We Drove the 2020 Mazda3 1.5 Elite Back-to-Back with the Honda Civic 1.8 E

Mazda isn’t hiding the fact that they think majority of Mazda3 buyers will go straight for the 2.0 Premium models. With that, it comes as no surprise that the entry-level 1.5 Elite doesn’t see as much coverage as its sexier top-trim sibling. But leave it to the guys at Mazda Philippines to bring a base 1.5 Elite sedan along for this road trip; and they even brought some good company: the Honda Civic 1.8 E.

Despite the Honda Civic 1.8 E’s 30 horsepower, 28 Nm of torque advantage, it’s let down by its CVT transmission. Where Honda’s drivetrain feels like being tortured on the track, the Mazda’s 6-speed automatic obliges, helping it build up speed progressively. Acceleration, while not explosive, is there. The Civic does have the quantitative 0-100 km/h advantage (around one second faster), but the Mazda3 subjectively feels faster. Moreover, the Mazda3’s transmission is more intuitive, holding revs or even blipping at downshifts.

Off the straights and through corners, the Mazda3 is sharper, and pivots tightly. There’s much more immediacy in every action, guided by its precise steering. It’s also graceful, especially during transitionary left-right-left maneuvers. The eco-biased tires do tend to break traction faster, but it’s always easy to catch a slide. There’s none of the flop, none of the excess body movement that plagues the Civic. The brakes too are way better; measured, easily modulated with a firm pedal feel.

Performance aside, the Mazda3 too has the advantage when it comes to interior fit and finish. The materials used feel premium, the appointments a class above. Perhaps the only area the Civic convincingly wins here is interior room.

As for the spec sheet wars, this is how the Mazda3 1.5 Elite stacks up against the Honda Civic 1.8 E (in parenthesis):

• Engine: 1.5 Skyactiv-G 4-cylinder (1.8 i-VTEC 4-cylinder)
• Maximum Power: 111 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm (141 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm)
• Maximum Torque: 146 Nm @ 3,500 rpm (174 Nm @ 4,300 rpm)
• Transmission: 6-speed AT (CVT)
• Cruise Control: Yes (Yes)
• Front Suspension: MacPherson Strut (MacPherson Strut)
• Rear Suspension: Torsion Beam Axle (Multi-Link)
• Parking Brake: Electric (Electric)
• Length: 4,660 mm (4,649 mm)
• Width: 1,795 mm (1,799 mm)
• Height: 1,440 mm (1,416 mm)
• Wheelbase: 2,725 mm (2,698 mm)
• Turning Radius: 5.3 m (5.3 m)

Exterior Features:

• 205/60 R 16 (215/55 R 16)
• LED Headlights (LED Headlights)
• Bulb-type Daytime Running Lights (LED Daytime Running Lights)
• Rain-sensing Wipers (Variable-intermittent Wipers)
• Power Folding Mirrors (Power Folding Mirrors)
• Dual Exhaust (Single Exhaust)

Interior Features:

• Leather Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel (Urethane Tilt/Telescopic Steering Wheel)
• Fabric Seats (Fabric Seat)
• 8-way Manual Adjust Driver’s Seat (6-way Manual Adjust Driver’s Seat)
• 6-way Manual Adjust Passenger’s Seat (4-way Manual Adjust Passenger’s Seat)
• 7-inch LCD Instrument Panel Display (7-inch LCD Instrument Panel Display)
• Mazda Connect with 8.8-inch LCD Monitor (Advanced Display Audio with 7-inch Display)
• Apple CarPlay/Android Auto: Yes (Yes)
• 8-Speaker System (6-Speaker System)
• Heads-Up Display: Yes (No)
• Climate Control: Dual-zone with Rear Vents (Single Zone)
• Push-button Start/Stop: Yes (Yes)
• Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror: Yes (No)

Safety Features:

• 7 SRS Airbags (2 SRS Airbags)
• ABS with EBD (ABS with EBD)
• Stability Control: Yes (Yes)
• Rear Parking Sensors: Yes (No)
• Rear View Camera: Yes (Yes)

With a P 110,000 price gap in favor of Honda, Mazda sure does have an uphill battle to upstage the segment’s leader. But after some hot laps around the Clark International Speedway and a closer look at the spec sheet, the Mazda3 springs a pleasant surprise. The 2.0 Premium will still be the better seller (and better value), but even in its base guise, it still manages to upset the compact’s best-seller in more ways than one, and as a result, could change the segment’s balance of power.