Battle of the best compact sedans!
 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium Sedan |  Honda Civic EX Sedan |  Mazda 3i Touring |
PLANET'S EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For about $20,000, you can drive a safe, reliable, attractive vehicle with an enviable reputation for quality. All three have a 3 year/36,000 mile comprehensive warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty. All three have Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio connectivity, air conditioning, keyless entry, and much more. All have optional driver assistance technology which includes features like automatic braking. (Read more about Subaru's Eyesight system here). All are available in your choice of manual or automatic transmission. And all three are available as hatchbacks.
Civic is all new for 2016, and Honda breathed new life into a car that had become quite boring in its most recent iteration. Impreza is all new for 2017, and it has established the benchmark in the segment. Arguably, Honda Civic is the smoothest, Mazda 3 is the prettiest, and Subaru Impreza the best handling (especially in rain or snow). You really can't go wrong with any of them, but why buy a front wheel drive car when you could enjoy a comparably-equipped all wheel drive car for the same money?
COMPARISON
| Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium Sedan | Honda Civic EX Sedan | Mazda 3i Touring Sedan | |
Exterior Dimensions Almost clones in size. | Length: 182" Width: 70" Height: 57" | Length: 182" Width: 71" Height: 56" | Length: 180" Width: 71" Height: 57" |
Total Interior Space Slight edge to Impreza. |  100 cubic feet |  95 Cubic Feet |  96 Cubic Feet |
| Front Leg Room |  43 inches |  42 inches |  42 inches |
| Trunk Space When you see the three cars shot from the same angle, you get an appreciation for just how similar these cars are. |  12 Cubic Feet |  15 Cubic feet |  12 Cubic Feet |
Airbags Subaru gives you an additional driver knee airbag. All three cars are IIHS top safety picks and all earn "Plus" designation when equipped with collision mitigation options. | 
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| Engines and Fuel Economy Honda and Mazda return slightly higher fuel economy, but you sacrifice Subaru's all wheel drive. Impreza is the most fuel efficient all wheel drive vehicle in America. |  2.0 Liter Boxer four cylinder with 152 horsepower Continuously variable automatic transmission: 28 city, 38 highway 5 Speed manual transmission: 25 city, 35 highway |  2.0 Liter in-line four cylinder with 158 horsepower Continuously variable automatic transmission: 31 city, 41 highway 5 Speed manual transmission (LX only): 27 city, 40 highway |  2.0 Liter in-line four cylinder with 155 horsepower Six speed automatic transmission: 30 city, 41 highway 6 speed manual transmission: 29 city, 41 highway |
| All Wheel Drive After owning an all wheel drive vehicle, you'll never drive a two wheeler again. Learn more. |  | X Not available | X Not available |
| Price Mere hundreds separate the three in price, but Impreza shines in value because it alone offers the safety and handling of All Wheel Drive, an option that can cost thousands more on other cars. | $22,015 See Pricing on Impreza Models | $22,174 | $21,440 |
| Wagon Option Hatchback dramatically increases utility, especially in Impreza, because of the rectilinear design. Mazda and Honda cargo areas suffer from the dramatic, sloping rooflines. |  |  |  |
| Performance Model Option Just for kicks, we threw in the barn burners. All three manufacturers start with something good and then make it very bad. They carpet bomb the race track and cost quite a bit more than their workaday brethren featured elsewhere on the page. |  WRX and STi |  Civic Si |  Mazdaspeed 3 |
| Purchase and Ownership Experience You can buy a new Subaru at Planet, but not a new Honda or Mazda. |  |  | |
Search our inventory for your Impreza:
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...Or look at our nice Honda and Mazda trades...
Used Mazda |
If you're comparing the Subaru Impreza with the Honda Civic and/or Mazda 3, sedan or wagon, you'll prefer working with Planet, especially if you're from Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, North Shore, or Plymouth.
