BMW X3 vs. Mazda CX-3
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW X3 and Mazda CX-3 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the BMW X3 and the Mazda CX-3.
When we compare the BMW X3's and the Mazda CX-3's specifications and ratings, the BMW X3 has the advantage in the areas of interior volume and base engine power. The Mazda CX-3 has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency and resale value. Based on this comparison of the BMW X3's and the Mazda CX-3's specifications and ratings, the Mazda CX-3 is a better car than the BMW X3.
Pricing: A used 2021 BMW X3 ranges from $21,864 to $40,325 while a used 2021 Mazda CX-3 is priced between $14,987 to $22,008.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the BMW X3 loses 53.9 percent of its value and the Mazda CX-3 loses 38.1 percent of its value. This means the Mazda CX-3 retains 15.8 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the BMW X3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW X3’s base engine makes 248 horsepower, and the Mazda CX-3 base engine makes 148 horsepower. The X3 is rated to deliver an average of 27 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 499 miles. The CX-3 is rated to deliver an average of 31 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 432 miles.This gives the Mazda CX-3 the advantage in fuel efficiency and the BMW X3 the advantage in maximum range. The X3 uses premium unleaded, and the CX-3 uses regular unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The BMW X3, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The Mazda CX-3, a crossover/subcompact SUV, has the advantage in the area of front leg room.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Mazda CX-3 has higher safety ratings than the BMW X3, with an average rating of 5 out of 5 Stars compared to 4.90 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
43000
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
46345
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
31800 - 73400
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
20790
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Subcompact SUVs)
22058
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
18750 - 29100
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
29372
Price Range:
21864 - 40325
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
32726
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
24784 - 49306
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
470
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
54369
# Good or Great Deals:
198
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
18871
Price Range:
14987 - 22008
Category Avg Price:
(Subcompact SUVs)
19173
Category Avg Price Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
16252 - 24096
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
29
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
44411
# Good or Great Deals:
7
BMW X3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.4 / 10
Reliability:
7.7 / 10
Retained Value:
7.5 / 10
Safety:
9.9 / 10
Mazda CX-3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
8.6 / 10
Safety:
8.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW X3
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
8.0
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
10.6
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
8.0 - 12.3
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.065
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Mazda CX-3
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Subcompact SUVs)
7.2
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
5.1 - 9.7
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
21.939840224065428
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
4.4
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact SUVs)
0.9 - 25.0
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.3644645872992993
Typical Category Recalls:
(Subcompact SUVs)
2.8
Category Range for Recalls:
(Subcompact SUVs)
1.1 - 9.8
BMW X3 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 28Ranking
1 out of / 6Ranking
2 out of / 28Ranking
2 out of / 28Ranking
2 out of / 13Ranking
2 out of / 6Ranking
3 out of / 68Ranking
3 out of / 28Ranking
4 out of / 28Ranking
4 out of / 27Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 28Ranking
5 out of / 28Ranking
6 out of / 68Ranking
7 out of / 28Ranking
10 out of / 28Ranking
12 out of / 68Ranking
13 out of / 68Ranking
16 out of / 68Ranking
17 out of / 28Ranking
18 out of / 27Ranking
19 out of / 68Ranking
20 out of / 28Ranking
21 out of / 68Ranking
23 out of / 68Ranking
26 out of / 68Ranking
32 out of / 64Ranking
35 out of / 68Ranking
48 out of / 68Mazda CX-3 Rankings
Ranking
4 out of / 21Ranking
9 out of / 67Ranking
15 out of / 21Ranking
15 out of / 21Ranking
17 out of / 21Ranking
19 out of / 21Ranking
20 out of / 21Ranking
37 out of / 67Ranking
59 out of / 67Ranking
61 out of / 67Ranking
62 out of / 67Ranking
63 out of / 67Ranking
63 out of / 67Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline, Plug-In Hybrid
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
BMW X3 Trim Levels
M40i, sDrive30i, xDrive30i
Mazda CX-3 Trim Levels
Sport
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
4.90 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
248 hp @ 5200 rpm
Torque:
258 foot-lbs @ 1450 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.063 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
148 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
146 foot-lbs @ 2800 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.052 hp per pound
Towing capacity:
Not yet available
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
25 / 29 / 27
Range (city/hwy):
430 / 499 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Premium Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
29 / 34 / 31
Range (city/hwy):
368 / 432 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Paddle Shifters:
Standard
Parking Sensors:
Standard
Power Lift Gate:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Trailer Hitch:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Automatic Parking:
Available
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Roof Rack:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
N/A
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Parking Sensors:
Available
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Wifi:
N/A
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
41.1 inches
Front Leg Room:
40.3 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
57.6 inches
Rear Head Room:
39.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
36.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
56 inches
Cargo Space:
28.7 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
62.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
130.1 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.4 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.7 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
53.5 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.2 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
50.4 inches
Cargo Space:
17.8 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
42.7 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
105.4 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3931 lbs
Width:
84.2 inches
Height:
66 inches
Length:
185.9 inches
Wheelbase:
112.8 inches
Ground Clearance:
8 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
2851 lbs
Width:
69.6 inches
Height:
60.7 inches
Length:
168.3 inches
Wheelbase:
101.2 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.1 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
225/60R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 6.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P215/60R16
Exterior Colors
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic / Carbon Black Metallic / Jet Black
Blue
Phytonic Blue Metallic
Gray
Dark Graphite Metallic
Silver
Glacier Silver Metallic
White
Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic
Red
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Jet Black Mica
Blue
Deep Crystal Blue Mica / Eternal Blue Mica
Gray
Ceramic Metallic / Machine Gray Metallic
Silver
Not available
White
Snowflake White Pearl Mica
Red
Soul Red Crystal Metallic
Interior Colors
Beige
Canberra Beige/Black / Canberra Beige/Black w/ Contrast Stitching
Black
Black / Black w/ Oyster Contrast Stitching
Brown
Cognac w/ Contrast Stitching
Gray
Oyster w/ Contrast Stitching
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Black
Brown
Not available
Gray
Not available
