Traded in my 16 Forester (2.5i Limited) for a 2020 Civic (EX sedan) a few weeks ago.
I wanted a smaller, more fun to drive car. Drove a 23 corolla and liked the smoothness but found it boring. Drove a 19 Mazda3 and LOVED the look and interior but found the rotary dial interface weird and was worried it would be bouncy on rough roads. Confusing going from CVT to automatic. Insurance quote was more $ and mpg a bit worse. Then drove the Civic which felt like a marriage of the two and bought it on the spot.
Worried I rushed the process because my Forester was getting bad to drive without paying to fix. I feel I should have walked away to think it over. I’m afraid I didn’t give the Mazda a fair shake, maybe should have tried camry, older lexus es, or Acura, something else I haven’t thought of… (considering these brands primarily because reliability is a top priority for me).
Things I like about the Civic:
Nice smooth relatively powerful engine (1.5T)
intuitive tech interface
pretty good ACC and LKA although can be annoying in certain cases,
cool weird shiny material they used in the dash
cloth seats are made of quality cloth and look slick (leather can actually be annoying in the summer when I’m wearing shorts or a dress)
leather wrapped tearing wheel, heated front seats, apple car play, passenger side blind spot camera
Fuel economy
relatively low insurance costs
nice size, pretty good trunk space (I think I like the sealed trunk vs the open trunk of a hatch or small SUV)
cute tail light design
relatively good over bumps and stuff although could be smoother
reliability!!!
Things I don’t like:
SOUND SYSTEM - it’s so bad I’m considering having a friend who teaches auto mechanics having his class use it as a project to replace the speakers, add a sub, and sound deadening material throughout the car (which would actually be really nice regardless of speakers bc it is kinda loud…)
sometime’s it’s kinda jerky?? it’s not predictable and that drives me crazy. sometimes if I take my foot off the brake a little too fast the car kind of lurches instead of smoothly rolling forward. stuff like that.
road noise and roughness on the road (I feel like I can really feel the texture of the road under me not necessarily being jostled around just what the surface texture is
wish the steering was a bit sharper
seats super uncomfortable. Ordered a lumbar support thingy gonna see how that works…
Dash is ok looking and I like that it’s simple but doesn’t feel very luxe
button for blind spot camera is on the end of the turn signal which is annoying
Bottom line is every time I see a Mazda I am filled with regret. I definitely need to drive again to see if I am right.
I paid cash so I can sell it pretty much whenever and not take too much of a hit financially (would sell not trade). If I have the sound system upgraded including sound deadening (for around $1000 or less in parts) do you think it will do the trick? Or should I just get out now and get something that works for me without having to put in more $ to upgrade?
I have a civic type R, many people expect way too much from this car as well and I have to remind them, “it’s a civic”. It’s reliable, its fast and its fun to drive. It lacks the creature comforts of a lux, and some other things, but I can rest assured that I’ll run it into the ground >200k miles and maybe more.
My son has a 17 Civic hatch. We put a sub in and it made a huge difference and he’s happy with the sound ($50 close out from Walmart and an hour of time). If your friend is going to replace the door speakers, have them do some soundproofing on the doors. Amazon sells a house brand version of the name brand Dynamat and it’s made a big difference in my economy car, both in terms of rattles and road noise. It was $40 including the tool. If you’re still not happy with the results, you’ve only spent a few hundred and should get it back on resale.
Is the sound system the biggest downside of the car? if it is i really feel for you OP because i feel tje same way normally with most cars i own. if you’re an audiophile i do recommend getting new speakers and a sub, it’ll transform the car and make it much more enjoyable to drive. i’ve upgraded or had someone do the sound system on every one of the cars ive owned so far and it made a worlds difference. Sound deadening also made big difference but you need to know how to apply it and where to apply it in the car.
You want a good sound system and looks or you want reliability, great fuel economy and very low repair costs? Im sorry but if you would have taken the mazda, you would be on here saying how you regret taking the mazda over the honda, you made a good choice, if you dont they sound system get an aftermarket one
I too have been driving a 2018 Civic Touring for roughly 2 years (not my own, my girlfriend’s), and I would say you should stick with the Civic. It’s what you like, and grass is always greener on the other side. The Mazda 3 is tiny especially in terms of cargo space. Let me go over your criticisms.
Sound system: this shouldn’t be a reason to get rid of a car. Would not give it to a “class” to learn on, definitely not. Go to a reputable car stereo shop and get better speakers, sub, and amp and you’ll be fine.
Jerky: I know what you mean. I have that feeling too sometimes when letting off the gas and such. I think that’s just how it is with the CVT
Road texture: you said the Corolla was boring. Well, the Civic is a more “engaging” car. Knowing the road texture and having a more engaging car is a good thing in my eyes…you’re complaining about something you probably didn’t get in the Corolla.
Steering: it’s electronic power steering. Heavier at higher speeds, sharp and quick at low. Varies with speed. I find it a very sharp turning vehicle honestly.
Seats: well…yeah I kind of get that feeling too sometimes. Try changing seating position? But yeah not super super comfortable
Luxury dash: the Civic’s dash is probably the most modern looking compared to the other vehicles you looked at. I like it, it is simple. Not something I’d complain about honestly
Blind spot camera: honestly man that is the best place to put the button to activate it; it’s super accessible. Have no idea where else you could put it to make it easier
My own vehicle I drive a Colorado truck. So this Civic is a blast to drive and way more comfy, but I’ve always had experience driving the Civic for 2 years so I notice it’s flaws too.