For the 2016 model year, Honda reintroduced the HR-V subcompact crossover, and it has established itself as a strong contender in its segment over the years since. That same year, Mazda introduced the CX-3 into the fast-growing vehicle segment as well. Both vehicles have been competing since their respective inceptions, so we thought we’d see how the two popular subcompact crossovers measure up to one another in the present. To figure that out, we’ve pit the 2021 Honda HR-V against the 2021 Mazda CX-3 in a side-by-side comparison!
2021 Honda HR-V | Vs | 2021 Mazda CX-3 |
24.3 cu. ft. | Cargo Capacity | 17.8 cu. ft. |
5 | Seating | 5 |
141 hp | Horsepower | 148 hp |
30 mpg* | Combined Fuel Efficiency | 31 mpg |
It becomes pretty clear pretty quickly after looking through the table above that these two vehicles are incredibly comparable to one another. In fact, much to our dismay, the Honda HR-V only has one advantage over the CX-3, and it comes in the first row. We looked at space in the first half of the table, so while the second row highlights the fact that both subcompact crossovers offer seating for up to 5, the HR-V delivers an extra 6.5 cubic feet of space for cargo behind the rear seats.
The good news, however, is that despite the second half of the table favoring the CX-3, the advantages are quite minimal, unlike the hefty leg up in cargo space the HR-V has. The Honda crossover only gives up 7 horsepower and a single mile per gallon of combined fuel economy. So, while those aspects are certainly tilted in the favor of the Mazda CX-3, one would hardly notice a different in either regard.
If you can overlook those slight deficits and are interested in a 2021 Honda HR-V of your own, be sure to reach out to us right here at White’s Honda of Lima!