2018 Mazda CX-3 vs Subaru XV

What's the difference?

With the obvious exception of Two and a Half Men, things are usually popular for reason, and that is they're good. And the CX-3 deserves to be duking it out for the top sales spots in the segment.
 
It's a city car, of course, and so it shines brightest in the urban jungle, but its stylish design and top-class safety offering are pretty sizeable selling points for Australias's city dwellers. 

Subaru has always been the little brand that could and it’s always fit well into the Australian motoring landscape thanks to slightly unusual designs and particularly practical features. 

The company has moved more into the mainstream by eliminating things like manual transmissions but the quirk is still strong, and the XV is a great example of a small, practical, compact SUV that has just a little bit more, particularly when it comes to off-road ability. It's no LandCruiser, sure, but it will certainly get you further than many of its contemporaries and it'll have a great time doing it.

Is the Subaru XV the standout small SUV, or is it too quirky for its own good? Tell us in the comments below.

The good news is, it still looks very good. But mostly because it hasn't really changed.

And that's no bad thing. In fact, we think it might be the best-looking option in its segment - something that has hurt its sales not at all - owing mostly to its swooping, perfectly-proportioned exterior that makes the CX-3 look both fashionable and fast.

Mazda’s littlest SUV is unashamedly built for the city, but the use of black body cladding lends a vague sense of ruggedness to its design, while the power-domed bonnet hints at sportiness - even if it never quite materialises from behind the wheel. 

Climb inside, and the CX-3’s interior is simple and unfussy, with a padded panel that runs the length of the dash breaking up the harder plastics. It's a clean and premium-feeling design, and only the materials in places would prevent it from looking at home on a far more expensive model.

This is the latest XV, which was released in 2016 although you wouldn't know it if you owned the old one. When viewed side-on, in fact, both cars look absolutely identical. Even the wheel designs are similar. It's only when you get to the front and rear bumpers that you notice the difference in the tail lights and headlights as well as the signature Subaru grill. 

Well, when you're on a good thing ... If anything, the XV has grown into its design over the years. When it was first released in 2012, a lot of people really didn't know what to make of the XV, but it's since grown in stature - and sales - to become one of the Subaru's most popular cars. 

That external design really points to the XV's quirky yet practical nature with low overhangs at the rear and front, a decent ride height, and black plastic trim to help protect its extremities. The external language carries on through into the interior, which has been lifted from the all new Impreza, which shares its platform with the XV. Funky vertical vents in the centre while the outer vents mimic the design for the air intakes at the front. 

The interior also echoes that of the new Impreza, with sweeping lines, well disguised cheaper plastics and a large multimedia touch screen, that's the heart of the car. This top-shelf version comes with leather seats which are offset with a well executed orange contrast stitch. Alternative stitching doesn't always work in more affordable cars, but in this case, it really gives the XV's cabin a lift.

You can basically split the city-size SUV field into two categories: small and smaller. And the CX-3 falls into the latter category. The 4275mm long, 1765mm wide and 1550mm tall CX-3 is based on the Mazda2 city car, so while it might be the most stylish in its segment, it’s not the most practical. 

Life is good for front seat riders, though, where the cabin doesn’t feel tight at all. There are two cupholders on offer, along with two USB points and a 12V power source, and each of the front doors has room for bottles.

Things do get tighter in the backseat, where even a single (bulky) car seat can swallow up most of the available space - something I know from personal experience. Best stick to two grown-up passengers back there, too, as shoulder room feels much tighter than legroom.

Backseat riders are at the mercy of the driver and front passenger when it comes to entertainment or climate, with no USB outlets or air vents. But there are two ISOFIX attachment points, one in each window seat in the back. 

Boot space is a roadtrip-limiting 264 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats in place, but that number grows to a usable 1174 litres when they're folded flat.

Based on a medium-sized sedan, the small five-seat XV isn't the biggest car inside, but neither is it the smallest. Up front, the driver and passenger are well looked after with nicely bolstered leather seats that perhaps could drop a little bit lower in the car. 

However, a cleverly designed head lining that incorporates the sunroof means there's plenty of space up top, and a steering wheel with a great deal of reach adjustment also helps taller drivers get comfortable. 

Our drivers of shorter stature are well catered for as well, thanks to a good deal of vertical adjustment in the front seat, which allow them to get close to the wheel without having to arch their ankles too far to get back to the brake and accelerator. 

Despite the addition of a large, simple-to-use and attractive touchscreen multimedia system, Subaru still insists on scattering buttons in and around the driver's area almost at random. The steering wheel, in particular, has 15 buttons - and that doesn't include the horn - and there are more controls down toward the driver's right hand as well as on the centre console. 

Front seaters have access to two USB ports, an auxiliary port and a 12-volt socket as well as two cup holders side by side and bottle holders in the doors with dividers

Moving into the rear seat again, that clever head-lining means that the sunroof doesn't steal too much headroom away from taller rear passengers. The 60/40 split-fold rear seat also features an armrest with two cup holders, and small bottle holders also exist in the doors. Unfortunately, there are no vents for rear-seat passengers, nor are there any provisions for charging devices. 

The cargo floor sits very high in the XV, which our less tall testers quite liked; they felt they didn't have to reach in and down to lower bags of shopping or suitcases into the XV. At 310 litres, it does compromise on total volume of space although with the seats down, it offers 765 litres, which is enough to swallow a couple of larger mountain bikes with the front wheels removed. 

There are no levers to flip down the front seats, but it's not much of a reach to get in and do it yourself. There's a space-saver spare wheel sitting underneath the boot floor, though Mrs Robbo did question the lack of a powered tailgate in this top-spec car.  

Overall, the XV is a practical four-seater for the average family, though if you had to ram in five bodies, it might be a little bit crowded. Babies are well catered for with ISOFIX baby seat mounts on the outside rear two seats, but that centre middle seat is a little bit bulbous, while the centre sash belt is incredibly awkwardly placed back over in the right-hand C pillar.

For a nick over $35,000 before on road costs, the XV 2.0i S is well and truly stacked with kit. It's based around a naturally aspirated 2.0 litre petrol engine linked to a CVT gearbox and an all-wheel drivetrain. It also scores Subaru's X-Mode traction control-based off road system. 

It also comes standard with Subaru's top spec eyesight safety system that includes virtually every driver age you could ever want, including rear cross traffic alert, smart city braking, AEB, lane departure assist, and more.

Full leather trim including steering wheel and gear-shift gaitor, as well as faux carbon inserts in the doors, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic headlights and wipers, swivelling LED headlights, heated and powered front seats and a sunroof is all included. 

It plays in the same space as cars like the Mazda CX-3, the new Hyundai Kona and Toyota's C-HR.

The CX-3’s naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine produces 109kW at 6000rpm and 192Nm at 2800rpm - plenty in a car that weighs 1282kg - sending that power to the front wheels (though an AWD option is available) via a six-speed automatic transmission.

The XV uses the same 115kW, 196Nm naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine that's in the Impreza. It's been reworked from the oil pan up, netting an amazing 12kg weight saving in the process over the previous generation engine.

It's linked to a continuously variable transmission to Subaru's front-wheel-biased all-wheel drivetrain. Subaru has also added what it calls its X Mode System that’s been plucked from the Forester, which gives the XV a modicum of off-road ability that's not very usual for cars in this category. 

The X Mode System incorporates a low-speed hill descent mode, for example, which interestingly also works in reverse. Basically, set a speed up to 25km/h with the cruise control, take your foot off the brake and accelerator, and let the car do its thing. 

X Mode is essentially providing a low-range mode, and it also gives the XV as much 50/50 traction front-to-rear as is required for the conditions it finds itself in. If you head to the snow or the sand quite regularly, for example, you'll find this feature quite useful.

Offical claimed fuel use is pegged at a frugal 6.1 litres per hundred kilometres on the combined cycle, with emissions a claimed 146g/km of C02. The CX-3’s 48-litre fuel tank will accept cheaper 91RON fuel, too.

Over 320km, the XV returned a dash-indicated figure of 9.1L/100km, against a claimed combined fuel economy figure of 7.0L/100km. Only a handful of these kilometres were done on gravel.

With a fuel tank capacity of 63 litres, the 1462kg XV can travel a theoretical 780km on a single tank. It’ll accept regular unleaded, as well.

The great white shark has evolved over millions of years to become the perfect apex predator, perched at the very top of its food chain. Just so long as you keep it in the ocean. Drop one in the Serengeti, for example, and things aren't looking quite so rosy for old Jaws.

And it’s the same with Mazda’s little CX-3, only in fast-forward. The city SUV segment has only had the a handful years to complete the evolution process, but its been every bit as effective. Keep the CX-3 in its natural, urban habitat and it feels positively meant to be. 

The engine feels perky and smooth if you use gentle inputs, the steering is light and direct, and its diminutive dimensions make it an absolute doddle to park just about anywhere.

Vision from up front is great, and it’s a mostly quiet and smooth drive across the city’s blacktop.

Vision from up front is great, and it’s a mostly quiet and smooth drive across the city’s blacktop. It shines on twisting roads, too, where the firm-ish suspension inspires confidence, and the smooth surge of the naturally aspirated engine shifts the little CX-3 in and out of corners with ease.

But venture outside the city walls and it feels out of its depth. This is not designed as a long-distance cruiser. For one, the engine can get a little loud and unrefined when you really plant your foot, and with the rear seats in place, the boot is really only big enough for a pair of soft bags - big, hard suitcases need not apply. Road noise, too, creeps in at freeway speeds. Like a shark in the Serengeti, then.

But it should surprise nobody that CX-3 shines brightest in town. And if you’re city-dweller, the CX-3 is a popular choice for a reason.

The little XV stands out from the crowd when you're stuck in the commute, especially in the brighter colours that Subaru seems to sell quite a few of. Our bright orange test example really made its mark in a sea of grey and black on the daily run to work. 

The roomy cockpit for the driver is a boon, especially for taller testers who are able to get very comfortable in the car pretty quickly. Apple CarPlay works very well, while the clever Eyesight system allows the adaptive cruise control to basically drive the car through stop-start traffic with minimal input. It will take the car right down to 0km/h from whatever speed you have set, while a gentle prod on the accelerator will wake it up again to keep it going with the traffic. It's a very clever system, let down only by its reasonably conservative nature when it comes to maintaining gaps between vehicles. 

Even at its lower setting, other drivers were very tempted to fill that space left by the Subaru to the car in front. The system also like to illuminate the brake lights quite a lot, which can irritate drivers behind.

The Subaru's strongest card is its Eyesight system, which uses a trio of cameras to control all of the safety functionality of the car - and the S model actually features additional safety inclusions like blind-spot monitor and lane-change assist.

On top of that, the seven airbags means that the XV scores a maximum five star ANCAP rating.

Mazda has not followed the long-warranty lead of Hyundai, Kia and others, instead offering a three-year/unlimited km warranty. The CX-3 will require a trip to the service centre every 12 months or 10,000km - a trip that should be made less painful thanks to capped-price servicing, with service pricing listed on Mazda's website.

Subaru offers a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on the XV as well as roadside assistance for the first three years.

Fixed-price servicing is also offered for the first three years or 37,500km. It costs  $348.50 for the first and third services and $601.59 for the second, which totals nearly $1300 over three years.

It’s not the cheapest service deal on the market, especially considering the relative simplicity of a non-turbocharged engine and CVT transmission combination.

Service intervals have increased from six months to 12 months or 12,500km, whichever comes first – but don’t neglect them! Thanks to that unique boxer engine design, Subarus need regular oil changes to prevent sludge building up in the cylinder bores.

Subaru regularly offers a bonus two-year warranty on top of the standard package.