Mazda 3! - my dad owns one now and his previous car was a Honda civic - so I have had experience with both. 5 years ago I would of said that Honda's reliability would sway the decision, but Mazda 3 is the second most reliable car in the world (recent International survey) - behind, guess what, the Mazda 2!
Mazda is fun to drive, reliable, good features and looks great for the price. The Honda Civic is a very good car (I still love them with all my heart) but the Mazda 3 beats it in every survey I have read.