Compare the2023 Mazda 3VS 2023 Honda Civic Si

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda 3 has standard Whiplash Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Civic Si doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Mazda 3 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Civic Si doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Mazda 3 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360-Degree Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Civic Si only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Mazda 3 and Civic Si have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Mazda3 Turbo Premium Plus has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic.

The Mazda 3 has standard E911 Automatic Emergency Notification, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a GPS response system, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Civic Si have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available blind spot warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Honda Civic Si:

	Mazda 3	Civic Si
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	89	325
Neck Injury Risk	17%	30%
Neck Stress	214 lbs.	241 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	205/212 lbs.	189/372 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	153	444
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	61 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	178/201 lbs.	275/164 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Honda Civic Si:

	Mazda 3	Civic Si
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	112	195
Abdominal Force	238 lbs.	286 lbs.
Hip Force	239 lbs.	286 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	71 G’s	79 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	12 inches
HIC	199	260
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	51 G’s
Hip Force	527 lbs.	805 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda 3 Sedan is safer than the Civic Si:

	3	Civic Si
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	122	205
Neck Tension	245 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.65 in	1.85 in
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1004 lbs.	1138 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	156	162
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	1.89 in
Shoulder Force	268 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.87 in	1.61 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	335 lbs.	580 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. With 3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Honda.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 50 more horsepower (250 vs. 200) and 128 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 192) than the Civic Si’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda 3 4 cyl. is faster than the Honda Civic Si (manual transmissions tested):

	3	Civic Si
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	15.2 sec	15.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	92.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Mazda 3 Sedan 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Civic Si (28 city/37 hwy vs. 27 city/37 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Mazda 3 offers an optional system to automatically turn off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda 3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Honda Civic Si (6). This means the Mazda 3 produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Civic Si every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Mazda 3 has a standard automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The Civic Si doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Mazda 3 stops shorter than the Civic Si:

	Mazda 3	Civic Si
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Mazda 3 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Civic Si; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mazda 3 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than on the Civic Si.

For better maneuverability, the Mazda 3’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Civic Si’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.1 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda 3 Sedan is 8.4 inches shorter than the Civic Si, making the Mazda 3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Mazda 3 Sedan has .4 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front hip room, .2 inches more rear headroom and 2 inches more rear hip room than the Civic Si.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback has a standard power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a power trunk.

Ergonomics

The Mazda 3 Auto offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Mazda 3 Premium/Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Mazda 3’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Civic Si’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Mazda 3’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Civic Si’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Mazda 3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Civic Si’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Mazda 3 Premium/Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Civic Si doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Civic Si’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Mazda 3’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Civic Si doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

The Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo has standard heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Civic Si.

On extremely cold winter days, the Mazda 3 Turbo’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Civic Si doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Civic Si doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Civic Si offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Civic Si doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To direct the driver from any location to a given street address, a GPS navigation system is standard on the Mazda 3 Premium. The Mazda 3’s navigation system also has a real-time traffic update feature that offers alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Civic Si doesn’t offer a navigation system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda 3 offers an available wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Civic Si doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Model Availability

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Honda Civic Si isn’t available as a four door hatchback.

Recommendations

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Mazda 3	Civic Si
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	n/a