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2025 Subaru Ascent ReviewHead-to-Head: 2023 Mazda 3 vs 2023 Honda Civic
Two of the very best compact sedans on the planet go head to head as we compare the 2023 Honda Civic to the 2023 Mazda 3.
Mazda 3 vs Honda Civic: Similar Outside, Different Inside
The Honda Civic is a perennial contender as the very best compact sedan on the market and it’s been that way for decades. The Mazda 3 is a car that’s only recently begun a climb from a humble station to the point where some might consider it a near-premium level entry.
Today, we’re going to pit the two against one another to see which is worthy of your hard-earned cash. We’ll compare specs, driving performance, interior comfort, trims, and more in search of a winner.
Specs
Honda’s 2023 Civic starts at $26,145 but can cost in excess of $45,000 depending on how dealers treat buyers. Under the hood will be one of four different available engines starting out with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 158 hp. It’s available with a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission.
Above that is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 180 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. It’s tied exclusively to a CVT and front-wheel drive. In fact, all Civic models get power to the front only regardless of trim. This is the most fuel-efficient of the Civics as it gets 33 mpg in the city and 42 on the highway.
Honda employs the same 1.5-liter engine but is tuned to make 200 hp and 192 lb-ft of torque in its Si trim. In that case, the car is only available with a stick shift. Finally, the top trim, Type-R, uses a beefier 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that makes 315 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. It also is available as a manual only and gets an EPA-estimated 22 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway.
Mazda undercuts Honda’s pricing by just a touch at $22,550 for the base 3. Of course, the top-level 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus will set buyers back some $34,000. That’s at least a shade more than every Civic trim save for the Type-R. Mazda’s engine lineup is simpler too with five of seven available trims using the same 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder. It makes 191 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque and sends it to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed gearbox. Buyers who select front-wheel drive configurations can have a manual or an automatic while those who go for AWD are stuck with the auto. According to the EPA, it gets up to 28 mpg in the city and 37 on the highway.
Above that is a turbocharged version of the same engine that develops 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. To accomplish those figures, the car must run on 93 octane fuel or better though. Turbo buyers also see a dip in fuel economy with scores of just 23 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway.
Driving and Performance
The Honda Civic enters this competition with four engines that all have distinctly different personalities. The bottom two options both make less horsepower and torque than the Mazda 3’s base engine. They’re noticeably boring and actually date back to the previous generation of the Civic. Thankfully, things don’t stop there. The Civic Si and Civic Type-R each take the fun dial up a notch and two notches respectively.
The Si is capable of ripping from 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds and slipping under the radar so to speak in traffic at the same time. The engine isn’t particularly engaging but it delivers power well and the six-speed manual transmission is outstanding for this segment.
The Type-R deserves its own review in many ways because it’s the only car in this competition that has in excess of 300 horsepower. It also features a base MSRP that’s more than $10,000 more expensive than the top-of-the-line Mazda 3. For that cash, you get one of the most balanced compact cars on sale ever. In fact, every Civic, regardless of engine choice benefits from communicative steering, flat handling, and above-average driving dynamics.
The Mazda doesn’t give up much in the driving experience at all but it is a bit softer in the corners. That’s not to say that it isn’t highly rewarding though. The base 2.5-liter engine is engaging and fun and doesn’t suffer from some of the coarseness we felt in the Civic 1.5-liter. With the right driver at the helm, it’ll do 0-60 mph in 6.9 seconds which isn’t far off of the considerably more expensive Civic Si.
The Mazda 3 Turbo is even more enjoyable though as it can accomplish the same feat in just 5.6 seconds. Sure, the Civic Type-R is 0.7 seconds faster but you’ll be able to console yourself with about $10,000 extra in the bank. The 3 also doesn’t give up a compliant and comfortable ride in an attempt to be a pseudo-track car. It’s easy to place, resists understeer, and maintains a fun nature from behind the wheel.
Comfort and Interior
It’s easy to see the cabin of the 2023 Civic as one that we’ll all look back on as a smash hit. The dash, center console, steering wheel, and gauge cluster feature a seamless design ethos that both harkens back to the past while remaining modern. We especially love the subtle but strong climate control, the comfortable seating, and the slim A-pillars that provide excellent visibility.
The rear seats are above-average for the class as well thanks to good headroom and knee room. Behind those seats, you’ll find 15 cubic feet of storage space in the trunk. Hatchback buyers get 24.5 cubic feet. Both of those figures beat the Mazda too.
The 2023 Mazda 3 sedan has just 13.2 cubic feet of storage in the trunk and the hatchback has just 20 cubic feet behind the second row. It’s the rest of the cabin where the Mazda will truly impress most buyers though. While the dash design may not hold up in the aesthetics department for decades to come, it feels and looks as though it’s built with sturdier stuff than the materials in the Civic.
The layout is more elegant and the fit and finish are at least equal to if not better than that of the Honda. The switchgear feels great to use both in terms of intuitiveness and in terms of how it feels under one’s fingertips. The seating up front is spacious, supportive, and comfortable over long drives.
Sadly, the rear seats aren’t as enjoyable. They fall below the average for headroom and legroom in this segment. For those who plan to spend a bit more on the 3, that might be a worthy tradeoff as top trims include features like a heads-up display, heated leather front seats, and a heated steering wheel.
Trims and Features
Honda sells the Civic in two body styles including sedan and hatchback. The lineup kicks off with the Sport which comes in each body style. It offers 18-inch wheels, automatic climate control, keyless entry, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a 7-inch infotainment system.
Next up are the EX sedan and the EX-L hatchback which share the same features. Those include the 1.5-liter engine, 17-inch wheels, a sunroof, heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a rear center armrest, and blind-spot warning.
The Si pops up next in sedan form only. It gets the above mentioned 200 hp engine along with bigger brakes, a limited-slip differential, manually-adjustable front sport seats, a sport-tuned suspension, and high-performance all-season tires. Buyers can add stickier summer tires for just $200.
The Touring sedan and Sport Touring hatchback are next with a larger 9-inch infotainment screen, 18-inch wheels, automatic wipers, leather upholstery, a wireless charging pad, power-adjustable front seats, integrated navigation, and 12 Bose speakers.
Finally, the Type R comes in hatchback form only. It gets Brembo brakes, an adaptive exhaust, adaptive suspension dampers, sports seats, faux suede upholstery, and a performance data logging system.
Mazda kicks off the 3 lineup with the 2.5 S which comes with 16-inch wheels, LED headlights, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, an 8.8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and eight speakers.
Above that is the 2.5 S Select which adds 18-inch wheels, faux-leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, remote start, and blind-spot warning. The 2.5 S Preferred then adds on top of that, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory settings, and a sunroof.
The Carbon Edition is largely a black-out trim with 18-inch black wheels, black mirror caps, and other black trim. It also gets the 12-speaker Bose sound system and a red leather interior though. Above that is the 2.5 Premium trim which adds adaptive headlights, a heads-up display, paddle shifters, and integrated navigation.
Finally, the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo basically reverts back to a nearly bare-bones non-turbo S trim but keeps the heated steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, and 18-inch black painted wheels. Only when one selects the Turbo Premium Plus trim do most of those features come back including a surround-view camera system, lane-keep assist, and integrated navigation.
The Verdict
It’s no fun when one of these comparisons ends in anything close to a tie so we’ll parse out the nitty gritty here. Both of these are genuinely good cars. Both offer above-average handling and driver feedback. Finally, both offer the same three-year or 36,000-mile limited warranty coverage and five-year or 60,000-mile powertrain coverage.
The Honda Civic wins though because it offers complimentary maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles. It’s more fuel-efficient, it features a wider range of performance, and it’s slightly more practical.
If this was a test about winter driving the Mazda would win as it has available AWD. If it was about overall performance the Mazda would win that too as, on average, it’s better to drive. Depending on your region, it might be easier to snag one at MSRP too. Still, it’s just a touch less appealing as an overall package in this segment compared to the Honda Civic.
