Hyundai Creta 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.

Includes a historical vehicle

Current, upcoming and historical vehicles can be compared side by side. Historical records keep their verified specifications, while price labels show last-listed context rather than current new-car availability.

Hyundai Creta Discontinued model
Hyundai Creta in South Africa

Hyundai Creta

1.5 IVT Fluid Petrol Discontinued model
ZAR 456,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 144 Nm ⛽ 16.8 km/l
VS
Mazda CX-3 in South Africa

Mazda CX-3

2.0 Individual Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 551,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 206 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai Creta vs Mazda CX-3: the short answer

Creta and CX-3 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context Creta: last listed from ZAR 407,900 · CX-3: current from ZAR 440,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification Creta CX-3
Maximum Power Creta85 kW @ 6300 rpm CX-3115 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque Creta144 Nm @ 4500 rpm CX-3206 Nm @ 2800 rpm
Engine Size Creta1497 cc CX-31998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy Creta16.8 km/l CX-315.9 km/l
Ground Clearance Creta200 mm CX-3155 mm

Strongest published figure in that row; no road-test winner is implied.

Evidence for Hyundai Creta 1.5 IVT Fluid

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

Creta

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
Best suited to: Published Efficiency Published Practicality

CX-3

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: Published Performance

Which One's Right for You?

Creta

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

CX-3

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures

Full Specs, Side by Side

Archived cars use verified historical spec records. Rows remain comparable; unavailable historical values are shown plainly rather than estimated.

Spec Creta CX-3
Model Introduced Year 2016 2015
Generation Second generation Creta built on Hyundai's i-GMP platform; the SA model is a popular variant shared with several emerging markets Current first-generation DK-series Mazda CX-3
Facelift History Second generation arrived in SA in 2021 with significant upgrades to interior quality, safety tech, and engine options; notably improved over the first-gen car 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 2021 2015
Tare Mass Kg 1365 kg 1270 kg
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed SUV
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed Compact crossover
Vehicle Type Not confirmed SUV
Spec Creta CX-3
Length 4330 mm 4275 mm
Width 1790 mm 1765 mm
Height 1635 mm 1542 mm
Wheelbase 2610 mm 2570 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 200 mm 155 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 48 l
Boot/Cargo Space 433 l 230 l
Kerb Weight 1365 kg 1270 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) 1860 kg 1735 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Minimum Turning Radius 5.3 m 5.7 m
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 465 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 850 kg
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1058 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 888 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This Creta and CX-3 comparison uses the exact South African derivatives selected above. The catalogue index covers performance, efficiency, safety equipment, practicality and ownership cover only where comparable source-backed fields are present.

Performance index: Creta 36 vs CX-3 47.

Efficiency index: Creta 65 vs CX-3 61.

Safety-equipment index: Creta 87 vs CX-3 84.

Practicality index: Creta 69 vs CX-3 48.

Ownership-cover index: Creta 65 vs CX-3 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.

Specification Evidence Index

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

Creta leads by 4 points

Creta and CX-3 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 64 /100
Lead 4 points
Data 89% source coverage
64
#1 Evidence leader

Creta

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 36
Performance 36
Efficiency 65
Safety 87
Practicality 69
Ownership 65
Leads by 4 points
60
#2

CX-3

71% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 47
Performance 47
Efficiency 61
Safety 84
Practicality 48
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance CX-3 +11 Efficiency Creta +4 Safety Creta +3 Practicality Creta +21

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Creta

Performance 36/100
Efficiency 65/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 69/100
Ownership 65/100

CX-3

Performance 47/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 48/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai Creta leads the specification evidence index with 64 pts vs 60 pts for CX-3

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Creta leads. However, CX-3 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 African models and comparable body styles.

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Creta vs CX-3 questions

There is no universal winner. Use the comparison table to match the exact South African derivatives 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.