2020 Honda Civic vs 2021 Mazda MAZDA3

Minor design tweaks and more standard safety and convenience features arrive as the standout changes for the Civic's 2020 model year. Last redesigned for the 2016 model year, the Civic keeps outperforming its small-car peers by offering the performance and quality of more expensive cars, while retaining the value and longevity expected of a Honda. Plus, I had a really fun week with the turbocharged Civic Si.

Mazdas are fun. All of them. Even the SUVs. But until recently, they weren’t particularly fast. The joy in driving a Mazda derived from the expertly tuned ride and handling qualities that made piloting the automaker’s products a sheer delight. And then Mazda started turbocharging cars and SUVs equipped with its 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. Now, the 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo arrives, one of the last members of Mazda’s fleet to add forced induction for boosted power and performance. The result, as you might guess, is absolutely delightful.