Mazda CX-3 vs. Mazda Mazda6
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Mazda CX-3 and Mazda Mazda6 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 Mazda CX-3 and the Mazda Mazda6.
In comparing the Mazda CX-3's and the Mazda Mazda6's specifications and ratings, 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, resale value and interior volume. The Mazda Mazda6 has the advantage in the areas of reliability, overall quality score and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the Mazda CX-3's and the Mazda Mazda6's specifications and ratings, the Mazda CX-3 is a better car than the Mazda Mazda6.
Pricing: A used 2021 Mazda CX-3 ranges from $17,524 to $22,997 while a used 2021 Mazda Mazda6 is priced between $18,276 to $28,457.
Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Mazda CX-3 loses 32.1 percent of its value and the Mazda Mazda6 loses 37.9 percent of its value. This means the Mazda CX-3 retains 5.8 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Mazda Mazda6.
Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Mazda CX-3 is 8.2 out of 10 while the Mazda Mazda6's quality rating is 8.8 out of 10.
Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Mazda CX-3 is 6.1 out of 10. For the Mazda Mazda6 the reliability rating is 8.3 out of 10. This gives the Mazda Mazda6 an advantage in reliability compared to the Mazda CX-3.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Mazda CX-3’s base engine makes 148 horsepower, and the Mazda Mazda6 base engine makes 187 horsepower. The CX-3 is rated to deliver an average of 31 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 432 miles. The Mazda6 is rated to deliver an average of 29 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 574 miles.This gives the Mazda CX-3 the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Mazda Mazda6 the advantage in maximum range. Both models use regular unleaded.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Mazda CX-3, a crossover/subcompact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more rear head room and cargo space. The Mazda Mazda6, a midsize car, has the advantage in the areas of front shoulder room, front leg room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Mazda CX-3 and Mazda Mazda6 are comparable in regards to front head room.
Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the Mazda CX-3 and the Mazda Mazda6 have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
20790
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Subcompact SUVs)
22058
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
18750 - 29100
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
24475
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Midsize Cars)
25984
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Midsize Cars)
22270 - 36995
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
20352
Price Range:
17524 - 22997
Category Avg Price:
(Subcompact SUVs)
21068
Category Avg Price Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
17501 - 28440
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
20
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
44776
# Good or Great Deals:
6
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
22750
Price Range:
18276 - 28457
Category Avg Price:
(Midsize Cars)
23413
Category Avg Price Range:
(Midsize Cars)
19265 - 31049
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
83
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
55413
# Good or Great Deals:
23
Mazda CX-3 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.202338 / 10
Reliability:
6.1 / 10
Retained Value:
8.507014 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
Mazda Mazda6 Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.805614 / 10
Reliability:
8.273358 / 10
Retained Value:
8.143485 / 10
Safety:
10.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Mazda CX-3
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
10.4
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Subcompact SUVs)
9.2
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Subcompact SUVs)
7.3 - 11.0
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.156
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Mazda Mazda6
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
7.1
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Midsize Cars)
7.2
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Midsize Cars)
6.5 - 10.0
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
0.106
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
2.430229061941515
Typical Category Recalls:
(Subcompact SUVs)
2.6
Category Range for Recalls:
(Subcompact SUVs)
0.5 - 10.0
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.5245719114858711
Typical Category Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
4.4
Category Range for Recalls:
(Midsize Cars)
1.5 - 13.8
Mazda 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 / 67Mazda Mazda6 Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 4Ranking
1 out of / 4Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
4 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
5 out of / 13Ranking
8 out of / 13Ranking
9 out of / 13Ranking
9 out of / 13Available Body Styles
SUV
Available Body Styles
Sedan
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Mazda CX-3 Trim Levels
Sport
Mazda Mazda6 Trim Levels
Carbon Edition, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, Signature, Sport, Touring
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
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):
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
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:
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
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
187 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
186 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.054 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:
FWD / AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
29 / 34 / 31
Range (city/hwy):
368 / 432 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Automatic
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
26 / 35 / 29
Range (city/hwy):
426 / 574 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Regular Unleaded
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Leather Upholstery:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Standard
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Android Auto:
Standard
Apple CarPlay:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Voice Recognition:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
Available
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Massage Seats:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
Available
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
Standard
Forward Collision Warning:
Standard
Lane Departure Warning:
Standard
Pedestrian Detection:
Standard
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
Standard
360-Degree Camera:
Available
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
Standard
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
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
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.4 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.2 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.9 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.1 inches
Rear Leg Room:
38.7 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
55.1 inches
Cargo Space:
14.7 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
Not yet available
Overall Interior Volume:
99.8 cubic feet
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
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3437 lbs
Width:
82.3 inches
Height:
57.1 inches
Length:
192.7 inches
Wheelbase:
111.4 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.5 inches
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
16.0 x 6.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P215/60R16
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P225/55R17
Exterior Colors
Black
Jet Black Mica
Blue
Deep Crystal Blue Mica / Eternal Blue Mica
Gray
Ceramic Metallic / Machine Gray Metallic
Red
Soul Red Crystal Metallic
White
Snowflake White Pearl Mica
Exterior Colors
Black
Jet Black Mica
Blue
Deep Crystal Blue Mica
Gray
Machine Gray Metallic
Red
Soul Red Crystal Metallic
White
Snowflake White Pearl Mica
Interior Colors
Black
Black
Interior Colors
Black
Black