Mazda vs Toyota: Which brand is better?

BEFORE deciding which car to buy, you should choose which manufacturer you must buy from.

Two well-known carmakers are Toyota and Mazda. To decide which of the two brands is better, you must consider various factors, like the cars they manufacture and their specifications.

Which brand is more reliable? Which one has better quality cars? And so on.

To start with, although overall international sales of Toyota are much higher than Mazda’s, some people regard the latter as being more reliable.

In 2021, Mazda manufactured and delivered only 1 287 548 cars worldwide, compared to Toyota’s 10,5 million vehicles.

Toyota has the most sales in the year of any car. Mazda vehicles are also more expensive than Toyota cars, as the former are made exclusively in Japan and then imported to various countries.

In contrast, Toyota primarily manufactures its cars in the United States, which has its most significant customer base.

Now, let us get an overview of both brands and learn about them.

Overview of Mazda

Mazda Motor Corporation, established in 1920 in Japan, is one of the most underrated car manufacturing brands in the automobile market today.

Its cars are among the most reliable. They are fun to drive, stylish and reasonably priced.

Mazda produces various vehicles such as sedans, sports wagons, minivans, sports cars and utility vehicles.

The company uses the Wankel engine technology to manufacture well-performing, powerful and fuel-efficient engines for its cars. These Wankel engines are more compact and weigh less, while offering more torque and less vibration when compared to the piston engines usually used in vehicles.

Mazda is currently the only automotive company to make cars with Wankel engines.

Mazda cars are also safe to drive, as they have intelligent safety features embedded. The luxury interiors in Mazda cars are a unique feature.

The brand produces both diesel-run and petrol-run cars. Some of the renowned cars that Mazda has produced are RX-7, RX-8, Mazdaspeed, Mazda-2, Mazda 3, crossover MX-5 and Miata-MX5.

Mazda has operations across many parts of the world, manufacturing and assembling in Japan, China, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Russia, South Africa, et cetera.

Overview of Toyota

Toyota Motor Corporation, founded in 1937, is one of the leading car producers in the world. Ever since its establishment, Toyota has focused its operations on the production and sale of vehicles to make a positive impact on a more prosperous society.

Toyota designs and manufactures numerous vehicles, such as passenger cars, sedans, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), minivans and trucks. It also manufactures vehicle parts. Toyota produces excellent quality cars and works by the values of imagination, experimentation, humility, respect and innovation.

It makes cars that are known worldwide for their reliability, efficient fuel economy and fantastic customer service.

They also have good resale value.

On average, Toyotas last more than 20 years and clock more than 100 000 kilometres (km). Toyota cars are fun to drive, stylish and appeal to the younger generation.

Some of the iconic contemporary cars from Toyota are Toyota Sienna, Toyota Tundra, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Prius Prime, Toyota Venza, Toyota Corolla Cross, Toyota Camry and Toyota Avalon.

Toyota has production plants in 14 countries, including the US, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and other countries in Southeast Asia.

Difference between Mazda and Toyota

Both car brands have their strengths and uniqueness. They also have their unique place in the market. If we want to compare Mazda and Toyota, and see their differences, we have to assess how they perform in specific areas, which are:

1) Features — Although Mazda is not considered a luxury brand, the car lineup of Mazda comes with high-tech features such as a turbocharged engine with 250 horsepower, premium leather seats and a luxury interior.

It also has a BOSE premium auto system, iACTIVSENSE technology of standard safety features, et cetera.

At the same time, Toyotas of comparable prices lack some of these features.

For example, between two similar competitors, Toyota RAV4 and the Mazda CX-5, along with some standard features like Apple CarPlay and Wi-Fi hotspot, the latter has more features, including a 10,25-inch touchscreen compared to a 7,0 or 8,0 inch in the former.

2) Price — Both brands have a range of car collections of different costs, but on average, Toyota’s are slightly cheaper. The average maintenance cost of Mazda is US$462, which is more expensive than the average maintenance cost of Toyota (US$441).

Mazda’s spare parts are also more expensive than Toyota’s.

The average insurance rate of Toyota (US$1 468) is also lower than that of Mazda (US$1 608) per year.

Toyota also outlasts Mazda by a large margin and has more resale value.

Thus, considering these factors, we can say Toyota’s are cheaper and have more value for money.

3) Performance and handling — The latest Mazda cars are a few of the best handling vehicles in modern times. Mazda’s cars are sporty with suspensions that are not stiff and easily adjustable ride heights. Mazda has overall better driving dynamics and is easy to drive. On the other hand, Toyota does not have the smoothest suspension and is not as fun to drive as Mazda. Mazda also has more power and better torque in its cars. Unlike Toyota, which primarily manufactures family-friendly cars known for fuel efficiency and safety, Mazda’s cars are sporty and meant for thrill and excitement. Mazda’s cars accelerate to their top speed much faster than Toyota’s.

Which brand is more reliable?

Mazda and Toyota produce different types of cars that have original features and come at various price points.

Mazda’s are known for being fun to drive and their decorative, luxury designs, whereas Toyota’s are known for their safety, fuel efficiency and longevity.

To compare the reliability of both brands, we must consider various points.

Toyota’s are also known to last for long. But let us first understand what reliability is: I refer to reliability in cars as the probability that they reach their destination without breaking down.

Older Mazda models were not very reliable, as they broke down every 200 000 miles.

The newer Mazda models have improved and are more reliable than their predecessors and, with proper maintenance, they can last up to 250 000 miles to 300 000 miles (402 336km to 482 803km).

On the other hand, the Toyota car regularly lasts up to 200 000 miles to 250 000 miles, and even up to 300 000 miles when appropriately maintained.

This might correspond to 15-20 years on the road.

In a recent study by JD Power, Mazda received an overall reliability rating of 83.

In contrast, Toyota received a rating of 72, making Mazda the most reliable and Toyota the fifth most reliable brand.

According to another survey, Mazda was voted the most reliable brand in the US, whereas Toyota was the second most reliable automobile brand.

In hindsight, this might indicate that Mazda is more reliable than Toyota.

While this might be true, we have to consider that Toyota has a much larger customer base and more models than Mazda.

The lesser number of vehicle ownerships of Mazda corresponded to lesser problems reported.

Toyota has more rust problems than Mazda.

We can assume that both Mazda and Toyota are reliable upon seeing the statistics.

By taking particular models, let us determine which one outperforms the other in reliability.

Mazda CX-5 vs Toyota RAV4

The Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4 are incredibly comparable as they are popular SUVs with similar features and price points.

Mazda CX-5 has gained the reputation of being one of the longest-lasting SUVs in the market.

However, Mazda CX-5 was rated 4,5 out of 5, while Toyota was rated 4 out of 5.

Upon considering these factors and analysing the statistics, we can conclude that both Toyota and Mazda are cornerstones of reliability in the modern contemporary automobile market.

We know Toyota for its safety and reliability. However, the latest Mazda models are slightly outperforming Toyota’s in terms of reliability. — ASFA AUTO