Mazda CX-3 vs Jetour X70 Plus

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.

Mazda CX-3 in South Africa

Mazda CX-3

2.0 Individual Auto FWD Petrol Automatic
ZAR 551,600 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 206 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
VS
Jetour X70 Plus in South Africa

Jetour X70 Plus

Deluxe Petrol Automatic
ZAR 484,900 ex-showroom
⚡ 115 kW 🔧 230 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance X70 Plus
Fuel Economy CX-3
🛡 Safety X70 Plus
📦 Practicality X70 Plus
🔑 Ownership X70 Plus
CX-3 starts ZAR 454900 cheaper CX-3 from ZAR 440,000 · X70 Plus from ZAR 454,900

Key Specs Side by Side

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

Spec CX-3 X70 Plus
Engine Power 115 kW 115 kW
Torque 206 Nm 230 Nm
Engine Size 1998 cc 1498 cc
Claimed Mileage 15.9 km/l 12.8 km/l
Ground Clearance 155 mm 200 mm
Boot / Load Bay 230 l 1680 l
Airbags 6 Front and front side airbags plus side curtain airbags
Kerb Weight 1270 kg 1527-1694 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Warranty 5 Years/Unlimited km 10-year/1,000,000 km engine warranty

= leads in this spec

The Bottom Line

X70 Plus has a slight advantage, but CX-3 remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance X70 Plus +2 pts
Efficiency CX-3 +11 pts
Safety X70 Plus +5 pts
Practicality X70 Plus +43 pts
Ownership X70 Plus +22 pts

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

CX-3

Strengths
  • Better fuel efficiency
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: Fuel Efficiency
🏆 Overall Winner

X70 Plus

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • Lower fuel efficiency
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

CX-3

  • Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency

X70 Plus

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec CX-3 X70 Plus
Model Introduced Year 2015 -
Generation Current first-generation DK-series Mazda CX-3 Current local listing
Facelift History 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. Not listed by current South African source page.
Facelift Launched Since 2015 Original current-generation version
Facelift Version Ending Current Current
Body Style SUV SUV
Model Year 2026 Current
Production Status Active Active
Segment Compact crossover SUV
Vehicle Type SUV SUV
Spec CX-3 X70 Plus
Ground Clearance 155 mm 200 mm
Wheelbase 2570 mm 2720 mm
Length 4275 mm 4724 mm
Width 1765 mm 1900 mm
Height 1542 mm 1720 mm
Kerb Weight 1270 kg 1527-1694 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight 1735 kg 2076 kg
Seating Capacity 5 7
Boot Space 230 l 1680 l
Towing Capacity 850 kg -
Turning Radius 5.7 m -
Load Bed Length 230 l 1680 l
Load Bed Width - -
Front Legroom 1058 mm -
Rear Legroom 888 mm -
Front Shoulder Room 1360 mm -
Rear Shoulder Room 1281 mm -
Boot Space Seats Folded 1140 l 1680 l
Number of Doors 5 -
Max Payload 465 kg -
Boot Volume 230 l 1680 l
Doors 5 -
Seats 5 7
Fuel Tank Capacity 48 l 57 l
Gross Vehicle Mass Kg 1735 kg 2076 kg
Ground Clearance Max 155 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Min 155 mm 200 mm
Ground Clearance Mm 155 mm 200 mm
Height Mm 1542 mm 1720 mm
Length Mm 4275 mm 4724 mm
Loadbox Length Mm 230 l 1680 l
Loadbox Width Mm - -
Payload Kg 465 kg -
Cargo Volume 230 l 1680 l
Tare Mass Kg 1270 kg 1527-1694 kg
Turning Circle 5.7 m -
Turning Circle M 5.7 m -
Width Mm 1765 mm 1900 mm
Front Track Width - -
Rear Track Width - -
Front Headroom - -
Rear Headroom - -

Overall Verdict Score

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

Weighted / 100
Verdict readout

X70 Plus leads by 12 points

X70 Plus has a slight advantage, but CX-3 remains highly competitive.

Winner 65 /100
Lead 12 points
Data 74% confidence
65
#1 Winner

X70 Plus

74% data confidence 1 strong categories
Best at Practicality 91 Check Performance 49
Performance 49
Efficiency 50
Safety 66
Practicality 91
Ownership 69
Leads by 12 points
53
#2

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 X70 Plus +2 Efficiency CX-3 +11 Safety X70 Plus +5 Practicality X70 Plus +43 Ownership X70 Plus +22

Moderate difference between the models.

Why this score View full breakdown
Overall Winner

X70 Plus

Performance 49/100
Efficiency 50/100
Safety 66/100
Practicality 91/100
Ownership 69/100

CX-3

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

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Jetour X70 Plus wins with 65 pts vs 53 pts for CX-3

In structured scoring, X70 Plus 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 X70 Plus 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: CX-3 61 vs X70 Plus 50. 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: CX-3 61, X70 Plus 66. 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: CX-3 47, X70 Plus 69. 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: CX-3 48, X70 Plus 91. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: CX-3 47, X70 Plus 49. 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 X70 Plus edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The X70 Plus 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 CX-3 and X70 Plus in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: CX-3 scores 47 vs 49.

Efficiency: CX-3 scores 61 vs 50.

Safety: CX-3 scores 61 vs 66.

Practicality: CX-3 scores 48 vs 91.

Ownership: CX-3 scores 47 vs 69.

Final structured scoring gives X70 Plus the advantage in this comparison.