Mazda CX-3 vs Toyota Yaris Cross
$27,800 vs $31,790. Cheapest Mazda SUV vs most efficient Toyota SUV.
Data checked: specs 12 Sep 2026, price 4 Oct 2026
Comparison snapshot
Prices, scores and edges below update from our car data.
Cheaper by $3,990, tows 800kg more
Lighter on fuel by 2.5 L/100km, 126L more boot
Written 5 April 2026. The snapshot, tables, scores and verdict on this page update from our car data; figures quoted in the text are as at that date.
Price
$3,990 gap. CX-3 G20 Pure at $27,800. Yaris Cross GX Hybrid at $31,790.
At 15,000km/year: CX-3 costs $35/week in fuel ($1,796/year at $1.90/L). Yaris Cross costs $21/week ($1,083/year). The Yaris Cross saves $713/year, $3,565 over 5 years.
5-Year Cost Estimate
| Cost | CX-3 G20 Pure | Yaris Cross GX Hybrid |
|---|---|---|
| Driveaway (est. VIC) | ~$31,000 | ~$35,000 |
| 5yr Fuel | $8,978 | $5,415 |
| 5yr Insurance | $6,500 | $6,800 |
| 5yr Servicing | $2,200 | $2,000 |
| Resale (est. 5yr, 48%/55%) | -$13,344 | -$17,485 |
| True 5yr Cost | $35,334 | $31,730 |
The Yaris Cross is $3,604 cheaper over 5 years despite costing $3,990 more to buy. Fuel savings and better resale flip the equation. Use our fuel cost calculator to check with your km.
Estimates based on CarSorted calculations. Actual costs vary.
Safety
Both 5-star ANCAP (2021). Both have AEB and lane keep. The Yaris Cross adds blind spot monitoring on higher trims. At this base spec, safety is a tie. Compare on CarSorted.
Features
CX-3 G20 Pure gets an 8-inch screen, Apple CarPlay, and Mazda's rotary dial controller. Interior materials are a step above the Yaris Cross at this price. The Yaris Cross GX gets an 8-inch screen, wireless CarPlay, and the hybrid system's silent city driving. CX-3 wins on interior feel. Yaris Cross wins on tech (wireless CarPlay, hybrid).
CarSorted Data Insight
Based on CarSorted's database of Australian vehicles: the Yaris Cross GX Hybrid at $31,790 is one of the cheapest hybrid SUVs in Australia. The next cheapest is the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid at $32,300. The CX-3 G20 Pure at $27,800 is one of the cheapest Mazda SUVs in our database.
At 3.8L/100km, the Yaris Cross Hybrid has one of the lowest fuel consumption figures of any SUV in our entire database. The CX-3 at 6.3L/100km ranks 47th. That 2.5L/100km gap costs $713/year at typical Australian driving distances.
The Verdict
Buy the Yaris Cross Hybrid if: you want the absolute lowest running costs ($21/week fuel), better resale (Toyota hybrid demand is strong), and a bigger boot (390L). Best for commuters and cost-conscious buyers.
Buy the CX-3 if: you need to tow (1,000kg vs 400kg), want more power (110kW), prefer Mazda's interior quality, and need the lowest possible purchase price ($27,800).
Compare both on CarSorted. See also: Yaris Cross vs Kona and best small cars ranked.
Prices are manufacturer recommended retail prices excluding on-road costs. Correct at time of publishing. Verify with your dealer.
Key details
A tick marks the better figure only where both cars have one and the gap is meaningful (3% or more; a whole star or year).
| Detail | Mazda CX-3 | Toyota Yaris Cross |
|---|---|---|
| Price | From $27,800 RRP | From $31,790 RRP |
| Drive-away estimate | Calculating... | Calculating... |
| Body | SUV | SUV |
| Powertrain | Petrol, 2L 4-cyl | Hybrid, 1.5L 3-cyl |
| Power / torque | 110kW / 195Nm | 85kW / 120Nm |
| Fuel use | 6.3 L/100km | 3.8 L/100km |
| 0-100km/h | 10.9s | 9.8s |
| Boot | 264L seats up · 1,174L seats folded | 390L seats up |
| Towing (braked) | 1,200kg | 400kg |
| ANCAP | No data | 5 stars (2021) |
| Warranty | 5yr / unlimited km | 5yr / unlimited km |
At a glance
- Seats
- 5
- Boot
- 264L seats up · 1,174L seats folded
- Length x width x height
- 4,275 x 1,765 x 1,535mm
- Wheelbase
- 2,570mm
- Engine
- 2L 4-cyl
- Power
- 110kW
- Torque
- 195Nm
- Drive
- FWD
- Transmission
- 6-speed Automatic (Skyactiv-Drive)
- Power-to-weight
- 85 kW/tonne
- Kerb weight
- 1,294kg
- Spare wheel
- Temporary (Steel)
- Payload
- 436kg
- Towing braked / unbraked
- 1,200kg / 655kg
- Turning circle
- 10.6m
- Seats
- 5
- Boot
- 390L seats up
- Length x width x height
- 4,180 x 1,765 x 1,590mm
- Wheelbase
- 2,560mm
- Engine
- 1.5L 3-cyl
- Power
- 85kW
- Torque
- 120Nm
- Drive
- FWD
- Transmission
- CVT
- Power-to-weight
- 69 kW/tonne
- Kerb weight
- 1,235kg
- Spare wheel
- Temporary spare
- Payload
- 415kg
- Towing braked / unbraked
- 400kg / 400kg
- Turning circle
- 9.8m
CarSorted Score breakdown
The CarSorted Score is algorithmic: it is calculated from each car's data, not from a road test. How it works.
Safety
Fuel Economy
Value
Practicality
Technology
Performance
Reliability
The verdict
Toyota Yaris Cross comes out ahead on the CarSorted Score (72 vs 62)
The deciding gaps
- Safety:Mazda CX-3 55, Toyota Yaris Cross 84, Toyota Yaris Cross ahead by 29
- Fuel Economy:Mazda CX-3 79, Toyota Yaris Cross 100, Toyota Yaris Cross ahead by 21
- Value:Mazda CX-3 84, Toyota Yaris Cross 87, Toyota Yaris Cross ahead by 3
The Toyota Yaris Cross wins on the score; the Mazda CX-3 is the cheaper of the two, and price is already part of the Value axis.
Same scorer as the live comparison of these two exact cars.
Our take (written 5 April 2026)
The Yaris Cross costs $3,990 more but saves $713/year in fuel. Over 5 years that's $3,565 in fuel savings alone, nearly covering the price gap. It's also quicker (9.8s vs 10.9s), has a bigger boot (390L vs 350L), and Toyota's resale is stronger. The CX-3 wins on purchase price, power (110kW vs 85kW), towing (1,000kg vs 400kg), and ground clearance (175mm vs 120mm). Buy the Yaris Cross for lowest running costs. Buy the CX-3 if you need more towing capacity or the lowest possible purchase price.
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Questions buyers ask
Is the Yaris Cross worth $4k more than the CX-3?
The Mazda CX-3 G20 Pure is from $27,800 RRP; the Toyota Yaris Cross GX Hybrid 2WD is from $31,790 RRP. That makes the Mazda CX-3 $3,990 cheaper.
Which small SUV is most fuel efficient in Australia?
On the official combined cycle, the Mazda CX-3 uses 6.3 L/100km and the Toyota Yaris Cross uses 3.8 L/100km.
Can the CX-3 tow a trailer?
Braked towing capacity: the Mazda CX-3 at 1,200kg, against 400kg for the Toyota Yaris Cross.
Which is better to drive, CX-3 or Yaris Cross?
On the CarSorted Score the Toyota Yaris Cross comes out ahead (Mazda CX-3 62/100, Toyota Yaris Cross 72/100), mainly on safety, fuel economy, value. The score is algorithmic; the editorial above says who each car suits.
What are the ANCAP ratings for the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota Yaris Cross?
We have no ANCAP rating on record for the Mazda CX-3, and the Toyota Yaris Cross holds 5 stars (rated 2021).
Which has the bigger boot?
Boot space with the seats up: the Toyota Yaris Cross at 390L, against 264L for the Mazda CX-3.
Which has the better warranty?
The Mazda CX-3 comes with a 5yr / unlimited km warranty; the Toyota Yaris Cross with a 5yr / unlimited km warranty.
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How to read this page. Prices, specs, ANCAP ratings, warranty, scores and the computed verdict come from our records for the two variants shown, sourced from manufacturer Australian documents, and update when those records change. RRP excludes on-road costs. Drive-away figures are estimates for the state you have selected unless marked as advertised. The editorial text was written on 5 April 2026. Always confirm price and specification with the manufacturer or dealer before you buy. CarSorted does not accept payment for recommendations.
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