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Honda Civic vs. Toyota Corolla vs. Mazda3

879 messages,  Last post on Nov 25, 2008 at 3:57 PM

You are in the Toyota Corolla Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda MAZDA3, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 88

#10 of 879 Not enough head-room in Corolla by dteska

Jul 13, 2005 (12:16 pm)

We've been trying to decide between the Corolla LE, Mazda3i Sedan and the Civic EX (all equipped with a moonroof), and we ruled out the Corolla very early on because it does not have enough head-room. I'm 6 feet tall, and my head touches the ceiling in the Corolla even with the seat adjusted all the way down. In addition to that, the steering wheel is too far away when I adjust the seet for adequate leg-room.
 
In deciding between the Mazda3i Sedan and Civic EX Sedan, it came down to our test drive impressions. The Mazda was the clear winner in handling, quiet ride and overall driving feel. The one thing my wife did not like about it was the "rough ride" in city driving. The Civic did everything well but was not outstanding in any one area except for fuel economy. The other big advantage for the Civic was reliability and resale value.
 
The deciding factor turned out to be the weak air conditioning in the Mazda. We test drove it on a 93 degree day for about 30 minutes, and the car never totally cooled down. By the way, the build date on this particular car was May, 2005. Since this was the only Mazda3i in the Cincinnati area that was equipped with ABS and moonroof, we decided to get the Civic EX. We pick it up Friday. By the way, the Civic's air conditioning cooled the car down in less than five minues.

#11 of 879 Also Deciding by earlthom

Jul 13, 2005 (2:07 pm)

I appreciate this conversation. I, too, have driven these models and am still undecided. I drove the Toyota and ruled it out - uncomfortable seating and that low end engine noise was enough to say "no" for me. The Chevy and Ford weren't even close. I like the Honda, but am unsure about the obligatory moon roof with the EX model. (I won't buy without ABS - so the EX is the only option.) I also really liked driving the Mazda 3. It seemed to be the quietest of the group, but also the worst mileage.
 
In contrast with the previous post - when I drove the 3i it was about 95 and humid and the AC did the job just fine.
 
I'm waiting to learn more about the 06 Civic at this point. Most of what is out there about it is speculation - not even the dealers seem to know what to expect.
 
Right now both models are hard to find in my area - and deals do not exist. Too many people thinking fuel economy, I guess.

#12 of 879 Re: My thoughts [modock] by x5918

Jul 13, 2005 (7:47 pm)

Replying to: modock (Jul 13, 2005 12:13 pm)
Grunty, Gruntier, Gruntiest. Or. Toyota Matrix, Mazda3s, Honda Civix Ex. I'm a bit dissapointed with 3s weak low end torque and mediocre gas mileage. The Honda VTEC engine definetly the most advanced engine in the pack - nevertheless the 3s 2.3L engine is a blast, compared to the minimalistic 1.7L Civic. Cheap therapy, whichever you choose.

#13 of 879 Re: Also Deciding [earlthom] by dteska

Jul 14, 2005 (10:04 am)

Replying to: earlthom (Jul 13, 2005 2:07 pm)
I'm waiting to learn more about the 06 Civic at this point. Most of what is out there about it is speculation - not even the dealers seem to know what to expect.
 
If you can afford to wait, the '06 Civic should fit your needs. All '06 Civics (even the base models) will be equipped with ABS and side airbags as standard equipment.

#14 of 879 Make mine 1 part civic, 1 part corolla and 1 part mazda3 by autonomous

Jul 14, 2005 (11:30 am)

Replying to: dteska (Jul 14, 2005 10:04 am)
I agree that it would be wise to wait for the Civic; it may not end up being your choice but at least you will have had a chance to try it out. Personally, I think this is one of the best years for purchasing a small sedan with all the choices that are on offer.
 
To help you in choosing, you may want to go to your public library and check some of the back issues of Consumer Reports, especially the April 2005 annual auto issue. CR publishes reliability histories of many vehicles, provides helpful hints for purchasing a new vehicle and discusses trends for the future.

#15 of 879 Test drove them all by pmc255

Jul 14, 2005 (5:06 pm)

So, I test drove all three cars yesterday. The Civic is quite plain, as expected. Reasonably roomy (I'm 5'11"). Handling and acceleration are okay. Not very exciting, but is decent.
 
The Corolla was about the same. The engine noise was a bit louder, but the interior seemed better. It also seemed more spacious than the Civic, according to my friend who sat in the passenger seat with me in the test drives (he's 6'4"). My friends' impressions were that the Corolla had a better look and feel than the Civic.
 
The Mazda3 had a much sportier, more attractive exterior look than the Civic and Corolla. The interior was surprising, and I liked the paneling along with the cool looking gauges. The steering wheel had a tilt/telescopic feature as well, so it was flexible to adjustment. Along with the automatic transmission, the Mazda3 also has a manual sports mode that lets you sequentially shift gears up or down. Of course, the drive felt more engaging (the salesman kept telling me to "push it!" ), and it had better acceleration. The trunk is roomier than it seems, but is still smaller compared to the Corolla and Civic.
 
Overall, based on asthetics, features, feel, and drive from my experiences yesterday, I would rank the Mazda3 first, then Corolla, then Civic.
 
However, after adding up the options I want for the Mazda3 based on the i trim (base), the MSRP ended up around $18000. My base features are automatic transmission, power mirrors/doors/locks, and ABS. It doesn't seem like a lot to ask for. But these options are all packaged in the Mazda3, so adding ABS and power options means adding airbags, cruise control, speakers, alloy wheels, and a few more things. But with that price, I might as well get the Mazda3s trim, and simply add the ABS package for a final MSRP of only about $800 more. But then this leaves me with a significantly more powerful car with poorer mileage, both of which aren't attributes I'm looking for.
 
And now I'm thinking, for MSRP $18000, wouldn't it be better to simply look for a car in a different class? For around the same price, I can get an Accord with basic features I want, and with similar mileage, but just a bigger car (I'm looking for compacts). Even the Civic EX, the only trim with ABS, ends up around $18000 MSRP. Only the Corolla LE with ABS ends up around $17000.
 
So, I'm kinda in a quandry. I personally like the Mazda3, but don't really like the idea of having to spend extra money for power I don't need while getting unsatisfactory mileage. Should I be thinking about cars like the Accord or Camry? Most of them come standard with the basic features I want, but lack the compactness and efficient mileage I seek. Or should I just go for the Mazda3s, and not worry about the loss of fuel efficiency? Or downgrade a bit and go for the Mazda3i, with less power but slightly better efficiency? Or simply get a Corolla for its price, mileage, and decent features and reliability?

#16 of 879 Re: Test drove them all [pmc255] by nash123

Jul 14, 2005 (8:46 pm)

Replying to: pmc255 (Jul 14, 2005 5:06 pm)
You are doing exactly what I did a month ago. Research those 3 cars, liked the Mazda best but then wasn't sure about the long term reliability and wasn't happy about the high price. Based on these I actually decided to get an Accord LX 4dr MT, which is around $17,500 + tax. Gets a lot for the same money, with ABS and all other safety features you can think of. I am planning to finalize this sale by the end of this month.

#17 of 879 Re: Test drove them all [pmc255] by mdaffron

Jul 15, 2005 (9:51 am)

Replying to: pmc255 (Jul 14, 2005 5:06 pm)
So, I'm kinda in a quandry. I personally like the Mazda3, but don't really like the idea of having to spend extra money for power I don't need while getting unsatisfactory mileage. Should I be thinking about cars like the Accord or Camry? Most of them come standard with the basic features I want, but lack the compactness and efficient mileage I seek.
 
Just keep in mind, you're going from a loaded 3 to a bargain-basement Accord or Camry. Chances are, if you're like me (isn't everyone? ), the moment you get serious about an Accord or Camry, you'll start adding in their options and wind up about two or three kilobucks higher than the 3 was.
 
Meade
 
P.S. I dunno what to make of this a/c thing with the 3. I've driven my 2005 Mazda3S, built early this year, for 5,000 miles in some incredibly humid, upper-90s heat lately, and my a/c is just fine. Yet I read a mix of comments from owners and test-drivers of 3's of many different build dates that range from one side of the story to the other. I dunno; I guess test-drive the car and see for yourself! Just make sure you put the recirculate switch on recirculate! Which begs the question ... do the a/c systems on the Civic and Corolla have recirculate switches, or just the Americanized "A/C and "MAX A/C" controls?

#18 of 879 Civic A/C by mcap56

Jul 15, 2005 (10:56 am)

The Civic A/C has a recirculate button and about nine temp settings. I turns you car into a refrigerator on most days.

#19 of 879 A/C and "MAX A/C" controls by z71bill

Jul 15, 2005 (7:41 pm)

Max AC is the same function as recirc - the thing you need to watch is if you kick on the defroster - it automatically turns the system to outside air - some systems do not switch back to recirc (or Max AC) when you turn off the defroster.

Messages Page 2 of 88

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