Mazda 3 Crash Safety Ratings
 

Does anyone know the difference between the tests that the IIHS and NHTSA conduct?

Looking at the 2013 Mazda 3 Hatch:

NHTSA has it at 4/5 stars overall, but only 3/5 for side crash, and only 2/5 for passenger rear seat side impact.
2013 Mazda Mazda3 5 HB FWD | Safercar -- NHTSA

The IIHS has the car as a Top Safety Pick and is scored "Good" or "Acceptable" for side impact and rear side impact.
Vehicle details

The scores between the two tests seem completely different, and not sure which one to trust more. Is the IIHS less stringent on their crash tests? Opinions?

Don't buy a Mazda3 dude. Noisy as fuck and cheaply made (for the premium your paying).

If you can drive a stick, get a manual Focus. You'll save thousands in purchasing and it'll have at least as many options (probably more) than a Mazda3.

As for safety, don't worry, it's pretty about the same for both

ask this guy:

I'm not buying a Mazda 3 so don't worry. Didn't answer my question, but thanks anyways I guess?

this should help:

NHTSA
-side-impact first component: 3000lb vehicle@38.5mph + second component: pole @ 20mph


IIHS
-side-impact SUV-like barrier @ 31mph
-"The sled employed to "T-bone" the stationary test vehicle has the height and mass of a car, not an SUV or a pickup truck. This tends to minimize its intrusion into the cabin — making it a best-case scenario." -http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=safe&subject=crash&story=crashKn ow

Thanks, that is exactly what I was looking for. NHTSA impacts at a higher speed, thus their safety ratings will be lower than that of IIHS depending on the car.

I disagree, the current gen Mazda 3 is a lot more refined than the current gen Focus. Current gen Mazda 3 is fairly priced provided you don't go GT. Don't go GT.
They gave me a brand new 2015 Focus for 2.5 months as a courtesy car and I always checked if my windows/doors were properly closed, I think the door seals were just crap. The Focus would creak going over speed bumps and parking lot entrance ramps too.

I agree with ilvtofu. I mean you can see Mazda cutting a few corners last gen but it's still fairly solid and I had no mechanical problems whatsoever.

What's wrong with the current Mazda 3 GT?

i find it expensive and just doesn't excite me very much. if you were looking for a compact car with good crash ratings, i think the 2016 civic is the better choice.

How bad of a driver are you that "crash ratings" factor in on your purchasing a vehicle??? :suspicious:

Berz out.

Maybe OP goes to Richmond a lot and he's more worried he might end up BEING the dollar store/The One Cafe

yeah Mazda 3 is awesome, get it

http://cdn.snsimg.carview.co.jp/mink...fae03059d6.jpg
http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/sakobe/imgs/b/5/b5ff7b55.jpg
http://www.knightsports.co.jp/wp-con...024.png?140832

The Knight Sports body kit looks really nice. I remember you posted that before Timpo. I'm a big fan of their Mazda 6 one.

It's not always about how good or bad YOU are... And plus, there's nothing wrong with having a safer car in case something does happen. Cars can be replaced, lives cannot.

^ granted, modern cars are so safe nowadays that unless that you're getting into a crash going 100+km/hr or anything of the sort, its pretty impossible to die or be permanently be injured because of it.