Mazda CX-3

Overview

Mazda has always known to make evocative cars. The bodystyle doesn’t matter. They also seem to have taken a leaf out of other Japanese and American carmakers. By this, we mean taking an existing hatchback platform and converting it to a wagon or better still an SUV. The Mazda CX-3 that you see here is born off the same desire. It is underpinned by the Mazda 2 hatchback and gets a raised height as well as few distinguishing bits. This then is the slightly refreshed one for the 2018 year. The original car was launched in 2015 in Malaysia and has been in good stead throughout. The recent facelift has made it more relevant to the new times and the car has got added features too. Let’s delve then into the details, shall we?

Interior & Features

Mazda, especially the 2 was criticised earlier for having not-so-good build quality. The panels gaps were uneven and some of the plastics were rather hard to touch. However, that has changed now. With this update, Mazda has managed to fix all of that. The plastics are softer to touch though still not 100 percent. The lower half of the dashboard still feels a tad rough but again, that’s a spot where you will hardly be touching the car. The 3-spoke steering wheel is new as well as houses the cruise control, telephone and audio controls. Mazda has designed the instrument cluster to be a 3-piece unit. At the centre is the tachometer and in this top-spec trim, we also had the head-up display right in the driver’s line of sight. Synced to this system is the blind spot indicators as well as traffic warnings. It works in tandem with real-time updates from the GPS-enabled navigation system. The MZD Connect system with its floating centre stacked arrangement too is in line of sight of the driver. It is also slightly inclined towards the driver. One doesn’t have to take their eyes off the road to operate it. That being said, the rotary control for the infotainment system is located right between the driver and co-driver space on the centre tunnel. It too is easy to operate. The infotainment offers a crisp resolution, but misses out on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It has six speakers which offer decent sound quality as well. Needless to say auto wipers and headlights are a given here. The driver’s seat is powered and so is the co-passenger. However, only the driver gets memory function for the seat. There is also the electrically powered sunroof on offer.

Exterior

A glance at the Mazda CX-3 and you know this is a very small car or should we say SUV? The Kodo design language works its wonder here as well and the Mazda CX-3 is as Japanese looking as it can be. The full LED headlight cluster as well as the daytime running lamps cut a familiar sight. The turn indicators have been moved lower down next to the fog lights. This lends the lower fascia some kind of presence as well. Unlike the hatchback, this one gets proper 17-inch alloys. By the use of black plastic cladding all around, Mazda has ensured that the vehicle looks as beefy as possible.The rear though seems more hatchback like and we could also find resemblance with the bigger Mazda 3 hatch too. The lights at the back too are LEDs. The rear 3/4th angle is the best looking part of this SUV, with the blacked out C-pillar giving the impression of a floating roof. The dimensions of the SUV are 4,275 mm x 1,765 mm x 1,550 mm in the length, width and height department. Wheelbase of the SUV stands at 2,570 mm.

Ride & Handling

Mazda employs MacPherson struts in the front and torsion beam set up for the rear. This suspension setup is tuned more for driving pleasure and it shows. The CX-3 handles corners very neatly. Now with the added soul power of G-Vectoring, the CX-3 stays planted with engine braking brought into the equation. The steering wheel itself is very communicative and helps big time when it comes to understanding what the front wheels are up to. That being said, AWD would have been nice if it was offered even as an option.

Ride quality as a result of this superb handling prowess is a tad stiff. We would have liked a bit more suppleness to the ride quality and that would have sweetened the deal with the CX-3. Auto brake hold would have been a nice touch as it eliminates the need for one to slot the gear in neutral and pull the handbrake or simply stay put while clinging onto the brake pedal for dear life.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

The CX-3 like the Mazda 2 is offered with a lone 2.0-litre direct injection SkyActiv petrol motor that makes 154 PS of power at 6,000 rpm and 204 Nm of torque at 2,800 rpm. A 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters behind the wheel does duty here and must we add, its a smooth operator. Power is sent to the front wheels though there is optional AWD available with the models sold in the Philippines. One can also use the Sport mode to hurry up things. The 0-100 kmph comes up in a nifty 8.8 seconds while the top speed is 194 kmph. In terms of economy, the CX-3 returns 13 kmpl in town and 17 kmpl on the highway. The engine emits a nice rasp towards the higher end of the rev range while remaining silent for the most part of it. Stop-start is standard and helps with the economy numbers as well.

Braking & Safety

The Mazda CX-3 is the car for those who love to drive but want an elevated driving position as well as some amount of practicality dialled in. At RM 138,337, the Mazda CX-3 isn’t the most affordable crossover in its segment but it brings in a lot more in terms of equipment. The Honda HR-V may slightly be a more practical car but then its equipment list is as sparse as things go.