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Honda Civic vs Toyota Corolla vs Mazda3

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Comments

  • ssseafolkssseafolk Member Posts: 2
    Where do you find the information on the 06 automatic hatchback mazda 3?
    Why is this car less $$ in 06 ; if I read correctly??
    Does this include 05 rebates, incentives.....
    SS Seafolk
  • voidvoicevoidvoice Member Posts: 24
    Check edmund mazda 3 here, it already has price and options of 06 but i dont know how accurate that info. Nothing from official mazda site though.
  • frenchymellyfrenchymelly Member Posts: 1
    I've read over past posts and am in the process of deciding which car to buy. I ruled out the corolla early on because I really don't like the exterior look of it, so I'm choosing between the Mazda 3s and the Honda Civic. I definitely DON'T like the new '06 Civic that's coming out, it looks too much like the accord and is too big and futuristic for my taste. I've test driven the civic several times and was pretty decided until I found the Mazda 3, which I test drove today. I love the interior of the 3 but the Civic's reputation of reliability and mileage is hard to ignore, although my mom has a Mazda Tribute and has been completely satisfied by it. I'm just not sure how long a 3 will last when I've heard of civic's often going up to 200, 300, and even 400 thousand miles. We'll see! :shades:
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Well, maybe this will help. Here's my experience with the Mazda3 and its predecessors to date (all were purchased new and traded at the stated mileage unless otherwise noted):

    1992 Protege LX: 28,000 miles, totaled in hydroplaning accident :cry:
    1992 Protege LX no. 2: 83,000 miles, zero problems
    2000 Protege ES: 91,100 miles, front strut bushings replaced at 85,000 miles
    2002 Protege5: 52,000 miles, wife's current car, zero problems
    2005 Mazda3s hatch: 7,600 miles, my current car, zero problems

    Granted, I haven't kept one of these cars past 100,000 miles, but my 2000 Protege really took a beating over the five years I owned it, and it never had one problem other than the bushings -- which I caused by my, um, "spirited" driving around 25-mph off-ramps at 50 mph, "slaloming" down our street to entertain our 4-year-old, etc. I also had the Protege up past 90 mph more times than I can count, and once to 105. (I guess I'll defend myself here by saying NO, I'm not a college-aged kid -- I'm 40! But Mazdas are just too damned fun.) I guess it pays to be related to two of the judges in my county; I got let off with a warning twice in the last four years -- the most recent time I was stopped for going 70 in a 35 -- and yep, he let me off with a warning!

    :P

    Meade
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    tomzpri, please drop me an email as soon as you see this - pat AT edmunds.com - thanks!
  • earlthomearlthom Member Posts: 16
    IF you can find the '05 you want and IF the dealer is offering incentives - then I'd probably grab it. In my area (upper midwest) the inventory of 05's is pretty much gone and dealers are still almost at MSRP. I'm waiting for the '06.
  • earlthomearlthom Member Posts: 16
    Honda has released some new pictures and stats on all models of the 06 Civic. Production looks of the sedan seem much less extreme the the pre-production pics of the Si. Features look good with ABS with EBD standard on the sedan and an available 5-speed automatic. No official word on the 1.8L 140HP sedan engine's mileage - but at $3/gallon it is going to be interesting to a lot of shoppers out there. I can't find info on prices yet, either. Still, Mazda and Toyota may need to up their game.
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    The Corolla isn't on my shopping list, but the Civic and Mazda3 are. I've also been thinking about a Mazda6 i, but it would have to be slightly used or demo model to get into my price range (prefer under $17k).

    I've got offers from one dealer today on the Civic EX SE 5-speed for $16,400. A Mazda dealer quoted me $16,600 for a 3 i 5-speed with CD/Moonroof. That dealer doesn't have any 3 s 5-speeds left.

    I'm wondering if I should keep trying to find a 3 s or would a 3 i suffice? I kinda think I'd rather have the 2.3L, but with gas prices the 2.0L might be a good thing.

    The looming '06 changes and the all new Civic also make me question whether to buy now. The new Civic isn't very pretty, but I do like the specs and equipment (particularly the AUX jack for the stereo).

    Decisions, decisions....
  • pmc255pmc255 Member Posts: 15
    What area are you in? I assume both of those quotes, for the Civic and the 3, are both for 2005, right?
  • allfiredupallfiredup Member Posts: 736
    I'm in Atlanta and yes, those are quotes for '05 models. I'd rather have a stripped 3 s than the loaded 3 i I'm being quoted on, but I'll have to wait for an '06 to get that.

    My gut feeling is to hold out for a few more weeks. If the '06 Civic drives great, I might can get over the looks of it. If I decide to go with a Mazda3, it appears that the '06 pricing has gone down in some cases.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Still, Mazda and Toyota may need to up their game.

    Why? It appears Honda's the one pulling up the rear in this case.

    Meade
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    A CRX! model greaty great. I had a CRX Si once and it was a great little car. Where can I find more infor on the CRX model ?
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    In a September 1 review of the 2006 Civic (they drove all four models), they give the Si's 197-hp engine (which is only available in the Si) glowing reviews, saying the only competitors coming close to its acceleration and handling are the Mazda3 and the Jetta. However ... it appears Mazda may have Honda beat when it comes to having horsepower and comfort/cargo room! Read ...

    The disadvantage of both the basic coupe and the Si is that they're two-door vehicles with a cramped rear seat (3- and 6-inches less rear legroom, respectively, than the '05 coupe and Si), while the four-door sedan and hybrid versions of the new Civic are quite roomy in the back. The Si also uses premium gasoline, which is getting pretty pricey.

    In order to get any more than two doors (and more legroom), you have to opt out of the Si's 197-hp engine and go for the standard 140-hp engine.

    So ... Mazda3 sedan and Mazda3 5-door, you have no match. Only the diminutive Si 2-door hatchback will rock your world. So keep a watchful eye for tiny Hondabugs in your rear-view mirror. Any Civic capable of hauling more than two adults will stay way behind ya.

    Meade
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    The Mazda 3 looks punier than a Honda Civic. As for the capability of hauling more than two adults, I just bought a 2005 Honda Civic LX Special Edition 4 door sedan and it holds five adults. Hardly a "bug." :)

    I was originally considering a Mazda 3. I live in the upper Midwest and found that the Mazda 3's were noticeably more expensive than both the Civics and Corollas. And the Civics and Corollas have many more years of dependability and quality under their belt than Mazda.

    I don't believe that all the Civics are gone in the upper Midwest as one poster mentioned. If you do a little searching with a number of dealers, you should be able to find what you want at a great price!

    My new 2005 Honda Civic LX Special Edition in automatic transmission costed $14,990. That includes mudguards which I had asked them to add. I also get free oil changes, free tickets to a water park, free $1,000 online shopping spree and free delivery of the car to my home. That beats anything else I was trying to get with a Mazda dealer or even a Toyota dealer (and I've had Toyotas for the last 16 years).
  • pete22pete22 Member Posts: 80
    I've been debating myself between those 2 cars. I see in my area that carsdirect quotes a price of 15,100 on a Civic LX (no Special) and had a dealer internet quote me 15,050, not much savings. Anyway I'm shopping around for quotes. As for the Mazda 3, I was thinking of the 3 i, with auto and power package. I get special S-pricing through work which would bring it down to invoice which I think was around 16,200 for a 2006 (an internet quote was the same without my S-plan). also I've been working on getting a 500 dollar credit coupon that I can apply towards the Mazda which could bring it down to 15700 (plus tax and licence). Anyway if I could get the Civic LX with auto around 14,800 or better I still think I would go with it between the mileage difference (38 vs 35) and the service departments. Mazda always tried to get money out of me every time I brought my 2000 Protege in for warrenty issues and their service prices are outrageous (ie. 190 for normal spark plugs), My wife has a Honda van and they never tried to puch extra services and their prices were in line with normal mechanics. I have been happy with my protege so I still consider it.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    The Mazda 3 looks punier than a Honda Civic. As for the capability of hauling more than two adults, I just bought a 2005 Honda Civic LX Special Edition 4 door sedan and it holds five adults. Hardly a "bug."

    Apparently you didn't read me right. Putting it differently, you can only get the 197-hp engine in the "bug"-like Si or 2-door. The 4-door sedan is only available with the smaller, 140-hp engine -- which the Mazda3 in either trim level beats.

    And ... looks are purely subjective. I personally think all Civics are way too low-slung both inside and out.

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Mazda always tried to get money out of me every time I brought my 2000 Protege in for warrenty issues and their service prices are outrageous (ie. 190 for normal spark plugs),

    Well Pete, keep in mind that it's not "Mazda" doing that, it's your dealership. And they ain't all like that. Here where I live, the Mazda dealer (well, the one of three in my area that I deal with) is known for its impeccable service. The two local Honda dealers are known for being stuck-up and rude both in sales and service.

    I would not base a car purchase decision on how pushy the service department is at one dealership. Besides, you know better and can say "no thanks," right?

    Meade
  • smariasmaria Member Posts: 279
    I just bought a 2005 Honda Civic LX Special Edition 4 door sedan and it holds five adults.

    Also, keep in mind that the 2006 Civics have 3 to 5 inches LESS rear legroom than the 2005 you just bought (according to the article). Why would Honda reduce the size of the rear seat? It's fairly small to begin with.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Also, keep in mind that the 2006 Civics have 3 to 5 inches LESS rear legroom than the 2005 you just bought (according to the article).

    Not exactly, smaria. Here's the quote from Business Week again:

    The disadvantage of both the basic coupe and the Si is that they're two-door vehicles with a cramped rear seat (3- and 6-inches less rear legroom, respectively, than the '05 coupe and Si), while the four-door sedan and hybrid versions of the new Civic are quite roomy in the back. The Si also uses premium gasoline, which is getting pretty pricey.

    They don't quote the legroom, but from the way the comment is worded, it would appear that the 2006 models with reduced legroom are the basic coupe and the Si.

    Meade
  • pete22pete22 Member Posts: 80
    Yes I did say no thanks. But your probably right its the individual service department. But the high prices is at another so I assume Mazda has high service prices since I have to assume the price is standardized but I could be wrong. Anyway once the warrenty is over I most likely would not use the service department again. It just was awkward to bring it in around 32,000 mile because the check engine light tripped and told that I'm overdue for a 400 dollar tune-up and that would fix it and after getting a goodyear tuneup told that if the tuneup contributed to the problem I'm responsible for the repair and the diagnosic. Anyway it is probably the one service manager there. So I shouldn't base by decision on that, though I did exclude that one dealership from my search. Don't worry there another only 2 miles away.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    When did Honda decide to change the name of their car to "CIVID"?

    Look at how they're showing the "Civic" logo for 2006. Is that the way it's going to be on the car? I think a lot of college kids are gonna be asking mom and dad for a "Civid"!

    Meade
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Let's compare interior room, Civic sedan vs. Mazda3 sedan. The data below are from both companies' specs for their own cars:

    (Numbers are Civic sedan first, then Mazda3 sedan)

    EPA passenger volume: 83.7, 94.3 (cubic feet) -- Civic 10.6 cubic feet (9%) less!
    EPA cargo volume: 11.5, 11.4 (cubic feet) -- Civic 0.1 cubic foot more
    Headroom, front: 38.0, 39.1 (inches) -- Civic 1.1 inches less
    Headroom, rear: 35.1, 37.4 (inches) -- Civic 2.3 inches less!
    Legroom, front: 42.6, 41.9 (inches) -- Civic 0.7 inches more
    Legroom, rear: 30.3, 36.3 (inches) -- Civic SIX INCHES LESS!
    Shoulder room, front: 53.9, 54.9 (inches) -- Civic one inch less
    Shoulder room, rear: N/A, 54.0 (inches) -- Civic data unavailable
    Hip room, front: 53.0, 54.9 (inches) -- Civic 1.9 inches less
    Hip room, rear: 49.2, 53.9 (inches) -- Civic 4.7 inches less!
    Passenger capacity: 5, 5 (persons) -- Really, Civic? Children, maybe?

    The expected commentary:

    Reviewers have said the Mazda3 is a little cramped in the back seat. Well, let's look at the Civic's back seat which, compared to the Mazda3's back seat, has 2.3 inches less headroom, HALF A FOOT less legroom, an inch less shoulder room and 4.7 inches less hip room, and I'm starting to wonder if this is a 2006 Civic or a 1982 Civic! Why'd they even make a sedan?

    2006 Civic sedan: A true driver's car. Because that's all that'll fit in it.

    Meade
  • oskwioskwi Member Posts: 88
    Thanks for the information. It'll be nice to see a fairly modernized "Civid" BUT I wouldn't touch a first year redesign with a ten foot pole! I was just looking at the Mazda 3 again tonight...I'm due for one of two "t's"...timing belt or trade-in. I'm seriously considering opting for the latter. :) My '01 ES will hit 60,000 miles tomorrow on the way into work!

    Also looked at the Corolla...packages are strange and I really can't get what I want...PLUS the engine is smaller. So, to make a long story short, I'm meeting with my Mazda sales person in about two weeks. He's on vacation until then and that's when they expect to have a decent selection of 2006s. I'll keep you posted. Take care.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Garth -- That's exactly what I did instead of replace my timing belt (and a few other things) in my 2000 Protege. But you may want to check your owner's manual and see if you live in one of those "special" states -- here in Virginia, Mazda didn't recommend changing my timing belt until 105,000 miles. And when I traded my 2000 ES at 91,100 miles, it was still on its original timing belt.

    (Of course, if you're using the 60K miles and the timing belt thingy to convince the wife of your need for a 3 ... I'll shuddup!) :shades:

    Meade
  • oskwioskwi Member Posts: 88
    Gee, I never thought of New York as being a "special" state...aside from the highest property taxes, rents, utilities, and now today, gas prices (that was actually front page news in the local paper). I guess "specialness" can take many forms!

    Thanks for the information. I'll check my manual.
  • pmc255pmc255 Member Posts: 15
    pete22,

    Where are you located? I'm curious about the $16200 quote you got the for the Mazda3 i sedan. Are you talking about '05 or '06? I'm assuming the '05 since the '06 doesn't have a power package. What other options are included in the $16200 quote? Is that also including air conditioning?
  • pete22pete22 Member Posts: 80
    Yes, its a 2005, I'm in Southern California. I was looking for Power Package, Automatic, and air. TO get the power package you have to get air. The power package includes power and 16 tires and Alloy wheels instead of Hub caps. Also was quoted 16130 or something like that for an earlier 2005 and was told Mazda reprices in March. The later one was actually 16256. I think a 2006 configured like that is around 16480. They are quoting me invoice and you could just use the link someone posted earlier (2 message up) to configure the way you want. All you have to do to get those quotes is to use the intenet quotes from somewhere like autobytel or probably edmunds (since this is their board). I don't even remember all I used. Also you could contact dealers internet managers yourself though the Mazda web site.
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    I owned two Corollas in the past and I loved them. I didn't look at them this year because I've owned Toyotas for 16 years and wanted a change. Besides, the look of the Corolla now looks like little ol' ladies should be driving it.

    I did research the Mazda 3's and was pumped up after reading about them. But after going on a lot and looking at them, I changed my mind. They're cute but more pricey than the tried and true Civic.

    I decided with the Civic because it's a classic. It's been tried and tested and it holds its value better than the Mazda hands down. Personally I think it looks better than the Mazda. I think you're getting more of your money's worth with the Honda.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Well, looks are subjective, and money's worth? What do you attribute to getting your money's worth? The Mazda3 beats the Civic in just about every category from interior room to horsepower to better warranty. Where's the money's worth? I'd truly like to hear your reasoning.

    Meade

    P.S. "Tried and true"? The Mazda3 has an equal reliability rating to the Civic. And after having owned four Proteges since 1991, I can support that rating. All have been virtually problem-free.
  • iwantonetooiwantonetoo Member Posts: 86
    I think you are using the info for the Civic coupe, not sedan. I have a sedan brochure in front of me and some of your measurements don't match.
    These are for the EX sedan.
    Passenger volume 88.4cf, not 83.7
    cargo volume 12.0 cf, not 11.5
    headroom front 38.1, not 38.0
    headroom rear 36.7, not 35.1
    legroom front 42.2, not 42.6
    legroom rear 34.6, not 30.3
    shoulder room front 53.6, not 53.9
    shoulder room rear 52.3
    hip room front 51.9, not 53
    hip room rear 51.0 not 49.2

    The rear seating area is bigger than what you have posted, your measurements seem more likely to be for the coupe.
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    Tried and true because look how long Civics have been around. They've been rated highly for some time now - year after year. Longer than Mazdas. I wouldn't rate the Mazda3 as being equal or in the same league as a Civic especially since the Mazda3 is pretty new. Over the long haul of ownership, I can see the Civic outlasting the Mazda3. The same with a Corolla. (Because I've owned Toyotas (Corollas and Camrys) for 16 years with no problems. And I bought Honda because I've heard no complaints from owners who I have talked to.)

    Besides this is a Civic forum here. If you love your Mazdas better, they have a forum too. This is just opinions from passionate people about their cars.
  • tazerelitazereli Member Posts: 241
    This is a 3 forum as well, not just civil or borolla.

    Kyle
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    You completely dodged the question Meade asked you. You said you felt like you get more for your money with the Civic. Meade asked why you feel that way.

    So?
  • autonomousautonomous Member Posts: 1,769
    I wouldn't rate the Mazda3 as being equal or in the same league as a Civic especially since the Mazda3 is pretty new. Over the long haul of ownership, I can see the Civic outlasting the Mazda3. The same with a Corolla. (Because I've owned Toyotas (Corollas and Camrys) for 16 years with no problems. And I bought Honda because I've heard no complaints from owners who I have talked to.)

    Are you aware that the Mazda3 is the successor to the Mazda Protege (1990-2003), which was the successor to the Mazda 323/GLC (1977-1990s). In other words, Mazda3 is only the latest name of a long pedigree of reliable compact cars produced by Mazda. For an excellent history of Japanese vehicles, see Wanda James' Driving from Japan (Jefferson, NC; London : McFarland, 2005)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Yep, I've owned five Mazdas in the Protege/3 line since September 1991. Two of them are in my driveway right now. So, fourteen years is my history with Mazda, all as reliable as Toyotas and Hondas. BTW, I've owned Toyota and Honda products as well. I wonder if legalpenguin has owned all three as well, so he can speaketh from experience and not just hearsay.

    And yes, this IS a comparison discussion. Legalpenguin, methinks thou believeth thou is in the Civic discussion. Readeth the title of this discussion again.

    Meade
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    Sorry, but that still doesn't tell me that Mazda is better than a Civic. Civics have consistently been in the Best Buy categories of research firms for years. What do you think "Best Buy" means? It means you get more than your money's worth in all aspects. It's rated excellent year after year in ownership costs.

    I'd rather keep my Honda Civic. I bought a Special Edition LX for under $15,000. I definitely did get my money's worth and more.

    Way back when I looking for cars on numerous occasions, I came across a Mazda 323 and Mazda Proteges. Test drove them, but for some reason they just didn't hold my attention like the Toyotas and Hondas when it came to doing my detailed research on all categories.
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    Good Lord, I just went to prove you wrong, and found that Honda's own website lists a third and completely different set of dimensions for the Civic EX sedan -- different from yours and mine! I hope the following link works -- if not, just go to Honda.com and drill your way down to the Civic and its interior specs:

    http://automobiles.honda.com/models/specifications_full_specs.asp?ModelName=Civic+Sedan&Ca- tegory=5

    So ...

    Will the REAL CIVIC please stand up, for goodness' sake?!

    :sick:

    Meade
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    Meade, the subcategory is a comparison, but the main category of all these subcategories here is specifically Honda so that's what it leans toward the most. So I believe if you must be technical about this issue, methinks it is still a Honda Civic forum.

    I speak from experience as well. I've owned Chevy and Mazda (in high school) and then moved up to Toyota and now Honda. I can clearly see the differences.
  • newcar31newcar31 Member Posts: 3,711
    "Way back when I looking for cars on numerous occasions, I came across a Mazda 323 and Mazda Proteges. Test drove them, but for some reason they just didn't hold my attention like the Toyotas and Hondas when it came to doing my detailed research on all categories. "

    Meade was interested in why you feel that the Civic gives you more for your money than the Mazda3, and I too am interested. Specifically, why do you think you get more for your money? What are you getting with the Civic that you're not getting with the Mazda3? Are you talking about tangible things? I'm interested.

    "Meade, the subcategory is a comparison, but the main category of all these subcategories here is specifically Honda so that's what it leans toward the most."

    This is the path to get to this forum:

    forums/sedan/Comparisons sedans vs. sedans

    The path is at the top of the page along with the title of the discussion. This is not an exclusively Honda Civic forum.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Legalpenguin, I'm sure you are new enough around here that you haven't figured out the admittedly idiosyncratic structure here and there's nothing wrong with that.

    You are most likely going to a "view" of discussions that include the Civic. The reality is that what you see is a filtered list, it's not a "main category" or a "forum" or anything like that, it's just a filtered list of every discussion that involves the Civic.

    This discussion is a comparison of the Civic, Corolla and Mazda3. If you filter your view by any of the three of them, this discussion will appear on the list.

    Lots of people get confused by this, don't worry about it. But do understand that this no more an exclusively Honda/Civic-related discussion than it is a Mazda/Mazda3 or Toyota/Corolla-related discussion.

    If you follow the "breadcrumb" trail at the top (or the bottom) of this page, as newcar31 suggests, you will see the actual physical structure, which in this case is a Sedans Comparisons board which is actually a subfolder of the Sedans board. But you don't have to do that if you don't want to. ;)

    Hope this helps!
  • iwantonetooiwantonetoo Member Posts: 86
    The link you provided is for the 2005 Civic. I posted specs from an actual brochure from a Honda dealer, hopefully it is correct, but you never know!
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    newcar31, I already answered the question you keep nagging me about. See my prior messages again.

    You guys sure take these boards way too seriously! :) I'm not changing my mind. I did way too much research before I made the decision to buy my Honda and worked with dealers diligently to get such an excellent deal. I definitely did get more than my money's worth!
  • pmc255pmc255 Member Posts: 15
    I'd rather the Honda and Toyota lovers stay the same, and not jump on the Mazda bandwagon. The less people know about the Mazda3, the better. It's the best kept secret out there in the entry level market :)
  • mdaffronmdaffron Member Posts: 4,421
    ... to "marching to the beat of a different drummer," i.e. not purchasing the most popular "herd" cars. Lookie what's happening to Accords and Camrys in my own county (this was on my local news last night); I can imagine Civics must be just about next in line ...

    http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=3853330

    Meade
  • z71billz71bill Member Posts: 1,986
    Reminds me of a Yogi Berra quote

    "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
  • legalpenguinlegalpenguin Member Posts: 30
    I don't ever need to worry - my Civic has a security system on it.

    :surprise: You guys really believe any car, much less the Mazda3, is a secret these days with the ton of information out there about every car on the market? :) LOL I think car buyers are getting smarter and smarter these days and use all the research they find to make the best all around deal to get the most for their money.

    Why do you knock Hondas? Their cars have been rated Best Buy and Excellent for years. Mazda merges with Ford and that's why Mazda is a follower and not a leader and is behind the top three - Toyota, Honda, and Nissan.

    Marching to the beat of a different drummer is good in some instances but not necessarily in others.
  • audia8qaudia8q Member Posts: 3,138
    ....Why do you knock Hondas? Their cars have been rated Best Buy and Excellent for years

    I don't think anyone is knocking the fact that Honda builds a good car...I think they are saying that Honda's are bland, boring and about as exciting as a 5lb bag of fertilizer. If you like bland, thats fine. Everyone likes what they like.....Mazda owners/fans don't care for bland generic cars and Mazda fills that desire better than Honda or Toyota....Mazda isn't trying to become the Buick of Japan like Toyota....
  • pmc255pmc255 Member Posts: 15
    Exactly. Honda and Toyota entry level and mid-size vehicles are just so boring. In fact, Hondas in general don't excite me much. The S2000 isn't that great, and even if you tap into the Acura line, nothing really stands out. The RSX is just a new spin on the way-too-common Integras. Toyotas are a joke, but some of the Lexuses are fairly decent, such as the IS300 and the new IS350. But I digress...

    The point is, the Mazda3 captures the best of both worlds in the entry level compact market. It has the reliability of a Japanese car, albeit maybe not as reputable as a Honda or Toyota, along with the zip and excitement of a sporty vehicle.

    But really, I shouldn't be trying to convince anyone to buy one! I want mine to be unique! Everyone go buy Civic and Corollas and Camrys and Accords!!! Those are the best cars and best bang for the buck!!! ;)
  • iwantonetooiwantonetoo Member Posts: 86
    I haven't driven either of these cars yet, but today I went to take a look at them. First stop was at the Honda dealer to see the 06 Civic EX sedan. I found it visually appealing, with the side and rear views it reminds me of a smaller Acura TSX. From the front, it doesn't do much for me, but I think the look will grow on people once you start seeing them on the road in large numbers. The windshield is big and the hood is very short, it;s just a different look from the previous Civic.

    Inside, I was quite impressed. A very roomy cabin, front and back. The oddest thing I find inside is the dash, it is huge! Very deep, about the size of the hood. But I don't find it to be a negative at all, just different. Hopefully there will not be a reflection on the windshield in strong sunlight as there is in some other cars with a large dash, such as the current Altima.
    There is plenty of legroom and knee room. It was easy to find a comfortable seating position with the tilt/telescopic wheel, the two spoke steering wheel felt fine to me too. I also like the sliding armrest. All in all, I felt like I was in a larger sedan.

    Then I went to the Mazda dealer to see the Mazda 3. The sedan is a bit more conventional looking than the Civic, the hatch has a bit of that futuristic look to me as did the Civic sedan. I find the cockpit of the 3 to be more confining than the Civic. The center console doesn't give you much room to move your legs. My knee was resting against it in a normal driving position, and if I moved my right leg at all, it was digging into my knee area.

    I looked at on 06 Mazda 3s Grand Touring with the new 5 speed auto with manumatic shift. It was very well equipped and stickered for 22,010 vs. 19,610 for the Civic. The Mazda had xenons, fog lights, rain sensing wipers, leather, heated seats, auto climate control, a 48,000mile/5 year warranty and a loaner car program. The Mazda is rated at 25/31 for gas mileage while the Civic is 30/40. A big hit on fuel economy for 20hp, IMHO.

    Now I need to drvie both of them and see how they feel to me. If I had to make my choice just by sitting in them, I would pick the Honda. Driving them may change my opinion.
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