Used car safety, rank #160 of 188
Mazda 3 2WD Safety Rating (2020-23)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2020-23 Mazda 3 2WD, a small car, compared with its class and with the current model.
IIHS 2026 edition Β· 2021β2024 crashes. Results apply only to the model years and drivetrain shown. Read the new release and its limits Β· Browse the older edition. Prices and reliability from older model years have not been carried forward.
The 2020-23 Mazda 3 2WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 46 per million registered vehicle years against a small cars average of 79, which is 42% below the class average. That places it #160 of 188 used vehicles with a safety score of 19.6/100.
What the Mazda 3 death rate means
At 46 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Mazda 3 2WD beats the small cars average of 79 by 42%. The 95% confidence interval is 5 to 87, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 52 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Mazda 3. Its 95% confidence interval is 12β92. It is higher than the Mazda 3's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used cars
The safest small cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Mazda 3 2WD highlighted. It ranks 2 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Honda Civic hatchback at a death rate of 28.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic hatchback | 2022-23 | 28 (3 to 52) | 36.5 | n/a | n/a |
| Mazda 3 2WD (this page) | 2020-23 | 46 (5 to 87) | 19.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla hatchback | 2020-23 | 51 (9 to 93) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Subaru WRX | 2022-23 | 51 (25 to 76) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla hybrid 2WD | 2020-23 | 51 (24 to 79) | 17.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Honda Civic | 2022-23 | 58 (33 to 83) | 14.0 | n/a | n/a |
| Toyota Corolla | 2020-23 | 71 (59 to 84) | 11.4 | n/a | n/a |
| Hyundai Elantra | 2021-23 | 80 (52 to 107) | 10.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Nissan Sentra | 2020-23 | 81 (60 to 103) | 10.3 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for small cars: 79 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Mazda 3
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Mazda 3 we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Mazda 3 (Hatchback) | TSP+ | 89.6 |
| 2026 | Mazda 3 (Sedan) | TSP+ | 89.6 |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 19.6 used-car score above.
International crash test results
Euro NCAP (2019)
ANCAP (2019)
International test results are for the same-generation model sold in those markets. Body structures are typically identical across regions. Euro NCAP vs IIHS explained.
Safety recalls for the Mazda 3 2WD
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this nameplate and model year. Check by VIN rather than treating that as a clean record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for one year. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Mazda 3 2WD: Common Questions
Is the Mazda 3 2WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 46 per million registered vehicle years for the 2020-23 Mazda 3 2WD, 42% below the class average (79 for small cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 19.6 out of 100 and rank #160 of 188 used vehicles.
What is the Mazda 3 2WD driver death rate?
46 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 5 to 87. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Mazda 3 died at a rate of 52 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2020-23 models.
How does the Mazda 3 2WD compare with other small cars?
The small cars class averages 79 driver deaths per million; the Mazda 3 2WD sits at 46. Among the 9 small cars compared above it ranks 2 by safety score; the top of that group is the Honda Civic hatchback with a death rate of 28.