Mazda’s new CX-3 is a high-capability alternative to a compact car
The Mazda CX-3 competes with the likes of the Honda HR-V, Nissan Juke, Buick Encore, and Mini Countryman, as yet another choice for shoppers after a higher-utility, All Wheel Drive (AWD) alternative to a compact car.
The CX-3 isn’t the type of crossover you use to haul a family of five and the dog off to the cottage. Think of it, instead, as a more flexible and capable alternative to a small car, and one with added ride height and AWD for added year-round confidence, and you’re in the ballpark.
From outside, the tested-top-grade CX-3 GT proudly wore Mazda’s signature face, characterized by a deep and distinctive grille flanked by a pair of xenon projector lights with LED running lamp accents. With a plethora of sculpting, accents, and upscale touches applied to its compact body, CX-3 packs a hefty and sporty visual punch.
The cabin does a similar job of concentrating numerous impactful touches into a small space, and taken as a whole, it hits harder than its price suggests. From a mere glance, the look is upscale, high-tech, unique and sophisticated—with numerous intersecting colors, textures and materials adding depth. Aluminum trim, prominent stitching and big touch-display screen front and centre contribute to a cabin that’s packed full of visual energy.
That central screen can be controlled via fingertips or a redundant console-mounted dial controller, for easy access to hundreds of functions. This interface is powerful, nicely animated, and straightforward in use once learned. Gadget buffs will appreciate the thin blade of clear plastic which erects from the top of the instrument cluster cowl, creating a delightfully cheesy Head Up Display readout in front of the driver.
Entry and exit are a cinch: just slide over and slightly down into your seat. The CX-3 might be easier to enter and exit than a small car for many folks. The cargo hold is smaller than some competitors, with a shape that’s relatively shallow and thin. Folding seats add versatility, and your writer had no issues with a full run of groceries from Costco, or a day’s worth of filming and camera gear, though the cargo hold does fill up quickly. Ditto the rear seats: two adults can occupy them, though spaciousness is adequate, nothing more.
Elsewhere on board, deep door pockets and small storage bin in front of the gear shifter, complete with two USB recharging ports, help keep occupants organized and juiced up on the go.
It’s not all good news though, as the centre cupholders are mounted inconveniently far towards the rear of the console to clear room for the central command controller, the volume knob is awkwardly located on the console next to your thigh, and there’s no center arm-rest, which sucks if you have arms, which you likely do. Further, there’s no covered on-board storage, other than the glove box.
The included $1,500 Technology Package fit an array of cameras and radar sensors employed to extend the CX-3’s safety performance into the world around it, with the ability to scan for cars hidden in blind spots, or approaching in the laneway drivers are backing into, or to sound an alarm if you cross lane markings without a corresponding signal light. The included xenon lighting system, with steerable projectors and a nicely-tuned automatic high-beam sensor system, provided fantastic after-dark confidence.
Power comes from Mazda’s 2-litre Skyactiv four-cylinder, mustering 146 high-efficiency horsepower that’s handled by a six-speed automatic on all models. The tester ran Mazda’s Skyactiv AWD system, programmed to activate with millisecond precision in response to wheel slippage. Power output will prove adequate for most shoppers, with the engine pulling strong at low to mid-range revs and operating with smoothness through the rev-range. The engine is strongly audible when pushed, though the sound is mostly pleasing, and the powerplant stays smooth, idle to redline. Note that CX3’s small-ish fuel tank translates to somewhat limited highway cruising range.
Where ride and handling are concerned, typically-Mazda attention to detail in the tuning of steering and suspension systems are alive and well. Start with the CX-3’s small size, slim weight and short wheelbase, and add in a steering rack that’s quick and playful and a sporty suspension that transmits driver intentions directly to the road, and you’ve got a solid foundation for appealing to enthusiast drivers. It’s not a corner-carving monster, though CX-3 is ready and willing to entertain when drivers lean on it a little, or wish to browse some sequential bends at speed.
Visit a rough road on a test-drive though, confirming that the ride quality falls into acceptable limits, since the CX-3 is sprung on the stiffer side of the ride equation.
When shopper priorities lean away from all-out space-for-the-buck and more towards compact sizing attributes, athletic handling, maneuverability, flexibility, an upscale cabin, and added driving confidence, the CX-3 hits the mark as a worthy alternative to a compact car.
The Mazda CX-3 is this year’s Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year! More information here.
2016 Mazda CX-3
Engine: 2.0 litre SKYACTIV four-cylinder, 148 horsepower
Drivetrain: all-wheel drive
Observed Mileage: NA
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Features: heated seats, Bluetooth, adaptive xenon lighting, Head Up Display, automatic wipers, auto lights, auto climate control, BOSE audio, push-button start
Starting Price (CX-3 GX): $20,695
Price as Tested (CX-3 GT with Tech Package): $30,495