2019 Mazda CX-3 Reviews

Looking for a really compact SUV to fit in with your urban lifestyle? Or just need a run-around car that is easy to park at the shops? These three small SUVs could be right for you - depending on what you want.They are the Mazda CX-3, Suzuki Vitara and Hyundai Venue - all small, all petrol, all very different in their approach to this part of the market.

The small SUV segment of the Australian car market is chock-a-block with vehicles - and Mazda has carved out its own niche in the crossover SUV realm with its popular CX-3 range.

The new CX-3 brings a few detailed changes, a bigger diesel engine and a few little tech highlights to pique my and, Mazda hopes, your interest in this very little beauty.

The Mazda CX-3 is a small SUV, that category of cars which look little but are actually classified SUVs because of their height. It's in competition with cars like the Hyundai Kona, the Toyota C-HR and the Honda HR-V. A fine bunch of cars for people who want the practicality of an SUV but don't want to drive a large vehicle.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, as well as being pretty. I was in the Maxx Sport petrol which is second from the bottom of the range. Here's how it did over my week of driving.

Mazda's new CX-3 isn't radically different in the looks department, but the designers would've been mad to change much as it's already a head turner. Has the little crossover that could gotten better?

The spunky little CX-3 range has sexed up its names slightly, so the base model is now a Neo Sport, rather than just a plain old Neo.This entry car is available as front-wheel-drive only and comes with a choice of either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic paired with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 110kW/195Nm and producing fuel economy of 6.3 litres per 100km (or 6.5L/100km for the manual).Standard kit for your $23,990 drive-away price (that's manual, auto adds another $2000) includes 16-inch steel wheels, body-coloured powered mirrors, black cloth front seats with height adjustment, electric parking brake, a 7.0-inch full-colour 'MZD Connect' touch screen to control your audio system with DAB, Bluetooth and six speakers, and a multi-function 'Command Control', plus keyless start, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and 'Smart City Brake Support', which works in both forward and reverse. It's a (very) good-looking package at a tempting price. Apple CarPlay is not yet available, but it's coming soon, and a kit to retrofit it will be available at Mazda dealers in the near future.

Mazda has thrown the word 'Sport' on the end of its mid-range Maxx variant as well, which surely suggests it's got more gear than the old car. Stepping up to this level will cost you from $25,490 drive-away, which gives you the option of either FWD or i-Activ AWD, which almost no one will take up, realistically.  You also have the choice of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 110kW/195Nm and producing fuel economy of 6.3 litres per 100km (or 6.6L/100km for the manual) or the 1.8-litre diesel (which again, almost no one will choose), which only comes with FWD and an automatic transmission, and delivers impressive fuel economy of 4.7L/100km, plus 85kW and 270Nm.Above and beyond the Neo Sport, the Maxx Sport adds 16-inch alloy wheels, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a fold down armrest with two cupholders for the rear passengers, leather-wrapped gear shift knob and steering wheel, sunglass storage, climate-control air con, satellite navigation, 'Blind Spot Monitoring' and 'Rear Cross Traffic Alert'. Apple CarPlay is not yet available, but it's coming soon, and a kit to retrofit it will be available at Mazda dealers in the near future.

The sTouring is the almost-premium car in the range, and will no doubt be the sweet spot for some buyers.Starting at $30,740, you get the option of either FWD or i-Activ AWD, which almost no one will take up, realistically. You also have the choice of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 110kW/195Nm and producing fuel economy of 6.3 litres per 100km (or 6.6L/100km for the manual) or the 1.8-litre diesel (which again, almost no one will choose), which only comes with FWD and an automatic transmission, and delivers impressive fuel economy of 4.7L/100km, plus 85kW and 270Nm.You get a bit of visual differentiation from the lower models here, starting with 18-inch alloy wheels, power mirrors with heating and auto folding, LED day-time running lights, fog lights, headlamps and tail-lights, black 'Maztek' and cloth seats, head-up display, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, keyless entry and start, 'Driver Attention Alert', from parking sensors and 'Traffic Sign Recognition'. Apple CarPlay is not yet available, but it's coming soon, and a kit to retrofit it will be available at Mazda dealers in the near future.

The range-topping Akari feels noticeably more plush and premium inside, and you'll pay for that, with the entry price rising to $33,990 for this spec and topping out at $37,290 for the AWD LE, which is a lot of money for this little car. Engine wise, you get the option of either FWD or i-Activ AWD, which almost no one will take up, realistically. You also have the choice of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine making 110kW/195Nm and producing fuel economy of 6.3 litres per 100km (or 6.6L/100km for the manual) or the 1.8-litre diesel (which again, almost no one will choose), which only comes with FWD and an automatic transmission, and delivers impressive fuel economy of 4.7L/100km, plus 85kW/270Nm.On top of all the above kit, the Akari adds a power sliding and tilt sunroof, front seats with 10-way power adjustment and two memory settings, which are trimmed in either black or 'Pure White' leather, and heated, plus 'Mazda Radar Cruise Control' with start-stop function, which Mazda says is unique to its brand at this level, a 360-degree view monitor, adaptive LED headlights and lane-departure warning. Apple CarPlay is not yet available, but it's coming soon, and a kit to retrofit it will be available at Mazda dealers in the near future. Consider this a very small burger with the lot.