http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...1/pageNumber=1

The Civic placed an impressive second place considering it's the last year of its 7th generation with the 8th-gen due out in just another month or two.

I agree with the editors that it's too noisy, though. Hopefully they tackled that subject for the 8th gen.

They critisized the Cobalt mostly on an uncomfortable and low quality interior. They also said it was boring to drive, though I'm sure that doesn't apply to the SS model at all, and realistically I wouldn't expect to buy a 15k dollar economy car and be particularly blown away in the performance department anyhow.

 

I saw that today, too. I agree with their first place pick.

 

Of course you do, you own one!

But all playing aside I have not driven a Mazda 3 yet, though I've always heard good things about them and I did sit inside one and was almost completely satisfied with the interior (which says a lot because I'm pretty picky and don't even care for several things in the 7th-gen Civic's interior, though the 8th looks quite a bit better sans for the aftermarket looking nav system)

 

Mazda 3 might be a good first pick, but I kinda lost interest when they claimed the current Civic has top notch interior materials, and in the same article called the Cobalt's interior cheap.

Please. The current Civic is regarded by many in the press, as well as some Civic fans/owners, to be a downgrade from the previous generation in many respects. A good friend has an '01 (current style) Civic. The interior is NOT that nice (though really is fine for a cheap econocar), and it isn't exceptionally quiet and rattles somewhat significantly, though to be fair a good amount of the miles were accumulated on crappy-*** MI roads).

I'm not surprised to see the 3 as the winner (though I think it is oddly proportioned style-wise). But ranking the Cobalt 6th (of 7; behind the Spectra?! Focus? Civic? ) and lavishing praise on the current tin-can Civic kinda makes me question their judgment...

:blah:

EDIT: After another glance, it seems they tested a $19750 Mazda 3 against an obviously lower end version of the Cobalt (at $16435). For the price of the 3, they could have had an LT version of the Cobalt, with 16 inch wheels (vs. 15s on the tester), power everything, leather seats, etc. Hell, they could probably have gotten an '06 SS Sedan with the N/A 2.4L VVT Ecotec with 170 hp, along with the interior upgrades. Since the 145 hp 2.2L beat the Mazda with its 2.3L and its 160 hp, I'd wager that the SS would have creamed the 3.

Kind of a lame comparison. Get a stripper Cobalt and complain about the manual windows, then get a $3500 more expensive Mazda and rave about how it feels more expensive.

The Spectra is decent looking, though. I forgot that it had been totally redone. The previous version was kind of a joke, but that one doesn't look so bad.

 

What are the prices of the 3, Civic and Focus?

 

I beleive it was rigged. I don't say that often. They chose a Cobalt at 15k and complained about its lack of features and low-level feeling. Guess what? It was low level. They paid 20k for the Mazda 3. They could have bought a Chevy Cobalt SS Sedan for the same price with leather. I don't know if it was thier fault, but this is a major oversight worth at least writing about.....

 

W3RD.

 

8th generation Civic? It took over 50 years for the Corvette to reach its 7th, 35 years and only 4 in the F-bodies...
They need to stop thinking a minor front end detail constitutes a whole new generation.

 

Every time the chassis, interior, and exterior are revised from the ground-up constitutes a new generation in any model of car. The 2006 Civic will be it's 8th generation in 33 years of production.

That's more than the cars you mentioned but not abnormal if you look at a broader range of cars that have been made for a long time. Honda's product lifecycle is currently targeted at the 5 year mark which is not abnormal.

 

We've got a pair of 2004 Civics at work. I'm a big Honda fan when it comes to cars, but there's no way I'd pick one of them over a Cobalt. They're simply not all that spectacular of a vehicle. The powertrain is typical Honda greatness and the steering feel is good, but the ride quality is quite poor, I don't think they handle well, and the interior does not impress me at all. The Cobalt, on the other hand, would probably be my pick if I had to buy a new compact right now.

 

The Cobalts interior is cheap, especially when comparing a $15K version to a more expensively optioned Civic. I drove a $15K Cobalt for a few days last week and was extremely dissatisfied with it. There is no way I'd ever fork over $15K for a car like that...I'm not going to dis the higher optioned ones since I haven't sat in any of those, but the stripper Cobalt is certainly not a good car stacked up against other sport compacts.

I think the Civic is a great car in this group but I dunno if I would have placed it 2nd in this test...The test certainly didn't provide a level playing field, but I think we all agree the Mazda3 probably would have won anyway even if it was level.

 

My Dad has an 02 Civic and I have an 06 Coblat SS.

My interior blows his away! Stupid car reviewers--what do they know? Its mostly opinion.

I did drive a Mazda 3 2.3L pretty impressive---but the 2.4L SS is better

 

Naturally, I'm prejudiced.......to the public, at least!

(I get ugly sometimes in our internal meetings............)

I do believe one should compare apples to apples.......

For those who feel the Cobalt Interior is cheap......please do me a favor?

Go find an LT Sedan with the Neutral Leather interior..........also look at an SS Supercharged interior.......esp. one with Recaros..........

 

As i have only driven the Cobalt SS at ASIM i cant comment on other models, but the SS was a blast to drive. I squeeled the tires so incredibly easy with out even meaning too. Its got plenty of low end power and if i was looking for a car like that i would probably go for that.

 

Cobalt interiror cheap? BAH!!
Ive sat in Civics and they are nothing to fancy. Same goes for Corola. Cobalts interior reminded me a lot of the Jetta's new interior. Textured dash, the nice chrome trim around the switch gear and the guages, not to mention the SS interior.