Mazda3 vs Honda Accord

jurrasic

mm...Am I the only one thinking these two are comparable? Price wise, the Mazda 3 GT is comparable to Honda Accord EX

Honda Accord
Bigger, reliable, more mature.

Mazda 3
lots of add ons with less $$ (leather!), smaller, better handling, younger.

nifty56

Mazda 3 more problems..
Very weak A/C ...maybe corrected for 2007
hesitation and stalling
Auto trans 1 to 2 harsh shift
Excessive rear brake dust and rapid wear
Cheap interior material-plastic and carpets
Average sound system
Bad stock tires,wear out quickly
Reports of 17" rims rusting within a year.
Weak windshields and paint that chips easily
2.3 engine mated with the auto trans not very good gas mileage in city driving.
Check other Mazda 3 forums for other weakness...Google Mazda forums for more info

audia8q

and of course the accord is perfect...if you like bland boring and dull cars. I think the guy who got his lunch money stolen in school drives an accord now. :P

z71bill

"I think the guy who got his lunch money stolen in school drives an accord now"

I think the thief that took the lunch money must work at a car dealership now! :P

I drive a Mazda3 all the time - but it is becoming more difficult to get the keys away from my 17 year old - so now my wife needs a car - we took an Accord for a test drive.

If you want a nice - comfortable - easy to drive - car with a large interior the Accord would be a nice choice.

We are considering getting the Accord Coupe - it has a much more sporty feel - as far as fun to drive - the Mazda3 pretty much stomps the 4 banger Accord - the V6 Accord feels much faster than the Mazda3 - but it still is not as fun to drive - the need to go around corners and brake favor the Mazda3.

audia8q

I think the thief that took the lunch money must work at a car dealership now!

Of course he does...how else do you think I paid for my boat?

Actually the Accord is a fine car and I wouldn't criticize anyone for buying one...But as z71 has mentioned it not nearly as fun and it probably not a fair comparison.

aviboy97

Just to keep things fair:

Honda Accord problems:

Auto V6 "rough" shifting
Radio failure
HVAC control failure
V6 vapor lock, won't start
Transmission failure
A/C compressor failure
23 mpg I-4
Premature rust on rear wheel well

No car is perfect, not the Honda Accord, not the Mazda3. I don't see how these cars can be fairly compared

cti

You could just go right down the TSB list for both cars if you want a list of problems.

On my 3, I have the harsh 1-2 shift problem. More noticeable when it is colder. This problem is replaced in the summer by the one-touch window only going halfway down. I didn't know that was a TSB until last winter so I need to wait a few months to reproduce it.

No AC problem, though. But I have only used my AC twice all year - and I live in Georgia! Once on a two hour trip to Atlanta and once because I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and it was hot out. And in both cases the AC stayed on fan setting '1'.

bristol2

Not sure that the Mazda3 is in the same class as the Accord size wise therefore mileage and handling wise.

Wouldn't the Civic be the obvious choice vs. the Mazda 3?

Anyway, I drive the V6 manual Accord and I can verify that it is FUN to drive.

d_hyper

May I humbly suggest Mazda6 (sedan/wagon/hatch) for your wife?!

z71bill

Actually at one point we (wife & I) thought about the Mazda6 - but two things have changed our minds.

Side Crash test of the Mazda6 - even with side air bags was not very good (3 out of 5 stars)

Mazda will not stand behind the Mazda3 we bought - so I assume they would treat me the same way if I had a problem with the Mazda6.

Cheat me once - shame on you
Cheat me twice - shame on me.

stuartf

I have been shopping the 6 HB, this week had a chance to rent a 3, it was really basic.

I enjoyed the MPG (33 at 80 mph over 300 miles) and it got me to compare the two. Differences in interior passenger room (for four only) are quite comparable:

6 3

38.7/36.7 39.1/38.4 headroom f/r
42.3/36.5 41.9/36.3 legroom f/r
56.1/54.9 54.9/54 shoulder f/r

The 3 is nearly 400 lbs lighter, much more spritely handling, sharper styling. On the other hand, the trunk in the HB 6 is huge, I can likely buy it for less and it has traction control.

Other major differences that are not obvious??

midnightcowboy

what happened to your Mazda 3 . I thought there were a very good car.

midnightcowboy

The V6 Accord has traction control and skid control and much faster accelration and will get you 30 mpg. The Mazda 6 will get worse mileage; the Mazda 3 a little better.

What are you comparing Mazda 3 to an Accord or a Mazda 3 to a Mazda 6? if the latter you are probably posting in the wrong place; either look at an existing Mazda 3 vs Mazda 6 thread or start a new one.

cruis'n

MidCow

z71bill

I am not allowed to post the list of the problems I have had - the host has told me that Edmunds considers this brand bashing. Which is OK with me - since typing that much gives me sore hands!

I have a 2004 - build date 10/03- which is a very bad month - I think Mazda has fixed most of the defects in the 2005-2006 model - except for the weak AC.

I am happy to say that all of my problems were finally fixed - even my weak AC has been doing a little better.

pat

I think a search of the Mazda3 Problems & Solutions discussion will answer your question.

Bill - the repetitiveness is what that particular host meant, not the posts themselves.

aviboy97

I am happy to say that all of my problems were finally fixed - even my weak AC has been doing a little better.

Well, how about that!

What did they do about your A/C issue?

z71bill

I posted the details over an the Mazda3 AC defect board -

Still not great - but I am getting air around 48 degrees - once in a while even 46!

chickenlips

I just ran across this forum. Interesting.... I thought I was the only one comparing these two.

I prefer a Honda Civic, but Honda won't put ESC in the sedan yet. After seeing the amazing accident-prevention stats of ESC, I decided I will not purchase a car w/out it. So I started looking at the Accord I4. The 4 cyl has a lighter nose than the V6, giving it better handling. Plus it gets better mileage, has adequate power, and has a lower price. BUT, the Accord I4 doesn't have ESC either. So now I'm pushed up to the Accord V6. But the higher-end Accord V6 (even non-hybrid) is in the Acura TSX price range.

So in the middle of my comparing the Accord V6 vs. the TSX, I see the ’07 Mazda3 has ESC on higher-end models. So now I’m comparing this odd trio.

As an empty nester, the Accord is just a little too large for me. I prefer the size of the TSX. But now I’m having a tough time justifying an extra $10k or so for either the TSX or the Accord V6 vs. the Mazda3. My company is a Ford supplier, so I get the Mazda S Plan discount.

I don't like the Mazda6 for a variety of reasons.

Both the Mazda and Acura dealers are 10+ miles from my home. While the Honda dealer is about 2. Honda: you’d make this decision MUCH easier for me if you’d put ESC on the Civic sedan before my Saturn SL dies.

neteng101

You can get the Accord SE V6 for around $21k+ which is nowhere near TSX pricing.

But the Mazda3 is a nice car too.

chickenlips

I want the manual sedan, which means $27.4k list (I think) for the Accord EX V6. But I'm having a hard convincing myself it's worth it.

thegraduate

List is non-existent on these Accords. Right now, you should be able to go $750 under invoice pretty easily. (Which puts it at or below $25k I think). Someone with more time can check my figures...

It's worth it if you want it and can afford it!

bigfur

Stranger comparision... before i bought my M3 i was looking at a honda element (ugly lil thing but met my needs), main reason i didnt get one was that it was tough to find one with a 5-speed and the sales people were arrogant pricks. Had i got the arrogant prick at one dealer id understand, but it happened at all four of the ones i went to. Went to one Mazda dealer, sales person was great, price was great so i bought the car.

thegraduate

I've heard this before, from people in different areas - arrogant Honda dealers. We frequent a small-town-type dealership a few miles off the interstate, so they don't do a lot of volume. Their prices aren't always the absolute lowest, but we always get at least a decent price. The most important aspect is that we are treated as if we have been lifelong friends. I'm 19, and still get a handshake and an offer for a cup of coffee each time I'm there for service, and the sales manager comes and asks me how school's going, etc...Needless to say, this dealer (Serra Honda in Birmingham) has won numerous customer service awards.

Not your average dealership, I know. Sorry to hear about the ones in your area. A drop in sales because of these dealers will serve Honda right, and maybe fix the problem!

elroy5

My local Honda dealer is nothing to write home about, that's for sure. It's a good thing I only go by there every now and then, to pick up maintenance supplies.

bigfur

In the past year alone just in my family they have lost the sale of a CRV 4x4EX (my mom) and an Element EXP (mine). That may not be alot two vehicals, but i know we will never even consider a Honda again with the way we both were treated.

thegraduate

I certainly understand that. I like the products Radio Shack sells, but will never go in that store again for customer service reasons... I'm a Honda guy, but can certainly understand your feelings.

Was this two different dealers? Did you visit others? (Just curious now)

bigfur

Actually it was four different dealers in the minneapolis/st paul area. I just couldnt believe that someone who wanted to try to sell a vehical would actually tell a customer he was too busy to deal with them today.

dride

Total agreement on the Honda dealers in the Mpls/St. Paul area. Back in 2005 I was btwn an Element and a 3. Ended up not liking that the Element's rear doors couldn't be opened from the outside w/o the front doors opened. Long story longer, the sales people at the three dealers I visited were all the same: They were annoying, and I got the impression they were too busy to sell me a vehicle. There is nothing like waiting at a dealership for someone to answer questions about their product. Despite their great product and cool advertising, the experience turned me off to Honda.

thegraduate

Understandable. I went to get my car serviced today, and had an experience that was polar opposite to yours. I walked around the lot while I waited, and twice had someone ask me "Can I help you?" or "Looking for something in particular or just checkin' things out?"

I told them I was just getting my car serviced and wasn't shopping, they were polite and said something along the lines of "No problem, let me know if you have a question."

Part of that may just be the southern hospitality (I'm in Birmingham, AL)... it really does exist here.

tallman1

I've never run into any of that kind of arrogance here in the Pacific NW either.... and I've been to many Honda dealers over the years.

bigfur

Lived in south florida for a year also...most of the sales persons there were the same way. Acted like they were annoyed that i wanted to test drive something, not just sign the paperwork on it. Met one very good Honda salesman up here once, went back a week later and he was no longer with the company. I found that to be funny.

dudleyr

Very interesting. I am looking at an Accord 4-cyl 5-speed. Was comparing it to Camry, but they don't make any stick shift Camry's with the VSC and that was the only real advantage the Camry had over the Accord. Now I am trying to decide between the slightly larger, smoother, and more efficient Accord vs the smaller, better handling VSC equiped Mazda 3.

I really like the hatch on the 3 - wish Honda still made one (the Fit is too small).

If the Mazda 3 hatch had the 2.0 liter engine that gets better mpg than the Accord I would be all over it.

Tough to compare safety because there are so many factors. VSC could prevent an accident, but the Accord has better protection if you are in an accident.

The strange thing to me is that nobody make the car I want (out of the millions sold every year). My perfect vehicle would be an efficient 4-cyl station wagon with good handling and a stick shift.

A Corolla wagon that handles like a Mazda 3 would be about perfect. SUV like utility and hybrid like economy, with sporty handling. I find it hard to believe that nobody else wants something like this, and it is not being made - except in Europe where they are everywhere.

I absolutely drool over the Acoord wagon with a 50 mpg (highway) diesel engine.

d_hyper

There are still manual Focus wagons left for sale. New US Focus will drop wagon & hatchback.

dudleyr

The Focus comes pretty close, but it is not very efficient (I know it recently got better mpg for the '07 year) and it seems crude inside. Specifically the seats were way too soft, and there were no rear headrests at all. Love the size of it though and it does handle well. If it got Mazda3 2.0l mpg and had a Mazda3 (or Accord) interior it would be great - assuming the reliability is there. I was still very tempted.

CR got 42 mpg hwy for the stick shift 2.0 Mazda3 and 35 mpg hwy for the stick shift Focus 2.0. Quite a big difference especially since the EPA numbers are about the same and the engines should be very similar.

Wish Ford treated the Focus like a real car and not a throw away. It deserves better - needs to be updated to the new chassis.

d_hyper

I agree, but for the price difference, you can sacrifice some mileage, I'd imagine.

dudleyr

If the rest was up to snuff, the mileage would be less of a problem.

The other problem is that the mileage is not only about money. I have a thing about inefficiency, the whole greenhouse gas issue, and depending on foreign oil does not help either.

neteng101

My perfect vehicle would be an efficient 4-cyl station wagon with good handling and a stick shift.

The WRX comes to my mind as a possibility for you? :confuse:

dudleyr

The WRX would be close if it used about half as much fuel. As it is, it uses more fuel than my minivan, so not too much point as a second more efficient vehicle.

The Matrix would be close if it handled better and had a telescoping wheel (the wheel is so far away).

yankeesuc4

i realize that this is somewhat off topic, but my father is interested in the mazda 3, and was wondering whether or not purchasing a new mazda would be more advantageous than purchasing a used volvo or acura (2005 or 6)

thanks

autonomous

used volvo or acura (2005 or 6)
Which models?

dudleyr

Go new. Then you have the warranty and not somebody else's problem.

ichpokhudezh

Mazda 3 are very good vehicles if a little lacking in interior materials. GT&Mazdaspeed trims are ok for the price level, I think.

TSX is not worth it, IMO, and TL holds its value quite good so 2005-2006 are not exactly "deals" - again, IMO. Are you thinking about volvo s40/v50? I would wait until c30 gets here - I expect it to be between MZ3s and Mazdaspeed 3 performance-wise and much better appointed.

dudleyr

Still comparing these two vehicles.

Tough choice between the better handling 3 and the larger more comfortable Accord.

If it were just me I would ge the 3, but need to haul the kids around too, and they fit better in the back of the Accord. Of course we will usually drive the minivan when we have the whole family in the car, so there will very rarely be three kids in the back.

I have noticed that even though the 3 does not have much knee room there is a fair amount of foot room, and the slightly higher seats make the most out of the space. I can actually comfortably sit behind myself. Of course in the Accord I can actually cross my legs sitting behind myself.

It keeps coming back to stability control though. The 3 has it standard on the Touring S and the Honda does not have it at all on the 4 cyl Accords.

starhusker

Hi dudleyr, I have the exact same problem you are describing here. What did you end up getting? or still looking? Thanks.

dudleyr

I bought the Accord. My wife did not think the back seat was large enough for the kids in the 3.

Happy so far. Gas mileage is quite good.

I would have liked a hatch, and the 3 had better seats, but I don't regret getting the Accord. We were able to take it on a 400 mile trip with the 3 kids and I don't think it would have worked as well with the 3.

If it was just me though, I would have the 3.

savvyboy

Let's take this item by item...

Weak A/C - BS
Hesitation and Stalling - only if you don't know how to shift
Auto tran harsh shift from 1 - 2 - BS
Excessive rear brake dust - I've seen some, but I can't call it "excessive"
Cheap Interior - Obviously this guy has never been in a Cobalt
Bad stock tires - I'll go along with that, but how is Mazda to blame? They're GoodYear tires.
Had my 17s for three years...no rust
No chipped paint (sans the roof which had a sizable rock land on it at highway speed, and the chip is EXTREMELY small)
MPG problem was improved with the introduction of the 5 speed auto. Don't misunderstand, the fuel efficiency could be better, but not much for the power the 2.3 wields. This engine is designed to compete with V6s, it's designed to perform.

I'm on a Mazda 3 Forum and these complaints are very few and from a very few...like the same amount of people that you would find abusing a car.

The Accord V6 is a sweet ride. The V6 provides a great balance between power and performance. It would cream a Mazda3S off the line, but doesn't handle quite as well. It obviously has more interior space and more peripheral "stuff". But the bottom line is that these are two different kinds of cars for two different purposes aimed at two different segments.

If you want performance, and still insist on being a Honda yes man by taking cheap, unfounded shots at other vehicles, then go with an Acura TL S-Type. It handles every bit as well as the 3 and has power to spare.

thegraduate

Don't misunderstand, the fuel efficiency could be better, but not much for the power the 2.3 wields. This engine is designed to compete with V6s, it's designed to perform.

Eh, I'm gonna raise a question (respectfully) here. How do you gather that the 2.3L 4-cyl is designed to compete with V6s?

03accordman

So what V6 is the 2.3 competing with? The 3.0 vulcan from Ford? Apart from that, I really don't see it anywhere near today's V6s, most of which put our in the 225-300hp range.

dudleyr

The hp is not the main issue, since the Mazda3 weighs about 500 lbs less than most V-6 cars. It is the liveliness of the vehicle that matters. The 2.3 is also the larger optional engine, like the V-6 is optional on larger cars.

The 2.3 is a nice engine, but the 2.4 in the Accord is nicer (more power and better mpg - even in a larger vehicle). I would love to see the Accord engine in the 3.

BTW the Lotus Elise does not have too much power from its 4-cyl, but it will dust most V-6 and many V-8 cars.

03accordman

Agree, the 2.4 in the Accord is a gem. Wonder if the 08 Accords will stick with the same engine or get the AVTEC equipped one?

The discussion in the earlier post was about engines, not cars, that why I pointed out the power difference. Also, have noted some 0-60 figures, they seem to be identical for stick equipped 3 and Accord.

Coming back to the car as a whole, most people seem to think that the 3 has better handling than an Accord.

eldaino

ha ha this post is great!

why would a honda fan have to move all the way up to a tl-type s, (which by the way would not handle just as good or comparably to the 3, it would pretty much cream it.), when they could just buy an si, which handles the same if not better?

there is no way the 2.3 is made to compete with v-6's; if that were the case, there would be no use for anything but a 4 cyl mazda6!

The performance of the 2.3 (well, more like the torque) is nice, but it has pretty bad fuel economy; i average the same in my rabbit, but i'm dragging an iron block, and extra cylinder and .02 litres of displacement more!

the 4cyl in the accord is awesome, but i doubt its going to be this exact version in the new accord; it will more than likely be about 170-180 hp and have advanced vtec.