2008 Mazda 3

small car / 4-door sedan

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Evaluation criteria	Rating
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Head restraints & seats

Key

G
Good
A
Acceptable
M
Marginal
P
Poor

Superior
Advanced
Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2004-09 models

Tested vehicle: 2004 Mazda 3 s 4-door

The Mazda 3 was introduced in the 2004 model year as a replacement for the Protege.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

Smeared greasepaint indicates where the dummy’s head hit the roof rail during rebound. Head acceleration from this hit was low.

Intrusion into the driver's space was minimal, and forces on the legs and feet were low.

Technical measurements for this test

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEF0418
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm)	5
Left (cm)	8
Center (cm)	6
Right (cm)	4
Brake pedal (cm)	4
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm)	2
Right (cm)	1
Steering column movement
Upward (cm)	1
Rearward (cm)	-5
A-pillar rearward movement (cm)	1

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CEF0418
Head
HIC-15	198
Peak gs at hard contact	22
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.5
Extension bending moment (Nm)	21
Maximum Nij	0.28
Chest maximum compression (mm)	28
Legs
Femur force - left (kN)	0.9
Femur force - right (kN)	2.1
Knee displacement - left (mm)	0
Knee displacement - right (mm)	9
Maximum tibia index - left	0.29
Maximum tibia index - right	0.62
Tibia axial force - left (kN)	1.7
Tibia axial force - right (kN)	1.9
Foot acceleration (g)
Left	59
Right	67

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2005-08 models built after August 2004

Tested vehicle: 2005 Mazda 3 i 4-door without optional side airbags

The Mazda 3 was introduced in the 2004 model year as a replacement for the Protege.

All 2005 and later Mazda 3 models manufactured after August 2004 include door trim panel changes to improve occupant protection in side-impact crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door). Beginning with 2009 models, side airbags were made standard.

Evaluation criteria	Rating
Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection The dummy's head was hit by the intruding barrier, producing high head injury measures.
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection The dummy's head was hit by the window frame and window sill of the rear passenger door, producing moderately high head injury measures.

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing damage to the occupant compartment.

Action shot taken during the side impact crash test showing the driver dummy's head being hit by the intruding barrier.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy's head was hit by the window frame and window sill of the rear passenger door.

Technical measurements for this test

Test ID	CES0430
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm)	-5.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0430
Head HIC-15	2,504
Neck
Tension (kN)	2.0
Compression (kN)	0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	61
Lateral force (kN)	3.6
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	58
Average deflection (mm)	48
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	6.70
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	1.60
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	3.7
Acetabulum force (kN)	3.2
Combined force (kN)	6.6
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.5
L-M moment (Nm)	68
A-P moment (Nm)	41

Evaluation criteria	Measurement
Test ID	CES0430
Head HIC-15	674
Neck
Tension (kN)	1.3
Compression (kN)	0.2
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm)	40
Lateral force (kN)	2.2
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm)	43
Average deflection (mm)	37
Maximum deflection rate (m/s)	4.61
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s)	1.02
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN)	0.7
Acetabulum force (kN)	2.9
Combined force (kN)	3.2
Left femur
L-M force (kN)	0.8
L-M moment (Nm)	158
A-P moment (Nm)	-42

About the original side crash test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Base seats

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Base seats
Geometry
Backset (mm)	52
Distance below top of head (mm)	55
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g)	11.9
Head contact time (ms)	86
Force rating	2
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	116
Max neck tension (N)	984

Seat type: Seats with adjustable lumbar

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry

Technical measurements for this test

Seat type	Seats with adjustable lumbar
Geometry
Backset (mm)	48
Distance below top of head (mm)	65
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail	Fail
Max T1 acceleration (g)	10.4
Head contact time (ms)	104
Force rating	2
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N)	138
Max neck tension (N)	839

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.