Audi Q3 vs Mazda CX-3
Which used car has the cleaner record?
We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.
| Side by side | Q3 | CX-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Years sampled | 2016, 2020, 2024 | 2016, 2020, 2024 |
| Owner complaints | 107 | 49fewer |
| Recall campaigns | 7 | 3fewer |
| NHTSA investigations | 0 | 0 |
| Overall safety (NHTSA, US) | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Combined economy (EPA, US) | 9.4 L/100km | 8.1 L/100km |
The quick read
Over the sampled model years, the Audi Q3 has 107 complaints and 7 recalls, and the Mazda CX-3 has 49 complaints and 3 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.
Deeper analysis
Based on US NHTSA data, the Audi Q3 accumulated 107 owner complaints and 7 recall campaigns across the 2016, 2020, and 2024 model years, while the Mazda CX-3 recorded notably fewer issues with 49 complaints and 3 recalls over the same model years. On both measures the CX-3 appears to have a more modest complaint and recall history than the Q3. Bear in mind this is American market data, which serves only as a rough reliability signal and may not fully reflect the experience of European buyers or any specific individual vehicle.
NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.