The sensible one
Mazda 3 — 10,000 pesos a month
A comfortable, economical automatic sedan. Cheap to run, easy to park in the centre of Playa del Carmen, and perfectly happy on the highway to Chichén Itzá.
- Free delivery
- Insurance included
- No credit card required
- Unlimited mileage
Short answer
The Mazda 3 is our sedan: automatic, air-conditioned, five seats and a 351-litre boot, at 10,000 MXN per month with insurance and unlimited mileage included. It is the right choice for one or two people who want low running costs and easy parking in Playa del Carmen and Tulum, and it handles the highway to Mérida or Bacalar without complaint.
Body · Mazda 3
| Body | Sedan |
|---|---|
| Model years | 2017–2019 |
| Transmission | Automatic, 6-speed |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0 L |
| Power | 155 hp |
| Fuel | Petrol (Magna 87) |
| Fuel use | 6.5–8.5 L/100 km combined |
| Seats | 5 |
| Doors | 4 |
| Luggage | 351 L |
| Ground clearance | 155 mm |
| Air conditioning | Yes, climate control |
What you get for 10,000 MXN a month
- Mexican third-party liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil)
- Unlimited mileage anywhere in Mexico
- Free delivery and collection in Playa del Carmen, Cancún, Tulum, Puerto Aventuras and at Cancún airport
- All plates, permits and paperwork valid and in the glovebox
- Roadside support in English, Spanish and Russian
- Servicing and maintenance while you have the car
- No mileage counting, no airport fee, no cleaning fee, no ‘administration’ fee
10,000 MXN per month · 9,000 MXN from 3 months
It suits you if
- You are one or two people, occasionally three or four
- You mostly drive Playa ↔ Tulum ↔ Cancún with the odd trip inland
- You care about fuel bills — this is the cheaper car to run by roughly 2 litres per 100 km
- You park on the street in the centre and want something compact
- You want the lowest total monthly cost
Worth knowing
- Ground clearance is 155 mm. Fine for every paved road on our list, and fine for the topes (speed bumps) if you take them slowly, but not the car for a rough unpaved track to a remote cenote.
- The boot is a sedan boot: two large suitcases plus hand luggage. Surfboards and roof boxes are not an option.
- It runs on regular Magna 87 petrol, which is the cheaper grade at Pemex.
Questions and answers
Should I rent a sedan or an SUV for Yucatán?
The sedan if you are one or two people staying on the paved corridor between Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum — it is 5,000 pesos a month cheaper and uses about 2 litres less per 100 km. The SUV if there are more than five of you (the X-Trail seats seven against the Mazda's five), if you carry a lot of luggage, or if you plan to reach cenotes, Cobá, Punta Allen or anything down a dirt road: the X-Trail's 210 mm of ground clearance against the Mazda's 155 mm is the whole argument, and unpaved access roads in Quintana Roo are common.
Is insurance included in the price?
Yes. Mexican third-party liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil) is included in both monthly prices. This matters more than people expect: liability cover is legally mandatory in Mexico, your home motor policy does not extend here, and the coverage that comes with credit cards is collision damage only — it does not satisfy the Mexican legal requirement. Driving without it is what turns a minor incident into a night in a police station.
Is there a mileage limit?
No. Mileage is unlimited and we do not check the odometer. Long-stay renters typically cover 2,000–4,000 km a month, and driving to Mérida, Bacalar or Chichén Itzá as often as you like changes nothing about the price.
What is the security deposit?
A refundable deposit is taken at handover and returned in full when the car comes back in the same condition. We agree the amount with you in writing before delivery — there are no surprises at the door, and unlike the international agencies we do not place a large hold on a credit card.
What if the car breaks down?
You get one WhatsApp number answered in your language. If it is a mechanical fault on our side we fix it or bring you the other car at our cost — that is the practical advantage of a two-car fleet run by the people who own it. Punctures are the most common real-world event: there is a spare and a jack, and roadside vulcanizadoras are everywhere and charge 100–200 pesos.
Are child seats available?
Yes, on request and at no charge — tell us the child's age when you book and the seat will be fitted before delivery. This is a legal requirement, not an optional extra: Quintana Roo law requires a child restraint for children under five, and federal law puts anyone under twelve in the back seat. In Cancún the local rule keeps under-sevens out of the front. The X-Trail is the easier car if you need to fit two seats.
Ask us anything
Tell us your dates and which car you want. We answer in English, Spanish and Russian.