Hyundai i30 Hatch vs Mazda Mazda3

The Hyundai i30 Hatch starts from $26,990 before on-road costs, while the Mazda Mazda3 opens at $26,490. That makes the Mazda Mazda3 the more affordable entry point by $500.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $29,689 and $29,139 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mazda Mazda3 by roughly $4,990 in fuel alone.

Both the Hyundai i30 Hatch and Mazda Mazda3 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Mazda Mazda3 packs more ADAS features with 6 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 4 in the Hyundai i30 Hatch.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Hyundai i30 Hatch and 6 in the Mazda Mazda3.

The Hyundai i30 Hatch features a 8-inch touchscreen, while the Mazda Mazda3 gets a 8.8-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Hyundai i30 Hatch lines up producing 120kW and 203Nm of torque, sent through a manual to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 9.4 seconds.

The Mazda Mazda3 lines up making 114kW and 200Nm, paired to a automatic driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.7 seconds.

The Hyundai i30 Hatch has the clear power advantage at 120kW vs 114kW. In the real-world sprint, the Hyundai i30 Hatch is 0.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Hyundai i30 Hatch measures 4,340mm long on a 2,650mm wheelbase, 120mm shorter than the Mazda Mazda3 at 4,460mm (2,726mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mazda Mazda3 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 395L in the Hyundai i30 Hatch and 295L in the Mazda Mazda3, giving the Hyundai i30 Hatch a 100L advantage.

For towing, the Hyundai i30 Hatch leads with a 1,200kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 200kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,081/year for the Hyundai i30 Hatch and $1,083/year for the Mazda Mazda3. That is a $998 annual difference in favour of the Mazda Mazda3.

Estimated annual total: $2,081 (Hyundai i30 Hatch) vs $1,083 (Mazda Mazda3). The Mazda Mazda3 saves you roughly $998 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years (Hyundai i30 Hatch) vs 5 years (Mazda Mazda3). Both match on warranty length.