Toyota Corolla Cross vs Mazda CX-3

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Toyota Corolla Cross

1.8 HEV GR-S CVT Hybrid Automatic

ZAR 575,400 ex-showroom

⚡ 90 kW 🔧 142 Nm ⛽ 23.3 km/l

Mazda CX-3

2.0 Individual Auto FWD Petrol Automatic

ZAR 551,600 ex-showroom

⚡ 115 kW 🔧 206 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l

＋ Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

⚡ Performance CX-3

⛽ Fuel Economy Corolla Cross

🛡 Safety Corolla Cross

📦 Practicality Corolla Cross

🔑 Ownership CX-3

Corolla Cross starts ZAR 440000 cheaper Corolla Cross from ZAR 385,000 · CX-3 from ZAR 440,000

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Engine Power	90 kW	115 kW
Torque	142 Nm	206 Nm
Engine Size	1798 cc	1998 cc
Claimed Mileage	23.3 km/l	15.9 km/l
Ground Clearance	161 mm	155 mm
Boot / Load Bay	434 l	230 l
Airbags	Passenger, Driver Knee	6
Kerb Weight	1385-1430 kg	1270 kg
Seating Capacity	5	5
Warranty	3 years / 100 000 km	5 Years/Unlimited km

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

Corolla Cross has a slight advantage, but CX-3 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance CX-3 +10 pts

Efficiency Corolla Cross +29 pts

Safety Corolla Cross +33 pts

Practicality Corolla Cross +7 pts

Ownership CX-3 +1 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

🏆 Overall Winner

Corolla Cross

Strengths

Better fuel efficiency
Stronger safety package
More practical for daily use

Weak Spots

Less powerful engine setup
Shorter warranty coverage

Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency Family Usage

CX-3

Strengths

More powerful engine output
Better long-term ownership value

Weak Spots

Lower fuel efficiency
Less comprehensive safety features
Less practical in daily usage

Best suited to: Highway Driving

Which One's Right for You?

Corolla Cross

Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
Large families needing more practicality and usability

CX-3

Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Model Introduced Year	2026	2015
Generation	Facelifted first-generation Corolla Cross built in South Africa	Current first-generation DK-series Mazda CX-3
Facelift History	2026 range adds petrol and HEV GR-S derivatives alongside Xi, XS and XR grades	The CX-3 has received successive equipment and design updates since its 2015 debut; Carbon and Individual now sit together at the top of the South African range.
Facelift Launched Since	2026 range adds petrol and HEV GR-S derivatives alongside Xi, XS and XR grades	2015
Facelift Version Ending	Current South African 2026 specification	Current
Body Style	SUV	SUV
Model Year	2026	2026
Production Status	published	Active
Segment	SUV	Compact crossover
Vehicle Type	SUV	SUV

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Ground Clearance	161 mm	155 mm
Wheelbase	2640 mm	2570 mm
Length	4460 mm	4275 mm
Width	1825 mm	1765 mm
Height	1620 mm	1542 mm
Kerb Weight	1385-1430 kg	1270 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight	1850 kg	1735 kg
Seating Capacity	5	5
Boot Space	434 l	230 l
Towing Capacity	400 kg	850 kg
Front Track Width	1559 mm	-
Rear Track Width	1571 mm	-
Turning Radius	5.2 m	5.7 m
Load Bed Length	434 l	230 l
Load Bed Width	-	-
Number of Doors	5	5
Boot Volume	434 l	230 l
Doors	5	5
Seats	5	5
Fuel Tank Capacity	36 l	48 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg	1850 kg	1735 kg
Ground Clearance Max	161 mm	155 mm
Ground Clearance Min	161 mm	155 mm
Ground Clearance Mm	161 mm	155 mm
Height Mm	1620 mm	1542 mm
Length Mm	4460 mm	4275 mm
Loadbox Length Mm	434 l	230 l
Loadbox Width Mm	-	-
Cargo Volume	434 l	230 l
Tare Mass Kg	1385-1430 kg	1270 kg
Turning Circle	5.2 m	5.7 m
Turning Circle M	5.2 m	5.7 m
Width Mm	1825 mm	1765 mm
Front Legroom	-	1058 mm
Rear Legroom	-	888 mm
Front Shoulder Room	-	1360 mm
Rear Shoulder Room	-	1281 mm
Boot Space Seats Folded	-	1140 l
Max Payload	-	465 kg
Payload Kg	-	465 kg

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Engine	1.8-litre Petrol Hybrid SFI	2.0 Litre in-line 4 cylinder SKYACTIV-G
Engine Type	1.8-litre Petrol Hybrid SFI	2.0 Litre in-line 4 cylinder SKYACTIV-G
Displacement	1798 cc	1998 cc
Cylinders	Inline-4	4
Power	90 kW	115 kW
Power @ RPM	5200	6000
Torque	142 Nm	206 Nm
Torque @ RPM	3600	2800
Fuel System	Petrol Hybrid SFI	-
Top Speed	170 km/h	197 km/h
Cylinder Bore	80.5 mm	83.5 mm
Piston Stroke	88.3 mm	91.2 mm
Power	121 bhp	154 bhp
Cylinder Layout	Inline-4	Inline
Engine Type Config	1.8-litre Petrol Hybrid SFI	2.0 Litre in-line 4 cylinder SKYACTIV-G
Engine Displacement	1798 cc	1998 cc
Engine Displacement Litres	1798 cc	1998 cc
Engine Config	1.8-litre Petrol Hybrid SFI	2.0 Litre in-line 4 cylinder SKYACTIV-G
Engine Cylinders	Inline-4	4
Engine Displacement Cc	1798 cc	1998 cc
Engine Power kW	90 kW	115 kW
Engine Torque Nm	142 Nm	206 Nm
Max Power kW	90 kW	115 kW
Max Torque Nm	142 Nm	206 Nm
Maximum Power	90 kW	115 kW
Maximum Torque	142 Nm	206 Nm
Power kW Rpm	5200	6000
Torque Nm Rpm	3600	2800
Turbocharger	-	Naturally Aspirated
Compression Ratio	-	13:0:0
Engine Aspiration	-	Naturally Aspirated
Induction	-	Naturally Aspirated
Turbo Type	-	-

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Transmission	CVT	6-Speed Auto
Drive Type	FWD	FWD
Drivetrain Layout	FWD	Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Transfer Case	-	-
Paddle Shifters	-	Standard
Number of Gears	-	6 km/h
Transmission Type	CVT	6-Speed Auto
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Transmission	CVT	6-Speed Auto
4WD Engagement	-	-
4WD Hi Range	-	-
4WD Lo Range	-	-
4WD Selector	-	-
Automatic Shift Paddles	-	Standard
Front Differential Lock	-	-
Gearbox Type	CVT	6-Speed Auto
Low Range	-	-
Axle Layout	FWD	FWD
Rear Differential Lock	-	-
Transmission Speeds	-	6 km/h
Differential Lock	-	-
Final Drive Ratio	-	4.325

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Claimed Mileage	23.3 km/l	15.9 km/l
Fuel Tank Capacity	36 l	48 l
AdBlue Tank Capacity	-	-
Auto Start Stop	-	Standard
Average Fuel Consumption	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
Claimed Fuel Consumption	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
Fuel Efficiency	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
AC Charging Power	-	-
Charging Port Type	-	-
Charging Time AC Full	-	-
Charging Time DC Fast 80pct	-	-
Charging Type	-	-
Combined Consumption	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
Combined Consumption L 100km	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
DC Charging Power	-	-
Fuel Economy Combined	4.3 l/100km	6.3 l/100km
Fuel Tank Litres	36 l	48 l
Fuel Type	Hybrid	Petrol
Low Range Ratio	-	-
Combined Driving Range	-	-
Electric Consumption	-	-
Range Real World Highway	-	-
Range Real World Mixed	-	-
Range Wltp	-	-
Emission Standard	-	Euro stage IV

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Airbags	Passenger, Driver Knee	6
ABS	Standard	Standard
Electronic Stability Control	Standard	Standard
Hill Start Assist	Standard	-
Child Safety Lock	Standard Rear door	-
ISOFIX Mounts	Standard 2 Standard	Standard
Brake Assist	Standard	Standard
Engine Immobiliser	Standard	Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats	Front + Rear	Front & Rear
Front Parking Sensors	Standard Front + Rear	-
AEB	Standard	-
BA	Standard	Standard
Curtain Airbags	-	Standard
Driver Airbag	Standard	Standard
EBD	Standard	Standard
Engine Immobiliser	Standard	Standard
Hill Hold	Standard	-
Passenger Airbag	Standard	Standard
Seatbelt Pretensioners	ELR, Pretensioner, Force Limiter Front and Rear	Standard
Side Airbags	-	Standard
Knee Airbag	Standard	-
ABS EBD	Standard	Standard
Hill Descent Control	-	-
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	-	-

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Cruise Control	Standard Adaptive, All Speed	Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control	Standard Adaptive, All Speed	-
Lane Keep Assist	Standard Lane Trace Assist	-
Lane Departure Warning	Standard Lane Trace Assist	-
Blind Spot Monitoring	Standard With Rear Cross Traffic Alert	-
Parking Sensors	Standard Front + Rear	Front & Rear
Rear View Camera	Panoramic View Monitor	Standard
360 Degree Camera	Panoramic View Monitor	-
Autonomous Emergency Braking	Standard	-
Auto Highbeam	Standard	-
Auto Wipers	Auto, Rainsensing	Standard
Rear Parking Sensors	Standard Front + Rear	-
Reverse Camera	Panoramic View Monitor	Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control	Standard Adaptive, All Speed	-
Around View Monitor	Panoramic View Monitor	-
Blind Spot Warning	Standard With Rear Cross Traffic Alert	-
Forward Collision Warning	Standard	-
Rear Cross Traffic Alert	-	-
Driver Fatigue Alert	-	-
Traffic Sign Recognition	-	-
Drive Modes	-	Sport

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Seat Material	GR-S Leather	Black Leather
Steering Wheel Material	3 Spoke GR-S Leather	Standard
60 40 Split Seat	60:40 - Reclining	(60:40)
Driver Seat Adjustment	Driver Power & Passenger Manual	10-Way Power Adjustable (Driver)
Passenger Seat Adjustment	Driver Power & Passenger Manual	10-Way Power Adjustable (Driver)
Seat Trim	GR-S Leather	Black Leather
Heated Seats	-	-
Ventilated Seats	-	-
Ambient Lighting	-	-

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Climate Control	Auto Dual zone Standard Cable	Automatic
Power Windows	All All One Touch	Front & Rear
Keyless Entry	Standard Smart Entry	Smart
Push Button Start	GR-S Push Start	Standard
Electric Tailgate	Standard Power and Handsfree	-
Rain Sensing Wipers	Standard	Standard
AC Type	Auto Dual zone Standard Cable	Automatic
Gear Shift Type	Automatic	Automatic
Seatbelt Reminder	Front + Rear	Front & Rear
Service Plan	6 Services / 90 000 km	3 Years/Unlimited km
Stability Control	Standard	Standard
Wireless Charging	-	Standard
Sunroof	-	Standard

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Infotainment Screen	Audio, 10.1-inch	Standard
Apple CarPlay	Android Auto, Wireless CarPlay Toyota Display	Wireless
Android Auto	Android Auto, Wireless CarPlay Toyota Display	Standard
Bluetooth Connectivity	Standard	Standard
Number of Speakers	Standard 6 Standard Audio, Telephone, Info	7
Digital Instrument Cluster	Standard Full Digital, 12.3-inch	-
USB Ports	Standard 3PCs	2
Infotainment Screen	10.1-inch	8-Inch
Touchscreen	10.1-inch	8-Inch

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
LED Headlamps	Standard	Standard
Daytime Running Lamps	Standard	Standard
Fog Lamps	Standard	-
Roof Rails	Standard Black	-
Exterior Colour Options	Glacier White, Platinum White Pearl, Celestite Grey, Metal Stream, Attitude Black, Arizona Red, Brass Gold, Oxide Bronze, Caribbean Blue, bi-tone GR-S finishes	Aero Grey, Snowflake White Pearl, Jet Black, Machine Grey, Polymetal Grey, Platinum Quartz and Soul Red Crystal are listed, with Carbon availability limited to selected finishes.
Headlights	Standard	Standard
Alloy Wheel Design	-	Black Metallic + Machining
Panoramic Sunroof	-	Standard

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Wading Depth	-	-
Locking Differential	-	-
4WD System Type	FWD	FWD
Breakover Angle	-	-
Departure Angle	-	25.7 deg
Terrain Modes	-	Sport

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Tyre Size	AL R:GR-S 225-50R18 AL	215/50R18
Front Brake Type	Ventilated Disc	Ventilated disc
Rear Brake Type	Disc	Solid disc
Spare Wheel Type	Space Saver T155-70D17 F:GR-S 225-50R18	Temporary spare 185/60 R16
Wheel Rim Size	AL R:GR-S 225-50R18 AL	18 X 7.0 J
Handbrake Type	Electric	Electronic

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Front Suspension	Tread (mm) 1559	Macpherson strut
Rear Suspension	Tread (mm) 1571	Torsion beam axle

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Service Interval	12 months / 15 000 km	-
Battery Warranty	8 years 160 000 km	-

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
CO2 Emissions	98 g/km	146 g/km

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Ownership Role	Private and family	flagship equipment and comfort derivative
Price Source	Toyota South Africa model configurator checked 2026-07-16	https://www.mazda.co.za/specs-and-compare
Price Zar	575400 ZAR	551600 ZAR
Pricing Role	Flagship	flagship equipment and comfort derivative
Starting Price	575400	551600
Starting Price Zar	575400	551600

Spec	Corolla Cross	CX-3
Warranty	3 years / 100 000 km	5 Years/Unlimited km

Overall Verdict Score

Decision-grade view of the winner, score gap and category strengths.

Weighted / 100

Verdict readout

Corolla Cross leads by 11 points

Corolla Cross has a slight advantage, but CX-3 remains highly competitive.

Winner 64 /100

Lead 11 points

Data 78% confidence

#1 Winner

Corolla Cross

78% data confidence 2 strong categories

Best at Safety 94 Check Performance 37

Performance 37

Efficiency 90

Safety 94

Practicality 55

Ownership 46

Leads by 11 points

CX-3

90% data confidence 0 strong categories

Best at Efficiency 61 Check Performance 47

Performance 47

Efficiency 61

Safety 61

Practicality 48

Ownership 47

Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%

Category leaders What moves the verdict

Performance CX-3 +10 Efficiency Corolla Cross +29 Safety Corolla Cross +33 Practicality Corolla Cross +7 Ownership CX-3 +1

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown

Overall Winner

Corolla Cross

Performance 37/100

Efficiency 90/100

Safety 94/100

Practicality 55/100

Ownership 46/100

CX-3

Performance 47/100

Efficiency 61/100

Safety 61/100

Practicality 48/100

Ownership 47/100

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Toyota Corolla Cross wins with 64 pts vs 53 pts for CX-3

In structured scoring, Corolla Cross emerges as the stronger overall package. However, CX-3 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Corolla Cross edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Corolla Cross 90 vs CX-3 61. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Corolla Cross 94, CX-3 61. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Corolla Cross 46, CX-3 47. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Corolla Cross 55, CX-3 48. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Corolla Cross 37, CX-3 47. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Corolla Cross edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Corolla Cross scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Corolla Cross and CX-3 in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Corolla Cross scores 37 vs 47.

Efficiency: Corolla Cross scores 90 vs 61.

Safety: Corolla Cross scores 94 vs 61.

Practicality: Corolla Cross scores 55 vs 48.

Ownership: Corolla Cross scores 46 vs 47.

Final structured scoring gives Corolla Cross the advantage in this comparison.

Toyota Corolla Cross vs Mazda CX-3

Toyota Corolla Cross

Mazda CX-3

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Key Specs Side by Side

The Bottom Line

Where They Actually Differ

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Corolla Cross

CX-3

Which One's Right for You?

Corolla Cross

CX-3

Full Specs, Side by Side

Overall Verdict Score

Corolla Cross leads by 11 points

Corolla Cross

CX-3

Corolla Cross

CX-3

So, Which One Should You Buy?

Other Comparisons Worth Checking

Buyers Also Looked At These

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

In Depth — Breaking It All Down