Honda Accord Or Nissan Altima: Which One Does V-6 Better?
A decade ago, both the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima were offered in base four-cylinder versions... Read More
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'Good,' all categories; Top Safety Pick
Four stars overall; 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
Four stars overall; 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
The 2013 Mazda3 has no holes with respect to safety features, and its excellent handling may prove an asset in avoiding an accident. Yet its crash-test ratings aren't quite at the head of the class.
All models--even the base SV--include electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, front side airbags, active head restraints, and side-curtain bags. And while most compact models in this price range offer inferior (by some accounts) rear drum brakes, the Mazda3 offers rear discs. It's also one of the first compact mass-market models to offer an available blind-spot monitoring system.Although Mazda has refreshed the 3 in recent years, its underlying structure is now one of the oldest in this class, and its federal NCAP safety results--four stars overall, with only three-star results for side impact--aren't cause for celebration. On the other hand, the somewhat more lenient IIHS tests give the Mazda3 top 'good' results for frontal, side, and rear impact--and it's again a Top Safety Pick.
Mazda also points to the the 3's standard spare tire as a safety feature--considering that a lot of vehicles now skip it entirely, in favor of a can of aerosol sealant.
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Conclusion
Safety ratings for the Mazda3 aren't all top-notch, but it's the first affordable small car to offer blind-spot monitoring.
