Is the Mazda 3 more reliable than the Acura Integra?

Yes, the Mazda 3 has a clear edge. Owners file 1.3 complaints per 10,000 cars sold, against 28 for the Integra. Repair costs are lower and shop visits are less frequent. Both models still carry a good standing, so the Integra is not a poor choice, just a costlier and more complaint-prone one.

Which has more recalls, the Mazda 3 or the Integra?

The Mazda 3 has more in total, 11 across 8 model years. The Integra has 9 across just 4 model years, so it has more recalls per model year. Federal recall records are the source here. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before you buy either car.

Which costs less to repair, the Mazda 3 or the Integra?

The Mazda 3 costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $433 a year for the Mazda 3 and $801 for the Integra. Over five years that is roughly $1,840 more for the Integra. The Integra also visits the shop unexpectedly about 0.7 times a year, compared with 0.3.

What is the main problem with the Acura Integra?

Steering. Of 268 owner complaints, 237 describe a wheel that sticks or catches at highway speed, resists small corrections, then breaks free suddenly. Drivers say this leads to overcorrecting and zigzagging in the lane. Two of those steering reports were linked to crashes. Most began between about 2,800 and 5,700 miles.

Does the Mazda 3 have any serious safety complaints?

Yes. Service brake complaints include 6 crash-linked reports of the car failing to stop or surging forward with the pedal pressed, and no warning light came on beforehand. Steering has 3 crash-linked reports of binding at highway speed. These are few in number but serious, so test the brakes and steering before buying.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3: Reliability Compared

Acura Integra

Good

More Reliable

Mazda 3

Good

Reliability favors the Mazda 3 over the Acura Integra, and the Integra's steering complaints are the main reason. Both cars hold a good standing, but the Mazda 3 draws far fewer complaints per car sold and costs less to keep running.

How Do the Acura Integra and Mazda 3 Generations Compare?

Shoppers looking at the Mazda 3 will see two designs in the 2018 to 2026 range. The 2018 model year was the last of the third generation, which ran 2014 to 2018 and received a facelift in 2016. The fourth generation began with the 2019 model year and is listed through 2023 in US data. The weakest years, 2021 and 2022, fall inside the fourth generation. The 2018 car belongs to the older design, so compare it against fourth-generation years when you shop.

Verdict

The Mazda 3 is more reliable than the Acura Integra, scoring 78/100 vs 70/100.

The more reliable car is the Mazda 3, and the edge is clear. Owners file far fewer complaints per car sold, and independent repair-cost data shows lower yearly costs and fewer unscheduled shop visits. The Integra's trouble is concentrated: a sticking steering wheel generates most of its complaints. The Mazda 3 has more kinds of trouble, including oil use and battery drain, but each is reported far less often. Both land in good standing, so the gap is about frequency and cost, not a failing grade for the Integra.

Key Differences

1Mazda 3 costs $368 less per year to repair
2Mazda 3 has 26.7 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Mazda 3 scores 8 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Acura Integra

—

4Mazda 3

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencySafety Rating

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3: Which Is More Reliable?

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3 at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Acura Integra	Mazda 3
Reliability Score	70/100	78/100
Years Tracked	4	8
Total Recalls	9	11
Complaints per 10k Sold	28	1.3
Annual Repair Cost	$801/yr	$433/yr
Repair Frequency	0.7/yr	0.3/yr
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	4

What Are the Common Problems With the Acura Integra and Mazda 3?

Steering dominates the Integra's record: of its 268 complaints, 237 describe a wheel that sticks or catches at highway speed, then releases suddenly and causes swerving. The Mazda 3 spreads trouble across more systems: oil that disappears with no leak, batteries that drain until the car will not start, distorted windshield glass, and steering that binds. Crash-linked reports differ too. The Mazda 3 has them in service brakes (6), steering (3), and electrical (1), including cars that surge forward with the pedal pressed. The Integra has crash-linked reports in air bags, where two owners said the bags did not deploy, and in steering.

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3 common problem areas comparison
Component	Acura Integra	Mazda 3
STEERING	24.8High	0.1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	0.1Very Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.4Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
ENGINE	—None	0.3Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
WHEELS	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
SEATS	—None	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	—None
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Acura Integra or Mazda 3?

Independent repair-cost data puts the Mazda 3 at $433 a year and the Integra at $801. That gap of $368 a year adds up to about $1,840 over five years. The Mazda 3 also needs an unscheduled shop visit about 0.3 times a year, against 0.7 for the Integra, so the Integra spends more than twice as often in the shop. Major-repair odds are listed only for the Mazda 3, at 10%.

How Does Acura Integra vs Mazda 3 Reliability Compare by Year?

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3 year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Acura Integra	Mazda 3	Edge
2026	76/1000R / 1C	84/1000R / 0C	Mazda 3
2025	74/1002R / 2C	79/1001R / 20C	Mazda 3
2024	68/1005R / 61C	78/1002R / 22C	Mazda 3
2023	63/1002R / 204C	78/1001R / 19C	Mazda 3

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Acura Integra scored 68/100 and the 2024 Mazda 3 scored 78/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Acura Integra vs the Mazda 3?

Pick the Mazda 3 if you want the lower running cost and fewer problems overall. Target 2018, one of its strongest years, and avoid 2021 and 2022, its weakest. Check the oil level history, since owners report adding a quart every 1,500 to 4,000 miles, and ask about repeated battery replacements. Test the steering at highway speed, because owners tie binding to a service bulletin that covers only vehicles through model year 2020. Pick the Integra if you want the newer car and can accept the steering risk. Its model years run only 2023 to 2026, and 2023 and 2024 are the weakest. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so a clean record on a 2025 or 2026 is not proof of a fix. On any test drive, hold highway speed and make small corrections, then ease through a long curve. If the wheel catches or hangs near center, walk away. Confirm all open recalls before you buy.

Acura Integra vs Mazda 3: Common Questions

Is the Mazda 3 more reliable than the Acura Integra?: Yes, the Mazda 3 has a clear edge. Owners file 1.3 complaints per 10,000 cars sold, against 28 for the Integra. Repair costs are lower and shop visits are less frequent. Both models still carry a good standing, so the Integra is not a poor choice, just a costlier and more complaint-prone one.
Which has more recalls, the Mazda 3 or the Integra?: The Mazda 3 has more in total, 11 across 8 model years. The Integra has 9 across just 4 model years, so it has more recalls per model year. Federal recall records are the source here. Check any specific VIN for open recalls before you buy either car.
Which costs less to repair, the Mazda 3 or the Integra?: The Mazda 3 costs less. Independent repair-cost data estimates $433 a year for the Mazda 3 and $801 for the Integra. Over five years that is roughly $1,840 more for the Integra. The Integra also visits the shop unexpectedly about 0.7 times a year, compared with 0.3.
What is the main problem with the Acura Integra?: Steering. Of 268 owner complaints, 237 describe a wheel that sticks or catches at highway speed, resists small corrections, then breaks free suddenly. Drivers say this leads to overcorrecting and zigzagging in the lane. Two of those steering reports were linked to crashes. Most began between about 2,800 and 5,700 miles.
Does the Mazda 3 have any serious safety complaints?: Yes. Service brake complaints include 6 crash-linked reports of the car failing to stop or surging forward with the pedal pressed, and no warning light came on beforehand. Steering has 3 crash-linked reports of binding at highway speed. These are few in number but serious, so test the brakes and steering before buying.

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How we score the Acura Integra and Mazda 3

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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