Compare the2023 Mazda 3VS 2022 Toyota Rav4

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda 3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Mazda 3 has standard Whiplash Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the Mazda 3 and the Rav4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

	Mazda 3	Rav4
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	89	152
Neck Injury Risk	17%	29.3%
Neck Stress	214 lbs.	306 lbs.
Neck Compression	27 lbs.	56 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	205/212 lbs.	400/388 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	153	284
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	37.4%
Neck Stress	191 lbs.	258 lbs.
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	95 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	178/201 lbs.	340/190 lbs.

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

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda 3 is safer than the Toyota Rav4:

	Mazda 3	Rav4
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	239 lbs.	246 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	14 inches
HIC	199	299
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	36 G’s
Hip Force	527 lbs.	835 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Mazda 3, with its five-star roll-over rating, is 5.4% to 5.8% less likely to roll over than the Rav4, which received a four-star rating.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Mazda 3 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 93 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Rav4 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Toyota vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in overall reliability. Toyota is ranked second.

Engine

The Mazda 3’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 47 more horsepower (250 vs. 203) and 136 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 184) than the Rav4’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda 3 is faster than the Toyota Rav4 (automatics tested):

	3 4 cyl.	3 turbo 4 cyl.	Rav4
Zero to 60 MPH	7.3 sec	5.6 sec	8.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	14.1 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90.3 MPH	99 MPH	83.8 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Mazda 3 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda 3 higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Rav4 (6). This means the Mazda 3 produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Rav4 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Mazda 3 offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

The Mazda 3 stops much shorter than the Rav4:

	Mazda 3	Rav4
70 to 0 MPH	164 feet	168 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	134 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	134 feet	140 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Mazda 3 2.5 S’ standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The Mazda 3 Hatchback/Select/Preferred/Premium/Turbo’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited’s 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mazda 3’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Rav4 (107.3 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

The Mazda 3 Premium Sedan handles at .86 G’s, while the Rav4 Limited pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Mazda 3’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Rav4 LE/XLE’s (34.8 feet vs. 36.1 feet). The Mazda 3’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Rav4 XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda 3 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 pounds less than the Toyota Rav4.

The Mazda 3 Hatchback is 5.3 inches shorter than the Rav4, making the Mazda 3 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Mazda 3 is 10.3 inches shorter in height than the Rav4, making the Mazda 3 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Ergonomics

The Mazda 3 Premium/Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Rav4 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Mazda 3’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4’s power window (except driver window), power lock and power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Mazda 3’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Rav4 LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Mazda 3 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. When the ignition turns off, the headlights turn off after a delay timed to allow you to securely get to your front door. The Rav4 has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/XLE Premium/Adventure/Limited/TRD Off-Road.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Mazda 3 Premium/Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Rav4 doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Mazda 3 Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Rav4’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Mazda 3’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Rav4 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Model Availability

The Mazda 3 comes in sedan and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Toyota Rav4 isn’t available as a sedan or four door hatchback.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Mazda 3 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Mazda 3 with a number “8” insurance rate while the Rav4 is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Mazda 3 is less expensive to operate than the Rav4 because it costs $173 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Mazda 3 than the Rav4, including $31 less for a water pump, $20 less for front brake pads, $186 less for a starter, $6 less for fuel injection and $629 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

The Mazda 3 has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

	Mazda 3	Rav4
Consumer Reports® Recommends	TRUE	TRUE
Car Book “Best Bet”	TRUE	FALSE