A proper head-to-head in South Africa — compare price, performance,
fuel economy or electric range, safety and the details that shape long-term ownership.
2.0 Astina Edition Auto FWDPetrol6-Speed AutomaticCurrent
ZAR 629,700ex-showroom
⚡ 121 kW🔧 213 Nm⛽ 15.9 km/l
+Add a 3rd car
Decision summary
Omoda C9 vs Mazda Mazda3: the short answer
C9 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Mazda3 remains close.
Mazda3 starts ZAR 287,600 cheaperC9 from ZAR 785,900 · Mazda3 from ZAR 498,300
Five key differences
Exact selected derivatives
Swipe sideways to compare every column
Specification
C9
Mazda3
Maximum Power
C9192 kW @ 5500 rpm
Mazda3121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
C9400 Nm
Mazda3213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size
C92000 cc
Mazda31998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy
C911.8 km/l
Mazda315.9 km/l
Ground Clearance
C9165 mm
Mazda3140 mm
Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.
Independent editorial assessment
Hagalu editorial ratings
When a variant is selected, its rating out of five applies only to that exact derivative; a model-range review is not inherited. Editorial ratings are separate from the Specification Evidence Index out of 100 and are not customer ratings.
Omoda C9
Explore AWD
Hagalu editorial ratingNot yet rated
No complete editorial rating is published for this exact variant. This is not a zero score.
Not yet rated means a complete review is not published; it does not mean the vehicle scored zero. Read the rating methodology.
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
Specification evidence leader
C9
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
Lower fuel efficiency
Fewer listed safety features
Best suited to:Published PerformancePublished Practicality
Mazda3
Strengths
Better fuel efficiency
Stronger listed safety equipment
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to:Published Efficiency
Which One's Right for You?
C9
Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures
Mazda3
Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
Full Specs, Side by Side
Open a category, then swipe sideways to compare every column
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Model Introduced Year
2024
2019
Generation
Current South Africa C9 range
Seventh-generation BP-series Mazda3 hatchback
Facelift History
Current South Africa version listed by official source
The seventh-generation South African hatchback launched in 2019 and the current range has since been consolidated to Dynamic and Astina editions.
Facelift Launched Since
2024
2019
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
SUV
Hatchback
Model Year
2026
2026
Production Status
active
Active
Segment
SUV
C-segment hatchback
Tare Mass Kg
Not Available
1350 kg
Vehicle Type
SUV
Hatchback
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Length
4775 mm
4460 mm
Width
1920 mm
1795 mm
Height
1671 mm
1440 mm
Wheelbase
2800 mm
2725 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
165 mm
140 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
143 mm
-
Fuel Tank Capacity
65 l
51 l
Boot/Cargo Space
660 l
295 l
Kerb Weight
1872 kg
1350 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
2281 kg
1870 kg
Payload Capacity
409 kg
520 kg
Towing Capacity
1500 kg
1000 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
5 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
-
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius
5.8 m
5.3 m
Front Headroom
1005 mm
-
Rear Headroom
970 mm
-
Front Legroom
1070 mm
1075 mm
Rear Legroom
960 mm
891 mm
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Front Track Width
Not Available
-
Rear Track Width
Not Available
-
Front Suspension
MacPherson strut
Macpherson strut
Rear Suspension
Multi-link
Torsion beam axle
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Load Bed Length
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Load Bed Width
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Climate Control
Automatic
Dual-zone climate control
Power Windows
Standard
Front
Keyless Entry
Standard
Smart
Push Button Start
Standard
Standard
Wireless Charging
Standard
Standard
Sunroof
Standard
Standard
Electric Tailgate
Standard
Not Available
Rain Sensing Wipers
Standard
Standard
Boot Space Seats Folded
1783 l
687 l
AC Type
Automatic
Dual-zone climate control
Loadbox Length Mm
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Engine
2-litre Turbocharged Petrol
2-litre Naturally Aspirated Petrol
Engine Code
SQRF4J20
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel Type
Petrol
Petrol
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Engine Displacement
2000 cc
1998 cc
Cylinders
4
4
Cylinder Layout
Inline
Inline
Valves
16
Not Officially Disclosed
Valves per Cylinder
4
Not Officially Disclosed
Aspiration
Turbocharged
Naturally Aspirated
Fuel System
Petrol injection
Not Officially Disclosed
Compression Ratio
10.2:1
13.0:1
Bore
80.5 mm
83.5 mm
Stroke
98.0 mm
91.2 mm
Maximum Power
192 kW @ 5500 rpm
121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
400 Nm
213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Drive Type
AWD
FWD
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
6-Speed Automatic
Top Speed
200 km/h
210 km/h
0-100 km/h
7.8 sec
9.5 sec
Quarter Mile
15.8 sec
Not Officially Disclosed
Drive Modes
Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow, Mud, Sand, Off-Road
Sport
Launch Control
No
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
6500 rpm
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
102 kW/tonne
89.6 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
213 Nm/tonne
157.8 Nm/tonne
Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Gearbox
8 AT
6-Speed Auto
Drivetrain Layout
AWD
Front-engine, front-wheel drive
LSD Available
Not Applicable
-
Transfer Case
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters
Standard
Standard
Final Drive Ratio
Not Applicable
3.850
Number of Gears
8
6
Transmission Type
Automatic
Automatic
Clutch Type
Automatic clutch
-
Gear Shift Indicator
Standard
-
Gear Shift Type
Electric
Automatic
Drivetrain
AWD
FWD
4WD Engagement
Intelligent electronically controlled on-demand AWD with automatic front/rear torque distribution
Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
Standard
Standard
Front Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Gearbox Type
8 AT
Automatic
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
AWD
4x2
Rear Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Transmission Speeds
8
6
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Claimed Mileage
11.8 km/l
15.9 km/l
City Mileage
9.5 km/l
12.8 km/l
Highway Mileage
13.9 km/l
18.7 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity
65 l
51 l
Emission Standard
Euro VIb
Euro stage IV
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Standard
Standard
Real-world Mileage
11.8 km/l
15.9 km/l
Charging Port Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Charging Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Fuel Tank Litres
65
51
Combined Driving Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Consumption
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Range Real World Highway
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Range Real World Mixed
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Airbags
Multiple airbags
7
ABS
Standard
Standard
Electronic Stability Control
Standard
Standard
Traction Control
Standard
-
Hill Descent Control
Standard
Not Available
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Not Available
Child Safety Lock
Standard
-
ISOFIX Mounts
Standard
Standard
Brake Assist
Standard
Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Standard
-
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Standard
Front & Rear
Front Parking Sensors
Standard
Not Available
AEB
Standard
Not Available
BA
Standard
Standard
Brake Override System
Standard
-
Curtain Airbags
Standard
Standard
Driver Airbag
Standard
Standard
EBD
Standard
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Standard
Standard
Hill Hold
Standard
Not Available
Passenger Airbag
Standard
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Standard
Standard
Seatbelt Reminder
Standard
Front & Rear
Side Airbags
Standard
Standard
Stability Control
Standard
Standard
TCS
Standard
-
Knee Airbag
Not Available
Standard
ABS EBD
Standard
Standard
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Cruise Control
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Not Available
Lane Keep Assist
Standard
Not Available
Lane Departure Warning
Standard
Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring
Standard
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Standard
Parking Sensors
Standard
Rear
Rear View Camera
Standard
Standard
360 Degree Camera
Standard
Not Available
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Standard
Not Available
Driver Fatigue Alert
Standard
Not Available
Traffic Sign Recognition
Not Available
Not Available
Auto Highbeam
Standard
Not Available
Auto Wipers
Standard
Standard
Rear Parking Sensors
Standard
Not Available
Reverse Camera
Standard
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Not Available
Park Assist
Not Available
-
Around View Monitor
Standard
Not Available
Blind Spot Warning
Standard
Standard
Forward Collision Warning
Standard
-
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Seat Material
Leatherette / leather
Black Leather
Heated Seats
Standard
Not Available
Ventilated Seats
Standard
Not Available
Ambient Lighting
Standard
Not Available
Front Shoulder Room
Not Available
1414 mm
Rear Shoulder Room
Not Available
1356 mm
Steering Wheel Material
Leather
Standard
60 40 Split Seat
Standard
(60:40)
Driver Seat Adjustment
Power
10-Way Power Adjustable (Driver)
Passenger Seat Adjustment
Power
10-Way Power Adjustable (Driver)
Seat Trim
Leatherette / leather
Black Leather
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Infotainment System
Touchscreen infotainment
Standard
Apple CarPlay
Standard
Wireless
Android Auto
Standard
Standard
Bluetooth Connectivity
Standard
Standard
Number of Speakers
8
12
Digital Instrument Cluster
Standard
Not Available
USB Ports
Front and rear USB where listed
2
Infotainment Screen
10.25-inch or larger by trim
10-Inch
Touchscreen
10.25-inch or larger by trim
10-Inch
Spec
C9
Mazda3
LED Headlamps
Standard
Standard
Daytime Running Lamps
Standard
Standard
Fog Lamps
Standard
-
Roof Rails
Standard
-
Exterior Colour Options
Khaki white, carbon crystal black, moonlight silver, grey and other official Omoda market colours where listed.
Mazda South Africa offers model-specific solid, metallic and premium paint finishes subject to current edition availability.
Headlights
Standard
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof
Standard
Standard
Alloy Wheel Design
-
Black Metallic
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Approach Angle
Not Available
-
Departure Angle
Not Available
-
Wading Depth
Not Available
-
Terrain Modes
Standard
Sport
Locking Differential
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD System Type
AWD / 4WD as listed
Not Applicable
Breakover Angle
Not Available
-
Ground Clearance Max
165 mm
140 mm
Ground Clearance Min
165 mm
140 mm
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Tyre Size
245/50 R20
215/45 R18
Front Brake Type
Ventilated Disc
Ventilated disc
Rear Brake Type
Ventilated Disc
Solid disc
Spare Wheel Type
Not Available
Temporary spare T125/70 D16
Wheel Rim Size
245/50 R20
18x7J
Handbrake Type
Electronic parking brake
Electronic
Spec
C9
Mazda3
CO2 Emissions
197 g/km
146 g/km
Fuel Octane Requirement
Petrol
-
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Service Plan
5 Years / 75 000 km
5 Years/Unlimited km
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Ownership Role
flagship or capability-focused
flagship equipment and comfort derivative
Price Zar
885900 ZAR
629700 ZAR
Pricing Role
flagship or capability-focused
flagship equipment and comfort derivative
Starting Price
885900
629700
Starting Price Zar
885900
629700
Spec
C9
Mazda3
Warranty
7 Years / 200 000 km
5 Years/Unlimited km
In depth: how these cars differ
This C9 and Mazda3 comparison uses the exact derivatives selected above for South Africa. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.
Performance index: C9 81 vs Mazda3 50.
Efficiency index: C9 46 vs Mazda3 61.
Safety-equipment index: C9 94 vs Mazda3 96.
Practicality index: C9 68 vs Mazda3 50.
Ownership-cover index: C9 not separately scored vs Mazda3 not separately scored.
These figures are Hagalu catalogue-comparison indicators, not customer ratings, crash-test scores, resale guarantees or a substitute for a road test. Each page shows its weighted source coverage beside the result.
Model imagery
C9 and Mazda3 image comparison
Open an image for its full canonical file or visit the model page for the complete vehicle record.
A transparent comparison of published catalogue fields. This is not a road-test score, owner rating or editorial review rating, and it appears only when every vehicle clears the same comparable-data threshold.
Evidence / 100
Evidence-index readout
C9 leads by 10 points
C9 has a modest catalogue-index lead, while Mazda3 remains close.
Moderate difference in the source-backed catalogue index.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Evidence-index leader
C9
Performance
81/100
Efficiency
46/100
Safety
94/100
Practicality
68/100
Mazda3
Performance
50/100
Efficiency
61/100
Safety
96/100
Practicality
50/100
What the evidence means
Evidence indexOmoda C9
leads the specification evidence index with 74 pts
vs 64 pts for Mazda3
In Hagalu's specification evidence index, C9 leads. However, Mazda3 may suit buyers prioritising different confirmed fields. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Related comparisons
Continue with closely related South Africa models and comparable body styles.
There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the models and available derivatives in South Africa on price, safety equipment, space, powertrain and ownership cover. The category indicators summarise published catalogue data; they are not a road test or customer rating.
Compare the published consumption or mileage rows for the exact derivatives using the same unit and test basis. A catalogue figure is useful for like-for-like comparison, but traffic, speed, load, weather and driving style can change actual fuel use.
Compare only equipment explicitly listed for each derivative, including airbags, stability control and driver-assistance systems. Confirm the exact trim with the manufacturer, and treat any independent crash-test result separately because equipment and ratings can differ by market.
A reliable five-year total cannot be calculated from catalogue data alone. Add the exact purchase and finance cost, fuel or electricity, insurance quotes, scheduled servicing, tyres and expected resale value. Check whether the selected derivative includes a service or maintenance plan.
Use the seating, boot or load-space, ISOFIX and safety rows as a first check. Then test the exact cars with your child seats, passengers and typical luggage, because published dimensions do not show every access or comfort difference.
Compare the published power, torque and 0–100 km/h rows when they are available for both exact derivatives. Vehicle weight, gearing and power delivery also matter, so catalogue outputs alone do not establish real-world overtaking or response.
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