The moon is only more practical in terms of distance/travel time. In every other way, the moon is drastically more inhospitable than even the worst day on Mars,

The moon is only more practical in terms of distance/travel time. In every other way, the moon is drastically more inhospitable than even the worst day on Mars, so anything gained by the shorter distance is quickly nullified by the difficulty of existing there. If the issues surrounding transit can be addressed, Mars is by far a superior target for colonization.