Compact cars · 4 model years, 2014 to 2018
Honda Civic vs Mazda3: problems and reliability
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 3 and the Mazda3 on 2, with 2 too close to call.
Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026
Scorecard
| Measure, 2014 to 2018 | Civic | Mazda3 |
|---|---|---|
| Complaints that report a crash | 5.2% | 6.0% |
| Complaints that report a fire | 0.6% | 0.9% |
| Complaints that report an injury | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Median miles when problems are reported | 40,000 | 40,000 |
| Recall campaigns per model year | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| Do-not-drive recalls | 0 | 1 |
| NHTSA investigations | 2 | 0 |
The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.
What owners complain about
The system Civic owners complain about most is steering; for the Mazda3 it is electrical. Complaints citing steering make up 32% of all Civic complaints, against 2.2% on the Mazda3. The Mazda3 leans the other way on backup camera: 11% of its complaints, against 0.1% for the Civic.
Honda CivicMazda3
Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.
The most reported problems
The most reported problem on the Civic is sticky steering (24% of its complaints). On the Mazda3 it is infotainment problems (30% of its complaints), against 3.0% on the Civic.
| Problem | Civic | Mazda3 |
|---|---|---|
| Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails | 3.0% 73most in 2016 · 20k mi | 30% 138most in 2018 · 54k mi |
| Steering sticks, feels notchy or jerks | 24% 591most in 2016 · 44k mi | 0 |
| Brakes grind, pulse or wear early | 6.1% 149most in 2016 · 25k mi | 14% 67most in 2015 · 51k mi |
| A/C blows warm or the compressor fails | 13% 321most in 2016 · 40k mi | 0 |
| Engine stalls or loses power while driving | 5.9% 145most in 2018 · 56k mi | 5.2% 2440k mi |
| Airbag warning light or recall | 6.6% 162most in 2015 · 45k mi | 1.3% 6 |
| Power steering cuts out or goes heavy | 6.2% 152most in 2016 · 46k mi | 0 |
| Windshield cracks or distorts | 2.2% 53most in 2016 · 30k mi | 3.7% 1719k mi |
Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.
When problems start
Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Civic complaints that give a mileage come before 40,000 miles, and half the Mazda3 complaints before 40,000. 59% of Civic reports and 56% of Mazda3 reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.
Honda CivicMazda3
Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 1,149 for the Civic and 232 for the Mazda3.
Worst and best years
The 2022 Civic draws 3.3 times the complaints of a typical Civic year for its age. No Mazda3 model year stands out from the rest.
Honda CivicMazda3
Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.
Recalls and investigations
The Civic draws more recalls: 2.8 campaigns per model year against 2.2 for the Mazda3. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.
Honda Civic
11 recall campaigns and 2 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (2), equipment (2) and transmission and drivetrain (1).
- 15V-574 (transmission and drivetrain) covers 2 model years
- 23V-858 (fuel system) covers 2 model years
Investigations
- EA21002: Desiccated air bag inflator rupture (open)
- EA19001: Electrical overstress (closed, led to a recall)
Mazda3
9 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: fuel system (4), parking brake (1) and electrical (1).
- Do not drive 15V-621 (fuel system), model years 2015 and 2016
- 23V-487 (backup camera) covers 4 model years
- 16V-684 (fuel system) covers 3 model years
Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Crashes, fires and injuries
Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (5.2% and 6.0%). Fire reports: 14 for the Civic and 4 for the Mazda3. Complaints on file report 1 death in the Civic and 1 in the Mazda3 for these model years.
Honda CivicMazda3
Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.
Questions
Is the Honda Civic or the Mazda3 more reliable?
On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Civic looks better on 3 and the Mazda3 on 2, with 2 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Civic has 2,462 complaints and the Mazda3 464 for the 4 model years from 2014 to 2018 that both have on file, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.
Which has more recalls, the Civic or the Mazda3?
The Civic has 11 recall campaigns and the Mazda3 9 across the 4 model years from 2014 to 2018 that both have on file. The Civic draws more recalls: 2.8 campaigns per model year against 2.2 for the Mazda3.
What are the most common problems on the Civic and the Mazda3?
The most reported problem on the Civic is sticky steering (24% of its complaints). On the Mazda3 it is infotainment problems (30% of its complaints), against 3.0% on the Civic.
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