Motorhub MiniMag Review Series - Issue 3
Bringing you up to speed
Mazda CX-3 Review
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Words: Daragh Ó Tuama Photos: Motorhub & Mazda
They are boxing their way into more luxurious brands like Audi, BMW and Volvo
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A short while ago I drove Mazda’s new CX-3 for review and I took a road trip from Dublin to Donegal and back again. This was a machine that intrigued me because it was getting warm reviews from much of the motoring press. Indeed, after a week with this small SUV it became clear to me why this manufacturer was receiving the positive feedback. Any negatives with this car are outweighed by style, performance and an exceptional return in terms of fuel economy. Let’s start out on the external aesthetics of the CX-3.
Exterior
Mazda’s KODO design is serving them well throughout their model line-up. At the moment, this Japanese brand are delivering great looking machines, and there’s good reason for this as they are boxing their way into competition with the more luxurious brands like Audi, BMW and Volvo. The CX-3 is among the sportiest looking SUVs in its segment, and from a distance you would be completely forgiven for asking yourself whether you were looking at it or its older brother, the CX-5. The CX-3 is slightly more dynamic looking than the CX-5 and it is that little bit more curvaceous. To the front is a long bonnet with an aggressive grille, a feature which can now be found on most new cars from Mazda. The compact SUV segment has some major competition with the like of the Fiat 500x, the Peugeot 2008, the Skoda Yeti, the Nissan Juke, the Jeep Renegade, the Opel Mokka, and even the Renault Captur. My opinion is that the CX-3 is among the best looking.
Inside the CX-3 Soon I will be releasing my review of Suzuki’s Vitara, and my opening paragraph covers the elephant in the room – the striking similarity with the Evoque on the outside. Well, now it’s time to say that the interior similarity between the latest batch of Mazda cars and those which are on offer from Audi is close. To be honest, this can only be a good thing. The centre console and the air vents look like they have just been taken out of a Q3. With that said, the interior is made up of good quality material.
Drive When it comes to drivability the CX-3 really excels - it feels close to the road. The grip is tight and it doesn’t offer much body roll on corners – it would be better than let’s say the Mokka or the Renegade in this department. The steering of the CX-3 is both light and responsive. Where it doesn’t perform as well as the Mokka or the Renegade is in soaking up bumps.
I was driving a SKYACTIV-D engine which give 105PS and we’re told that it will I’m nearly 6-feet tall and I found that both the headroom and legroom were ample. go from 0-100km/h in just 10.1 seconds. Maximum torque of 270Nm comes In terms of width, the car is narrow and although you would get three adults in between 1,600 and 2,500rpm, and this 4,725mm small SUV has a top speed of there, I would try and keep it to two for long journeys. I found the Jeep Renegade 177km/h. to be slightly better in the space department. Another thing is that the boot is not laid-out brilliantly - unlike the Renegade, which uses its available space better.
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their name among customers isn’t as prestigious as the likes of Audi and BMW – it’s getting there though
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Fuel Economy
I managed to average 4.7l/100km in the CX-3. This return is very good and I wasn’t exactly trying too hard. Mazda’s on-paper average fuel economy for this vehicle is 4.0l/100km, so I have to say that I’m impressed. The 1.5litre diesel version I drove has a tank of 48 litres, and I reckon that had I not handed it back I would’ve been able to add another 100km onto the 770km that I travelled.
Price
Let’s put that fuel economy into perspective. The Renegade I drove returned an average of 6.3l/100km, whereas the Opel Mokka with the new 1.6litre engine returned 5.3l/100km. I didn’t try at all in the Mokka – so to be fair to it I reckon I could’ve returned the same as the CX-3 had I paid just a little more attention.
I drove their 2WD 1.5D EXECUTIVE SE (other trims include; SE, EXECUTIVE, GT & GT SL). Starting price for this is €26,195. For road tax you will pay €190 per annum.
Mazda has really upped their game in terms of the quality of their vehicles. Their current strategy is to go into the more premium market, and therefore their prices are slightly higher than some would expect. Prices for the CX-3 stretch between €20,695 (2WD 2.0G SE) and €31,595 (4WD 1.5D GT SL 6AT).
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Mazda’s KODO design is serving them well throughout their model line-up
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there seems to be an issue with getting people to test drive – because if more people were test driving their cars, I think we’d see a hell of a lot more on our streetscape
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Summation
Mazda has a very good name and in general they rank high in reliability studies. In Ireland people perceive them as being a good brand, but there seems to be an issue with getting people to test drive – because if more people were test driving their cars, I think we’d see a hell of a lot more on our streetscape.