I'm shopping for cars right now and appreciate them looking at these. It seems like all the fun enthusiast cars outside WRX and these are hard as hell and expensive now.
I love how Mark and Jack give each other room to make counterarguments and debate about each car's pros and cons so that consumers have a better idea of which car is better for their needs
Agree, this is what I love about this channel they actually talk about the bad but you also see that a certain feature can be considered bad or good or neutral. This is why test driving is ultimately the best way to truly decide because everyone is gonna be different. I love how detailed they are in the reviews because for those of us who are buying, we’re gonna have this car for 6+ years
My favorite part of every video is Mark absolutely ripping a car and Jack giggling to hide his nerves about dying. Mark appears to be an excellent driver though.
As an Integra owner, I could not find a dealership anywhere near me (within 300 miles) that would sell me an Si at MSRP (I looked for a month), and where I would not have to wait a long time. Given that,the extra warranty, and the heated seats, I bought the Integra. After three Golfs, I was FINALLY done with VW, as for me, the GTI or GLI were the only other options. I am happy with my purchase. The car is everything that Jack and Mark say it is and more. I get 37 mpg doing 85 on the highway, and with snowtires, I drove in one hell of a snowstorm from south central Wisconsin to O'Hare and back yesterday and had zero issues with traction. I also do not have wheel hop with snow tires. The biggest disappointment for me with this car is the OEM Contis. They are absolute trash. Oh, and Holy Wars... The Punishment Due sounds AMAZING on the ELS Studio.
@@Tigerex966 ditto with VW. I have had VW (Passat) in the past and although I didn’t know the repairs, it was an awesome car. I too is sticking with Japanese cars these days though
22:01 As a 33 yr old with a Kia Optima i'm looking to replace and a heavily modded Fiesta ST for fun, I did not expect to have this level of accurate advice. You guys rock
I love that you guys just give your audience the info to make up our own minds rather than shove opinions down our throats. It would have been easy to pander to the enthusiast tribe and just praise the Civic + dunk on the 3, since a lot of enthusiasts desperately need their biases validated.... but these cars are expensive, so having the info to actually make a real life decision is invaluable. Thanks
@@dougrobinson8602 Markups on the Si are bad, to the point where it almost makes sense to get an Integra as you can usually get an Integra around MSRP. If you want to scream, I've seen a new Type R being sold for almost $66k before taxes and dealer fees.
@@kevinnorris6558 exactly this. Counting in the markups, the addition of heated seats, the stereo, the all-digital instrument cluster, and all of the little luxury touches (yes I know it is no MDX) - it's a good value compared to the Si.
@@dougrobinson8602 yeah, as much as I would have liked to get an Integra or Mazda3, my Jetta Sport with a manual was 25k OTD. Hard to pass up in this current market.
I cross shoped both cars and ended up buying the Mazda3 after owning Honda’s all my life. It just felt special as soon as I drove it. The power and quietness of the cabin were unmatched. Great review!
Me2 . I was a Honda guy with a 95' Si and 01' Prelude but the new Civics feel big, boring and flat. Mazda has that little something and I'm glad I went with em
I did CS intake, CS exhaust system, JB 4 piggy back tune, and hood lifters on my '23 Mazda turbo hatchback and I'm in love 😂 I wash it weekly after a good spirited drive. It makes north of 300 whp now with the mods. The exhaust note is exotic with 3 inch pipes.
@@jackpowell8155 thatrs clean i got a intake and a 2 quarter inch exhaust pipes from the tail end to about the half way point ... it feels different and moves quick for a 190 hoarses sounds mean tooo with that BIG 2.5 liter
Thank you for continuing to do reviews of cars us everyday people consider. Mark said it best, "there is something fundamentally broken with these two cars." Mazda3 looks more sophisticated/elegant, just less practical for an 'affordable' compact car due to rear seat/cargo space, which it needs to be as their sole car except for the Miata. Civic/Integra got too large, but far more practical single car solution. I actually think the biggest problem is that their prices, albeit top of the line ranges, are encroaching on the traditional luxury brands entry level models: Audi A3 35k-41k, BMW 2 Series 38k-40, Mercedes Benz A Class 35k-38k. Factor in the current climate of dealer markups and quality control issues due to supply chain issues for all new everyday cars like the Mazda3/Integra, they become even less special while the traditional luxury brands have always been luxury brands so we understand their prices.
I looked at some of those cars...the CLA I built online and didn't even bother to test drive, as the price with the desirable options was literally over $50k. The A3 I test drove but it was really disappointing. Decent power and nice ride, but the steering was feather light and lacked feel, and pricing was well into the mid $40k range with desirable options. I'm much happier saving $10k on the Mazda and using the money for investments and/or vacations.
I think the difference is I can see myself still owning one of these cars past the warranty period without my wallet wanting to engage in seppuku. Also there is the pedigree, you see an old ITR or MS3 on the road that's bee taken care of and it is awesome, you see an old entry level euro on the road and it's just meh.
@@anydaynow01 Thank you for making my point. The Integra, Mazda3 and GTI used to represent affordable hot hatchbacks. All three to a degree traded a lot of that sport for 'luxury' and are trying to capture some of that entry level market and no longer represent the same thing. In terms of being a car, I would get the Honda Civic at 30k, Mazda3 if I had a second car to do car things or a Civic Si or GTI if I wanted to have fun. I would also argue that $600 at 72 is no longer affordable.
Mark and Jack, you guys have the best honest breakdowns on cars hands down. Telling it like it is, if some materials are cheap we will hear about it. Thanks for the work and detail put into these videos.
I'm going to get a 3 Hatch soon! Passenger space is low but I'm fresh out of college and have no family--If i need to shuttle around friends from point A to point B, they can put up with the back seat. I also appreciate that it's small since I frequently take trips into San Francisco and need to parallel park everywhere. Final big plus: Cargo space space is phenomenal despite the small size. I think it'll do me plenty well until someday my life can support a larger car.
The 3 is a great car for dealing with the city. I have become the designated driver whenever I drive in with friends. I've impressed many a passenger and passersby with the spaces I've been able to confidently maneuver into. As they point out, it's also a great car in general.
I’m test driving a Mazda 3 hatch tomorrow, so this video couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m finally retiring my E46 330 to 2nd/fun/project car status and need something quiet, comfortable and nice to drive and I feel confident in my decision now. I’m cross shopping with Corolla hatches but man, the CVT just is so unappealing to me. You guys are both pretty discerning people so, I’m grateful for this review. Thanks!
@@LLG47 I just manual swapped my E46, so I’m good on that. My wife needs to be able to drive it too. And before you say anything, believe me I’ve tried to convince her learning to drive manual would be fun. No dice.
The Turbo trim is a joy to drive and the amenities that come with it are excellent-HUD, a Bose sound system that actually sounds good, heated seats/steering wheel/mirrors, etc.
Don't get swayed about CVT gimmick... the question I have for you is what exactly do you want in terms of features that you know you will be using and what kind of fuel mileage you looking for?
Been waiting for this one now we can finally see a comparison of the Integra and the Mazda3 Turbo The Mazda3 Turbo has AWD and a 6-speed auto whereas the Integra has a 6-speed manual and LSD It all comes down to what you prefer but I feel that both them are a hit and miss in some way however they’re still good cars in their own right
Keep in mind that in the US we got downgraded with the 11th Gen Si. No fogs, no heated seats, no second screen, no shift light flash, no spare tire. So having those show up along with leather and adjustable suspension is a significant upgrade over the Si. Also my local Acura dealer claims no markups, whereas I paid an additional $3k over along with a couple mandatory options and tint for my '22 Si.
This is exactly why I went with the Integra all the Honda dealers near me were charging at least $3k adm on the Si. After getting in the Integra and using the sound system it was a no brainer
@J.P Saym0 Look. That's exactly what the Acura Integra has always been. It's always been a Civic with more shit and for more money. The Integra GSR was always a Civic Si with more shit and for more money. The Integra Type R was a Civic Type R with a different body.
I used to think they were using a stereotypical Japanese name, since it's the name of the main character in Initial D. Like saying BMW'S are built by Hans, Peugeots are built by Pierre, and Chevy's are built by Pablo.
It is nice but boring: ancient suspension paired with a slushomatic. Thank God it is not CVT, but that's about it. The Acura might actually be fun to drive, if that's your thing.
@@kermit1I’m 6’1 220-225lbs and fit just fine in it. Sure the backs tight but it’s a compact car plus have had people ride back there and it was fine for regular drives. It’s not a 4 person roadtrip car and it’s not trying to be
Honestly it's impressive that Mazda can make anything competitive given how small it is; Honda is about 5 times the size by revenue and Toyota 10 times...
I bought the Integra about a month and a half ago after cross shopping a ton of luxury sedans/CUVs. I had very specific needs that give me a different perspective from you guys. While I absolutely want a sweet driving car, I have kids and I need a car that can function as a family car in a pinch (we have a Honda Odyssey as our main family car). I'm never going to the track, so I really just want something that I can chuck into corners and navigate the streets well. I also love listening to music, so audio was really important to me as well. So I was looking at a wide range of cars, Audi A3/A4, Genesis G70, BMW X3, Mazda CX-50/CX-5, VW GTI, VW Atlas. At the end of the day, the price, the features, the hatchback, the actual driving experience were all pointing me to the Integra. Also, I did have a 2016 Mazda CX-5 that was just a snooze fest and I couldn't stand it anymore. I absolutely hated dealing with my local Mazda dealership over those past 7 years. They have a horrible service department and they were adding a ton of market adjustments to the cost, so they pretty much ruled themselves out. I did like the turbo CX-50 though. My CX-5 had a ton of fit and finish issues that just left me kind of soured on Mazda. It would have taken a lot to get me to buy another one. But, point I'm trying to make is, sadly, the dealerships play a major role in what car you're going to end up with. I did end up with the CVT as it needed to be automatic. I feel like it gets a really bad rep from the online community, and it certainly is weird, but I also kind of like it. I didn't even cross shop this car for the longest time because it had a CVT, but when I finally drove it I was really impressed. It's really, really smooth for day-to-day driving and of course the gas mileage is fantastic. The car is more than fast/responsive enough to get my ass a speeding ticket if I'm not careful, but it just drones a bit when accelerating which I can live with. I'm also an architect. It does seem like a weird car, but for some reason it hit everything for me. Anyways, I was really excited to watch this video since it touches on a lot of my recent experiences. Love your stuff, you guys are honest, unapologetic, and hilarious. Keep up the awesome work.
Good for you! I also agree the CVT gets a bad rep. I can accept that its not exactly doing an enthusiast any favors, but neither is a traditional automatic especially one tuned for comfort/softness. So when they compare the CVT to a manual and say its "no fun", ok I get that. But I've also driven countless "everyday" vehicles, including a few Mazda's with traditional automatics and they are not any more exciting than some of the better CVT's. I had a 22' Civic Sport Touring Hatch with CVT for 6 months (what I think is the REAL competitor to the Mazda 3). That car was INCREDIBLY smooth, the CVT would respond and with the turbo motor would push you along with ease. Its pre-programmed ratio changes kept it from the CVT drone when flooring it. I'm rambling now, but I agree the CVT has bad rep mostly from the original outings in the automotive world. They have definitely been refined and I don't see where they are a problem for low hp vehicles vs a traditional auto.
There are certainly a lot of worse options. but you could also save about $10k and get most of what's on offer here from a base Mazda 3 Hatch or Civic Hatch. Cars are terrible for value per dollar decreasing as costs increase.
It feels over valued but so does ever other new car. The entire market is out of control and only going to get more expensive. So depending on how these cars depreciate they might not be as bad of a value as they seem.
@@Eldaino999 I agree, except the base Integra only comes with a mediocre cvt, rather than that terrific manual. I've test driven the manual, and it reminds me of the best Honda manuals from the 80'-90's. If it could be had with the base Integra, I would have bought it, but it's not worth a 10K premium, and the cvt isn't even worth considering, imo.
This is the exact kind of review I was looking for! I am not looking at Mazdas but have been looking around at the Integra and it’s so good to see it compared to another car to see how it fairs and you guys go very in depth! I really appreciate this video 👍🏽
I have owned a 2018 mazda 3 touring, a 2022 mazda 3 carbon edition, and now I own a 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec Tech. There are small differences, but both brands are not only fun to drive, they make gorgeous vehicles inside and out.
@@brassrox Unfortunately the 2022 Mazda 3 flooded during a rainstorm that damaged several homes and cars. My insurance called it a complete loss and since I had already owned 2 Mazdas I wanted to try something new but similar. Im really enjoying the Acura. It definitely has a lower suspension giving it a more sporty feel. Also is a slightly faster vehicle in my opinion. Both have amazing sound systems. Interior on both feel luxurious. However, I miss the analog dial on the Mazda compaired to a touch screen on the Acura. Id say you cant go wrong with either vehicle.
I own a 2019 Mazda 3 Premium so I want to share some of my thoughts on the car for anyone looking for an owners pov. I bought it certified from the Mazda dealership in July 2022 with only 15,500mi on it. Thankfully, (I was told, idk if this is factual, but anyways) the last owner was an elderly woman who leased it and took impeccable care of it. I’ve now put 13,800mi on it and I can say with absolute confidence that it’s the BEST car I’ve ever owned/driven. It’s crazy fun to drive, the interior makes you feel as if you’re driving a luxury vehicle imo, the sound system is INSANE and when they said they put a lot of work and thought into designing it you can definitely tell, and it’s been extremely reliable but I wouldn’t expect anything less for a car with just under 30k miles lol. I’ll list my positives and negatives about the car below. Positives: 1.) The design (again, imo) is just beautiful inside and out. The outside is gorgeous, especially with the always-on LED headlights and the rear taillights really make it stand out when they come on at dusk. The interior is just jaw dropping when you get in for the first time. If you didn’t see the Mazda badge on the steering wheel, you’d never know it was one. Every single point wether it be a touch-point or a visual-point was thought of during the design process. Every touch-point is wrapped in soft stitched leather. The visuals inside, being the lines/stitching/lights/displays/buttons/etc. are eye catching. I think the simple fact that they didn’t even cheap out on ANY of the cabin lights is telling of the hard work put into it. Not one light inside is an incandescent light, all LED.. even the visor mirrors. 2.) The infotainment screen. It’s super simple to use, aesthetically pleasing to look at, and fully of menus containing customizations of almost every aspect of the car. It’s always fast and does what I tell it to do either when using the scroll wheel or the voice commands (at least for me personally). 3.) The technology. Everything I wanted in a car, this has. Power seats, memory seats, heated seats, sun roof, blind spot, lane departure, full-speed adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, HUD, keyless entry with push button start, auto-hold, automatic up-down windows for ALL 4 WINDOWS!! Truly packed with all of the tech features you wouldn’t expect on a technically non-luxury car. Also… if you get the newer model year 2021 and up, you get heated steering wheel, 360 degree cameras, and front+rear parking sensors. 4.) The customization. Almost anything you can think of in the car is customizable. If you sit and play in the menus of the infotainment screen, you can scroll through so many sub menus and tailor you preferences to how you want them. You can change the audio system in 100’s of ways, you can change wether you want your blind spot to light up early/normal/late, you can set the doors to lock by themselves and when you want them to lock, you can set the lights to turn off with the car or 15/30/45/60/90/etc. seconds after, you can choose what safety feature you want on and what you want off and how early/late you want them to work and the best part off all… they stay set that way the next time you turn the car on!!!!!! Some automakers can’t seem to get that through their thick f*cking skulls that people don’t want to go through and disable some of the safety features EVERY TIME you start the car back up! 5.) The driving experience. The car is so incredibly fun to drive. You wouldn’t thing a non-turbo 4cyl engine could spark much excitement, but I’m here to say, IT’S FUN ASF! Once it warms up, you’ll be shocked out how quick and responsive it is from a stop or on a straight road or around a bend and all of that’s before putting it in sport mode. It really takes off in sport mode and holds the gears like a mofo. My first time using it, I was almost worried I did something wrong because of how high and long it was holding the gears. It’s definitely not afraid to let you know it’s in sport mode for a reason and make sure you know it’s not thinking of fuel economy any more at that point LOL! Negatives: 1.)The rear leg space is extremely tight. I’m 6’2 so I know I personally can’t expect to fit “comfortably”, but yeahhhh it’s definitely not for anyone of average adult height. It’s pretty bad to be honest. 2.) The digital speedometer. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s the one aspect of the car they did not put any customization into. Yeah you can change between 3 different tachometer displays… but that’s… it. Kind of disappointing especially how you can’t display any music info on it. (You can’t display navigation info on the actually screen, but it does show up on the heads up display just an fyi). 3.) The rattles. Now it only has 29,300mi on it but I’m already noticing a slight few rattles here and there. Nothing like how he was exaggerating in the video, but still a few to annoy you if you’re someone who likes total silence in your car (no radio or talking). The biggest one, thankfully, is an easy fix… the sunglasses holder. I’ve found that any time I put my sunglasses away and have the music on, it shakes them inside and rattles directly in your right ear (or left ear if you’re the passenger). If you take them out to use them or just simply don’t use the holder at all, the problem is fixed, but it’s there to use for a reason so it’s quite a bummer. Another rattle I can’t seem to pinpoint sounds like it’s coming from the driver’s left shoulder area. Idk if it’s the seatbelt area and the plastic surrounding it or if it’s something from the door or from the rear drivers side door.. idk, but it seems to come and go every few hundred miles. 4.) Confusing memory seats. I’ve seen another RUclipsr talk about this, but the memory seat function is very confusing to set. I know firstly you put your seat in the position you want, but then the setting/button part is kind of confusing. You have to push the set button and then hold the number button and wait for a chime… but that’s only how I think it works because sometimes when I go to push the button after someone moves my seat, it doesn’t seem to move it back to the correct (or how I remember the correct) position as before. It also (supposedly) can remember your seating position with the key fob you use but there’s nowhere on the screen or in the infotainments settings to set this feature so I’m not sure if it’s and actual feature or something that programs automatically without you knowing. I also wouldn’t really know though because I don’t use the second key fob. 5.) The transmission. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a great transmission and works flawlessly, but myself and others across multiple forums have noticed that at low speeds (think parking lot speeds, under 8mph and in 1st gear) it does something that’s quite hard to explain through words. It acts as it’s confused. It starts the shake the whole car in an almost lunging back and forth manner and the rpm needle shakes up and down between a few tiny lines. It’s like it doesn’t know how to hold the car at such a low constant-speed… but! this only happens when barely pressing in the gas pedal while at those lose speeds and it’s not all the time but enough of the time that you notice it. I’ve never had it happen when taking off from a stop or when traffic is starting to speed up when a light turns green and it never ever happens when at those low constant-speeds when just coasting along. It ONLY happens when your just barely giving it some gas and I truly wouldn’t say it hinders any point of the driving experience whatsoever. Just something annoying that happens every now and then in a parking lot but still something to be informed about and keep in mind.
N: GREAT and helpful description! 👍👏🙏👌 You have the hatchback? I like the car for it’s exterior, especially in red, and interior. If I would buy one, those are the main reasons to chose it.
@@TS-gg9dk thank you!! Sorry for any misspellings lol, I was typing all of this out on my phone and couldn’t be bothered to stop and go back 🤣 I have the 2019 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan in Crystal Red with Black interior! I was lucky when finding it bc of how the market is and availability, I was on a time crunch to find a new car after someone totaled my previous one. Definitely recommend this car 100%, especially in Mazda’s famous red color. I get stares from other drivers and compliments on the red paint all the time!! The interior is beautiful too, I will warn you though, just like any other black interior you’ll definitely want to keep a cloth handy because the dust can get a bit annoying to look at when it’s sunny out. Hope you get one dude! Come back and reply to this comment again if you do, I want to hear what you think about it! 😁🙌🏼
@@user-xf5dj1up8g Thanks for the detailed owner long term review man. Is the strange transsmission issue somewhat linked to the cylinder deactivation ?
I just got a 2024 Mazda3 Carbon Turbo. It’s my first ever automatic car. Every single standard car I’ve drove does that stuttering thing you’re talking about in first gear and are barely pressing the gas pedal. Idk how they could be related because I’m no transmission wizard, but basically what I’m saying is I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
Jack really hits it home with the comparison between the two. Initially when I was car shopping last year, I wanted a sporty coupe. So Mustang Ecoboost, GR86/BRZ, or Miata. Then I remembered I have friends, so a coupe was a no go. I ended up cross shopping between: a 2022 Civic Si, 2022 Volkswagen GTI, and 2022 Mazda 3 Turbo AWD. Couldn’t find a Civic Si for MSRP, I hated the infotainment in the GTI, and while I did get very close to considering the 3, I ultimately decided I wanted a manual. Salesperson told me it was a 4 month wait for a manual Mazda 3, no turbo AWD unfortunately. In the time I waited, the Integra’s specifications were officially announced, and I was somewhat drawn in. It was that perfect compromise between all 3 car, albeit at a premium price, that I was looking for. Si power train, premium materials like the 3, a hatch like the GTI, a non shitty infotainment and best of all, a manual. Put my deposit down, did the paperwork, took delivery of my Integra late June. I haven’t looked back since.
Did you also consider the Subaru Impreza, by any chance? I'm currently looking into that, the Integra, and the Mazda3 personally. (Love GTIs, but the reliability reports are underwhelming to me)
@@PKMNFan4664 I was shopping for cars within the 30k-40k price bracket, so the Impreza wasn’t in my mind. I did consider the WRX, however, the gas mileage was a major dealbreaker. This was during the height of the gas price increase so premium was 7.50$/gallon.
Used to be, as one aged they'd move up the market in size and class of vehicle for their next purchase. Driving a Corolla? You'd look at a Camry next time. Not so much anymore. $36K is about the max I'd be willing to spend on any car, and now we're looking at compacts in the price range. Mark is right - the system is going to break because even those of us who enjoy our vehicles as something more than just transportation, are starting to tune out with disinterest because we're being priced out of the market.
It's really wild. Been following the car market for years and it's sad it's gotten to this point. Most people have car payments and big ones at that. As a car enthusiast I chose to buy an older used car, which is fantastic heck I love my 07 manual 350z and my daily is a 2015 Subaru Outback. Both cars I bought used for a very reasonable price a few years ago. I make good money depending who you ask, and I still have no interest to ever buy a new car with the way prices are going up. And used fun cars are going to continue shooting through the roof.
I keep seeing all over the internet people are advocating for public transportation and ways to not rely on cars. I have seen stats saying the younger generations have less interest in cars and less of them get drivers licenses somehow. Honestly I don't blame them. Cars are getting so complex and and expensive. Young folks are projected to have a worst quality of life by every Metric and just have a general sense of doom. I doubt they will be very interested in cars or afford them. The current US car fleet is older than ever before. Even a Honda Civic is pretty unaffordable and out of reach in my opinion. I really like cars but they are getting pretty stressful for me. If I had to buy a brand new car I would struggle. Of automakers keep this up I wouldn't be surprised if they kill themselves and a huge rise in the demand for alternative transportation. That will have its own issues of course. I always want to have a car. But it's getting pretty ridiculous.
YES - an actual discussion with pros and cons. Who would have thought this was possible. Thanks for the video and the "WIN" - by the way, saw the Mazda 3 yesterday here in Latvia (I think even in the same colour) - and boy is that car an eyecatcher. Well done for the video, greetings from Latvia.
JurisKankalis, Sveiks. Mazda3 is a great car. I was close to buying it but live in an area with rough roads. I didnt like the wheels on it. Dealer refused to equip it with 16 inch wheels so I said thank you and goodbye.
I wanted to love the Mazda 3 MT. I have a 2014 Mazda 6 MT which was great as a family car. But when I sat in the 3 I felt ‘claustrophobic’ and when I drove it I felt like they killed the fun. So now I have a Miata… and a minivan.
See that's why it's disappointing they got rid of the 6. You can't go to a 3 if you had a 6 most of the time. It doesn't work. I wonder what current 6 owners have done or will do when it's time for a replacement.
I currently own a 6-spd Integra. Having said that... After watching this review I just keep thinking about how the true winner should most likely be the 6-Speed manual Civic Sport Touring Hatchback. You would save around $6,000 overall, its well equipped like the Mazda (leather, bose, nice interior), has way more usable space and will most likely give you a similar driving feel and fun that the Integra does. Also for everyone that would throw in the Civic Si into this debate. Just know that I 100% agree, it deserves to be thrown into this mix. I ended up purchasing an Integra for the EXACT reason explained in this video. Every Si I found and called on had atleast a $5000 markup. Brining it just about right up or close to the cost of the Integra. At that point it made the Integra a no brainer and I refuse to pay these ridiculous markups regardless.
I leased a bases 2022 mazda3 hatchback after watching even your most detailed videos on it. I loved the design of it I think it's the absolute most gorgeous car in its category amd certainly at that price point especially on he interior. I definitely don't need a large car so the small size is a plus for me. The visibility issues are what they are but I'm used to keeping my head on a swivel when I drive so it's not really an issue for me. I've had car a year and put 7500 miles on it and the interior quality is still top notch. Cracked my windshield a couple times tho.
it's CRAZY you came out with this comparison. These are currently the two cars I've been debating between and researching for weeks. Once again, Savagegeese never disappoints. I'm commenting before I watch the video and I've been leaning Mazda3 so we'll see if this video changes my mind about it.
@@Xaiux is it a squeak and rattle box? i've heard it on other reviews and now Jack and Mark have both said the same things. Are these some things that can be fixed or? I believe at one point they said that after the shininess comes off the new object and you're left with rattles you're going to be less than impressed.
These two cars are for very different buyers. Should be an easy choice if you gain clarity on how long youll be living with it and what are your priorities in the car you want to own.
Great video! So much is subjective. Got a 3-Turbo Hatch for my wife. She really likes it, but I have been disappointed with it. I test drove the Integra with the six-speed and immediately fell in love (and placed an order). To me, it feels much more special, and I couldn’t care less about 0-60. It was night and day to me how much more fun the Integra was to drive. Anyway, we’ll have both of these in the garage in a few weeks. 😊
Agreed! For more zero-60 fun there are summer tires-and a hack to turn off traction control completely-as well as warranty challenging tunes! I'm happy with mine as is-although when it's time to change tires-I will look for more performance in all season form.Amazing handling, adaptive dampers-I'm Bay Area California commuting mostly so I've yet to find it challenged in any of my brief twisty drives.
This was the comparison I needed in video form, I spent weeks going back and forth with the two and landed with the Integra. I definitely wish it had the torque of the Mazda3 Turbo but my wallet is happy with the MPG of the Teggy
I feel so bad that these are the Japanese cars that kids have to aspire to own these days… we really had it good in the 90’s and hadn’t the faintest clue. 😢
Kinda but Even back then we missed out on the best Japanese cars in North America we didn’t get EK9 Type R, R32-R34 GTR, the first generation WRX and STi, Toyota Chaser etc
I remember saving 6k after highschool to buy a used ls Integra and loving that car.... I wish they made a na inline 6 with a 6 speed and zero technology cloth seats and all plastic interior and sold it for 20k. I must be a fool
First let me say I was a Honda/Acura salesman for 3 years AFTER I retired from my job of 38 years. I have owned 75 cars in my life…many Hondas, a few Acuras and quite a few Mazdas (along with Toyotas, Lexus, Nissan and Infiniti). I haven’t owned a domestic brand car since a ‘95 F150. That being said…I currently own 2 Mazdas, a ‘21 MX5 RF Club and a ‘22 CX-5 Turbo. Our 3rd vehicle is an ‘18 Tundra,used for towing our camper. You are correct in your assessment of the aesthetics both inside and out. Imo, Mazda vehicles seem to exude quality thru simplicity whereas the Acuras seem to try a little to hard with their styling outside and the interiors become generic in a short period of time. My daughters ‘22 Integra CVT A-Spec just seems low rent when compared to our CX-5 Turbo, which were priced exactly the same. 2 different vehicles but at $38k our CX-5 is so much more enjoyable and “special feeling” than her Integra. But the Mazda3 is way out it’s league here…due mainly to the small interior dimensions. And I imagine the Integra’s resale value will be superior. Both the A-Spec and the top Mazda3 are both way over priced. I’d take the Civic Touring Hatch all day over either car here at $5k less.
I love when youtubers say "just buy the Civic SI" without considering/mentioning the fact that they're all marked up to Integra price territory by dealerships.
Great job, as always! At 47 I don't think I am the target market for either of these cars anymore but I can appreciate that they exist and that they are both pretty good.
@@MatthewGaither Yeah, that's not too bad considering it's an M340. Congrats. I always find it funny how people expect certain vehicle choices according to their age... I still see these 2 as econo boxes. But they're asking for almost 40G's US out the door?? You paid 5G's more and got a bigger 3 series... how does this make sense?? Who's going to spend almost 40G's on econo boxes? Crazy times we live in..
I'm a 46 yo redneck that likes little import rockets. Unfortunately I'm 6'5" and broad as a barn and 1/2 ton pickups are all that I fit comfortably in and look like I belong in.
There's around 3-4 model years' worth of design difference between the two, yet Mazda has still held up in the looks and interior design...there was nothing like the Mazda when it first showed up and it shows how much thought and care they put into it
The comparison nobody asked for? I've been asking for ages! The one thing I'm hoping to see from Mazda is a more efficient drivetrain. The 2.5 is a torque monster, but it's also rather thirsty. The Integra is more efficient, and the new Honda and Toyota hybrids are achieving near 35-45mpg while staying affordable. The Mazda 3 is the priciest of the group and also the least fuel efficient. That's not a good situation for Mazda. I'm a big Mazda fan (my ND is currently hibernating for the winter) but they really need an entry level offering that can rival the efficiency of other Japanese models. Regular buyers have little incentive to get a 3 beyond its unique appearance and nice interior. Regular buyers want practicality and efficiency, and the Mazda doesn't offer an advantage in either of those categories, so it sadly remains a niche product.
I have a 2019 Mazda 3 with the 2.0 Skyactive X (180 HP w/ mild hybrid, this is the combo compression/ignition engine that mazda developed) and it's insanely fuel efficient. Highway cruising with the adaptive cruise at 130kph (80mi/hr) I get around 5.4l/100km (43mpg). Hell, my way to work involves climbing and descending around 400metres on 2-lane roads and I still get around 6l (40mpg) with my rev-happy driving. The engine is also even more torquey than the one Mark tested (it has a small supercharger and it's almost always running on compression+ignition). I don't know if you can get the skyactive x in north america though.
@@tsenifhe has a point. The highest mpgs I’ve gotten on my turbo is 34 mpg (super reserved highway driving). My old GTI was able to get 40+ easily while driving somewhat spirited on the highway.
Yeah I agree with Mark here. $36,000 for a front-wheel drive with a CVT is just not it for me. I would be looking at a Mazda 3 Turbo AWD or a GTI in that price range.
I have the Turbo 3 Hatch in polygray, red leathers. Did not expect to love it. Very livable as a daily - not lux gaudy, but rather considerate luxury. Power is more than enough for highways and city driving with so much torque for spirited driving. Superb driver's car - has it flaws, but for its price is great value. Keep in mind this is being cross shopped vs the Golf GTI, Audi A3 and BMW 2 series (& now the Integra).
My wife loves her 22 CX30 Premium Plus Turbo. She test drove a bunch of other vehicles, all a lot more expensive. I knew the second she started driving it she found her new car as it was seriously love at first drive. Found a Soul Red Crystal Metallic 100 miles from home for MSRP and bought it over the phone 13k miles later and she still loves the Mazda. Best part it runs great on regular fuel and she is getting between 30 and 34 MPG on her commute. I love to drive it also it is very quiet for a small vehicle, has tons of power, interior is really nice and the stereo is great!. One other cool feature is you can turn on the front camera at any speed. Mazda also has an awesome steering wheel it is just perfect!
@@steverodgers3866 They need to stop trying to compare themselves with Honda and Toyota and start hiring and listening to more minds like Dave Coleman, poach BMW / Merc engineers and some Italian designers if they want to be a luxury brand. They also need a halo car and sports car like a new 929 and RX7. A Furai like supercar would be icing on the cake like Nissan and the GT-R (that R35 chassis is over a decade old and still taking kid's lunch money at trackdays). Halo cars get people into showrooms and solid commuting appliances is what empties their wallets.
@@anydaynow01 wouldn’t their halo car be the Miata? Also, I think they have a good opportunity with the Mazda6 to really try to fit that in to the German-luxury arena. If they brought it back as a RWD offering, with their already impressive interiors, I could see them making some noise in that space.
I got the Automatic A-Spec Technology & I love it. I traded in my 1 year old TLX for it. TLX was a good car, very luxurious but man i missed a smaller, more fun ride. This car scratches that itch for me. As for the tranny, it's the best CVT I've ever used. I don't miss the 10 Speed that much from the TLX, but I DO miss my ILXs DCT. That would have been amazing in this car, with the Turbo. Savage Geese, you make some very salient points but the Integra seats are definitely Acura quality along with the materials used. Also, the ELS audio system & Infotainment are very good. Thanks for a great video!
I think about both of these cars a lot lol this comparison is perfect. It's frustrating that they're both so flawed and expensive for what they are, but they also tick the most boxes
As an owner of a Mazda3 turbo… yeah the launch is very much a finicky art & science lol. You can’t really brake boost it bc the trans is so slow + the fact that 1st gear is soooo short. Plus even though the limit is 6000rpm, it doesn’t really like to go above 5500. All that put together means that you can’t really brake boost the launch, and with the speed of the trans and length of 1st gear, you have to upshift to 2nd at like 4300rpm. Btw I didn’t get the PP version and I got this for $29,990 MSRP in 2021 so the cost was an easier decision. The differences between my version and the one shown here are that the one in the video includes: rear spoiler, gloss front lip, 360 camera, & integrated Mazda maps in the Infotainment + HUD
Same here.. But I added a corksport lowering springs, front lip, side skirts. Next mod is the carbon fiber rear spoiler from corksport and rear diffuser. Exhaust is in my mind but living here in California lol
@@ju4121 My not-so-low springs are going on in 2 weeks! Mine is white and I want to get the color matched spoiler next. I like the look of the OEM one better than CS’
I have to say Mark is simply off the (mark hehe) here. I owned this gen SI and then went to an Integra. I would never go in the reverse. The integra is so much better it’s unbelievable. They drive fundamentally the same, yes, but the hatch, sound system, dampers make it WAY more useable on a daily basis. The hatch has a ridiculous amount of room and passengers have all commented on how much more comfortable the integra is compared to my si.
I really really wanted an 11th Gen Si- but kept waiting for the dealer markups to drop. Then the 6MT as described above came along-and I got for within 1K of Si markup! Your reasons apply!
When I went to test drive an Integra, the Acura sales rep refused to let me take it on the highway because he wanted to show off how great of a commuter car it was. The local Mazda dealers ruined my goodwill with $4k "market adjustment" bait and switch bullshit instead.
Currently own a 2014 ilx with 6 spd manual and am only considering the integra as my next car. I love the acura driving experience and the integra has all the features I wish the ilx had.
This is exactly the comparison I would have loved 4-5 months ago when I was trying to decide between these two finalists! After multiple test drives, I couldn't make up my mind, so I rented the cars for 1 day each on Turo. I ended up with the Mazda for several reasons: 1) living in NYC, I wanted an automatic, and the CVT drone in the Integra was off-putting and really dulled initial throttle response from a stop, 2) the Mazda was notably quieter on the highway, with less road noise, 3) the power and engine rumble, along with the rock solid AWD traction, of the Mazda was addictive, 4) the Mazda had a much higher quality and more distinctive interior, albeit with much less room, esp. in the backseat...the Integra felt like it was very much made to a price point (leatherette, cheesy metal speaker grill, hard plastic on the back doors), 5) I got a much better deal on the Mazda...MSRP, with a Mazda loyalty discount, and 2.49% financing...the Integra cost only a few thousand more but the payment was nearly $100 more a month. A few areas where I disagree with the review: the Integra's stereo is superior to the Mazda...both are great, but I think the ELS system has better sharpness and clarity in the upper half of the volume range...it could really be down to personal preference. However, the Mazda to me has FAR superior seats. Much softer (real) leather versus the leatherette and microfiber on the Integra, and more firm, dense padding. The seat of the Integra feels like it bottoms out, and a lot of folks on the Integra forums complain about the seat comfort. As far as rattles, both of the Turo cars I rented had rattles, although the Mazda had more. The Mazda I bought developed rattles in the first 1,000 miles, although I find them to be temperature dependent (much fewer sounds when its warm outside). Overall, happy with my Mazda purchase, although I do wish the steering was a touch sharper, like the Integra is and like my 2017 Mazda 3 was. As far as the Torsion beam rear suspension, I only feel the downside when hitting a bump in a corner...you feel a slight kick to the side, but in 1,000 miles of driving, I've experienced that only twice...so day-to-day it's not a big deal.
Oh I forgot to mention...just driving down a smooth road or a highway, the Mazda is much smoother - both in terms of road vibrations and engine vibrations. Although Mark and Jack were correct that the Mazda doesn't filter out sharper impacts as well as the Integra...but that's less of a torsion beam issue...because the last gen Mazda 3 with an IRS was even harsher.
After watching countless video and cross shopping, I finally went and got a Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback. It's a very good daily driver and the refinement is great, no regrets getting this car. I didn't want to get a sporty daily driver. Thanks Savagegeese for all the videos you made. Good job and keep up the good work.
Love the in-depth review, seems like every angle was covered, interiors, exterior, performance, overall design and reliability of the design along with functionality. Perhaps the Integra is not the best Acura product but design and reliability go along way in this car market we are currently living in
Another excellent video from the Patagonia Pipes. Did you guys know Jack is an engineer? At this point the chaps just have to be sponsored by Patagonia.
A fantastic comparison between the two cars. I have owned my Mazda3 Hatch for 2 years (UK, Top Spec, Skyactiv-X) and I love everything about it bar the visibility in some scenarios, and I feel as if the boot is a bit limited over a Civic, but you hit the nail on the head about how special the Mazda3 feels, especially given there are barely any on the road (at least here) and I feel like the car was "built" for me. It would be great to see a comparison between the Acura MDX and the Mazda CX-70/CX-90 (Inline 6) to see how their flagship cars perform against each other, given that their R&D budget is mostly spent there.
This is an interesting one. I never saw the Mazda 3 and Integra as competitors, but sure enough, they can be competitors with each other. Can't wait to see the outcome on this.
Mazda has slowly gone upmarket acura is agressively going after the entry level luxury segment to try and get a customer base. Today you buy an integra and 8 years from now you buy a RDX or MDX after you start/grow a family.
I have a 2011 mazda 3 2.5 as a daily driver. It has been by far the most reliable car I have ever worked on. In my opinion mazda has always had good looking vehicles, and the new ones are phenomenal looking. Yes the fact that it doesn't have a independent rear suspension anymore is a problem, but hopefully they fix that in the future.
As an owner of the Mazda, they are 100% spot on with the pros and cons of the car. Just to add, minimal mods do help a lot with the handling, a $100 strut tower brace instantly helps steering response to help it feel more appropriate for the price. Of course, there are more expensive things like upgraded wheels and tires and other suspension bits that help a lot too, it's just too bad you have to invest extra at this price just to get decent handling and feel. Also, full tunes are coming soon but the JB4 piggyback does really help, especially off the line, and if you know to use the "Auto shift boost redux" setting at 3-4 really helps the trans shift much crisper under throttle. I can pull draggy verified 13.5X 1/4 and 5 flat 0-60 (w/1 ft rollout), which isn't bad for a car with an SUV tune still.
I have an NA19 Mazda3 awd hatch. At 19k miles, I got a bubble on the OE Toyo tires. Swapped all 4 out for Pirelli P Zero AS UHP and it's so much better. It's more comfortable, quieter, handles a lot better, almost 4lbs lighter each on my bathroom scale, 19.2lbs vs 23lbs, and braking improved a great deal. I'm too old to lower the car, my back wouldn't like it, but I will get some lightweight stock size forged wheels.
My German wife was a "German Car Snob", and because of me (I'm American) we cross shopped Mercedes against a Mazda (CX30), and we ended up buying the Mazda... and my German Car Snob wife is no longer a Car Snob : ). She's a happy Mazda owner, she loves it and says it almost every day how great quality and great value the Mazda is!
@@TS-gg9dk I wouldn't go that far, but Soul Red is certainly very similar to multi-layer red paint on much more expensive cars like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari etc.
@@TassieLorenzo I don’t mean best referring to quality, but on looks. The red on Alfa 4C is also very nice. And on Ferrari’s of course, but those are not really realistically an option.
Integra is not a "fake hatchback". Someone from Honda, in your own video on Integra, called it "liftback". Sedans with trunk opening existed for decades. That's a completely different thing and not fake in any way or trying to be "hatchback".
Absolutely loved this comparison. It is so interesting how both of these cars are essentially one frustrating fault away from being truly excellent. It was great to hear your in-depth discussion at the end.
One of these guys is a HUGE apologist for Mazda, in EVERY video, to his absolute discredit. I’ll let you decide which one. The format where one person drives one car and the other person drives the other (and then they compare) is ridiculous. Both should drive both on video and compare. Yes, you can do that and still fit into the same length video. Spend less time showing audio charts. PS: He’s also horrible at driving a manual, but insists on it.
My big problem with the current Mazda 3/CX-30 platform is the interiors are INCREDIBLY cramped compared to the exterior size of the vehicle. I currently drive a gen 2 Mazda 3 hatch and I fit in it comfortably. I was given a CX-30 as a loaner last year and ended up living with it for a couple months while waiting for backordered parts for my car. While the sound system was very nice the interior was very cramped. I couldn't use the left arm rest because there wasn't enough room between the door card and my chest to fit my arm. Calling it claustrophobic would be an understatement. A friend of mine commented about how roomy my old 3 was compared to the CX-30. The current interiors of Mazdas are not roomy for their size which is a shame.
That's true, I have a Mazda 3 and despite it's size, it's perfect for my lifestyle. I am rarely driving more than one other person and my dog, so I want something slightly larger than a coupe with good storage space. It's small enough to be easy to drive, but I've never felt like I needed additional storage. For the few times per year that I am carrying more people, it's definitely a mild drawback, but not enough to make me wish I had a larger vehicle for day-to-day.
That's a simple one to answer. You can blame legislation for this. Impact standards, the "necessity" to have 25 airbags, and more interior features. All this eats away at cabin space. You think it's bad in Japanese cars.. have you been in a German car?? I'm still stunned how any German person would be able to get into a 3 series or a C class and say they have room. Of the common German brands the worst is the Audi. Looks massive from the outside so you think you'll have loads of space inside. Nope.. barely enough room for average non-German people to be in. If you want the same amount of space internally what you're used to now, you'll have to look at the bigger series of vehicles. Mazda3's you have to jump into a CX50/CX5 to feel somewhat similar to your current 3. Hopefully they bring back the Mazda6 soon now that they've introduced their CX90. But it'll take a while..
@@michaeltmoore97 my comment was made to illustrate that if you are not an average sized person (I am not) the interiors of the current Mazda 3 platform (3, CX-30, CX-50) are going to feel tight and in some cases uncomfortably cramped. The CX-30 I drove for a couple months was objectively the nicest vehicle I've ever driven, but the interior was uncomfortably cramped for me. The "smallest" Mazda 3 platform vehicle I fit in is the CX-50, but the exterior of the vehicle feels massive and the interior feels cramped. Don't ask me how Mazda pulled that off, but they did.
@@neoanderson7 actually I suspect the cramped interiors are a result of the exterior design. The space for that long hood line and curved roof line had to come from somewhere and that somewhere was the interior.
Holy Wars...Punishment past due! Love your music choice! Another great comparison guys, thanks for always bringing the quality...and not the punishment due!
As a former hatchback owner, I think the Mazda 3 sedan is better than the hatchback. It fixes the rear visibility and back seat space. I wish Mazda used those as press cars more than the hatchback.
I own the mazda 3 turbo, and love that car..I put an intake and catback exhaust, and this turned it into a hothatch. Very fun to drive and almost as good as the speed 3 was! Definitely has the remnants. The fuel economy it just as bad as the speed 3 if u push it hard. But who cares, this thing is fun to drive with some luxury feel.
very nice i had a honda civic 2015 brand spanking new dude with a cvt transmission ... it was one of the slowest and most boring car i ever drove no speed no acceleration senseros in the car were malfuntioning, honda told us there were not responsible for any sensors or any mishaps it was a trash buy .. and that damn cvt belt snapped IN HALF AROUND 40K i dropped that piece of crap that left us stranded in the midle of road multiple times or left us stranded at a stop light i got a mazda 3 hatch dude what a buy no cvt beautiful desighn .. all the sensors works maginificently with no problems a auto-manual shiftable 6 speed transmission with a sport mode .... tell me this car aint fun as hell to drive its quick looks nice i got a intake on it and a 2 inch exhaust from the midway to the tailend .. its sounds mean and moves quick . best purchase i ever made and dont regret it plus the NON TOUCH SKREEN INTERFACE is a PLUS in my book that touchs kreen crap IS TOO DISTRACTINg
i would take the MAZDA all day wouldnt even think twice 1.5 liter ? over 3k on the weight ? gtfoh why not put a 1.0 liter TWIN TURBO IT and just throw a nitrouse bottle in the back 100 hoarse power easy
I am two weeks and 600 miles in on my 6MT A Spec/Tech and loving it!! I think I might be out of the current mainstream in my thinking, I like to keep driving the same care for many years and miles-based on my own economy. Examples? I bought my 1990 Integra LS (5speed) and put 200K miles on it in 8 years-ZERO issues- I bought a base model Civic sedan 5 speed in 2009- at 230K, original clutch (just replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders)-other than that I had my serpentine belt and water pump replaced-so the common thread was very low cost of long term ownership
Nice comparison. I love Mazda’s the turbo engine, but I feel like the normally aspirated 2.5 with manual increases the value proposition and is still almost as fast as the Integra (only a 9 hp difference). That said, both cars will be on my shortlist in the near-future.
I own a 6MT 2021 3, I test drove the AWD Turbo as well. My MT ended up being 30kotd, but worth it in my opinion. You shed a few hundred pounds so the car actually does feel a lot more nimble then the corners. Although the AWD Turbo is undeniably faster, the 6MT feels a lot more quick and responsive and the 2.5 NA loves to sing. Mazdas gearbox also surprised me, coming from Hondas I wasn’t expecting it to be as good, but I was pleasantly surprised. Super relaxed to daily, but if I want to get on it the transmission is crisp and effortlessly slides into gear. The 200lb tq is more than enough to pull it out of the corners. Love my 3 more than my civics, thought I’d never not have a Honda.
Sometimes the comparison tests no one asked for are exactly the ones we need.
I'm pretty sure Mark is a masked superhero..or predator and Jack isn't real and is just a deep fake...
I agree. I'm all over the place when shopping for cars. From a Type R to a Kia Stinger GT2.
Like a great product. People don’t know what they want/what they are missing, until the product is presented, and everyone goes “I want that”
Seems like Mazda3 premium hatch w/ manual and Honda Civic hatch w/ manual would be a better, and more affordable, comparison
I'm shopping for cars right now and appreciate them looking at these. It seems like all the fun enthusiast cars outside WRX and these are hard as hell and expensive now.
I love how Mark and Jack give each other room to make counterarguments and debate about each car's pros and cons so that consumers have a better idea of which car is better for their needs
Agree, this is what I love about this channel they actually talk about the bad but you also see that a certain feature can be considered bad or good or neutral. This is why test driving is ultimately the best way to truly decide because everyone is gonna be different.
I love how detailed they are in the reviews because for those of us who are buying, we’re gonna have this car for 6+ years
Mark ends it with you are wrong, I win. Priceless.
These 2 guys are so boring it's crazy. Nothing but sarcastic stupid talk. Just watching and listening to them makes me very depressed. 😡
Mark and Jack are like the old post office - no amount of crappy weather will stop them from making great videos!!
missed opportunity to say “they always deliver”
My favorite part of every video is Mark absolutely ripping a car and Jack giggling to hide his nerves about dying. Mark appears to be an excellent driver though.
Grumpy bastards as well. So many similarities
Or post offices in the sticks, I think only Godzilla would be able to keep my mail from arriving on time out here 😅
I haven't had any issues with the new USPS. I've had issues with FedEx, at home and at work. Even Lasership is better than FedEx
As an Integra owner, I could not find a dealership anywhere near me (within 300 miles) that would sell me an Si at MSRP (I looked for a month), and where I would not have to wait a long time. Given that,the extra warranty, and the heated seats, I bought the Integra. After three Golfs, I was FINALLY done with VW, as for me, the GTI or GLI were the only other options. I am happy with my purchase. The car is everything that Jack and Mark say it is and more. I get 37 mpg doing 85 on the highway, and with snowtires, I drove in one hell of a snowstorm from south central Wisconsin to O'Hare and back yesterday and had zero issues with traction. I also do not have wheel hop with snow tires. The biggest disappointment for me with this car is the OEM Contis. They are absolute trash.
Oh, and Holy Wars... The Punishment Due sounds AMAZING on the ELS Studio.
People are paying $37-$38k OTD for an Si, might as well get the intengra.
Why are you done with vw it seems the gti would be the perfect compromise between these two aside from the control interface?
Great post, I share your feelings. You mention the Conti tires. I wonder if THOSE are one of my bigger noise polluters. I hate the NOISE!
@@Tigerex966 ditto with VW. I have had VW (Passat) in the past and although I didn’t know the repairs, it was an awesome car. I too is sticking with Japanese cars these days though
Honda does put noisy tires on their cars. It's the first thing to get rid of.
This is EXACTLY the comparison I was looking for.
22:01
As a 33 yr old with a Kia Optima i'm looking to replace and a heavily modded Fiesta ST for fun, I did not expect to have this level of accurate advice. You guys rock
I love that you guys just give your audience the info to make up our own minds rather than shove opinions down our throats. It would have been easy to pander to the enthusiast tribe and just praise the Civic + dunk on the 3, since a lot of enthusiasts desperately need their biases validated.... but these cars are expensive, so having the info to actually make a real life decision is invaluable. Thanks
Sadly, 36K for a car is about average. MSRP's are out of control, and markups make me want to scream.
@@dougrobinson8602 Markups on the Si are bad, to the point where it almost makes sense to get an Integra as you can usually get an Integra around MSRP. If you want to scream, I've seen a new Type R being sold for almost $66k before taxes and dealer fees.
@@kevinnorris6558 exactly this. Counting in the markups, the addition of heated seats, the stereo, the all-digital instrument cluster, and all of the little luxury touches (yes I know it is no MDX) - it's a good value compared to the Si.
@@dougrobinson8602 yeah, as much as I would have liked to get an Integra or Mazda3, my Jetta Sport with a manual was 25k OTD. Hard to pass up in this current market.
$36k is the new 1990s $18k car.
I cross shoped both cars and ended up buying the Mazda3 after owning Honda’s all my life. It just felt special as soon as I drove it. The power and quietness of the cabin were unmatched. Great review!
Me2 . I was a Honda guy with a 95' Si and 01' Prelude but the new Civics feel big, boring and flat. Mazda has that little something and I'm glad I went with em
I did CS intake, CS exhaust system, JB 4 piggy back tune, and hood lifters on my '23 Mazda turbo hatchback and I'm in love 😂 I wash it weekly after a good spirited drive. It makes north of 300 whp now with the mods. The exhaust note is exotic with 3 inch pipes.
@@jackpowell8155
thatrs clean i got a intake and a 2 quarter inch exhaust pipes from the tail end to about the half way point ...
it feels different and moves quick for a 190 hoarses sounds mean tooo with that BIG 2.5 liter
@@jackpowell8155 thought the transmission couldn’t really handle north of 300? (If it can lmk I wanna do some things to mine)
The Mazda is more luxurious than the supposed "luxury" of Acura
Mark & Jack’s driving impressions are the best…..
Thank you for continuing to do reviews of cars us everyday people consider. Mark said it best, "there is something fundamentally broken with these two cars." Mazda3 looks more sophisticated/elegant, just less practical for an 'affordable' compact car due to rear seat/cargo space, which it needs to be as their sole car except for the Miata. Civic/Integra got too large, but far more practical single car solution.
I actually think the biggest problem is that their prices, albeit top of the line ranges, are encroaching on the traditional luxury brands entry level models: Audi A3 35k-41k, BMW 2 Series 38k-40, Mercedes Benz A Class 35k-38k. Factor in the current climate of dealer markups and quality control issues due to supply chain issues for all new everyday cars like the Mazda3/Integra, they become even less special while the traditional luxury brands have always been luxury brands so we understand their prices.
Acura Integra is the traditional entry level car. They copied. Wtf are u talking about ?
Acura has always been a luxury brand. The Integra is the prestige and race winner out the group and has nostalgia. WTF
I looked at some of those cars...the CLA I built online and didn't even bother to test drive, as the price with the desirable options was literally over $50k. The A3 I test drove but it was really disappointing. Decent power and nice ride, but the steering was feather light and lacked feel, and pricing was well into the mid $40k range with desirable options. I'm much happier saving $10k on the Mazda and using the money for investments and/or vacations.
I think the difference is I can see myself still owning one of these cars past the warranty period without my wallet wanting to engage in seppuku. Also there is the pedigree, you see an old ITR or MS3 on the road that's bee taken care of and it is awesome, you see an old entry level euro on the road and it's just meh.
@@anydaynow01 Thank you for making my point. The Integra, Mazda3 and GTI used to represent affordable hot hatchbacks. All three to a degree traded a lot of that sport for 'luxury' and are trying to capture some of that entry level market and no longer represent the same thing. In terms of being a car, I would get the Honda Civic at 30k, Mazda3 if I had a second car to do car things or a Civic Si or GTI if I wanted to have fun. I would also argue that $600 at 72 is no longer affordable.
Thanks a ton for this one Gents. I've been dreamshopping these two cars for a while now.
"Dreamshopping" is a great term. If you coined it, I'm impressed!
Mark and Jack, you guys have the best honest breakdowns on cars hands down. Telling it like it is, if some materials are cheap we will hear about it. Thanks for the work and detail put into these videos.
I'm going to get a 3 Hatch soon! Passenger space is low but I'm fresh out of college and have no family--If i need to shuttle around friends from point A to point B, they can put up with the back seat. I also appreciate that it's small since I frequently take trips into San Francisco and need to parallel park everywhere. Final big plus: Cargo space space is phenomenal despite the small size. I think it'll do me plenty well until someday my life can support a larger car.
Smart decision my wife and I still don't care about rear leg room just me and her.
The 3 is a great car for dealing with the city. I have become the designated driver whenever I drive in with friends. I've impressed many a passenger and passersby with the spaces I've been able to confidently maneuver into.
As they point out, it's also a great car in general.
I'm sorry for your loss
I’m test driving a Mazda 3 hatch tomorrow, so this video couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m finally retiring my E46 330 to 2nd/fun/project car status and need something quiet, comfortable and nice to drive and I feel confident in my decision now. I’m cross shopping with Corolla hatches but man, the CVT just is so unappealing to me.
You guys are both pretty discerning people so, I’m grateful for this review. Thanks!
Get the manual get the manual get the manual get the manual
@@LLG47 I just manual swapped my E46, so I’m good on that. My wife needs to be able to drive it too. And before you say anything, believe me I’ve tried to convince her learning to drive manual would be fun. No dice.
The Turbo trim is a joy to drive and the amenities that come with it are excellent-HUD, a Bose sound system that actually sounds good, heated seats/steering wheel/mirrors, etc.
Don't get swayed about CVT gimmick... the question I have for you is what exactly do you want in terms of features that you know you will be using and what kind of fuel mileage you looking for?
What did a CVT transmission ever do to you?
Been waiting for this one now we can finally see a comparison of the Integra and the Mazda3 Turbo
The Mazda3 Turbo has AWD and a 6-speed auto whereas the Integra has a 6-speed manual and LSD
It all comes down to what you prefer but I feel that both them are a hit and miss in some way however they’re still good cars in their own right
Keep in mind that in the US we got downgraded with the 11th Gen Si. No fogs, no heated seats, no second screen, no shift light flash, no spare tire. So having those show up along with leather and adjustable suspension is a significant upgrade over the Si. Also my local Acura dealer claims no markups, whereas I paid an additional $3k over along with a couple mandatory options and tint for my '22 Si.
Not to mention the warranty is better, and unlike the Si, the Integra is actually available to buy.
This is exactly why I went with the Integra all the Honda dealers near me were charging at least $3k adm on the Si. After getting in the Integra and using the sound system it was a no brainer
@J.P Saym0 Look. That's exactly what the Acura Integra has always been. It's always been a Civic with more shit and for more money. The Integra GSR was always a Civic Si with more shit and for more money. The Integra Type R was a Civic Type R with a different body.
@J.P Saym0 Meh slap a ktuner on it then it will hit 60 in under 6.
Integra GSR and Integra Type R had bigger engine/more hp than Civic Si and Civic Type R back then. In 2023, 200hp is not enough.
every time jack describes a japanese car as takumi-built, it never fails to make me laugh
I used to think they were using a stereotypical Japanese name, since it's the name of the main character in Initial D. Like saying BMW'S are built by Hans, Peugeots are built by Pierre, and Chevy's are built by Pablo.
Takumi in this case means "craftsman", the people who hand built the GTR engines are referred to by Nissan as "Takumi craftsmen"
Then again Jack has a Chevrolet Corvette, so it’s hard to take him seriously anyway!
A bit silly
That’s racist. 😂
I like this, their brutal honesty about their experience over a week really does help inform buying decisions
The turbo Mazda3 definitely doesn't seem like a boring pick car, that thing looks fun as hell
It is nice but boring: ancient suspension paired with a slushomatic. Thank God it is not CVT, but that's about it. The Acura might actually be fun to drive, if that's your thing.
mazda3 too small and cramped
@J.P Saym0 Not sure about the 2.5 Turbo, but the regular Mazda 3 is slow and a torsion beam rear destroys any sort of fun handling you may have
It really is, especially in the winter. I can never go back to a non-AWD drivetrain
@@kermit1I’m 6’1 220-225lbs and fit just fine in it. Sure the backs tight but it’s a compact car plus have had people ride back there and it was fine for regular drives. It’s not a 4 person roadtrip car and it’s not trying to be
Honestly it's impressive that Mazda can make anything competitive given how small it is; Honda is about 5 times the size by revenue and Toyota 10 times...
I bought the Integra about a month and a half ago after cross shopping a ton of luxury sedans/CUVs. I had very specific needs that give me a different perspective from you guys. While I absolutely want a sweet driving car, I have kids and I need a car that can function as a family car in a pinch (we have a Honda Odyssey as our main family car). I'm never going to the track, so I really just want something that I can chuck into corners and navigate the streets well. I also love listening to music, so audio was really important to me as well. So I was looking at a wide range of cars, Audi A3/A4, Genesis G70, BMW X3, Mazda CX-50/CX-5, VW GTI, VW Atlas. At the end of the day, the price, the features, the hatchback, the actual driving experience were all pointing me to the Integra.
Also, I did have a 2016 Mazda CX-5 that was just a snooze fest and I couldn't stand it anymore. I absolutely hated dealing with my local Mazda dealership over those past 7 years. They have a horrible service department and they were adding a ton of market adjustments to the cost, so they pretty much ruled themselves out. I did like the turbo CX-50 though. My CX-5 had a ton of fit and finish issues that just left me kind of soured on Mazda. It would have taken a lot to get me to buy another one. But, point I'm trying to make is, sadly, the dealerships play a major role in what car you're going to end up with.
I did end up with the CVT as it needed to be automatic. I feel like it gets a really bad rep from the online community, and it certainly is weird, but I also kind of like it. I didn't even cross shop this car for the longest time because it had a CVT, but when I finally drove it I was really impressed. It's really, really smooth for day-to-day driving and of course the gas mileage is fantastic. The car is more than fast/responsive enough to get my ass a speeding ticket if I'm not careful, but it just drones a bit when accelerating which I can live with. I'm also an architect.
It does seem like a weird car, but for some reason it hit everything for me. Anyways, I was really excited to watch this video since it touches on a lot of my recent experiences. Love your stuff, you guys are honest, unapologetic, and hilarious. Keep up the awesome work.
Best comment ever
Can I ask why you never considered the Hyundai N cars (at least it wasn't listed in your comment).
Good for you! I also agree the CVT gets a bad rep. I can accept that its not exactly doing an enthusiast any favors, but neither is a traditional automatic especially one tuned for comfort/softness. So when they compare the CVT to a manual and say its "no fun", ok I get that. But I've also driven countless "everyday" vehicles, including a few Mazda's with traditional automatics and they are not any more exciting than some of the better CVT's. I had a 22' Civic Sport Touring Hatch with CVT for 6 months (what I think is the REAL competitor to the Mazda 3). That car was INCREDIBLY smooth, the CVT would respond and with the turbo motor would push you along with ease. Its pre-programmed ratio changes kept it from the CVT drone when flooring it.
I'm rambling now, but I agree the CVT has bad rep mostly from the original outings in the automotive world. They have definitely been refined and I don't see where they are a problem for low hp vehicles vs a traditional auto.
Check Rait's rides comparison of the Integra CVT-most say it's better than most! I went 6MT, but as far as CVT's go it's apparently good
Lots of people want to see this. I couldn't find a Mazda 3 to compare them. Glad you guys made this
At the end of the day, you definitely can't go wrong with either choice! Really thankful that both of these cars exist today.
There are certainly a lot of worse options. but you could also save about $10k and get most of what's on offer here from a base Mazda 3 Hatch or Civic Hatch. Cars are terrible for value per dollar decreasing as costs increase.
For 36k these two wouldn’t even be a consideration for me, ever.
It feels over valued but so does ever other new car. The entire market is out of control and only going to get more expensive. So depending on how these cars depreciate they might not be as bad of a value as they seem.
@@quixomega honestly exactly. both of these make way more sense in their baser forms, even the integra.
@@Eldaino999 I agree, except the base Integra only comes with a mediocre cvt, rather than that terrific manual. I've test driven the manual, and it reminds me of the best Honda manuals from the 80'-90's. If it could be had with the base Integra, I would have bought it, but it's not worth a 10K premium, and the cvt isn't even worth considering, imo.
Hope you guys can do more comparison tests like these that no one asked for but everyone loves!
The vehicle we all need is a hatch version of the Si, with all the equipment you can get on the touring.
💯 agreed. I have the Integra A-spec 6MT and wanted so bad for Si in Sport Tuning hatchback form.
Agree. An Si hatch would be an easy W over both of these cars.
This is the exact kind of review I was looking for! I am not looking at Mazdas but have been looking around at the Integra and it’s so good to see it compared to another car to see how it fairs and you guys go very in depth! I really appreciate this video 👍🏽
Great job again, boys. Most insightful opinions in automotive journalism.
0:38 Replayed that rack focus 50 times.. *chefs kiss*
It takes knowledge to know which comparisons no one asked for but make so much sense!
The Acura is just so much more spacious and could pass for a small family car, that would be the deciding factor for me.
I have owned a 2018 mazda 3 touring, a 2022 mazda 3 carbon edition, and now I own a 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec Tech. There are small differences, but both brands are not only fun to drive, they make gorgeous vehicles inside and out.
Curious why you didn't keep the second Mazda very long? How are you enjoying the Integra over the '22 Mazda 3?
@@brassrox Unfortunately the 2022 Mazda 3 flooded during a rainstorm that damaged several homes and cars. My insurance called it a complete loss and since I had already owned 2 Mazdas I wanted to try something new but similar. Im really enjoying the Acura. It definitely has a lower suspension giving it a more sporty feel. Also is a slightly faster vehicle in my opinion. Both have amazing sound systems. Interior on both feel luxurious. However, I miss the analog dial on the Mazda compaired to a touch screen on the Acura. Id say you cant go wrong with either vehicle.
I own a 2019 Mazda 3 Premium so I want to share some of my thoughts on the car for anyone looking for an owners pov.
I bought it certified from the Mazda dealership in July 2022 with only 15,500mi on it. Thankfully, (I was told, idk if this is factual, but anyways) the last owner was an elderly woman who leased it and took impeccable care of it. I’ve now put 13,800mi on it and I can say with absolute confidence that it’s the BEST car I’ve ever owned/driven. It’s crazy fun to drive, the interior makes you feel as if you’re driving a luxury vehicle imo, the sound system is INSANE and when they said they put a lot of work and thought into designing it you can definitely tell, and it’s been extremely reliable but I wouldn’t expect anything less for a car with just under 30k miles lol. I’ll list my positives and negatives about the car below.
Positives:
1.) The design (again, imo) is just beautiful inside and out. The outside is gorgeous, especially with the always-on LED headlights and the rear taillights really make it stand out when they come on at dusk. The interior is just jaw dropping when you get in for the first time. If you didn’t see the Mazda badge on the steering wheel, you’d never know it was one. Every single point wether it be a touch-point or a visual-point was thought of during the design process. Every touch-point is wrapped in soft stitched leather. The visuals inside, being the lines/stitching/lights/displays/buttons/etc. are eye catching. I think the simple fact that they didn’t even cheap out on ANY of the cabin lights is telling of the hard work put into it. Not one light inside is an incandescent light, all LED.. even the visor mirrors.
2.) The infotainment screen. It’s super simple to use, aesthetically pleasing to look at, and fully of menus containing customizations of almost every aspect of the car. It’s always fast and does what I tell it to do either when using the scroll wheel or the voice commands (at least for me personally).
3.) The technology. Everything I wanted in a car, this has. Power seats, memory seats, heated seats, sun roof, blind spot, lane departure, full-speed adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, HUD, keyless entry with push button start, auto-hold, automatic up-down windows for ALL 4 WINDOWS!! Truly packed with all of the tech features you wouldn’t expect on a technically non-luxury car. Also… if you get the newer model year 2021 and up, you get heated steering wheel, 360 degree cameras, and front+rear parking sensors.
4.) The customization. Almost anything you can think of in the car is customizable. If you sit and play in the menus of the infotainment screen, you can scroll through so many sub menus and tailor you preferences to how you want them. You can change the audio system in 100’s of ways, you can change wether you want your blind spot to light up early/normal/late, you can set the doors to lock by themselves and when you want them to lock, you can set the lights to turn off with the car or 15/30/45/60/90/etc. seconds after, you can choose what safety feature you want on and what you want off and how early/late you want them to work and the best part off all… they stay set that way the next time you turn the car on!!!!!! Some automakers can’t seem to get that through their thick f*cking skulls that people don’t want to go through and disable some of the safety features EVERY TIME you start the car back up!
5.) The driving experience. The car is so incredibly fun to drive. You wouldn’t thing a non-turbo 4cyl engine could spark much excitement, but I’m here to say, IT’S FUN ASF! Once it warms up, you’ll be shocked out how quick and responsive it is from a stop or on a straight road or around a bend and all of that’s before putting it in sport mode. It really takes off in sport mode and holds the gears like a mofo. My first time using it, I was almost worried I did something wrong because of how high and long it was holding the gears. It’s definitely not afraid to let you know it’s in sport mode for a reason and make sure you know it’s not thinking of fuel economy any more at that point LOL!
Negatives:
1.)The rear leg space is extremely tight. I’m 6’2 so I know I personally can’t expect to fit “comfortably”, but yeahhhh it’s definitely not for anyone of average adult height. It’s pretty bad to be honest.
2.) The digital speedometer. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s the one aspect of the car they did not put any customization into. Yeah you can change between 3 different tachometer displays… but that’s… it. Kind of disappointing especially how you can’t display any music info on it. (You can’t display navigation info on the actually screen, but it does show up on the heads up display just an fyi).
3.) The rattles. Now it only has 29,300mi on it but I’m already noticing a slight few rattles here and there. Nothing like how he was exaggerating in the video, but still a few to annoy you if you’re someone who likes total silence in your car (no radio or talking). The biggest one, thankfully, is an easy fix… the sunglasses holder. I’ve found that any time I put my sunglasses away and have the music on, it shakes them inside and rattles directly in your right ear (or left ear if you’re the passenger). If you take them out to use them or just simply don’t use the holder at all, the problem is fixed, but it’s there to use for a reason so it’s quite a bummer. Another rattle I can’t seem to pinpoint sounds like it’s coming from the driver’s left shoulder area. Idk if it’s the seatbelt area and the plastic surrounding it or if it’s something from the door or from the rear drivers side door.. idk, but it seems to come and go every few hundred miles.
4.) Confusing memory seats. I’ve seen another RUclipsr talk about this, but the memory seat function is very confusing to set. I know firstly you put your seat in the position you want, but then the setting/button part is kind of confusing. You have to push the set button and then hold the number button and wait for a chime… but that’s only how I think it works because sometimes when I go to push the button after someone moves my seat, it doesn’t seem to move it back to the correct (or how I remember the correct) position as before. It also (supposedly) can remember your seating position with the key fob you use but there’s nowhere on the screen or in the infotainments settings to set this feature so I’m not sure if it’s and actual feature or something that programs automatically without you knowing. I also wouldn’t really know though because I don’t use the second key fob.
5.) The transmission. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a great transmission and works flawlessly, but myself and others across multiple forums have noticed that at low speeds (think parking lot speeds, under 8mph and in 1st gear) it does something that’s quite hard to explain through words. It acts as it’s confused. It starts the shake the whole car in an almost lunging back and forth manner and the rpm needle shakes up and down between a few tiny lines. It’s like it doesn’t know how to hold the car at such a low constant-speed… but! this only happens when barely pressing in the gas pedal while at those lose speeds and it’s not all the time but enough of the time that you notice it. I’ve never had it happen when taking off from a stop or when traffic is starting to speed up when a light turns green and it never ever happens when at those low constant-speeds when just coasting along. It ONLY happens when your just barely giving it some gas and I truly wouldn’t say it hinders any point of the driving experience whatsoever. Just something annoying that happens every now and then in a parking lot but still something to be informed about and keep in mind.
N: GREAT and helpful description! 👍👏🙏👌
You have the hatchback?
I like the car for it’s exterior, especially in red, and interior. If I would buy one, those are the main reasons to chose it.
@@TS-gg9dk thank you!! Sorry for any misspellings lol, I was typing all of this out on my phone and couldn’t be bothered to stop and go back 🤣
I have the 2019 Mazda 3 Premium Sedan in Crystal Red with Black interior! I was lucky when finding it bc of how the market is and availability, I was on a time crunch to find a new car after someone totaled my previous one. Definitely recommend this car 100%, especially in Mazda’s famous red color. I get stares from other drivers and compliments on the red paint all the time!! The interior is beautiful too, I will warn you though, just like any other black interior you’ll definitely want to keep a cloth handy because the dust can get a bit annoying to look at when it’s sunny out. Hope you get one dude! Come back and reply to this comment again if you do, I want to hear what you think about it! 😁🙌🏼
@@user-xf5dj1up8g Thanks for the detailed owner long term review man. Is the strange transsmission issue somewhat linked to the cylinder deactivation ?
I just got a 2024 Mazda3 Carbon Turbo. It’s my first ever automatic car. Every single standard car I’ve drove does that stuttering thing you’re talking about in first gear and are barely pressing the gas pedal. Idk how they could be related because I’m no transmission wizard, but basically what I’m saying is I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
Mark & Jack’s driving impressions are the best
Jack really hits it home with the comparison between the two.
Initially when I was car shopping last year, I wanted a sporty coupe. So Mustang Ecoboost, GR86/BRZ, or Miata. Then I remembered I have friends, so a coupe was a no go.
I ended up cross shopping between: a 2022 Civic Si, 2022 Volkswagen GTI, and 2022 Mazda 3 Turbo AWD.
Couldn’t find a Civic Si for MSRP, I hated the infotainment in the GTI, and while I did get very close to considering the 3, I ultimately decided I wanted a manual. Salesperson told me it was a 4 month wait for a manual Mazda 3, no turbo AWD unfortunately.
In the time I waited, the Integra’s specifications were officially announced, and I was somewhat drawn in. It was that perfect compromise between all 3 car, albeit at a premium price, that I was looking for. Si power train, premium materials like the 3, a hatch like the GTI, a non shitty infotainment and best of all, a manual.
Put my deposit down, did the paperwork, took delivery of my Integra late June. I haven’t looked back since.
Did you also consider the Subaru Impreza, by any chance? I'm currently looking into that, the Integra, and the Mazda3 personally. (Love GTIs, but the reliability reports are underwhelming to me)
@@PKMNFan4664 I was shopping for cars within the 30k-40k price bracket, so the Impreza wasn’t in my mind. I did consider the WRX, however, the gas mileage was a major dealbreaker. This was during the height of the gas price increase so premium was 7.50$/gallon.
@@deltahorizon26 I completely understand. It's largely the new RS trim that has piqued my interest with the redesign.
The integra with the manual looks like an awesome daily driver. I would be super interested to get into something like that in a few years.
The Mazda is even better
Wrong. Mazda is dog water. The integra is a great daily driver.
Used to be, as one aged they'd move up the market in size and class of vehicle for their next purchase. Driving a Corolla? You'd look at a Camry next time.
Not so much anymore. $36K is about the max I'd be willing to spend on any car, and now we're looking at compacts in the price range.
Mark is right - the system is going to break because even those of us who enjoy our vehicles as something more than just transportation, are starting to tune out with disinterest because we're being priced out of the market.
Couldn't have said it better. The pricing is absolutely insane.
those were my initial thoughts after seeing the headline... $36K for a mazda3? yea i'm finding another hobby...
I absolutely HATE how much I agree with this statement...
It's really wild. Been following the car market for years and it's sad it's gotten to this point. Most people have car payments and big ones at that. As a car enthusiast I chose to buy an older used car, which is fantastic heck I love my 07 manual 350z and my daily is a 2015 Subaru Outback. Both cars I bought used for a very reasonable price a few years ago.
I make good money depending who you ask, and I still have no interest to ever buy a new car with the way prices are going up. And used fun cars are going to continue shooting through the roof.
I keep seeing all over the internet people are advocating for public transportation and ways to not rely on cars.
I have seen stats saying the younger generations have less interest in cars and less of them get drivers licenses somehow.
Honestly I don't blame them. Cars are getting so complex and and expensive. Young folks are projected to have a worst quality of life by every Metric and just have a general sense of doom. I doubt they will be very interested in cars or afford them. The current US car fleet is older than ever before.
Even a Honda Civic is pretty unaffordable and out of reach in my opinion.
I really like cars but they are getting pretty stressful for me. If I had to buy a brand new car I would struggle.
Of automakers keep this up I wouldn't be surprised if they kill themselves and a huge rise in the demand for alternative transportation. That will have its own issues of course.
I always want to have a car. But it's getting pretty ridiculous.
YES - an actual discussion with pros and cons. Who would have thought this was possible. Thanks for the video and the "WIN" - by the way, saw the Mazda 3 yesterday here in Latvia (I think even in the same colour) - and boy is that car an eyecatcher. Well done for the video, greetings from Latvia.
JurisKankalis, Sveiks. Mazda3 is a great car. I was close to buying it but live in an area with rough roads. I didnt like the wheels on it. Dealer refused to equip it with 16 inch wheels so I said thank you and goodbye.
I wanted to love the Mazda 3 MT. I have a 2014 Mazda 6 MT which was great as a family car. But when I sat in the 3 I felt ‘claustrophobic’ and when I drove it I felt like they killed the fun. So now I have a Miata… and a minivan.
I think this is the way to go with two cars. Why compromise? Just get an actual sports car.
@@replica4194 if you can swing it, absolutely (e.g., spouse approves, cash and garage/parking).
See that's why it's disappointing they got rid of the 6. You can't go to a 3 if you had a 6 most of the time. It doesn't work. I wonder what current 6 owners have done or will do when it's time for a replacement.
I currently own a 6-spd Integra. Having said that...
After watching this review I just keep thinking about how the true winner should most likely be the 6-Speed manual Civic Sport Touring Hatchback. You would save around $6,000 overall, its well equipped like the Mazda (leather, bose, nice interior), has way more usable space and will most likely give you a similar driving feel and fun that the Integra does.
Also for everyone that would throw in the Civic Si into this debate. Just know that I 100% agree, it deserves to be thrown into this mix. I ended up purchasing an Integra for the EXACT reason explained in this video. Every Si I found and called on had atleast a $5000 markup. Brining it just about right up or close to the cost of the Integra. At that point it made the Integra a no brainer and I refuse to pay these ridiculous markups regardless.
The engine tuning on the civic is a lil different and the sport touring is so rare or marked up you might as well get the Integra
@@ShaiyanHossain I did end up with the Integra after all so...
The Sport with a manual with the NA 2.0 is what I would pick.
Integra needs a rear wiper
I leased a bases 2022 mazda3 hatchback after watching even your most detailed videos on it. I loved the design of it I think it's the absolute most gorgeous car in its category amd certainly at that price point especially on he interior. I definitely don't need a large car so the small size is a plus for me. The visibility issues are what they are but I'm used to keeping my head on a swivel when I drive so it's not really an issue for me. I've had car a year and put 7500 miles on it and the interior quality is still top notch. Cracked my windshield a couple times tho.
Love this style of review especially the video of the actual car, not like most channels with annoying selfie cam the whole time
it's CRAZY you came out with this comparison. These are currently the two cars I've been debating between and researching for weeks. Once again, Savagegeese never disappoints. I'm commenting before I watch the video and I've been leaning Mazda3 so we'll see if this video changes my mind about it.
As a Mazda3 Turbo owner I’m curious which way you lean after the video. If there’s anything you want to know ask too
@@Xaiux is it a squeak and rattle box? i've heard it on other reviews and now Jack and Mark have both said the same things. Are these some things that can be fixed or? I believe at one point they said that after the shininess comes off the new object and you're left with rattles you're going to be less than impressed.
Recent M3 Turbo purchaser. Perfect combination of power, immediacy, luxury, comfort, awd stability. Don’t hesitate at MSRP or less.
@@scotts6702 I just commented a few minutes ago that my 23 CX 50 has more miles on it than this Mazda 3, and it has no creaks or rattles!
These two cars are for very different buyers. Should be an easy choice if you gain clarity on how long youll be living with it and what are your priorities in the car you want to own.
Great video! So much is subjective. Got a 3-Turbo Hatch for my wife. She really likes it, but I have been disappointed with it. I test drove the Integra with the six-speed and immediately fell in love (and placed an order). To me, it feels much more special, and I couldn’t care less about 0-60. It was night and day to me how much more fun the Integra was to drive. Anyway, we’ll have both of these in the garage in a few weeks. 😊
Agreed! For more zero-60 fun there are summer tires-and a hack to turn off traction control completely-as well as warranty challenging tunes! I'm happy with mine as is-although when it's time to change tires-I will look for more performance in all season form.Amazing handling, adaptive dampers-I'm Bay Area California commuting mostly so I've yet to find it challenged in any of my brief twisty drives.
This was the comparison I needed in video form, I spent weeks going back and forth with the two and landed with the Integra. I definitely wish it had the torque of the Mazda3 Turbo but my wallet is happy with the MPG of the Teggy
More of this type of comparison series!!!!!!!!!! No one else on YT can do these types of comparions!
Statler and Waldorf, absolutely my favorite automoitve RUclips duo!
Waldorf makes great synthesizers.
I feel so bad that these are the Japanese cars that kids have to aspire to own these days… we really had it good in the 90’s and hadn’t the faintest clue. 😢
Kinda but Even back then we missed out on the best Japanese cars in North America we didn’t get EK9 Type R, R32-R34 GTR, the first generation WRX and STi, Toyota Chaser etc
Those were the golden years of tuning
gr corolla, civic type r, golf r, 400z, miata, gt86, supra, sti…. AI comment
I remember saving 6k after highschool to buy a used ls Integra and loving that car.... I wish they made a na inline 6 with a 6 speed and zero technology cloth seats and all plastic interior and sold it for 20k. I must be a fool
First let me say I was a Honda/Acura salesman for 3 years AFTER I retired from my job of 38 years. I have owned 75 cars in my life…many Hondas, a few Acuras and quite a few Mazdas (along with Toyotas, Lexus, Nissan and Infiniti). I haven’t owned a domestic brand car since a ‘95 F150. That being said…I currently own 2 Mazdas, a ‘21 MX5 RF Club and a ‘22 CX-5 Turbo. Our 3rd vehicle is an ‘18 Tundra,used for towing our camper. You are correct in your assessment of the aesthetics both inside and out. Imo, Mazda vehicles seem to exude quality thru simplicity whereas the Acuras seem to try a little to hard with their styling outside and the interiors become generic in a short period of time. My daughters ‘22 Integra CVT A-Spec just seems low rent when compared to our CX-5 Turbo, which were priced exactly the same. 2 different vehicles but at $38k our CX-5 is so much more enjoyable and “special feeling” than her Integra. But the Mazda3 is way out it’s league here…due mainly to the small interior dimensions. And I imagine the Integra’s resale value will be superior. Both the A-Spec and the top Mazda3 are both way over priced. I’d take the Civic Touring Hatch all day over either car here at $5k less.
I love that you included a detailed audio comparison.
I love when youtubers say "just buy the Civic SI" without considering/mentioning the fact that they're all marked up to Integra price territory by dealerships.
They mention the markups on the Si on this though...?
I like the format of this video! More of these shootouts showing the details of the car that people actually care about.
The HDR looks gorgeous! Dope video!
Great job, as always! At 47 I don't think I am the target market for either of these cars anymore but I can appreciate that they exist and that they are both pretty good.
Out of curiosity, what is it that you have now or what would you consider getting now that you're almost mid century? 🙂
@@neoanderson7 A 2020 M340i. CPO was about $45k. It's a little larger than is my preference but it's hard to fault the overall package.
@@MatthewGaither Yeah, that's not too bad considering it's an M340. Congrats.
I always find it funny how people expect certain vehicle choices according to their age... I still see these 2 as econo boxes. But they're asking for almost 40G's US out the door?? You paid 5G's more and got a bigger 3 series... how does this make sense?? Who's going to spend almost 40G's on econo boxes? Crazy times we live in..
I'm a 46 yo redneck that likes little import rockets. Unfortunately I'm 6'5" and broad as a barn and 1/2 ton pickups are all that I fit comfortably in and look like I belong in.
I’m 47 and just bought the Mazda3. What does age have to do with what car you own?
There's around 3-4 model years' worth of design difference between the two, yet Mazda has still held up in the looks and interior design...there was nothing like the Mazda when it first showed up and it shows how much thought and care they put into it
The comparison nobody asked for? I've been asking for ages! The one thing I'm hoping to see from Mazda is a more efficient drivetrain. The 2.5 is a torque monster, but it's also rather thirsty. The Integra is more efficient, and the new Honda and Toyota hybrids are achieving near 35-45mpg while staying affordable. The Mazda 3 is the priciest of the group and also the least fuel efficient. That's not a good situation for Mazda.
I'm a big Mazda fan (my ND is currently hibernating for the winter) but they really need an entry level offering that can rival the efficiency of other Japanese models. Regular buyers have little incentive to get a 3 beyond its unique appearance and nice interior. Regular buyers want practicality and efficiency, and the Mazda doesn't offer an advantage in either of those categories, so it sadly remains a niche product.
I have a 2019 Mazda 3 with the 2.0 Skyactive X (180 HP w/ mild hybrid, this is the combo compression/ignition engine that mazda developed) and it's insanely fuel efficient. Highway cruising with the adaptive cruise at 130kph (80mi/hr) I get around 5.4l/100km (43mpg). Hell, my way to work involves climbing and descending around 400metres on 2-lane roads and I still get around 6l (40mpg) with my rev-happy driving.
The engine is also even more torquey than the one Mark tested (it has a small supercharger and it's almost always running on compression+ignition). I don't know if you can get the skyactive x in north america though.
I get 30mpg combined out of my Mazda3 Turbo. 250HP/320TRQ averaging 30mpg is insane. You'll find that literally nowhere else.
@@tsenifhe has a point. The highest mpgs I’ve gotten on my turbo is 34 mpg (super reserved highway driving). My old GTI was able to get 40+ easily while driving somewhat spirited on the highway.
@@tsenif I kind of figured it should get a around 30. Same engine in my wife’s heavier/less aerodynamic cx5 is averaging 27.
Squeaks and rattles are a major issue. This is a problem and it is well known now. Fancy looking but sub par build quality? true?
Yeah I agree with Mark here. $36,000 for a front-wheel drive with a CVT is just not it for me. I would be looking at a Mazda 3 Turbo AWD or a GTI in that price range.
You’re not getting a gti for that price with the dealer markups on them
You dont get the CVT for $36,000, you get Manual Transmission. You get the CVT for around $31,000
You guys have such detailed audio analysis and it rarely makes it into the videos with any depth. I really appreciated hearing more about it.
I have the Turbo 3 Hatch in polygray, red leathers.
Did not expect to love it.
Very livable as a daily - not lux gaudy, but rather considerate luxury.
Power is more than enough for highways and city driving with so much torque for spirited driving.
Superb driver's car - has it flaws, but for its price is great value. Keep in mind this is being cross shopped vs the Golf GTI, Audi A3 and BMW 2 series (& now the Integra).
Driving impressions it’s the best segment, you guys are the best: very knowledgeable and entertaining !
My wife loves her 22 CX30 Premium Plus Turbo. She test drove a bunch of other vehicles, all a lot more expensive. I knew the second she started driving it she found her new car as it was seriously love at first drive. Found a Soul Red Crystal Metallic 100 miles from home for MSRP and bought it over the phone 13k miles later and she still loves the Mazda. Best part it runs great on regular fuel and she is getting between 30 and 34 MPG on her commute. I love to drive it also it is very quiet for a small vehicle, has tons of power, interior is really nice and the stereo is great!. One other cool feature is you can turn on the front camera at any speed. Mazda also has an awesome steering wheel it is just perfect!
Mazda's Red Metallic is one of the best colors on the market regardless of price. When clean and taken care of its just amazing.
@@KZ-se4ik: Exactly, gorgeous colour! 😎😍
@@KZ-se4ik it's absolutely gorgeous but it chips so easily
Great comparison. The Mazda 3 Hatch has certainly grown up a lot to the point where comparison to other entry-level luxury models is quite apt.
It's time for a Mazda3 redesign. Bring back 4 wheel indepedent suspension and a competitive manual transmission to compete with the Si and Integra.
@@steverodgers3866 mazda 3 redesign is coming anyway. its coming either this year or next.
@@steverodgers3866 They need to stop trying to compare themselves with Honda and Toyota and start hiring and listening to more minds like Dave Coleman, poach BMW / Merc engineers and some Italian designers if they want to be a luxury brand. They also need a halo car and sports car like a new 929 and RX7. A Furai like supercar would be icing on the cake like Nissan and the GT-R (that R35 chassis is over a decade old and still taking kid's lunch money at trackdays). Halo cars get people into showrooms and solid commuting appliances is what empties their wallets.
@@anydaynow01 Acura had a Halo car and it flopped miserably. They seem like a thing of the past, not many brands have them anymore.
@@anydaynow01 wouldn’t their halo car be the Miata? Also, I think they have a good opportunity with the Mazda6 to really try to fit that in to the German-luxury arena. If they brought it back as a RWD offering, with their already impressive interiors, I could see them making some noise in that space.
I got the Automatic A-Spec Technology & I love it. I traded in my 1 year old TLX for it. TLX was a good car, very luxurious but man i missed a smaller, more fun ride. This car scratches that itch for me. As for the tranny, it's the best CVT I've ever used. I don't miss the 10 Speed that much from the TLX, but I DO miss my ILXs DCT. That would have been amazing in this car, with the Turbo.
Savage Geese, you make some very salient points but the Integra seats are definitely Acura quality along with the materials used. Also, the ELS audio system & Infotainment are very good. Thanks for a great video!
Great video guys. I would like to see more videos in this format in the future.
You donated mcchicken
donate more 🥹 pls
@@good-tn9sr You first. I'll follow your lead.
I think about both of these cars a lot lol this comparison is perfect. It's frustrating that they're both so flawed and expensive for what they are, but they also tick the most boxes
As an owner of a Mazda3 turbo… yeah the launch is very much a finicky art & science lol. You can’t really brake boost it bc the trans is so slow + the fact that 1st gear is soooo short. Plus even though the limit is 6000rpm, it doesn’t really like to go above 5500. All that put together means that you can’t really brake boost the launch, and with the speed of the trans and length of 1st gear, you have to upshift to 2nd at like 4300rpm.
Btw I didn’t get the PP version and I got this for $29,990 MSRP in 2021 so the cost was an easier decision. The differences between my version and the one shown here are that the one in the video includes: rear spoiler, gloss front lip, 360 camera, & integrated Mazda maps in the Infotainment + HUD
Same here.. But I added a corksport lowering springs, front lip, side skirts.
Next mod is the carbon fiber rear spoiler from corksport and rear diffuser. Exhaust is in my mind but living here in California lol
@@ju4121 My not-so-low springs are going on in 2 weeks! Mine is white and I want to get the color matched spoiler next. I like the look of the OEM one better than CS’
I have to say Mark is simply off the (mark hehe) here. I owned this gen SI and then went to an Integra. I would never go in the reverse. The integra is so much better it’s unbelievable. They drive fundamentally the same, yes, but the hatch, sound system, dampers make it WAY more useable on a daily basis. The hatch has a ridiculous amount of room and passengers have all commented on how much more comfortable the integra is compared to my si.
I really really wanted an 11th Gen Si- but kept waiting for the dealer markups to drop. Then the 6MT as described above came along-and I got for within 1K of Si markup! Your reasons apply!
When I went to test drive an Integra, the Acura sales rep refused to let me take it on the highway because he wanted to show off how great of a commuter car it was.
The local Mazda dealers ruined my goodwill with $4k "market adjustment" bait and switch bullshit instead.
Right. Mazda dealers are what is going to kill their move upmarket.
Currently own a 2014 ilx with 6 spd manual and am only considering the integra as my next car. I love the acura driving experience and the integra has all the features I wish the ilx had.
Integra is very nice, but wish they offered a more powerful engine or less likely, rwd or awd. Hopefully type-s at least covers the engine.
So... my takeaway and personal opinion is that when it comes to Mazda3 vs. Integra, it's the Civic Si that takes the win. Brilliant!
Round of applause...
This is exactly the comparison I would have loved 4-5 months ago when I was trying to decide between these two finalists! After multiple test drives, I couldn't make up my mind, so I rented the cars for 1 day each on Turo. I ended up with the Mazda for several reasons:
1) living in NYC, I wanted an automatic, and the CVT drone in the Integra was off-putting and really dulled initial throttle response from a stop,
2) the Mazda was notably quieter on the highway, with less road noise,
3) the power and engine rumble, along with the rock solid AWD traction, of the Mazda was addictive,
4) the Mazda had a much higher quality and more distinctive interior, albeit with much less room, esp. in the backseat...the Integra felt like it was very much made to a price point (leatherette, cheesy metal speaker grill, hard plastic on the back doors),
5) I got a much better deal on the Mazda...MSRP, with a Mazda loyalty discount, and 2.49% financing...the Integra cost only a few thousand more but the payment was nearly $100 more a month.
A few areas where I disagree with the review: the Integra's stereo is superior to the Mazda...both are great, but I think the ELS system has better sharpness and clarity in the upper half of the volume range...it could really be down to personal preference. However, the Mazda to me has FAR superior seats. Much softer (real) leather versus the leatherette and microfiber on the Integra, and more firm, dense padding. The seat of the Integra feels like it bottoms out, and a lot of folks on the Integra forums complain about the seat comfort. As far as rattles, both of the Turo cars I rented had rattles, although the Mazda had more. The Mazda I bought developed rattles in the first 1,000 miles, although I find them to be temperature dependent (much fewer sounds when its warm outside). Overall, happy with my Mazda purchase, although I do wish the steering was a touch sharper, like the Integra is and like my 2017 Mazda 3 was. As far as the Torsion beam rear suspension, I only feel the downside when hitting a bump in a corner...you feel a slight kick to the side, but in 1,000 miles of driving, I've experienced that only twice...so day-to-day it's not a big deal.
Oh I forgot to mention...just driving down a smooth road or a highway, the Mazda is much smoother - both in terms of road vibrations and engine vibrations. Although Mark and Jack were correct that the Mazda doesn't filter out sharper impacts as well as the Integra...but that's less of a torsion beam issue...because the last gen Mazda 3 with an IRS was even harsher.
I got a 2.49 rate as well last year, March of 2022. That is now a thing of the past, a relic.
You can't go wrong with either of these cars. Both Honda/Acura and Mazda hit the sweet spot of price/performance/features & reliability.
After watching countless video and cross shopping, I finally went and got a Mazda 3 Turbo Hatchback. It's a very good daily driver and the refinement is great, no regrets getting this car. I didn't want to get a sporty daily driver. Thanks Savagegeese for all the videos you made. Good job and keep up the good work.
Love the in-depth review, seems like every angle was covered, interiors, exterior, performance, overall design and reliability of the design along with functionality. Perhaps the Integra is not the best Acura product but design and reliability go along way in this car market we are currently living in
Another excellent video from the Patagonia Pipes.
Did you guys know Jack is an engineer?
At this point the chaps just have to be sponsored by Patagonia.
Civic Sport Hatchback 6MT for $26K wins this comparison.
Could NOT find any 6MT Hondas other than rare Si's in California Bay Area.Dealers were marking up the Si into the 33-35K range
Wow, no one else ever went into such depth comparing the audio systems! I’m impressed.
A fantastic comparison between the two cars. I have owned my Mazda3 Hatch for 2 years (UK, Top Spec, Skyactiv-X) and I love everything about it bar the visibility in some scenarios, and I feel as if the boot is a bit limited over a Civic, but you hit the nail on the head about how special the Mazda3 feels, especially given there are barely any on the road (at least here) and I feel like the car was "built" for me.
It would be great to see a comparison between the Acura MDX and the Mazda CX-70/CX-90 (Inline 6) to see how their flagship cars perform against each other, given that their R&D budget is mostly spent there.
This is an interesting one. I never saw the Mazda 3 and Integra as competitors, but sure enough, they can be competitors with each other. Can't wait to see the outcome on this.
Mazda has slowly gone upmarket acura is agressively going after the entry level luxury segment to try and get a customer base. Today you buy an integra and 8 years from now you buy a RDX or MDX after you start/grow a family.
@@BassRacerx wife can have the mdx I’ll keep the integra type s
I have a 2011 mazda 3 2.5 as a daily driver. It has been by far the most reliable car I have ever worked on. In my opinion mazda has always had good looking vehicles, and the new ones are phenomenal looking. Yes the fact that it doesn't have a independent rear suspension anymore is a problem, but hopefully they fix that in the future.
@Jackie Mcmillan Yes that is what I mean by fix it.
As an owner of the Mazda, they are 100% spot on with the pros and cons of the car. Just to add, minimal mods do help a lot with the handling, a $100 strut tower brace instantly helps steering response to help it feel more appropriate for the price. Of course, there are more expensive things like upgraded wheels and tires and other suspension bits that help a lot too, it's just too bad you have to invest extra at this price just to get decent handling and feel. Also, full tunes are coming soon but the JB4 piggyback does really help, especially off the line, and if you know to use the "Auto shift boost redux" setting at 3-4 really helps the trans shift much crisper under throttle. I can pull draggy verified 13.5X 1/4 and 5 flat 0-60 (w/1 ft rollout), which isn't bad for a car with an SUV tune still.
Can't wait for the full tunes of this car. Jb4 already is great but this car can definitely compete with the new WRX in terms of aftermarket platform.
I have an NA19 Mazda3 awd hatch. At 19k miles, I got a bubble on the OE Toyo tires. Swapped all 4 out for Pirelli P Zero AS UHP and it's so much better. It's more comfortable, quieter, handles a lot better, almost 4lbs lighter each on my bathroom scale, 19.2lbs vs 23lbs, and braking improved a great deal. I'm too old to lower the car, my back wouldn't like it, but I will get some lightweight stock size forged wheels.
The Mazda 3 with a 2.5 non-turbo manual could have been a good one to compare too.
@@j.pslaym0666 It's actually 29K since the manual is not available in the lower trims.
@@oemj7147 Get the Civic Hatch base model 2.0 NA manaual
The ending was epic. Love these two. Keep up the great work!
Thanks for this great comparison test! Been waiting for this for months and considering the Integra or Mazda 3 Turbo as my next car.
I really appreciate these type of videos from you two. Thanks for making this. Bravo.
My German wife was a "German Car Snob", and because of me (I'm American) we cross shopped Mercedes against a Mazda (CX30), and we ended up buying the Mazda... and my German Car Snob wife is no longer a Car Snob : ). She's a happy Mazda owner, she loves it and says it almost every day how great quality and great value the Mazda is!
Too bad you didn’t have the 3 with the red interior for the interior comparison. The red looks great in both IMO.
Yes, and the red exterior paint on Mazda is just the best red paint existing right now!
@@TS-gg9dk I wouldn't go that far, but Soul Red is certainly very similar to multi-layer red paint on much more expensive cars like Alfa Romeo, Ferrari etc.
@@TassieLorenzo I don’t mean best referring to quality, but on looks. The red on Alfa 4C is also very nice.
And on Ferrari’s of course, but those are not really realistically an option.
Integra is not a "fake hatchback". Someone from Honda, in your own video on Integra, called it "liftback". Sedans with trunk opening existed for decades. That's a completely different thing and not fake in any way or trying to be "hatchback".
Absolutely loved this comparison. It is so interesting how both of these cars are essentially one frustrating fault away from being truly excellent. It was great to hear your in-depth discussion at the end.
If Mazda simply maintained its 3 multii-link rear suspension. We would have a clear winner in this 2 car comparison.
Love the comparison video format, especially with the fireside chat at the end. Please do more long-form conversations at the end of car reviews!
I would love that Integra as a daily
One of these guys is a HUGE apologist for Mazda, in EVERY video, to his absolute discredit. I’ll let you decide which one. The format where one person drives one car and the other person drives the other (and then they compare) is ridiculous. Both should drive both on video and compare. Yes, you can do that and still fit into the same length video. Spend less time showing audio charts.
PS: He’s also horrible at driving a manual, but insists on it.
My big problem with the current Mazda 3/CX-30 platform is the interiors are INCREDIBLY cramped compared to the exterior size of the vehicle. I currently drive a gen 2 Mazda 3 hatch and I fit in it comfortably. I was given a CX-30 as a loaner last year and ended up living with it for a couple months while waiting for backordered parts for my car. While the sound system was very nice the interior was very cramped. I couldn't use the left arm rest because there wasn't enough room between the door card and my chest to fit my arm. Calling it claustrophobic would be an understatement. A friend of mine commented about how roomy my old 3 was compared to the CX-30. The current interiors of Mazdas are not roomy for their size which is a shame.
That's true, I have a Mazda 3 and despite it's size, it's perfect for my lifestyle. I am rarely driving more than one other person and my dog, so I want something slightly larger than a coupe with good storage space. It's small enough to be easy to drive, but I've never felt like I needed additional storage. For the few times per year that I am carrying more people, it's definitely a mild drawback, but not enough to make me wish I had a larger vehicle for day-to-day.
That's a simple one to answer. You can blame legislation for this. Impact standards, the "necessity" to have 25 airbags, and more interior features. All this eats away at cabin space. You think it's bad in Japanese cars.. have you been in a German car?? I'm still stunned how any German person would be able to get into a 3 series or a C class and say they have room. Of the common German brands the worst is the Audi. Looks massive from the outside so you think you'll have loads of space inside. Nope.. barely enough room for average non-German people to be in.
If you want the same amount of space internally what you're used to now, you'll have to look at the bigger series of vehicles. Mazda3's you have to jump into a CX50/CX5 to feel somewhat similar to your current 3. Hopefully they bring back the Mazda6 soon now that they've introduced their CX90. But it'll take a while..
@@michaeltmoore97 my comment was made to illustrate that if you are not an average sized person (I am not) the interiors of the current Mazda 3 platform (3, CX-30, CX-50) are going to feel tight and in some cases uncomfortably cramped. The CX-30 I drove for a couple months was objectively the nicest vehicle I've ever driven, but the interior was uncomfortably cramped for me. The "smallest" Mazda 3 platform vehicle I fit in is the CX-50, but the exterior of the vehicle feels massive and the interior feels cramped. Don't ask me how Mazda pulled that off, but they did.
Perfect for me - 5 ft 6 and 150lb.
@@neoanderson7 actually I suspect the cramped interiors are a result of the exterior design. The space for that long hood line and curved roof line had to come from somewhere and that somewhere was the interior.
Your intros always make me want to go on a road trip up north!
Holy Wars...Punishment past due! Love your music choice! Another great comparison guys, thanks for always bringing the quality...and not the punishment due!
As a former hatchback owner, I think the Mazda 3 sedan is better than the hatchback. It fixes the rear visibility and back seat space. I wish Mazda used those as press cars more than the hatchback.
It actually hold more cargo too.
I own the mazda 3 turbo, and love that car..I put an intake and catback exhaust, and this turned it into a hothatch. Very fun to drive and almost as good as the speed 3 was! Definitely has the remnants. The fuel economy it just as bad as the speed 3 if u push it hard. But who cares, this thing is fun to drive with some luxury feel.
very nice
i had a honda civic 2015 brand spanking new dude with a cvt transmission ... it was one of the slowest and most boring car i ever drove no speed no acceleration senseros in the car were malfuntioning, honda told us there were not responsible for any sensors or any mishaps it was a trash buy .. and that damn cvt belt snapped IN HALF AROUND 40K
i dropped that piece of crap
that left us stranded in the midle of road multiple times or left us stranded at a stop light
i got a mazda 3 hatch dude what a buy
no cvt beautiful desighn .. all the sensors works maginificently with no problems a auto-manual shiftable 6 speed transmission with a sport mode .... tell me this car aint fun as hell to drive
its quick looks nice
i got a intake on it and a 2 inch exhaust from the midway to the tailend .. its sounds mean and moves quick . best purchase i ever made and dont regret it
plus the NON TOUCH SKREEN INTERFACE is a PLUS in my book that touchs kreen crap IS TOO DISTRACTINg
@@akgonen60 enjoy my brotha🍻
I feel like the Acura is the one I'd go for being a big Acura fan but I just really can't stand that interior.
I'd take the Integra and not think twice
Si on tux
same
i would take the MAZDA all day wouldnt even think twice
1.5 liter ? over 3k on the weight ? gtfoh
why not put a 1.0 liter TWIN TURBO IT and just throw a nitrouse bottle in the back 100 hoarse power easy
I am two weeks and 600 miles in on my 6MT A Spec/Tech and loving it!! I think I might be out of the current mainstream in my thinking, I like to keep driving the same care for many years and miles-based on my own economy. Examples? I bought my 1990 Integra LS (5speed) and put 200K miles on it in 8 years-ZERO issues- I bought a base model Civic sedan 5 speed in 2009- at 230K, original clutch (just replaced the clutch master and slave cylinders)-other than that I had my serpentine belt and water pump replaced-so the common thread was very low cost of long term ownership
Nice comparison. I love Mazda’s the turbo engine, but I feel like the normally aspirated 2.5 with manual increases the value proposition and is still almost as fast as the Integra (only a 9 hp difference).
That said, both cars will be on my shortlist in the near-future.
I own a 6MT 2021 3, I test drove the AWD Turbo as well. My MT ended up being 30kotd, but worth it in my opinion. You shed a few hundred pounds so the car actually does feel a lot more nimble then the corners. Although the AWD Turbo is undeniably faster, the 6MT feels a lot more quick and responsive and the 2.5 NA loves to sing. Mazdas gearbox also surprised me, coming from Hondas I wasn’t expecting it to be as good, but I was pleasantly surprised. Super relaxed to daily, but if I want to get on it the transmission is crisp and effortlessly slides into gear. The 200lb tq is more than enough to pull it out of the corners. Love my 3 more than my civics, thought I’d never not have a Honda.
It’s got 186 lb foot of torque…