Many decades ago, American automakers focused too much on gas-guzzling cars, allowing the Japanese manufacturers to sneak in with their economy boxes. This is kind of a repeat of that. While Ford and Chevy pulled out of compact hatchbacks, Mazda, Honda, and Toyota are still heavily invested and offer more premium touches than ever.
Both the Mazda3 and the Toyota Corolla bring something new to the table, but the Civic has been a dominant force ever since the 10th generation came out. So how do they compare to the yardstick?
Well, engines are a major divergence. As you probably know, Honda uses a 1.5-liter VTEC turbo on many of its cars. It's powerful, has a good torque and also delivers in the mpg department. However, Mazda doesn't believe in downsizing, so it's still using a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated unit which gets cylinder deactivation for 2019. The Corolla, meanwhile, is the least appealing with a 2-liter+CVT combo. But chances are this powertrain will be the most reliable.
But what's most striking about these two new models is the design, with bold headlights that stick out from a mile away, oversized grilles and plenty of character. On top of this, the Mazda3 has a premium interior, which wouldn't look out of place on a Mercedes or BMW. But it's not perfect in the infotainment department, and the Civic definitely offers more space.
The two cars also surprise you in the way they drive, but in a totally unexpected way. The new Corolla is much better than before, while the Mazda3 has become forgettable, according to this AutoGuide review. This probably has to do with Toyota switching to the brilliant new TNGA platform while Mazda adopted a lighter solid rear axle.
Toyota also costs less to buy, which is obviously important in this class. Overall, it feels like Mazda used the Civic yardstick the wrong way around.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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