There’s a common criticism of the modern car industry. In short, people think that most cars on the road nowadays look too similar.
This has been discussed across the car industry for years, with many offering their own views on why the car industry became so visually homogeneous.
Some point to regulations that require cars to meet certain fuel requirements and efforts made to prioritize safety, which have, in turn, led to consistent design choices across manufacturers.
Others point to the global reach of modern car companies; while previous automakers may have only sold in a few markets, car manufacturing is now a global business, which requires designers to create cars that appeal to as many markets as possible with a single design.
Even though many cars may look similar, there are still some cars that get called out for having their designs be a little too similar to their competitors. Recently, TikTok user Hailey Vanderweg (@haileyvanderwegg) sparked discussion after calling her car a “dupe” of another popular car—but viewers aren’t so sure that’s the case.
Are Mazdas simply copies of Mercedes cars?
In her video, which has over 472,000 views, Vanderweg shows the interior of a car. The audio is taken from another TikTok user named Jacob (@dietjacob).
“So my friend has the Mercedes, right? Right?” the audio says while Vanderweg shows the interior of the car. “But I’ve got the Mercedes dupe, though.”
The video then shows that the car in question is a Mazda CX-5.
“IN LOVE WITH THIS CAR YALL,” Vanderweg writes in the caption.
The Mazda CX-5 has proven to be a popular car among TikTokers. Several mechanics have spoken of the car’s reliability, and a video on cars that are “cheap but expensive-looking” had many people in the comments section recommending the CX-5.
As for whether the cars are “dupes” of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, while they may be visually similar, Mazdas have actually been ranked more reliable than Mercedes vehicles on multiple occasions.
“J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles,” notes Lithia Auto Stores.
“From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles,” the site adds. “Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 22 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.”
@haileyvanderwegg IN LOVE WITH THIS CAR YALL #newcar #mercedesdupe #mercedesbenz #mazdacx30 #mazda #mazdacx5 #mazdafam #mazdacar #mazdacx30select #mazdamazda #mazdasuv #momcar #dogmom #wife #militarywife #mazdaasmr #mazdagirl #mazdagirly #viral #fyp #car #cartok ♬ original sound – jacob
Commenters take issue with the ‘dupe’ accusation
While Vanderweg and others may lovingly call their cars “Mercedes dupes,” several commenters pointed out ways in which the car may be preferable to a Mercedes vehicle.
“Mazda is like lowkey better tho bc it’s actually reliable and not that expensive,” said a user.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a dupe. Dupes are usually not as good as the original, and this is much better,” added another.
“My girl that’s a mazdarati not a dupe,” declared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Mazda via email, Mercedes via email, and Vanderweg via email and Instagram direct message.
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