2018 Mazda CX-3 to get 1.8-litre SkyActiv-D

KUALA LUMPUR: Mazda is working its way into a large-scale diesel mobility and has become immensely active in bringing about new facelifts very often. Starting from the CX-5, the first Mazda car to get the powerful 2.2-litre diesel motor, the company went on to offer the same engine in the Sport Wagon and the 6 Sedan as well. Moreover, the company has now brought a newer diesel engine for the CX-3.

The previous version of the Mazda CX-3 did have a 1.5-litre diesel under the hood. However, the 2018 model gets a more powerful 1.8-litre SkyActiv-D engine. This bigger capacity motor may have made its debut in just the B-segment crossover as of now but it is expected to be added across the entire compact car range of the company soon.

The 2018 Mazda CX-3 has received major changes in the mechanism only and other aesthetic changes are just subtle. The visual changes include a revised front fascia with sharper and sleeker headlamps, thicker slats on the grille and a new bumper. At the rear, the LED taillight units have been tweaked and rearranged slightly.

Inside the cabin of the new Mazda CX-3, there are more soft-touch plastics than it is in the outgoing model. The traditional handbrake lever has been improvised to make way for electronic parking brakes. Moreover, an armrest is added as a standard fitment.

As indicated earlier, the biggest changes have come at the heart. The outgoing 1.5-litre diesel managed to make just a 105 hp power and 250 Nm of torque. However, the bigger 1.8-litre motor now makes 115 hp power (up by 10 hp) and 270 Nm torque (up by 20 Nm). As for the transmission, there are both 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes available. The car can be had in FWD as well as AWD in both the transmission guise.

Currently, the Mazda CX-3 is available in Malaysia at a starting price of RM 131,000. The company is very active in the country and has nine models in the lineup, including a pickup van.