Mazda 3 vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?

Mazda 3

$19,950 - $42,998

2024 price

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Kia Picanto

$15,190 - $24,990

2024 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Summary

2024 Mazda 3

2024 Kia Picanto

By Byron Mathioudakis

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Inline 4, 2.5L

Inline 4, 1.2L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

6.6L/100km (combined)

5.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Stunning design
Superb cabin presentation
Athletic handling and control

Affordable
Available as a manual!
Deceptively well equipped

Dislikes

Small boot
Gloomy rear seat
No more manual

Minimal interior upgrades for 2024
Feeling its age
Fuel consumption is so-so

2024 Mazda 3 Summary

Half a decade on, the current-generation Mazda 3 has weathered a world of change.

Cheap cars have vanished. Electric vehicles are commonplace and the small car class it belongs to has been decimated by SUVs. Big names like the Ford Focus, Holden Astra and Mitsubishi Lancer are history.

But while it looks identical to the car unveiled at the 2018 LA Auto Show, today’s Mazda 3 has also evolved, albeit gently.

Let’s see how competitive the latest and improved (as well as more expensive) version is.

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2024 Kia Picanto Summary

If you're feeling the cost of living sting, there's a good chance you've scaled back your ambitions for your next new car. You may have even looked at some of Australia's most affordable brand-new vehicles and the Kia Picanto is one of them.

It's one of the few brand-new options left with a before-on-roads starting price of under $20,000 and it's one of the few non-performance models left which can still be chosen as a manual.

It's one thing to be affordable, though, and quite another to be good value - so does the freshly updated 2024 Picanto have what it takes to stack up against more expensive options? Let's take a look.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Mazda 3 2024 Kia Picanto

Verdict

Given how effortlessly it traverses the mainstream and premium small car classes, the Mazda 3 might be the best value small car on the planet.

With racy styling, sports car handling, classy interior presentation and impressive, intelligent efficiency, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into here.

Poor rear vision, a dark back-seat area and smallish boot aside, it doesn’t have any glaring faults.

In a world overrun with SUVs, props to Mazda for evolving the small car so brilliantly to mask a half-decade of existence. Continuous improvements have made the 2024 G25 Evolve SP Vision an essential small car shortlist proposition, regardless of price.

Verdict

Australians are moving into ever-larger vehicles when really we should be embracing the small car now more than ever. It's great Kia is still here, with its Picanto showing what can be offered in such a compact form-factor.

While it's not as affordable as it once was, it looks like it won't be long before Kia is the last torchbearer of sub-$20k starter cars. Even so, this is a great choice for buyers on strict budgets.

Mazda 3 vs Kia Picanto What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Mazda 3 vs Kia Picanto
What's the difference?