Hyundai i30 vs Mazda Mazda3

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 Mazda3 in South Africa

Mazda Mazda3

2.0 Astina Edition Auto FWD Petrol 6-Speed Automatic Current
ZAR 629,700 ex-showroom
⚡ 121 kW 🔧 213 Nm ⛽ 15.9 km/l
＋ Add a 3rd car

Decision summary

Hyundai i30 vs Mazda Mazda3: the short answer

i30 and Mazda3 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Recorded price context i30: last listed from ZAR 432,900 · Mazda3: current from ZAR 498,300

Five key differences

Exact selected derivatives
Specification i30 Mazda3
Maximum Power i3088 kW @ 5500 rpm Mazda3121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque i30172 Nm @ 1500 rpm Mazda3213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size i30998 cc Mazda31998 cc
Combined Fuel Economy i3016.9 km/l Mazda315.9 km/l
Ground Clearance i30135 mm Mazda3140 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)

i30

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

Mazda3

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

Which One's Right for You?

i30

  • Buyers prioritising the lower published fuel or energy use
  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published space and capacity figures

Mazda3

  • Buyers prioritising the stronger published powertrain figures
  • Buyers prioritising the more complete listed safety equipment

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 Mazda3
Model Introduced Year 2007 2019
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 Seventh-generation BP-series Mazda3 hatchback
Facelift Launched Since 2017 2019
Tare Mass Kg 1285 kg 1350 kg
Facelift History Not confirmed The seventh-generation South African hatchback launched in 2019 and the current range has since been consolidated to Dynamic and Astina editions.
Facelift Version Ending Not confirmed Current
Body Style Not confirmed Hatchback
Model Year Not confirmed 2026
Production Status Not confirmed Active
Segment Not confirmed C-segment hatchback
Vehicle Type Not confirmed Hatchback
Spec i30 Mazda3
Length 4340 mm 4460 mm
Width 1795 mm 1795 mm
Height 1455 mm 1440 mm
Wheelbase 2650 mm 2725 mm
Ground Clearance (Default) 135 mm 140 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 50 l 51 l
Boot/Cargo Space 395 l 295 l
Kerb Weight 1285 kg 1350 kg
Seating Capacity 5 seats 5 seats
Doors 5 doors 5 doors
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) Not confirmed 1870 kg
Payload Capacity Not confirmed 520 kg
Towing Capacity Not confirmed 1000 kg
Minimum Turning Radius Not confirmed 5.3 m
Front Legroom Not confirmed 1075 mm
Rear Legroom Not confirmed 891 mm

In depth: how these cars differ

This i30 and Mazda3 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 Mazda3 50.

Efficiency index: i30 66 vs Mazda3 61.

Safety-equipment index: i30 87 vs Mazda3 96.

Practicality index: i30 60 vs Mazda3 50.

Ownership-cover index: i30 65 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.

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

Mazda3 leads by 1 points

i30 and Mazda3 are close on the comparable published fields, so buyer priorities should decide.

Evidence leader 64 /100
Lead 1 points
Data 77% source coverage
64
#1 Evidence leader

Mazda3

77% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 96 Check Performance 50
Performance 50
Efficiency 61
Safety 96
Practicality 50
Leads by 1 points
63
#2

i30

89% source coverage 1 strong categories
Best at Safety 87 Check Performance 39
Performance 39
Efficiency 66
Safety 87
Practicality 60
Ownership 65
Performance 24% Safety 22% Practicality 22% Efficiency 17% Ownership 15%
Category leaders What moves the verdict
Performance Mazda3 +11 Efficiency i30 +5 Safety Mazda3 +9 Practicality i30 +10

Close catalogue match. Buyer priorities should decide the outcome.

Why this score View full breakdown
Evidence-index leader

Mazda3

Performance 50/100
Efficiency 61/100
Safety 96/100
Practicality 50/100

i30

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

What the evidence means

Evidence index Mazda Mazda3 leads the specification evidence index with 64 pts vs 63 pts for i30

In Hagalu's specification evidence index, Mazda3 leads. However, i30 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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Mazda3 vs Corolla Hatch →

i30 vs Mazda3 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.