Comparing the 2021 Mazda3 vs. Honda Civic

2021 Mazda3 Sedan

If you’re on the lookout for a compact car in 2021, two strong candidates that stand out are the Mazda3 and the Honda Civic. Both vehicles have impressive power and a stylish appearance. Inside, you’ll find room for five passengers. But how do the two vehicles compare against each other in performance, safety features, entertainment systems, and trim options? Let’s take a look.

Engine and Performance

The 2021 Mazda3 has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in its base trim that takes you from zero to 60 in just over eight seconds. It’s good for 155 horsepower and produces a smooth ride. If you’re looking for more power, you can upgrade to the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which gives you 186 horsepower. The final engine option is new for 2021: a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces an impressive 227 horsepower and will take you from zero to 60 in less than six seconds.

The Mazda3’s steering responds sharply around corners, making the Mazda an enjoyable car to handle. You can pay an additional $1,400 on most trims to upgrade to all-wheel drive, which will give you a touch more power when exiting turns. You won’t get an all-wheel-drive option with the Civic.

The Civic’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder standard engine, which can generate 158 horsepower, is virtually identical in terms of power to the Mazda3’s base option. However, the upgrade option of a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder falls short of the Mazda3, managing only 174 horsepower. A more powerful engine is available with the Civic Type R, but this model has a hefty price tag of around $38,000 and is aimed at the high-performance market.

Fuel Economy

The Civic and Mazda3 are virtually neck and neck when it comes to fuel economy. The typical Civic, with its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, is good for 38 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg in the city. Drivers who opt for a manual transmission drop 1 mpg of fuel efficiency in the city.

By contrast, the Mazda3’s base trim gets 36 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city. You’ll notice a slight decline in fuel efficiency if you opt for one of the more powerful engine options, but even the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder manages a reasonable 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

Style

The Civic is available in hatchback and sedan styles. While the sedan model has won praise from critics for its appearance, the hatchback offers more utility, especially if you’d prefer a bit more space for cargo in the back.

You can also choose from a sedan and a hatchback with the Mazda3. The hatchback gives you about 20 cubic feet of cargo storage in the back, which is about average for the compact car class. While cargo storage in the sedan is a little less than what you’ll get in the Civic sedan, the Mazda makes up for its slightly smaller size with a high-quality interior cabin with plenty of soft-touch surfaces. Cloth-covered seats are standard in the sedan, while the hatchback is equipped with synthetic leather seat coverings.

Both vehicles are equipped for child seats to be installed in the rear row, making them ideal for small families.

Safety and Driver Assistance

Automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and automatic high beam headlamps are standard safety features in the Mazda3. You’ll also benefit from the rain-sensing wipers if you get caught in a shower. On top of the standard safety features, you can opt for blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warning, which can prove helpful when you’re maneuvering through Dallas or Fort Worth’s busy traffic.

The Civic is equipped with many of the same safety features, including automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control. In addition, drivers benefit from automatic high beam headlights for improved visibility.

Infotainment and Technology

If you prefer a larger infotainment screen, the Mazda3 is the better choice. Its standard infotainment screen measures 8.8 inches and has been praised for its user-friendly controls. By contrast, the Civic’s base trim is equipped with a 5-inch touch screen. Higher-trim Civics come with a 7-inch touch screen.

You can also get your hands on an eight-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, and two USB ports as standard features in the Mazda3. If you want to add some higher-performing equipment, you can upgrade to higher trims for a 12-speaker Bose sound system and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Trims

If you opt for the Mazda3 sedan, you have four trim choices: Base, Select, Preferred, and Premium. The hatchback leaves out the Select trim, giving you the choice of a Base, Preferred, or Premium model. Upgrading to the Select sedan will get you Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of your infotainment system as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel. As for the Preferred trim, it adds heated front seats, a 12-speaker sound system, and a power-adjustable driver’s seat.

The top-of-the-line Premium gets you leather-trimmed seats, a moonroof, and the option for a manual transmission in the hatchback. The Premium sedan tops out at just over $26,000, while the Premium hatchback retails for around $27,500.

The Civic sedan has five trims: LX, Sport, X, XL, and Touring. Its hatchback version is available in LX, Sport, XL, and Sport Touring trims. Upgrading to the Sport trim gets you proximity keyless entry and an eight-speaker sound system. The Sport Touring hatchback has rain-sensing wipers, a 12-speaker sound system, and a navigation system.

Now that we’ve shown you how the Mazda3 and the Civic compete against each other in a side-by-side comparison, it’s time for you to decide which one is right for you.

If you still have questions about the Mazda3’s performance or some of its features, we’re here to help. Contact us today at Hiley Mazda of Fort Worth to speak with one of the members of our expert auto sales team. Better yet, go ahead and explore our new Mazda inventory so you can pick out your ideal vehicle and configurations.