2025 Kia K5 vs. 2025 Mazda3 Comparison

Smaller sedans remain viable options for young people or families who place a premium on looks as well as performance and affordability.

The 2025 Kia K5 and 2025 Mazda3 fit the bill. The two cars can also be optioned to let buyers live out their racing fantasies — at least between traffic lights — while remaining safe, fuel-efficient, and relatively spacious. While the Kia is considered midsize and the Mazda is categorized as compact, these cars are not far apart in size. The slight differences in dimensions may not be a deciding factor for you, but it’s worth noting as we make our way down to the specs.

Let’s take a closer look at the Kia K5 and the Mazda3.

2025 Kia K5

The Kia K5 features aggressive styling, improved performance, and an impressive interior, marking a significant departure from its vanilla-looking predecessor, the Optima.

With a new model year comes a new powerplant. It’s now driven by a 2.5-liter normally aspirated 4-cylinder that puts out 191 horsepower, which is an 11-hp increase. For those who want more, add a turbocharger to the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder and you get the 290-hp GT. The K5 provides value and performance on a level comparable to the Mazda3. There are four trim levels for the K5: LXS, EX, GT-Line, and GT. The GT-Line can be ordered as an all-wheel-drive (AWD) model.  

The K5 has plenty of room for five passengers and a spacious trunk. Pricing starts at $28,145.

Kia K5 Highlights

Affordable performance: The K5 GT can be had for just under $32K, which gets you 290 hp. There are larger vehicles that can offer that kind of output. You’re getting full-size performance in a smaller package. Mazda’s no pushover in the horsepower department, but it’s still 40 short of the K5 GT, even if you’re pumping the Mazda3 with premium gas; the disparity is greater if you’re filling up with regular.

Safe and smart: The K5 got a 5-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last year, but it hasn’t gotten the results for 2025 as of publication. However, avoiding a crash is always preferable, and the Kia Drive Wise technology suite addresses this with a collision warning system, lane departure warning system, and pedestrian detection. It also has a raft of passenger airbags. If you’re carrying five people in the sedan, Kia’s Drive Wise advanced driver-assistance safety technology brings some peace of mind.

Outstanding warranty: Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty are tops in the class. It’s one of the brand’s biggest draws.

Read our Kia K5 Expert Review or see 2025 Kia K5 models for sale near you.

2025 Mazda3

Mazda’s legacy of producing performance-oriented, fuel-efficient small cars continues with the 2025 Mazda3. Catering to many potential buyers, the Mazda3 is offered as a sedan or a hatchback. The big change for the new model year is on the technology front where models equipped with navigation can now receive over-the-air updates, while Amazon Alexa Built-in becomes a new feature on the Select Sport and higher trims.

With the Mazda3, there are six trim levels. The entry-level Mazda3 is the 2.5 S. It’s powered by an enjoyable 2.5-liter 4-cylinder, putting out 191 horsepower. If you move up a few trim levels, an upgraded turbocharged powertrain is offered, boosting the ponies to 250. Pricing for the Mazda3 sedan starts at $25,135.

Mazda3 Highlights

Special edition: Mazda introduced the Carbon Turbo trim last year, and it remains for 2025. If you liked the brand’s Carbon Edition with a matte gray exterior and terracotta and black leatherette interior, adding a 250-hp turbocharged engine doubles the cool factor while significantly improving performance.

Command center: While Mazda is a bit behind on the switch to touchscreens, it has a beautifully placed volume knob for the audio system. It’s on the center console, right next to the gear select lever — there is no place better. However, let’s not sell Kia’s infotainment system short. It’s well thought out and, in many instances, more intuitive than the Mazda3’s.

Safety first: Mazda’s i-Activsense is a full suite of driver assistance and safety technology, including automatic emergency braking, full-speed adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beams. Additional optional features include blind-spot monitoring and an adaptive front lighting system.

Read our Mazda3 Expert Review or see 2025 Mazda3 models for sale near you.

Similarities

The Kia K5 and Mazda3 appeal to small families, with satisfying driving manners, good fuel economy, and useful trunks, especially the K5. They both also cater to enthusiastic drivers with available robust performance packages.

Conclusion

Small cars often are a young person’s game. As such, we see them being drawn to the more angularly aggressive looks of the Kia 5 over the more staid Mazda3. And the Kia is a good, solid choice. But if you like the utility of the available hatchback, the Mazda3 is your only option here.

The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Kia K5 vehicles and New 2025 MAZDA MAZDA3 vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.

Specs

	2025 Kia K5	2025 Mazda3
Popular Powertrains
Engine	2.5-liter 4-cylinder	2.5-liter 4-cylinder FWD/AWD
Horsepower	191 hp @ 6,100 rpm	191 hp @ 5,600 rpm
Torque	181 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm	186 lb-ft @ 2,800 rpm
Transmission	8-speed automatic	6-speed automatic
Fuel Economy	26 city/37 highway/30 combined mpg	27 city/37 highway/31 combined mpg
Also Available	2.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder; AWD	2.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder
Specs
Basic Warranty	5 years/60,000 miles	3 years/36,000 miles
Powertrain Warranty	10 years/100,000 miles	5 years/60,000 miles
NHTSA Overall Safety	N/A	5 stars
Max Seating Capacity	5	5
Wheelbase	112.2 inches	107.3 inches
Overall Length	193.1 inches	183.5 inches
Width	73.2 inches	70.7 inches
Height	56.9 inches	56.9 inches
Turning Diameter	36.0 feet	35.4 feet
Headroom, Front	40.2 inches	38.0 inches
Headroom, Rear	37.8 inches	37.3 inches
Legroom, Front	46.1 inches	42.3 inches
Legroom, Rear	35.2 inches	35.1 inches
Shoulder Room, Front	58.0 inches	55.7 inches
Shoulder Room, Rear	56.1 inches	53.5 inches
Cargo Volume	16.0 cubic feet	13.2 cubic feet