Compare the2024 Honda CivicVS 2024 Mazda 3

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Civic deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Civic’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Mazda 3’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the Civic and the Mazda 3 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, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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

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, results indicate that the Honda Civic is safer than the Mazda 3:

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

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Civic for 2 years or 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 3.

There are almost 2 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Civic’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Civic second among compact cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Mazda 3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

As tested in Motor Trend the Civic EX/EX-L/Touring 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mazda 3 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Sedan gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Sedan gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Hatchback:

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Hatchback gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the Civic Hatchback gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Hatchback:

The Civic has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Civic has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Civic stops shorter than the Mazda 3:

For better traction, the Civic has larger standard tires than the Mazda 3 (215/50R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Civic Sport/Touring’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mazda 3 (235/40R18 vs. 215/45R18).

The Civic LX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mazda 3 2.5 S Sedan’s standard 60 series tires. The Civic Sport/Touring’s tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s 45 series tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Honda Civic has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda 3 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Civic has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Civic flat and controlled during cornering. The Mazda 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Civic has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Civic Touring Sedan handles at .88 G’s, while the Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Civic Touring Sedan executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan AWD (26.7 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Honda Civic may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Mazda 3.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Civic Touring Sedan is quieter than the Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback (36 vs. 40 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Civic a Mid-size car, while the Mazda 3 is rated a Compact.

The Civic has 6.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 3 Sedan (99 vs. 92.8).

The Civic Sedan has 1.3 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear legroom and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mazda 3 Sedan.

The Civic Sedan has a much larger trunk than the Mazda 3 Sedan (14.8 vs. 13.2 cubic feet).

Consumer Reports rated the Civic’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Mazda 3’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Civic and the Mazda 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its October 2021 issue and the Honda Civic Touring Sedan won out over the Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan AWD.

The Civic was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 8 more times in the last 39 years. The Mazda 3 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Honda Civic outsold the Mazda 3 by almost five to one during 2022.