1. Honda City vs Mazda 2: Introduction
Just look at any road here in the Philippines and its plain for you to see that the most abundant vehicle type in recent years are compact sedans. And one of those most common models here is the Honda City. There are alternatives though and one of the most notable is the Mazda 2.
While you might argue that the Honda City is indeed the more dominant brand in the country, the Mazda 2 does have its merits as a compact car model.
As such, we here at Philkotse.com are in the mind to compare those to compact sedans against each other in terms of exterior styling, how comfortable and well design their interiors are, their safety equipment, and overall specifications.
To reign in this article’s length and complexity though, we’ll only compare each of these model’s top variants; the Honda City 1.5 VX+NAVI CVT and the Mazda 2 1.5 SKYACTIV R AT.
Which gonna be your sedan: Honda City or Mazda 2?
2. Honda City vs Mazda 2: Exterior
Honda City |
Mazda 2 |
|
Length (mm) |
4,440 mm |
4,320 mm |
Width (mm) |
1,695 mm |
1,695 mm |
Height (mm) |
1,477 mm |
1,470 mm |
Wheelbase (mm) |
2,600 mm |
2,570 mm |
Ground Clearance |
150 mm |
NA |
As you can see from the table above, the Honda City has a much longer wheelbase and is a bit taller than the Mazda 2. While legroom and elbowroom are great on both of these cars, the Honda City’s 536 liters of space is superior.
Though that the Mazda 2’s rear passenger seats can be folded down, once in use, the trunk only amounts to around 280 liters. Also, note that people taller than 5’11’’ will have some difficulty with the Mazda 2’s roof especially with the rear seats.
The Honda City is a modern, well-put-together sedan
In terms of design, the Kodo design language did much to improve the proportions and stance of the Mazda 2. And if we compare the 2 to the Honda City, then the latter is a beefier looking and more angular. From the front, we think that both sedans do emit an equal amount of aggressiveness and sportiness.
The Mazda 2 is clearly the beautiful one whereas the City is the handsome one
Which has the sexier rear? The redhead or the brunette?
>>> Check out the in-depth review of these two sedans:
3. Honda City vs Mazda 2: Interior
Features |
Honda City 1.5 VX |
Mazda 2 1.5 SKYACTIV R |
Cruise Control |
With |
- |
Rear Parking Sensors |
With |
With |
Leather Upholstery |
With |
With |
With |
With |
|
Air Conditioning System |
Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control |
Automatic Climate With Rear Controls |
Entertainment System |
7-inch Touchscreen with DVD/CD/8 speakers |
7-inch Touchscreen LCD, CD Player, Mp3/6-speakers |
Connectivity |
Aux-in, Bluetooth, iPod, and USB |
Aux-in, Bluetooth, iPod, and USB |
Navigation Ready |
With |
With |
Power Steering |
Yes |
Yes |
Power Windows |
Yes |
Yes |
Power Outlet |
With |
With |
Steering Wheel Audio Control |
With |
With |
Keyless Entry |
With |
With |
In terms of interior build quality, both vehicles provide great value for your money. Both use around the same amount of soft-touch surfaces. Both sedans have black interior themes that tend to be easy to clean and can resist wear and tear and stains, while also being easy on the eyes.
On the Mazda 2 2019 though, we rather like the positioning of the touchscreen. It is quite visible for the person sitting on the driver’s seat while it doesn’t actually impede your line of sight. For the Honda City, it’s interior has a lot of tactile buttons and switches. And in our opinion, the set of speakers aboard the Honda offering sounds a bit better than the one on the Mazda 2.
The Honda City's front cabin...
The Mazda 2's front cabin.
Note also that the Honda City 2019 does come with cruise control. Aside from that, the top of the line Mazda 2 Skyactiv R is every bit as well equipped as the top of the line Honda City VX save only for the latter’s HDMI connectivity option.
Lastly, we rather the automatic type AC that’s controlled by touch panels found aboard the Honda City are much more advanced that the automatic single-zone temperature control aboard the Mazda 2.
4. Honda City vs Mazda 2 Philippines: Safety
When it comes to safety equipment, both of these models are fairly competent. Both have dual front airbags, side airbags, and curtain airbags. Other safety features on both the Mazda 2 and the Honda City are ABS with EBD, engine immobilizers, stability control, and ISOFIX.
New Mazda 2 2019 Full Review and Test Drive
Honda City Test Drive Review - The Legendary Sedan? | Honda City Petrol MT, CVT & Diesel Review
>>> More car comparos in Sedan market segment:
5. Honda City vs Mazda 2: Engine & Performance
Honda City 1.5 VX |
Mazda 2 1.5 SKYACTIV R |
|
Displacement |
1,497 cc |
1,496 cc |
Number of Cylinders |
4 |
4 |
Number of Valves |
16 |
16 |
Transmission Type |
Continuously Variable Transmission |
SkyActiv-Drive 6-speed AT w/ Sport Mode |
Drive Train |
Front-wheel-drive |
Front-wheel-drive |
Max Output |
118 HP |
108 HP |
Max Torque |
145 Nm |
139 Nm |
Fuel Type |
Gasoline |
Gasoline |
Fuel Capacity |
40 L |
44L |
Here's the Mazda 2's 1.5 liter inline-4 Skyactiv-R
And the 1.5-liter VTEC inline-4 on the Honda City
6. Honda City vs Mazda 2 Philippines Price
| Model | Price |
| Honda City 1.5 E CVT price | ₱876,000 |
| Honda City 1.5 E MT price | ₱828,000 |
| Honda City 1.5 VX NAVI CVT price | ₱985,000 |
| Honda City 1.5 VX+ NAVI CVT price | ₱1,068,000 |
>>> Check out the latest price list & installment for Honda City
Model |
Price |
Mazda 2 Skyactiv S Sedan MT price |
₱850,000 |
Mazda 2 Skyactiv S Sedan AT price |
₱890,000 |
Mazda 2 Skyactiv V Sedan AT price |
₱975,000 |
Mazda 2 Skyactiv R Sedan AT price |
₱1,055,000 |
Mazda 2 Hatchback Skyactiv V Plus price |
₱965,000 |
Mazda 2 Hatchback Premium Series price |
₱1,085,000 |
>>> View full Mazda 2 price list and estimated monthly payment
The top-spec variants of the Honda City and the Mazda 2 only have a difference of Php 13,000, in lieu of the City’s cruise control and other features not found on the Mazda 2. Beyond that though, the range of prices of these model’s variants are equally spread out to accommodate a wide array of possible budgets.
7. Honda City vs Mazda 2: Verdict
While there are more popular models within the same market segment like the Toyota Vios, the Honda City and the Mazda 2 are two of the most competent choices available today. The City has a quiet and roomy interior, whilst the Mazda 2 is definitely a fun drive.
Take note though that the story might be a little different when it comes to these vehicle’s cost of maintenance, parts availability and those kinds of considerations when owning a vehicle. While Mazda has been improving in that regard for the past few years, Honda is an industry veteran and for a number of years now has won high praise for keeping up its customer satisfaction rating.
In the end, both vehicles are fairly competent for what they are. They provide good value for your money and will definitely provide the comfort you and your family needs from a sedan.
So, your vote?
Please check out our Car for sale section to look for more affordable car models.