Which One: Honda Civic RS or Mazda 3 SP25GT?

Ldjmm on 08/07/2017 - 22:11
Last edited 08/07/2017 - 22:11

In the market for new car (hatchback version in auto). Both seem to be quiet similar, test drove both as well and still cant decide, lol.

Looks:
I prefer Civic RS more sporty look but dont really love any particular colour. Mazda has more mature look (still nice) and it has much nicer colour palates than Honda.

Drive:
Mazda: Like the handling and the traditional auto but ride is more bumpy and less refined and has more cabin noise
Civic: steering slightly lose out to Mazda but cabin is very quiet and ride is more confortable, like driving a fullsize sedan.

Price: more or less same but I reckon I can get more discount from Mazda.
However Mazda is so common, you can almost see Mazda 3 on every second street you drive.

Civic has moonroof. Mazda has better headlamp (adaptive) and auto dim rear view mirror.

Civichas lanewatch camera but Mazda has blind spot monitoring.

What do you guys reckon? I am only deciding between these 2. Space inside is not really a concern but Civic has more airy feel. It is bigger though. Cheers.

Automotive

Comments

  • Findo on 08/07/2017 - 23:02
    +2

    Civic has CVT. No thanks.

  • Ryanek on 08/07/2017 - 23:31
    +2

    Civic has a more refined interior and is better as a daily driver. After all the excitement wears off you want to be comfortable in a car. I'd go the Civic.

  • TheBilly on 09/07/2017 - 07:43
    -3

    Cant really go wrong with honda. Mazda only picked up their game with the new gen mazda 3. Honda have been good as long as i can remember, consistently.

    • Toons on 09/07/2017 - 11:21
      +1

      try telling that one to Mclaren or Fernando Alonso with a straight face

      PS i didn't neg your comment

      • TheBilly on 09/07/2017 - 15:12
        +1

        Lol, all good. Im just simply stating Honda have a undeniable history of reliability and innovation in consumer cars (civics have always been great/reliable/sporty) … What I meant by my above comment was, mazda only became popular when they went from the mazda 323 to the mazda 3 … during the mazda 323 years, they werent australias top selling hatch and for a reason … I think OP should also consider history in the purchasing decision.

  • oscargamer on 09/07/2017 - 08:12

    Whichever you want. Why does it matter to you what people you don't know, think?

  • nicholasfrawley on 09/07/2017 - 11:14
    +1

    I love the styling and appearance of the Civic, make sure you get it in blue!

  • altomic on 09/07/2017 - 11:27
    -1

    2009 Camry

  • 00 on 09/07/2017 - 11:51
    -1

    Horse and cart.

    00 on 09/07/2017 - 11:51 (Collapsed - Offtopic. Show)
  • jimbobaus on 09/07/2017 - 14:21
    +1

    May not matter to you

    Mazda3: Built in Japan
    Honda: Built in Thailand

    CVT Transmission : CRAP

    Civic looks like it was designed by a crackhead…. So UGLY (IMO)

  • Sunshines bright on 09/07/2017 - 21:00

    We had a hard time a few years back choosing between the two manufactures, Honda and mazda. Both have good history and seem to be a quality made car. In the end the decision was based on price and the color/looks on the outside. We found the Local Honda dealer to have a better sticker price then the local Mazda dealer, and we purchased local(NSW) due to lower GST too.

    Looking at your 2 choices for 2017 models, I think the Mazda has better colour to choose from and a smoother more refined and elegant look. To me the Honda has a more sporty look with just barely a touch of elegance. But that is just my female opinion.

    • djmm on 09/07/2017 - 22:07

      You're absolutely right - colours on Mazda is just simply better. We had the opposite experience as we decided to go with Mazda simply because the price could be negotiated much further than the Civic (they both share similar RRP).

      Like you said, Civic is very stylish and has more aggressive/sporty look, whereas Mazda is more elegant/timeless. civic might suit someone younger ie. 20s or early 30s.
      Only thing I miss from Civic is the sunroof.

  • Buckshot on 11/07/2017 - 19:08

    So Mazda's Three may be reaching the end of it's lifecycle sooner than the all new Civic. That's one consideration and you can take it two ways: Mazda have ironed out the product faults and gotten a majority of the recalls out of the way; Honda have not.
    Mazda's resale will drop faster because an incoming new model will probably appear in the next 18-24 months.

    For me personally, the Civic RS is more practical and has a more tractable Turbo motor- even if it does have a CVT. Honda have also extended their warranties out to 5 years.
    It looks better in some colours than others thanks to it's polarizing design grey and blue are the better colours and I would be dodging the horrid black inserts and black on black wheels where possible.

    The Mazda 3 is still a sexy car but is less spacious than the Honda. It also misses out on Android Auto and Car play.

  • djmm on 11/07/2017 - 20:25

    Mazda just got its mid life change 4th quarter last year, so I'd hazard guess it'd be at least 2-3 years before complete model change. I really honestly couldn't find any colour I love with RS too, which contributed towards my decision in getting Mazda (but mainly price).
    The RS in blue is the best combo but the blue can look a bit too bright especially in daylight sun. If it had pearl white like Toyota 86, it'd look killer.

    It is a more practical if it's your only car as space is much bigger than Mazda 3 and yeah, no Android auto is a bummer. Not sure why Mazda won't just include this as software update (heck even paid update) as it would make the car more appealing.

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