2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring: Driven
The Honda Accord is now in its ninth generation, and as we reported in our First Drive of the 2013... Read More
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'Good,' all categories; Top Safety Pick
Five stars, frontal impact (driver); four stars, frontal impact (passenger); three stars, side impact
A rear-mounted child seat required the front passenger seat to be pushed far forward, while a front-facing one fit fine.
SAFETY | 8 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
'Good,' all categories; Top Safety Pick
IIHS
Five stars, frontal impact (driver); four stars, frontal impact (passenger); three stars, side impact
NHTSA
A rear-mounted child seat required the front passenger seat to be pushed far forward, while a front-facing one fit fine.
Edmunds
In addition to excellent handling and confidence-inspiring handling, the 2012 Mazda3 has a top-notch list of safety features, with no gaps when comparing it to other affordably priced small cars. And beginning this year, it's the first model in its class with a blind-spot monitoring system.
All models--even the base SV--include electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, front side airbags, active head restraints, and side-curtain bags. Strong four-wheel disc brakes are included in all Mazda3 models, in a class where, for about the same money, most models include inferior inferior (by some accounts) rear disc brakes.
Because the Mazda3's structure carries over virtually unchanged to 2012, so do its federal frontal crash-test scores of five stars for the driver, four for the passenger. But its three-star side-impact score remains the only cause for concern in the safety area.
The Mazda3 is again an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with top 'good' results in frontal, side, and rear impact, as well as a top rating for rollover-related roof strength.
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Conclusion
The 2012 Mazda3 is the first affordable small car to offer blind-spot monitoring, and its safety ratings have been mostly good.
