Mazda CX-3 vs Kia Stonic

The Mazda CX-3 starts from $27,800 before on-road costs, while the Kia Stonic opens at $26,990. That makes the Kia Stonic the more affordable entry point by $810.

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 $30,580 and $29,689 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Kia Stonic by roughly $1,855 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Mazda CX-3 features a 8-inch touchscreen, while the Kia Stonic gets a 8-inch display and 4.2-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mazda CX-3 stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and head-up display that you will not find on the Kia Stonic. The Kia Stonic counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Mazda CX-3 gets black cloth upholstery while the Kia Stonic offers cloth.

The Mazda CX-3 uses a 2.0 litre in-line 4 cylinder 16 valve DOHC S-VT petrol (Skyactiv-G) with i-stop producing 110kW and 195Nm of torque, sent through a 6-speed automatic (skyactiv-drive) to a FWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 10.9 seconds.

The Kia Stonic responds with a Petrol making 88kW and 172Nm, paired to a 7-speed dct driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 11.2 seconds.

The Mazda CX-3 has the clear power advantage at 110kW vs 88kW. In the real-world sprint, the Mazda CX-3 is 0.3s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mazda CX-3 measures 4,275mm long on a 2,570mm wheelbase, 110mm longer than the Kia Stonic at 4,165mm (2,580mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia Stonic generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 264L in the Mazda CX-3 and 352L in the Kia Stonic, giving the Kia Stonic a 88L advantage.

For towing, the Mazda CX-3 leads with a 1,200kg braked capacity vs 900kg. That 300kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $1,796/year for the Mazda CX-3 and $1,425/year for the Kia Stonic. That is a $371 annual difference in favour of the Kia Stonic.

Estimated annual total: $1,796 (Mazda CX-3) vs $1,425 (Kia Stonic). The Kia Stonic saves you roughly $371 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mazda CX-3) vs 7 years / 999,999km (Kia Stonic). The Kia Stonic has longer coverage.