Hyundai i30 vs Mazda Mazda2

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 i30 Discontinued model
Hyundai i30 in South Africa

Hyundai i30

1.0T Fluid Petrol 7-Speed DCT Discontinued model
ZAR 468,900 last listed
Discontinued model Verified historical specifications remain visible for owner and used-car comparisons.
⚡ 88 kW 🔧 172 Nm ⛽ 16.9 km/l
VS
Mazda Mazda2 in South Africa

Mazda Mazda2

1.5 Individual Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 417,300 ex-showroom
⚡ 85 kW 🔧 148 Nm ⛽ 16.7 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai i30 vs Mazda Mazda2: the short answer

i30 and Mazda2 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context i30: last listed from ZAR 432,900 · Mazda2: current from ZAR 336,000

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i30 Mazda2
Maximum Power i3088 kW @ 5500 rpm Mazda285 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque i30172 Nm @ 1500 rpm Mazda2148 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size i30998 cc Mazda21496 cc
Combined Fuel Economy i3016.9 km/l Mazda216.7 km/l
Ground Clearance i30135 mm Mazda2152 mm

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

Evidence for Hyundai i30 1.0T Fluid

Source type: Hagalu catalogue record

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Specification evidence leader

i30

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Better fuel efficiency
  • Stronger listed safety equipment
  • Stronger published practicality figures
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Published Performance Published Efficiency Published Practicality

Mazda2

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Lower fuel efficiency
  • Fewer listed safety features
  • Lower published practicality figures
Best suited to: General Use

Which One's Right for You?

i30

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • 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

Mazda2

  • Buyers who prefer this derivative's confirmed specification mix

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 i30 Mazda2
Model Introduced Year 2007 2015
Generation Third generation i30 on Hyundai's i-GMP-derived platform; the N Performance uses a more heavily engineered chassis with limited-slip differential and performance suspension Current DJ-generation Mazda2, updated for South Africa in 2026
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2015
Tare Mass Kg 1285 kg 1070 kg
Facelift History Not confirmed The South African range received a feature and styling update for the 2026 model year.
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Hatchback
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed B-segment hatchback
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Hatchback
Spec i30 Mazda2
Length 4340 mm 4085 mm
Width 1795 mm 1695 mm
Height 1455 mm 1504 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2570 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 135 mm 152 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 44 l
Boot/Cargo Space 395 l 250 l
Kerb Weight 1285 kg 1070 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not confirmed 1527 kg
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 457 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 250 kg
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 4.7 m
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1063 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 881 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This i30 and Mazda2 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: i30 39 vs Mazda2 38.

Efficiency index: i30 66 vs Mazda2 64.

Safety-equipment index: i30 87 vs Mazda2 84.

Practicality index: i30 60 vs Mazda2 45.

Ownership-cover index: i30 65 vs Mazda2 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

i30 leads by 6 points

i30 and Mazda2 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 63 /100
Lead 6 points
Data 89% source coverage
63
#1 Evidence leader

i30

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 66
Safety 87
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Leads by 6 points
57
#2

Mazda2

75% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 84 Check Performance 38
Performance 38
Efficiency 64
Safety 84
Practicality 45
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance i30 +1 Efficiency i30 +2 Safety i30 +3 Practicality i30 +15

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

i30

Performance 39/100
Efficiency 66/100
Safety 87/100
Practicality 60/100
Ownership 65/100

Mazda2

Performance 38/100
Efficiency 64/100
Safety 84/100
Practicality 45/100

What the evidence means

Evidence index Hyundai i30 leads the specification evidence index with 63 pts vs 57 pts for Mazda2

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, i30 leads. However, Mazda2 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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i30 vs Mazda2 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.