Mazda has slimmed down its CX-3 vary for 2024, however nonetheless provides a wholesome line-up consisting of 5 trim ranges.
All 2024 fashions now get wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-folding mirrors, and home windows that may be dropped from the important thing fob.
The Mazda CX-3 shares its underpinnings with the smaller Mazda 2 hatchback, which lately was additionally handled to an replace. It doesn’t stray too removed from its hatchback sibling, as each supply a city-sized package deal with affordable gas economic system.
With a rise in experience peak, black cladding across the bumpers, and the modern CX badge although, the CX-3 is courting SUV patrons as an alternative of hatchback lovers like the two.
The CX-3 debuted in 2016 globally, and the Mazda 2 it’s primarily based on dates again to 2014. Most of its rivals are youthful and now supply both a hybrid or extra highly effective engine.
Though it’s an outdated participant within the section, the Mazda CX-3 nonetheless outsells its rivals comfortably. Let’s discover out why.
How does the Mazda CX-3 fare vs its opponents?
View an in depth breakdown of the Mazda CX-3 towards equally sized autos.
Mazda
CX-3
How a lot does the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve value?
The Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve is the mid-range variant inside the line-up.
It has a price ticket of $31,050 earlier than on-road prices, which places it intently in step with the Nissan Juke ST+ 2WD ($31,140) and the Toyota Yaris Cross GXL 2WD ($31,000).
The pricing can be inside attain of bigger fashions just like the Hyundai Kona 2WD ($32,000) and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross ES ($31,490). The bigger Mazda CX-30 is round $1940 costlier to get into than the Evolve on take a look at right here.
Mazda CX-3 pricing:
- 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Sport: $26,800
- 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Pure: $29,300
- 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve: $31,050
- 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP: $34,300
- 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Akari: $38,620
All costs exclude on-road prices
What’s the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve like on the within?
The Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve has a novel White Maztex leatherette and Tan Grand Luxe suede inside which appears nice till it’s a wet day and also you realise your white upholstery isn’t going to remain white for very lengthy.
The centre tunnel is all black moreover the chrome bits from the local weather controls, infotainment selector, and drive modes, and it feels smooth and fashionable regardless of the CX-3’s age.
There may be room for one 600mL drink bottle forward of the centre console however I did discover the bottle rolls round generally throughout cease/begin site visitors.
The centre armrest is comfy whereas driving, it feels delicate and good to the touch. It’s a characteristic we actually missed within the cheaper Mazda 2, so it’s good to see the CX-3 justify its increased worth with a fuller characteristic record.
The leather-wrapped gearshift and steering wheel elevate the texture of the inside ever so barely. The steering wheel itself adjusts for attain and tilt, whereas the entrance seats supply handbook adjustment.
There may be an adjustable headrest for the driving force and entrance passenger, in addition to seat again pockets for the second row.
Forward of the steering wheel is a retractable head-up show which is taken from the Mazda 2. I didn’t have any points with visibility through the day however the clunky retracting movement is noticeable once you flip the automobile on and off, and taller drivers in our group have complained in regards to the lack of adjustability relative to a extra fashionable projector system.
The air vents, local weather controls, and infotainment show are straight out of a base Mazda 2, and make the automobile really feel barely low-cost and outdated in comparison with its bigger sibling, the CX-30.
The infotainment system options wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, together with two USB-A ports, an SD card slot, and a 12-volt socket.
The Mazda 2 and CX-3 are the one autos within the vary to nonetheless have the MZD Join infotainment system.
I prevented the native system as a lot as I might as a result of it felt clunky and outdated in comparison with Apple CarPlay. The rotary dial on the transmission tunnel additionally takes some getting used to for individuals who are used to touching a display screen for an immediate response.
Given the Mazda CX-3 is focused at youthful patrons who’ve grown up with lightning-quick telephones and tablets of their arms, it’s a miss.
Down again, the second row is slightly squishy for tall youngsters or adults, due to the small quantity of house between the primary and second rows. Legroom is tight.
I did try to match a child seat in right here, and managed to suit an ultra-compact reversible automobile seat however sadly it left little room for the entrance passenger to journey comfortably. There aren’t any air vents, nor are there USB ports again there.
Boot house is pretty restricted. It has a 264-litre capability which suggests there’s house for a grocery store for one or two individuals, and maybe your fitness center bag or a small carry bag;.
Apart from the Suzuki Jimny and Ignis, the CX-3 has one of many smallest boot house capacities in its section. The rear seats fold 60:40, and capability will increase to 1147L with the second row flat.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
The Mazda CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, growing 110kW of energy at 6000rpm and 195Nm of torque at 2800rpm.
It’s now out there completely with front-wheel drive and a six-speed automated transmission. All fashions have idle cease/begin expertise.
The 2024 Mazda CX-3 makes use of 6.3L/100km on the mixed cycle, we noticed 7.3 litres per 100km on per week skewed to metropolis driving. It runs on 91 RON common unleaded gas and has a 48L gas tank.
How does the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve drive?
The CX-3 received’t blow you away with the way it performs, but it surely has sufficient punch for all times within the metropolis.
Should you’re the form of driver who hates shedding a site visitors gentle drag race, it may really feel sluggish off the lights – and the noise within the cabin makes it really feel as if it’s working arduous.
I had the automobile full of baggage and three adults, and it simply didn’t fairly have the grunt to do it comfortably… which isn’t too stunning, given most CX-3 house owners will spend most of their life inside metropolis limits.
In that context, the cease/begin does work effectively and kicks in pretty rapidly in comparison with a few of its opponents. It additionally feels very regular, with no awkward jerks or gear modifications once you’re cruising round city. There’s no studying curve right here, it simply does what you’d anticipate.
The engine does take a second to quieten down on a chilly begin although, and when it’s being pushed in direction of its peak it does sound unsettled.
Should you do need extra punch, Kia and Volkswagen supply similarly-sized SUVs with turbocharged engines that may assist scratch that itch.
The suspension feels good and feels effectively tuned for metropolis driving, in case you’re capable of keep away from the largest, deepest potholes popping up on the roadworks-affected streets round our workplace.
We’ve at all times stated the dealing with of the CX-3 is one in every of its highlights, and that continues to be the case with the 2024 mannequin. It’s enjoyable to drive, and makes zipping round tight metropolis streets pleasant as an alternative of a chore. It additionally feels extra planted and assured on the street, together with on the highways, than the bottom Mazda 2 we drove lately.
Should you plan to drive on the freeway as your each day commute, the CX-3 may not really feel as robust in comparison with its rivals.
Though it’s planted and assured within the metropolis, on the freeway I did discover it was working arduous to maintain up with site visitors once you come to an entire cease and must hit excessive speeds in a brief house of time.
One factor to notice is the auto-hold perform doesn’t keep on when you flip off the automobile. I hate conserving my foot on the brake throughout cease/begin metropolis site visitors and I’m glad Mazda included the characteristic within the CX-3 because the Mazda 2 missed, however having to press the button each time appears redundant and admittedly annoying.
The security suite out there within the CX-3 Evolve is well-equipped for drivers who’re simply beginning out or those that have been on the street for years. The site visitors signal recognition was conscious of altering site visitors circumstances and the blind-spot monitor could be very useful contemplating Mazda’s zoomed driver-side mirror might be off-putting generally.
What do you get?
There are 5 trim ranges within the 2024 CX-3 vary.
CX-3 G20 Sport highlights:
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Energy-folding exterior mirrors
- 8.0-inch infotainment display screen
- Wired Android Auto
- Wi-fi, wired Apple CarPlay
- 6-speaker sound system
- DAB+ digital radio
- Tilt and telescopic steering column adjustment
- Material upholstery
- Electrical parking brake with auto maintain
- Keyless begin
- Air-conditioning
- Cruise management
- Energy home windows
- 1 x 12V outlet
CX-3 G20 Pure provides:
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Automated LED headlights
- Automated high-beam
- LED daytime working lights
- Head-up show
- Satellite tv for pc navigation
- Leather-based-wrapped steering wheel
- Local weather management air-conditioning
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
CX-3 G20 Evolve provides:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Maztex leatherette/Grand Luxe suede upholstery
CX-3 G20 Touring SP provides:
- Heated power-folding exterior mirrors
- LED entrance fog lights
- LED tail lights
- Heated entrance seats
- Leather-based/Grand Luxe suede upholstery
- Energy driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment
- Keyless entry
CX-3 G20 Akari provides:
- Single-pane sunroof
- Adaptive LED headlights
- Leather-based upholstery
- 7-speaker Bose sound system
- 360-degree digital camera
Is the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve protected?
The Mazda CX-3 is presently unrated by security authority ANCAP, as its five-star ranking from 2015 has now expired.
All fashions come customary with the next security tools:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Ahead, reverse
- Metropolis speeds
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Entrance, front-side and curtain airbags
- Reversing digital camera
- Rear parking sensors
CX-3 G20 Pure provides:
- Driver consideration alert
- Lane departure warning
CX-3 G20 Evolve provides:
CX-3 G20 Touring SP will get:
- Adaptive cruise management with cease/go
- AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
- Ahead collision warning
- Site visitors signal recognition
How a lot does the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve value to run?
The Mazda CX-3 is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee and 5 years of roadside help.
Servicing is required each 12 months or 15,000km. The primary 5 companies are capped at $334, $526, $412, $526 and $334 respectively.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mazda CX-3 G20 Evolve
Whereas the Mazda CX-3 stays king (or queen) of the sunshine SUV section gross sales charts, slowly rivals are creeping in with higher powertrains, expertise, and more room.
Though there are some nice options within the mid-spec Evolve, it misses out on stuff like keyless entry, energy seat adjustment, and heated entrance seats. With that in thoughts, the Pure is the higher worth choose.
It sits just under $30,000 earlier than on-road prices, however all it misses relative to the Evolve are the white inside and fancy wheels.
There’s numerous competitors for the CX-3, and it’s beginning to really feel its age. Though it nonetheless appears good, inside and outside, it’s not fairly as dominant as its gross sales figures would have you ever consider.
It’s effectively price a take a look at drive, however know there are many rivals price take a look at driving alongside it.
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BUY: Mazda CX-3
MORE: All the things Mazda CX-3
