Compare the2023 Hyundai VenueVS 2022 Mazda 3

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Venue are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Both the Venue and the Mazda 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Hyundai Venue is safer than the Mazda 3:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Venue comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 3’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Venue 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Mazda 3 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Venue’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Mazda 3’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Venue for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 3.

There are over 52 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Venue’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Venue uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Mazda 3 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Venue has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Venue stops much shorter than the Mazda 3:

The Venue SEL handles at .81 G’s, while the Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Venue’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the Mazda 3’s (33.2 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

The Hyundai Venue may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 650 pounds less than the Mazda 3.

The Venue is 1 foot, 4.5 inches shorter than the Mazda 3 Hatchback, making the Venue easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The Venue is 2 feet shorter than the Mazda 3 Sedan.

The power windows standard on both the Venue and the Mazda 3 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Venue is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Mazda 3 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Consumer Reports rated the Venue’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Mazda 3’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Insurance will cost less for the Venue owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Venue will cost $80 to $1790 less than the Mazda 3 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Venue will be $2054 to $11575 less than for the Mazda 3.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Venue and the Mazda 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.