Mazda MAZDA3 vs Toyota Yaris iA

Verdict: The 2024 Mazda3 delivers luxurious levels of styling and performance despite coming from an automaker that is often cross-shopped against mass-market rivals. Consider this car an entry-level Audi rather than a Toyota competitor.

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Cutting to the chase, I like the Toyota Yaris iA. However, it is important to make a critical distinction between the Yaris iA and a standard Toyota Yaris hatchback.

The iA sedan was originally a Scion. When Toyota cancelled that youth-oriented brand after the 2016 model year, it folded the iA sedan into the existing Yaris lineup of 3-door and 5-door hatchbacks, which have nothing in common with the iA sedan aside from a nameplate.

While the Yaris hatchbacks offer tempting levels of utility, the Yaris iA sedan is the one you want if you’re shopping for a small and affordable Toyota. That’s because aside from Toyota emblems and a questionably styled face, the iA sedan represents 100% Mazda goodness.