12-month test: Mazda CX-3 2,0 Individual Auto
Mazda’s trendy light crossover may have the looks and pace, but lacks the space. Is the compromise manageable?
THERE’S no denying it, the Mazda CX-3 is a striking car. However, given just how competitive the light-crossover segment is, it has to rely on more than that to be a successful product. After 12 months, the CX-3 2,0 Individual Auto has revealed both a fair number of positives, but some notable negatives, too.
The pros first, though, and prominent among those is the CX-3’S stylish design that interprets Mazda’s sleek Kodo philosophy as an urban crossover with a raised suspension and plastic anti-scuff cladding. This particular trim is offset well with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and taillamps and a glass sunroof, among other minor additions. The Snowflake White paint adds to the stylish look and feel, and does a great job at hiding dirt, something that became an unexpectedly useful quality during the Western Cape water restrictions, as our CX-3 didn’t need to be washed as often as the other cars in our fleet. During its time with us, the CX-3 tackled a gravel road on more than one occasion, putting all that anti-scuff cladding and raised ride height to their intended use beyond rugged aesthetic appeal. Despite this rougher-than-usual treatment, the cladding showed little sign of any scratches courtesy of stones thrown up by the relatively large 18-inch wheels (wrapped in Toyo Proxes rubber, the size of which is apparently not stocked by any tyre supplier in the country).
Using electric power steering and a rear-facing camera with PDC, placing the CX-3 into a tight parking spot was easy work. Front sensors would be ideal, but more often than not, I found myself reverse alley docking so it wasn’t a notable exclusion.
You are presented with a sporty and refined interior lifted straight from the Mazda2, a ve-
hicle we commended for its high perceived quality in our February 2016 road test of the Dynamic Auto model. After a year with us, the CX-3’S interior has de nitely proven its worth. Everything is still in place and there are no rattles from any pieces of trim, something we’ve come to expect from Mazda these days. It has been a bit of a challenge to clean, mostly because of those ne grooves throughout the dash and centre console, but other than that I have no complaints.
Standard features are generous and our car came with a seveninch touchscreen infotainment system, rear Iso x mounts, multi-function leather steering wheel and a comfy set of leather seats. One notable omission in the cabin is a centre armrest.
The rear leg- and headroom are also somewhat tight. Taller passengers felt cramped and even more so when it came to tting three people next to one another. Parents in the CAR team found that installing a baby chair behind the front seat was a snug t, too. Placing one in the front is not an option, as the passenger airbag cannot be deactivated.
These aren’t the only issues regarding its packaging. In fact, the CX-3’S biggest weakness is its limited boot space. As mentioned in previous updates, weekend trips away with friends or family proved to be a packing challenge, as it didn’t have enough space to carry everyone’s luggage. A quick peek beneath the chassis reveals an empty space directly under the boot; the CX-3 body shell al- lows space for an all-wheel-drive system that’s found in some derivatives in markets such as Australia and the USA.
An admittedly smaller niggle is the omission of bag hooks. Because this crossover experiences a bit of body roll in the corners, it was common to nd my groceries scattered when I got home. There are anchors for a boot net but Mazda South Africa unfortunately does not stock one as an accessory. This isn’t a big hiccup, as you can get one made at an affordable price.
If you do need more packing space, Mazda stocks a roof carrier that is sturdy enough to carry a box. Given the CX-3’S relatively low overall height, accessing a roof box wouldn’t be too strenuous. So, yes, packaging does
After a year with us, there are no rattles from any pieces of trim
detract from the CX-3’S crossover aspirations, but on the other hand, it does display something of a sporty persona that you would expect more from a warm hatch than a crossover. Once you start looking at the CX-3 from this perspective, it becomes a lot more of an enjoyable car (while forgiving its space constraints). Powering the front wheels is the naturally aspirated Skyactiv engine that sends 115 kw and 204 N.m of torque to the front wheels through a conventional six-speed torque-converter.
It’s a traditional setup that works well in the Cape’s oxygenrich air. The engine is lively and responsive throughout the rev range, but does become slightly raucous at the top-end.
The transmission, while feeling slightly sluggish throughout the rst 5 000 km, seemed to loosen up over time and eventually paired well with the engine. Although we’ve yet to test one, given this car’s dynamic driving personality, it might feel much more comfortable with the sixspeed manual shifter.
Fuel ef ciency, states Mazda, is one its Skyactiv tech’s plus points, although a big, naturally aspirated 2,0-litre engine is always going to nd that a tough target. Although it didn’t achieve the CAR fuel-index consumption of 7,3 L/100 km, the CX-3 did consistently hover round the 8,8 L/100 km gure throughout the year (granted, it did spend most of its life driving in an urban environment). Still, that about matches the results delivered by the smaller turbocharged engines in our eet.
The 15 000 km service went smoothly. We delivered the Mazda to the Imperial multifran- chise in Paarden Eiland and the staff was very ef cient and helpful. They offered a shuttle service with the impressive option of fetching you after the service is complete.
The service, which was covered by the ve-year plan, came to R1 274,10; R750 of which went to labour and the rest to parts. With this, the service centre threw in a box of sweets, which was a nice gesture, but we did have to pay an extra R144,90 for anti-freeze.
The 215/50 R18 Toyo Proxes R40 tyres, which felt a little too short of ultimate grip, were rotated at 15 000 km. This proved to be a safe interval, as the tread decreased only by about 1,5 mm and we estimate a set of these tyres should last you about 50 000 to 60 000 km.
TEST SUMMARY
After 12 months, I found the CX-3 an entertaining vehicle to pilot and, in terms of an engaging driving experience, within the Mazda family it’s only second to the MX-5 in terms of the vehicle I’ve most enjoyed piloting.
Packaging proved to be the CAR team’s main bugbear. Unless you are sold on the CX-3’S urban crossover looks and 160 mm of ground clearance, there’s a strong argument to say that the larger Mazda3 makes more sense given the fact that it has a more powerful version of the 2,0-litre Skyactiv powertrain along with much improved interior space.
If, however, you nd the CX-3’S crossover design appealing, then the 2,0 Dynamic Auto model is preferable to the Individual version, at a cost saving of R40 000. The latter, priced at R365 400, starts heading into territory occupied by larger, more practical vehicles. Pick that Dynamic model and you’ll join the 1 150 buyers who have so far this year bought one of the best-looking, most dynamic light crossovers in the market.