 Mazda 3 tomorrow and saying goodbye to my beloved 1994 Honda Accord.

[@jfazzuoli3813]

Yup, out of the box the 3 is more fun and more "driver oriented". No to mention a "better looking" car. But for $200 + install get a set of sport springs for the Civic and the car will come alive in the handling department. Plus the Honda is just a more durable, better screwed together car that will give you more miles of dependable driving than the Mazda.Honda's new CVT is good but a driving enthusiast will pick the manual transmission anyway.If one plans on keeping the car for a while the Honda is the best bet and will command a better resale value when you go to sell. So in the end, the Honda is the car you marry while the Mazda is the really fun date.

[@Mykford1]

Nope, wrong not the case. Hondas have their share of issues and the Civic is no exception. Honda had a very difficult time with auto transmissions a few years back and it really cost them. As far as screwed together better I don't agree with that at all. Mazda is what Honda should of become after their legendary run in the 80's and 90's. Bad engineering, bad design language and a significant drop in quality control and performance has screwed Honda up. The Civic may be a reliable car but I don't think it's any more reliable than latest Mazda 3.

[@Dimitri1221XxX]

2014 Consumer Reports Reliabilty Survey for cars since 2004, out of 28 car brands, Mazda was #3 and Honda was #4. Mazda3 hatchback scored 73, Mazda3 sedan scored 72, the Civic scored 71, Civic Hybrid scored 65 and the Si scored 60.

[@MrPicky400]

Civic only have better reliability because it has less going on under .the Mazda has sport tuned suspension a lot money spend on design and fuel efficiency civic has normal suspension n boring CVT transmission

[@daniel9068]

sure mazda3 is a winner

[@silverrapth]

The drama between the two guys is crazy

[@Eldaino999]

Edmunds.com i dont get the interior part. I 'll give the mazda fun to drive any day of the week, but why is it that styling was brought into the equation when talking about the interior? I personally think the 3 does look better than the civic, but holy crap, the interior packaging for the civic has some serious advantages...one of them being this weird thing called a 'backseat'. sure james can get comfier in the mazda...but to do so, no one would fit behind him. That's simply not the case in the civic.

[@joshaden6533]

I'll stick with my 8th gen civic. Better than both of those.

[@evpeiris5727]

+Josh Aden nop ! its not better than a mazda 3 :)

[@TheLegnair]

This are good cars everybody wins :)

[@TheLegnair]

Dohc Mazda vs Sohc civic technology? Civic Wins. Just a Single Cam can almost match up to Mazda Double Cam. Dohc Mazda vs Dohc Civic Allmotors ? Civic Wins again. Yes Mazda you need TURBO to beat Si. if the iVTEC kick yo! It's addictive. Try the LX Manual.

[@zxbc1]

In terms of 0-60, MazdaSpeed3 smokes Civic SI by half a second. The normal Mazda3 2.0L beats Civic by a full second, and the 2.5L beats Civic by almost two full seconds. They're not in the same class; Civic is slower while consuming more fuel. Civic's engine is really outdated compared to Mazda's new SkyActiv.

[@TheJdmboy45]

Of course they would use the base model civic. The si model is were its at.

[@Mykford1]

No it's not. And if you wanted to play fair put the Mazdaspeed3 vs. the Si, not even close. Si is years behind the pack. And it looks like a giant door stop.

[@anemite2]

+TheJdmboy45 lol the SI is a sport variation, which doesnt match in the compact car category, mazda speed is his competition, along with the veloster, WV GTI, Clio RS, Etc

[@gunm808]

There is no way Mazda and Honda tie on value. Mazda is a premium-priced car in my market and you cannot get the same features in a Mazda that you can get in a Honda at the same price. The Civic EX can be hard for between $22-$24K and comes with moonroof, Smart Key, Push Button/Remote Start, 2 cameras, 7in touch screen and more. You cannot get all this in a Mazda3 until you pick the Gran Touring trim which is between $25-$30K. Not to mention Honda still has higher resale value than Mazda. The Mazda3 is a fantastic car and fun to drive, but I picked the Civic for overall comfort and value. It's all going to come down to how badly you want to pay extra for the "Zoom-Zoom".

[@88goga88]

it's big big B.S. no one , no one , not even corolla bits the civic. civic is a number one car in its class and always was. if you want the truth this is a truth. (don't get me wrong mazda is a very nice car in all aspects i like and respect mazda but civic is a legend )

[@DanielSparten]

This is problems with all people these days. People just focus on sportiness and insane handling. That's it. Automatic transmission and stiff ride, 1 point. Cvt transmission and soft ride? EHHHHH Nope! Performance bigger engine more power? Yay more sportiness! Small 1.4l engine? Eco saving gas engine? EHHHH! Nope! Design? Mazda: sexier, eyes are nice Honda: vacuum cleaner, small, boring, nice? EHHH! Oh so basically Mazda wins this cuz it's sporty and more power and has an auto. People don't ever pay attention to the nicer side and the more relaxing comfortable side because they're all so busy just looking at a Mazda like its a race car on the Mazda Laguna secs. But thing is, if you don't like the car because it's not sporty like a Honda, then get money and spend it on a real sports car. Don't expect many compact cars or even others car to be SPORTY. Cars like the original civic don't aim for sportiness.

[@KUBBI7488]

masdas worst retail value after 60. 000 miles

[@seb5945]

And still more people are buying Civic.

[@B-rad1]

It seems unfair they never mentioned the Civic SI during the performance or fun-to-drive portions. But by all means, mention the hatchback mazda when it's convenient. Either compare the two cars at hand, or the two models as a whole, not a culmination of the two.

[@matthewgrayson8]

The Honda civic is better and has better quality this is a no brainer the mazda is cheap

[@adrianstavarache8009]

the mazda 3 is the newest car, ofcourse the honda civic louses

[@luckyperez7689]

Cvt no goo!

[@joshisthebestwooha20]

I bought a 2011 mazda 3 over a 2014 civic lx. It wasn't much sportier than my previous car-a 94' Camry. Sure eco features abound, but it was like driving a boat on still water.

[@Mbrace818]

Shit, I'm getting a 2011 Mazda 3 tomorrow. Upgrading from my 94 Honda Accord. Was it a bad move? I had a chance to get a 2006 Acura tl for $11,000 dollars, but it has 100k miles.

[@joshisthebestwooha20]

Miles W best car ever. Best move ever. You'll love it.

[@Dave-tl7ol]

not a fan of the e-brake positioning in the civic RIP knee

[@brianmjmario]

At the end of the day the civic is gonna last me forever, I don't care if the mazda looks good, I'm sure most people here are gonna need a car that will only need regular maintenance for the car to keep running sorry but I can't say the same thing for the mazda

[@cadsux]

2014 Consumer Reports Reliabilty Survey for cars since 2004, out of 28 car brands, Mazda was #3 and Honda was #4. Mazda3 hatchback scored 73, Mazda3 sedan scored 72, the Civic scored 71, Civic Hybrid scored 65 and the Si scored 60.

[@cadsux]

The Mazda3 is sportier and roomier in the back, but the Corolla is quieter and more comfortable over bumps. Mpg is about the same. Good luck.

[@JustDriftIt]

cadsux Consumer Reports? They're a whole bunch of idiots XD. I wouldn't consider them a reliable source.

[@cadsux]

They survey 1.1 million owners of cars per year, 28 brands. JD Powers just does 41,000 per year. Btw, the Mazda3 and Mazda6 are part of Car & Drivers 10 Best for 2014. Civic was no where to be found. The Accord was there, as usual.

[@cadsux]

Harry B. Hey, sorry to hear that. The 2015's are built in Mexico for the first time. I've owned Mazdas and Hondas myself. Had my 2004 Mazda3 hatchback for 10 years with no problems. Good luck with the replacement car. How about a Golf R with the 2.0L turbo with 292 hp? Dare I recommend the MazdaSpeed3? Crazier torque steer.

[@mahballzrhari]

"The Mazda isn't just better to drive than the Civic, oit's better than every other vehicle in the class." Better than the Ford Focus?

[@jbar_85]

The Civic CVT is very slow...

[@JustDriftIt]

This is such a stupid comparison. When you fully load them both, the Mazda is a lot more expensive. And how can you compare Mazda's two engines to the only 1.8L the Civic has? If you want to compare the larger engine of the Mazda then why not bring the larger 2.4L Civic Si engine involved. I am not even a Honda person, but this is not even a fair comparison.

[@Dongzzzzzz]

mazda has two engine options and it's fuel economy is as same as mazda cause it has a higher compresion ratio

[@lilvipa1]

Mazda's rust very fast.

[@walter1186]

This comparison is bias ...

[@jjwooten8475]

Front end of the Mazda is hideous. Can't stand the huge grille trend.

[@nathanchoe1845]

honda swervin, thats so mervin

[@matthewgrayson8]

Mazda sucks the Honda Civic is flash I know because I'm a engineer

[@WorldCarLovers]

I can't stand the floating screen , i don't know why mazda and the germans are using it , look so ugly and aftermarket shit.

[@grandbalais]

I hate your comparisons, please manual vs manual and auto vs auto and same engine similarity.

[@grandbalais]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5i5Y4mmns-trbM