Mazda 3 or Nissan X-Trail?
Two honest options rather than a confusing fleet. Here is the whole difference, laid out.
Short answer
Take the Mazda 3 (10,000 MXN/month) if you are one or two people staying on paved roads between Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum — it costs 5,000 pesos less per month and around 1,100 pesos less in fuel. Take the Nissan X-Trail (15,000 MXN/month) if there are more than five of you — it seats seven against the Mazda's five — if you carry a lot of luggage, or if your plans include unpaved cenote and jungle roads, where its 210 mm of ground clearance versus the Mazda's 155 mm is the deciding factor.
Side by side
| Mazda 3 | Nissan X-Trail T32 | |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Sedan | SUV / crossover |
| Model years | 2017–2019 | 2016–2020 |
| Transmission | Automatic, 6-speed | Automatic CVT (Xtronic) |
| Engine | 2.0 L | 2.5 L |
| Power | 155 hp | 169 hp |
| Fuel use | 6.5–8.5 L/100 km combined | 8.5–9.5 L/100 km combined |
| Seats | 5 | 7 |
| Doors | 4 | 5 |
| Luggage | 351 L | 445 L |
| Ground clearance | 155 mm | 210 mm |
| Monthly price | 10,000 MXN | 15,000 MXN |
What it actually costs per month
| Car | Rental | Fuel (3,000 km) | Total per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda 3 | 10,000 MXN | ≈ 5,625 MXN | ≈ 15,625 MXN |
| Nissan X-Trail T32 | 15,000 MXN | ≈ 6,750 MXN | ≈ 21,750 MXN |
Fuel estimated at 3,000 km per month and 24–26 MXN per litre of Magna 87. Your mileage will vary; most long-stay renters land between 2,000 and 4,000 km.
The short version
Choose the Mazda 3 if…
You are one or two people, you are staying on the paved corridor between Cancún, Playa and Tulum, and you would rather spend the difference on something other than a car. Over a three-month stay the Mazda saves you roughly 15,000 pesos in rent and another 3,400 in fuel.
Choose the X-Trail if…
There are more than five of you — the X-Trail seats seven — or you are travelling with kids, you have real luggage, or your list includes cenotes, Cobá, Punta Allen or anywhere reached by a dirt road. The 210 mm of clearance is not a marketing figure here — unpaved access roads in Quintana Roo are common, and they are where low cars get damaged.
Still unsure?
Message us with what you are planning and how many of you there are, and we will tell you honestly which one fits — including when the answer is the cheaper car.
Ask us anything
Tell us your dates and which car you want. We answer in English, Spanish and Russian.