Topic: CD Article: 2007 Honda Civic LX sedan

[Leighow]

So my wife bought a Mazda 3 GS Sedan. 

How will the mazda compare to the Civic in reliability and maintainance cost both in long run (>150,000Kms) and short term (<150,000Kms) . If they are almost the same in the long run then the Mazda seems to be a good buy

Well, to some extent this purchase decision was based on non-reliability considerations -- and certainly (as I recall) J D Power's survey was not a Mazda lover ! .. but...

a) In the 1st five years it should be OK à see Intellichoice

 b) At about 5 years, the Mazda (as a brand) is seen as a good choice in Britain see Warrant Direct Quality survey at Channal 4 cars.

Both are fine cars.

Good Luck to all of you with your future posts and car choices.

[widefire]

I guess the journalists that made the acceleration tests aren't good drivers as some on the US side...

"the cars Acceleration tests of a 2006 Civic sedan with a manual transmission conducted by AJAC (Automobile Journalists Association of Canada) revealed a 0 to 100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds,"

There's a good review about the fastests 10 cars under 20K US at car and drivers.

Here's the Civic times...

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 22.5 sec
Street start, 5–60 mph: 8.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 125 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 191 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.81 g

8.6 versus 7.7.

So who's lying? 

[tpl]

Maybe nobody.  Possibly that extra 2.5 mph requires a gearchange.   Perhaps the rev limiter was ( intentionally?) a bit out of spec on the car delivered to C/D....wouldn't be the first time a car was "set up" for a car magazine.

[Jaeger]

Why would someone have to be lying?  Different cars tested by different drivers under different test conditions (track surface / temperature / humidity / wind / elevation etc.) should be extpected to yield different numbers.  Heck, I would be suspicious if these different tests produced exactly the same numbers - which is what you seem to expect.

Jaeger

[avtoller]

Don't you realize that 0-100 (0-60) times are the single most important factor determining purchase decisions? Of course they are exact. 

[UmroAyyar]

Thats interesting, when I was looking for information on the 2007 Camry, Car and Driver reviews always had the faster times. 2007 Camry SE V6, 0-60 in 5.8 seconds. 

Are they faster than all other mags or the equipment calibration is amiss?

[johngenx]

Are they faster than all other mags or the equipment calibration is amiss?

Having spent lots of time on a drag strip, I can attest to the wide variance of results with the SAME car on the SAME track on the SAME night, much less different productions (sure same make/model) on different tracks (surfaces play a HUGE role) and possibly with different tires on a different day.  Sheesh.

Also, how do you drive YOUR car?  At the strip, if you're willing to drive it like you don't care, you can go quite a bit faster.  If you're a journalist that might want to get more test car (C&D cares not, they'll get 'em) then breaking transmissions is not something you want a rep for doing.

When my Camaro was a "docile" 14 sec car, I would see results from 13.9 to 14.4 on the same night, and that's with a car desogned to replicate times (bracket racing).

[GMech]

I purchased the 07 Civic about 2 months back. I love driving this little car except for the auto transmission feel or smoothness of it. The positioning of the dash does need some getting used to but I'm okay now.
The shifts are definitely not as smooth as the Corolla nor the Mazda 3, and I don't buy the idea of their so called "grade logic control" mechanism. The car would jerk or jump back into 1st with brutal force in a rolling stop. I wish if Honda would comes up with something to fix this design fault. 
Otherwise, it is a pretty reliable car to commute in. I've been a loyal Honda owner since my first car in my highschool days. I am hoping I will have many joyful years to come driving this vehicle. 

[Greg B.]

Talk about beating around the bush.  The dash looks ugly period.  Why don't you guys come out and say it.  The dashboard is hurting sales of the Civic.  That's why the Mazda3 is getting closer and closer.  YTD sales of the Civic is already down 20% and it's only in it's 2nd year life cycle while the Mazda3 is up 25%.  I would have thought they learned from their Prelude dashboard disaster years ago...if any one remember that.  The leader is the Mazda3.

Part of the problem is that the automotive media is totally head over heels in love with anything Honda produces. They could produce a replica of a '58 Ford and if it had a Honda badge it would still get good reviews.

[mar1990]

Ha Ha thats funny, the same comment was posted last year.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,40496.0.html

It's a Honda Civic ... even if it's less than the previous generation or even the attempt to be "ahead of it's time" fails ... it will still sell very well.  You could stick a Honda badge on a steel box with a turd in it and some people would still buy it.

[JSCC]

.....the Mazda (as a brand) is seen as a good choice in Britain see Warrant Direct Quality survey at Channal 4 cars.

That's one thing that I still don't get.
The Brits, specially Top Gear, are huge fans of the Mazda brand and give extremely high remarks with all the Japanese brands.
In the same sense the Aussies are huge fans of Subaru.

Any idea the reasoning for the preference?

[G0dspd]

Ha Ha thats funny, the same comment was posted last year.

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,40496.0.html

It's a Honda Civic ... even if it's less than the previous generation or even the attempt to be "ahead of it's time" fails ... it will still sell very well.  You could stick a Honda badge on a steel box with a turd in it and some people would still buy it.

Yeesshhh ... I don't even remember posting that.  Still true though! 

[jjj]

Looking for the canadian invoice price of a 2007 honda civic lx and dx-g

[ziggy19]

just bought the honda 07 civic and love the car, have always been a dodge owner last car a sx2 and this one has more power and better fuel mileage, rides smoother, quieter, love the dash and using the 3 mirrors i find eliminates any blind spots , the features are easy to reach and use.

[mmret]

.....the Mazda (as a brand) is seen as a good choice in Britain see Warrant Direct Quality survey at Channal 4 cars.

That's one thing that I still don't get.
The Brits, specially Top Gear, are huge fans of the Mazda brand and give extremely high remarks with all the Japanese brands.
In the same sense the Aussies are huge fans of Subaru.

Any idea the reasoning for the preference?

Brits: I guess the Japanese are really good at small cars?

Aussies:

[2JDM]

just bought the honda 07 civic and love the car, have always been a dodge owner last car a sx2 and this one has more power and better fuel mileage, rides smoother, quieter, love the dash and using the 3 mirrors i find eliminates any blind spots , the features are easy to reach and use.

Congrats!