Mazda CX-3 Maxx Sport 2019 review

Jump into the CX-3 and it feels like you can immediately zip around town with a 2.0-litre engine. That's plenty to get up hills quickly and move in and out of lanes with relative ease. There's no heaviness that you'd get in a larger SUV, it takes off quickly, turns corners instantly and has a small turning circle so you fit in u-turns much more often than you would in a larger car.

I found the whole experience a lot faster to get used to than in other cars.

Everything is smooth and cruisy - there are no tricky electric gearsticks which make you pause in annoyance - it all works intuitively and it works every single time. I found the whole experience a lot faster to get used to than in other cars. This model I drove doesn't have all-wheel drive, but there is AWD on offer in the range.

Given the size, parking is quite easy and you're able to fit into most parking spaces without thinking too hard about it. There's a high resolution reverse parking camera that shows where you are, but no 360 degree camera which you'll find on a Nissan Qashqai.

Jump into the CX-3 and it feels like you can immediately zip around town with a 2.0-litre engine.

It looks kind of like a chunked up version of a Mazda 2, all slick yet compact, with elegant curves and sleek lines on the exterior curving up the back to give it a sporty, fun feel. It turns heads and you feel good driving it on the road.

Elegant curves and sleek lines on the exterior curving up the back to give it a sporty, fun feel.

Inside is well designed. There's nothing too flash or fancy, but it has a chic look that is also functional - everything works well and is where you'd expect it to be, there's a good amount of design symmetry and just the right balance of matt and gloss. Of particular note are the circular air vents which give a premium finish.

The seats are fabric in the Maxx Sport with a nice feel to them, no nasty cheap cloth here. They were also really comfortable to sit on and I'd be happy over long distances, too. The steering wheel is leather which always leaves a good impression on a driver.

It looks kind of like a chunked up version of a Mazda 2, all slick yet compact.

Smaller cars are much easier to manage than bigger cars. Kids can open doors and climb in themselves without any help, and if you're at the children-in-car seats stage, the height of the CX-3 is certainly better than a regular Mazda2 or 3 to buckle seat belts up. Driving the CX-3 takes very little effort, which is how cars should be.

There are two cupholders in the front though it took me a few days to find them (entirely my fault, not Mazda's!). Lift the centre console storage cover and the two empty squares actually double as regular storage when you're not using the pull-out plastic to keep your cup in place. Nifty.

The thing with a CX-3 is that you're expecting it to be larger than an average small car because it's an SUV.

There's also a spot in front to throw your phone and keys, an easy push-start button (some are not so easy) and a decent sized glove box. There are also two cupholders in the centre armrest at the back and a bottle holder in each door.

The boot is light to pull up or down and is a good height off the ground. Everything is very user-friendly.

There are no rear air vents, but I found the front vents quite strong, and there are three of them, so I think kids in the back will be fine in summer.

The steering wheel is leather which always leaves a good impression on a driver.

The CX-3 is fitted with airbags covering driver and front passenger, plus side curtain airbags extending to the back row. You'll also get all the latest safety technology as standard, including auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert, which totally saved me coming out of my driveway every morning. It has two ISOFIX points and three top tether points for children's car seats.

The CX-3 Maxx Sport comes in at $25,490 (before on-road costs) which is pretty good value for all those safety features to come as standard and the well-functioning design. Fuel consumption is a claimed 6.3L/100km which could be lower given there is no AWD on this model.

It comes with Mazda's five year/unlimited km warranty but no roadside service assistance, and servicing is due every 12 months.

The CX-3 is particularly cute and very good looking, but the reason I drove it was to see if it's a practical car for a family.