2018 Mazda CX-3 vs 2019

What's the difference?

If you're looking for the genesis of the small SUV apocalypse currently decimating small car sales, look no further than Mazda's CX-3.

Sure, others had done small SUVs earlier (the Kia Soul for one, and there were others), but it wasn't until the launch of Mazda's sleek little CX-3 - though don't let the numbers fool you, it's actually based on the Mazda2 - that the segment really got moving. 

Even now, several years after its launch, the CX-3 sits outright-second on the segment sales charts, a whisker behind the Mitsubishi ASX, and miles clear of its third-place rival. Which would normally be a cause for celebration in the Mazda camp. 

But there's a problem. Last year, the CX-3 was outright first. And so earlier this year, Mazda released a nipped-and-tucked version of its popular micro-SUV, presumably to try and improve its sales position by one.

So, we spent a week behind the wheel of the mid-spec (and most popular) CX-3 Maxx to see what's new.

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 Akari Luxury Edition (LE) is the line-up’s top-shelf model. It’s front-wheel drive, perky, a tad squeezy inside and more than a little bit posh. 

The CX-3 has a pretty good rep for on-road ride and handling, but how does the flagship model cope when you drive it off the bitumen and hit the gravel or dirt? Read on.