2020 Mazda MAZDA3 vs 2020 MINI Cooper

The 2020 MINI Cooper stood out on the road with its unique design, featuring wide-eyed LED-ringed headlights, a grinning front grille, and vibrant color options. The Union Jack taillights were a crowd favorite. Despite its distinctive styling, the Cooper was never considered wasteful or gaudy, exuding charm and inviting praise. Initially available only as a two-door hardtop, the MINI Cooper evolved to include a convertible variant, a four-door body style, and an all-electric SE trim. The SE trim, which we tested, mimicked much of the regular Cooper S design but sat slightly higher to accommodate the battery cells. Inside, the MINI Cooper’s design was dominated by circles, with circular speakers, air vents, door handles, and a massive circular housing for the touchscreen infotainment system. The interior delivered a premium feel unmatched in cars of its size.

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 offered shoppers a choice between sedan and hatchback body styles. The hatchback, with its curvy silhouette, was often featured in press materials and advertisements. However, many U.S. shoppers preferred the sedan, which competed more directly with upmarket rivals. Regardless of body style, the Mazda3 looked special. Our test vehicle, a sedan with the Premium Package and all-wheel drive, featured 18-inch alloy wheels, a blacked-out mesh front grille, and beautiful round running lamps. The side profile was sculpted but not angular, unlike competitors such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. The rear of the sedan, however, felt out of proportion compared to the larger Mazda6. Inside, the Mazda3’s design leaned towards simplicity and minimalism, with creamy white leather and slim buttons on the steering wheel. The materials were softly padded with plenty of leather, although not quite up to luxury sedan standards. The trunk offered 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space in the sedan and 20.1 cubic feet in the hatchback, both on the smaller side for the segment.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE excelled in performance with its 181-horsepower electric motor and 199 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. These figures were just below the Cooper S’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which generated 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. The SE felt just as quick accelerating from a stop due to the immediacy of the electric motor's torque delivery. The SE also used regenerative braking to help keep its battery charged, with an aggressive default setting that some drivers might switch to a less-aggressive mode. The SE weighed roughly 300 pounds more than a Cooper S due to the battery, but the low center of gravity helped it feel planted in corners. Gas-powered Coopers employed either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or an eight-speed automatic in the John Cooper Works trim. The SE used a single-speed gearbox, and no manual transmission was offered for 2020.

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3, redesigned for 2019, replaced the multi-link rear suspension with a torsion beam setup, which was cheaper and easier to engineer but less sophisticated. Enthusiasts might bemoan this change, but everyday drivers likely wouldn’t notice the difference. The 2.5-liter SkyActiv four-cylinder engine produced 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, an improvement over the previous generation’s 2.0-liter engine. The engine was predictable but lacked the immediate punch of turbocharged motors. Mazda announced a Mazda3 Turbo for 2021, which would use the 2.5-liter turbocharged unit from the CX-5 and CX-9 SUVs. The Mazda3 offered a six-speed manual transmission only in the front-wheel-drive hatchback model with the preferred or premium package. Our test vehicle had a six-speed automatic transmission, which was more common on dealership lots.

The 2020 MINI Cooper hatchback was not ideal for carpooling, road trips, or home-improvement projects. Front-seat space was good, and the big greenhouse prevented a claustrophobic feel. However, the backseat was tiny and best suited for children. The two-door Cooper offered 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the four-door version provided 13.1 cubic feet. The Convertible had only 5.7 cubic feet. Dropping the rear seats in the SE trim provided a maximum of 25.8 cubic feet. Despite the limited space, the MINI Cooper was thoughtfully designed with two-zone automatic air conditioning, chrome toggle switches, and high-quality materials.

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 sedan stretched 183.5 inches on a 107.3-inch wheelbase, while the hatchback spanned 175.6 inches. Despite these compact dimensions, the driver had plenty of headroom, and the front seats were supportive with plenty of adjustment. The back seat was tight on legroom, but the soft front seatbacks mitigated discomfort. The materials held up well, even with over 10,000 miles on the odometer. The large transmission hump ahead of the rear middle seat was a drawback. The sedan’s trunk offered 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space, and the hatchback provided 20.1 cubic feet, both on the smaller side for the segment.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE featured a unique “eDrive” driver-information display connected to the steering wheel, displaying vehicle speed, time, mileage, remaining charge, and drive mode. The 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display was housed in a circular center dash, including Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and Apple CarPlay. The SE was available in three levels—Signature, Signature Plus, and Iconic—with the top-tier SE Iconic featuring an 8.8-inch screen, wireless charging pad, and head-up display.

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3’s 8.8-inch infotainment display was positioned high on the dashboard, blending seamlessly into the design. Mazda eliminated touch functionality, opting for a rotary dial controller between the front seats. The system included dedicated buttons and a volume knob with additional controls. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and Sirius XM satellite radio were included. The new infotainment software was faster, with sharp graphics and thin fonts that complemented the minimalist cabin design. The head-up display now reflected off the windshield, enhancing the premium feel.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE lacked advanced safety features, with only front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera system included in the Iconic package. Forward-collision warning was standard, but automatic emergency braking was unavailable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not rated the MINI Cooper, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded it top marks with "Good" scores in all crash tests.

The 2020 Mazda MAZDA3 was a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, receiving "Good" scores in all crash tests and a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The Premium Package’s LED headlights received a "Good" rating, while lower trim levels received an "Acceptable" score. Mazda offered advanced driver assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and dynamic brake support.