Compare the2023 Hyundai ElantraVS 2023 Mazda 3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Elantra 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.

The Elantra has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Elantra has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Mazda 3 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium/Turbo has a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Elantra 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, 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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

	Elantra	Mazda 3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Leg Forces (l/r)	66/48 lbs.	205/212 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 Hyundai Elantra is safer than the Mazda 3:

	Elantra	Mazda 3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	83	112
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	345	371
Spine Acceleration	68 G’s	71 G’s
Hip Force	355 lbs.	620 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	184	199

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

Warranty

The Elantra comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car 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 Elantra 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 Elantra’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Mazda 3’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Elantra 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 Elantra’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Elantra has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Mazda 3’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Sedan:

			MPG
Elantra
FWD	Auto	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	33 city/42 hwy
		2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/40 hwy
Mazda 3 Sedan
FWD	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/37 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/35 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the Elantra gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Hatchback:

			MPG
Elantra
FWD	Auto	SE 2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	33 city/42 hwy
		2.0 DOHC 4-cyl.	30 city/40 hwy
Mazda 3 Hatchback
FWD	Manual	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy
	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/36 hwy
AWD	Auto	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Elantra 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.

Transmission

The Elantra 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.

Brakes and Stopping

The Elantra stops shorter than the Mazda 3:

	Elantra	Mazda 3
70 to 0 MPH	175 feet	176 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	116 feet	122 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Elantra’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mazda 3 (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R18).

Suspension and Handling

The Elantra has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Elantra Limited handles at .85 G’s, while the Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Elantra Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Mazda 3 Premium Sedan AWD (27 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

The Hyundai Elantra may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the Mazda 3.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Elantra Limited is quieter than the Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback (35 vs. 40 dB).

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Elantra a Mid-size car, while the Mazda 3 is rated a Compact.

The Elantra has 6.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 3 Sedan (99.4 vs. 92.8).

The Elantra has 2.6 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mazda 3 Sedan.

Cargo Capacity

The Elantra has a larger trunk than the Mazda 3 Sedan (14.2 vs. 13.2 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Elantra SEL/Limited’s trunk can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Elantra and the Mazda 3 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Elantra 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 Elantra’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Mazda 3’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Economic Advantages

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Hyundai Elantra will be $1032 to $6802 less than for the Mazda 3.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Elantra as the 2021 North American Car of the Year. The Mazda 3 has never been chosen.

The Hyundai Elantra outsold the Mazda 3 by over four to one during 2022.