2023 VW Jetta vs. Mazda3

Would you like to get behind the wheel of a sporty sedan? Two of the best options available to you will be the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and the 2023 Mazda3. Both vehicles have wonderful reputations within the auto industry and have been around for a long time because of it. As a result, you really can’t go wrong with either one.

But before you settle on one over the other, you should take a closer look at what each option will bring to the table. To help you make up your mind, here’s a complete breakdown of the Volkswagen Jetta versus the Mazda3 from the team at Capistrano Volkswagen in San Juan Capistrano, California.

Exterior Design

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and the 2023 Mazda3 aren’t necessarily the flashiest cars in the world on the outside, but that’s okay since neither of them is trying to be. Instead of focusing on trying to create flashy cars, Volkswagen and Mazda have both done spectacular jobs when it comes to making these models look sportier and more practical than their competition. They have similar shapes and manage to do a whole lot with a little when you consider that they’re both technically compact cars that look bigger than they actually are.

Engine Specs

Despite their small stature, the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and 2023 Mazda3 both have more powerful engines in them than most people might realize. All Jettas will come with a standard turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce up to 158 horsepower. The Mazda3, meanwhile, will come with one of two engines. There’s a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that can produce up to 191 horsepower, while available on its top trims is a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that can produce up to 250 horsepower.

The engines found in the 2023 Jetta and 2023 Mazda3 will also provide you with more than just power. They both offer great fuel economy, too. The Jetta can get up to 31 miles per gallon in the city and up to 41 miles per gallon on the highway, while the Mazda3 can get up to 28 miles per gallon in the city and up to 37 miles per gallon on the highway.

Interior Features

The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and 2023 Mazda3 are both available in a wide range of trims. If you choose to go with a 2023 Jetta, you’ll be able to choose from S, Sport, SE, and SEL trims, while if you settle on the 2023 Mazda3, you’ll be able to get access to Base, Select, Preferred, Carbon Edition, Premium, Turbo, and Turbo Premium Plus trims.

The interior features found in the lower-end trims for both the Jetta and Mazda3 will be minimal, but you’ll be able to find some much better interior features in the higher-end trims. For the Jetta, this means features such as ventilated front seats and ambient lighting, while the Mazda3 has features such as heated front seats and leather upholstery. But no matter which trim you choose, the interior features available in all the various Jetta and Mazda3 trims will be functional and will enhance your driving experience.

Cargo Space

Even though the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and 2023 Mazda3 aren’t the biggest sedans around, they’ll offer up more cargo space than you might imagine. The 2023 Jetta has about 14 cubic feet of cargo space, while the 2023 Mazda3 has about 13 cubic feet of cargo space. Volkswagen and Mazda also found all kinds of places to stick extra storage. There are big door pockets in the Jetta and cubbies scattered throughout the Mazda3. You can fold the back seats down in both the Jetta and Mazda3 as well to give yourself even more cargo space.

Technological Features

Like most other new cars that are out on the road today, the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and the 2023 Mazda3 both have touch-screen infotainment systems in them. The 2023 Jetta has an 8.0-inch display that comes with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. The Car-Net unit also offers the ability to swipe and pinch-to-zoom things on the screen. The Mazda3, on the other hand, has a slightly larger 8.8-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability standard. You can also add an optional 12-speaker Bose stereo system to the mix if you want.

Safety Features

As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, there are tons of similarities between the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta and the 2023 Mazda3, so it’s only right that they keep this trend going by having many of the same standard safety features. In the 2023 Jetta, safety features include forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology. In the 2023 Mazda3, you’ll find automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane-keep assist, as well as optional adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology.

Starting Price

The price that you’ll pay for a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta or 2023 Mazda3 will depend largely on which trim you decide to go with. But you’ll find that each of these cars will start at a similar price. The starting MSRP of the base model of the 2023 Jetta is just $20,655, while the MSRP of the base model of the 2023 Mazda3 starts at just $22,550. This should make both cars an attractive option if you want to get your hands on a sporty car for a budget-friendly price.

Volkswagen Jetta vs. Mazda3: Which Should You Buy?

At this point, you might know whether you’d like to buy a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta or a 2023 Mazda3. But you might also want to take each of them out for a test drive in San Juan Capistrano, California, to see which one offers the performance you’re chasing. Capistrano Volkswagen can help you make a smart decision by showing you these options and telling you more about them.

We also have a wide range of other great sedans to choose from if you’d like to see what else is available. Reach out to us today to speak with someone from our experienced team about these vehicles.