Mazda CX-3 2015 News

The Mazda CX-3 is in but the Honda HR-V and Renault Captur are out.The Audi TT is in but the Holden Cascada is out.That's my assessment of the field so far as we search for the best new car of 2015.Good is still good, but it's not good enough when the biggest prize in Australian motoring is on the line.Even a car as initially impressive as the Land Rover Discovery Sport is marked down heavily on value when you consider it as a CarsGuide Car of the Year contender.It's the same for the Ford Mondeo, which looks good, is packed to the hilt with technology but has lost its mojo on the open road.Similarly the Ford Focus ST, which is a great drive, is too narrow in its appeal.The CarsGuide team has already driven more than two dozen good cars in the opening half of the year and it's time to see what's looking good for a spot for the top-10 run-off in December.There are some surprising failures and the line-up could change dramatically with a rush of impressive newcomers booked for the second half but this is how the COTY 2015 contenders are shaping up.The new German coupe is everything the TT always could — and should — have been.It's had a muscle-car makeover that covers a broad spectrum from the sharper body shape to the driving dynamics and cabin space.All right, it should have a standard rear-vew camera, but that omission is offset by gains in other areas that count for a performance car.And the interior, with its integrated display screen in front of the steering wheel, is top-notch.This one is a slow burn because it's not like previous BMWs.For a start, it has front-wheel drive. And it puts family first.It's more like the i3 electric car than a 3 Series which is a good thing for people who put comfort and space and quality ahead of the Ultimate Driving Machine.It might be a clunky in the front suspension but it's classier than we expected and the flexible cabin, which will later include a third row of seats, is up there with the best.Cars as good as the Sorento should allow Kia to make the final breakthrough in Australia.Look beyond the country's longest warranty and you find a family seven-seater that's good-looking, practical and nice to drive.It could do with more steering feel but that's a very minor thing for people who need a seven-seater.Inside, the cheap and cheerful Kias of a decade ago are a distant memory, replaced by quality finishes, soft surfaces and great attention to detail.The best of the new-age mini SUVs wins a spot by trumping rivals including the HR-V and Captur, something it achieves with quality, refinement and a class-leading starting price.It's never going to star for a family with such a small boot but it's developed from the Mazda2 that starred in last year's COTY run-off.It looks good, drives well and works for twentysomethings who crave an SUV, delivering the elevated seating position without being too bulky.The new family sedan is a welcome return to form for a company that went backwards during the global financial crisis.Honda and Mitsubishi are still recovering but Subaru is back to what it does best with a quiet, comfortable, refined and well-priced car for Australian families. It also maintains Subaru's impressive reputation for cutting-edge safety.As always, it comes with all-wheel drive and provides the platform for the equally impressive Outback.The back end of 2015 will bring a number of impressive newcomers, from the baby Skoda Fabia through to the muscular Ford Mustang, bigger Hyundai Tucson and youthful Jeep Renegade.For now, the best of the bunch looks like this:This car could be as impressive, in its own SUV style, as the Volkswagen Golf Mk7. It's first with the mechanical package that will go under several VW Group arrivals, including the next Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga. So we're expecting class leading comfort, quality and a great family drive.If the born-again Mustang is half as good as the hype it will be a serious COTY contender. Early drives in the US point to best-yet dynamics for the first 'Stang with factory right-hand drive. There is even a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. More than 2000 Australians are paid-up and waiting for their car to arrive, sometime in November.This one needs to be more than good to challenge the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. But Jaguar learned bitter lessons from its X-Type, which was no more than a re-bodied Ford Mondeo, and is pushing hard with an XE that gets everything from an aluminium backbone to new-age engines. In Australia, the key will be in the pricing and equipment.The world's favourite sports car is odds-on for a COTY spot. It's been completely reworked for 2015 despite a body that could only be an MX-5. It's promising a much-needed improvement in cabin space and overall refinement, as well as Skyactiv engine technology that already works in Mazda's mainstream models. Add the lightweight body and sharp pricing. There is already a queue for early deliveries.The all-new Mitsubishi Triton and Nissan Navara for 2015 are good but not great, which leaves the Ranger to challenge the all-new Toyota HiLux for the benchmark in utes. This midlife update is more than just a mild makeover. It has new panels, tweaked driving dynamics and on the flagship model it has technology that would make a German SUV blush.More than just a truck, the HiLux has been Australia's favourite ute for more than a generation, not just because it scores with miners but because it can be most things to most people. The new HiLux promises everything from a new turbo diesel to car-like quality and refinement.It's been a very long time since the first XC90, which has given Volvo — after its change from a Ford subsidiary to Chinese ownership — plenty of time to develop a benchmark upscale SUV. Extensive work on everything from cabin comfort and quality to best-in-class safety technology — wrapped in a good-looking new bodywork — should make the XC90 something special and a '15 standout.Alfa Romeo 4C - The Italian version of a Lotus Elise is a looker and a goer, but too costly.Ford Mondeo - Not as good as the previous car, although cabin space is excellent.Holden Cascada - Most impressive of the new Euro Holdens, good but not great.Hyundai Sonata - Not up to the standard of Hyundai's other newcomers, although value is good.Renault Captur - Funky bodywork makes big promises but the undersized engine cannot deliver.Toyota Camry - A top car by any measure but not enough change for a COTY run.

The latest sales figures show we are now buying almost as many SUVs as we are buying regular cars.In the first three months of this year, SUVs of all shapes and sizes represented a staggering 42 per cent of all passenger cars sold (95,000 of 224,000), according to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.Sales of SUVs have almost doubled in the past 10 years, from 173,000 in 2004 to 352,000 last year.The industry believes the SUV boom will continue until at least 2020, where they may even overtake passenger cars.It costs little more to get into an SUV these days than it does to buy a hatchbackThe new generation of city-sized SUVs, or "faux-wheel-drives", are essentially a high-riding hatchback — and most lack a proper all-wheel-drive system or sufficient ground clearance to climb a street gutter."Buyers love the tall driving position, and the flexibility of a wagon without looking like they're driving a wagon," says Richard Johns of Australian Automotive Intelligence.Mr Johns said price was also a factor in the popularity of SUVs."It costs little more to get into an SUV these days than it does to buy a hatchback," he said."The most popular SUV models also cost less than the typical $35,000 starting for the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon."Love them or hate them, sales of SUVs are driving the record growth in the new-car market.Last month, an Australian record for car sales in March, SUV deliveries were up by 15 per cent in a market that was up by 8 per cent.Honda sold more HR-Vs than Civic hatchbacks, Hyundai sold more ix35s than it did of its Accent small car, the Mitsubishi ASX outsold the Lancer, Toyota sold more RAV4s than it did Toyota Yaris hatchbacks and Nissan sold twice as many X-Trails as it did Pulsar sedans and hatches.And the pint-sized Mazda CX-3 outsold the Ford Falcon in March, even though the just-released Mazda had only been on sale for the last eight days of the month.The SUV specialist brands are cashing in. Jeep sales were up 15 per cent and Land Rover up 19 per cent last month.The SUV phenomenon has also hit the top end of town.SUVs now account for more than half of the sales for Toyota's luxury division Lexus, and its oddly-styled NX SUV was the brand's biggest selling model in March.The Porsche Cayenne and Macan SUVs each outsell the 911 sports car by more than four to one.BMW this week released a $200,000 high performance version of its 2.2 tonne BMW X5 that can outrun a Porsche 911.Even Rolls-Royce has joined the fray, planning to release an SUV within the next three years, although it refuses to use the term "SUV", preferring instead to call it a "high riding vehicle".Clearly some people still look down on SUVs.

New-car sales hit the accelerator for the second month in a row after the best March result of all time - but former Australian favourites Holden and Ford hit a wall.

One in four SUVs still lack rear view cameras – even though the technology is now standard on a $14,990 hatchback.

The Mazda CX-3 enters the fast-growing small SUV segment this month, with a $19,990 starting price that puts it below all immediate rivals.The CX-3 will bring a large range of choices for customers, with four model grades, featuring both petrol and turbodiesel engines coupled to six-speed manual or six-speed automatic automatic transmissions in either front or all-wheel drive.The $19,990 Neo - which will arrive after the rest of the range in the second quarter - kicks off the CX-3 lineup with features including rear parking sensors, engine stop/start, keyless start, the usual connectivity options, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, air conditioning, cruise control, cloth trim and 16-inch steel wheels.Standard safety features include dual front and side airbags, full length curtain airbags, traction and stability control, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution, emergency brake assist, hill start assist and emergency stop signalling. Stepping up to the $22,390 Maxx adds Mazda's MZD Connect multimedia system with 7-inch touchscreen, internet radio, satnav and six-speakers. It also includes a reversing camera, leather wrapped steering wheel and shifter, as well as 16-inch alloys. Priced from $26,990 the sTouring adds LED head and tail lights, fog lights and daytime running lights as well as automatic wipers. In the cabin it adds a heads-up display, single-zone climate control and Maztex synthetic leather trim. The sTouring rides on 18-inch alloys. At the top of the range is the $31,290 Akari. Building on the sTouring, it adds a powered sunroof, leather/Alcantara trim and auto high-beams.The Akari also includes additional safety features such as rear cross traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning.A $1030 factory-fitted safety pack adds the blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and AEB to Neo, Maxx and sTouring models.Front parking sensors are a $599 (fitted) option across the range.Cargo space is about average for the class, with 264 litres VDA available with the rear seats up, expanding to 1174 litres VDA with the seats down. These figures include an extra storage space located beneath a handy removable false-floor in the boot.The petrol engine is a version of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit from the Mazda3 and CX-5, however maximum outputs of 109kW/192Nm are down slightly for the CX-3 to bring max torque earlier at an impressive 2800rpm.Fuel efficiency for the petrol engine ranges from 6.1L/100km to 6.7L/100km depending on the drivetrain.Mazda has set a new segment benchmark with the CX-3's turbodiesel, however, with a best combined figure of 4.8L/100km.The auto-only 77kW/270Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit is available on the front-drive Maxx as well as all-wheel drive sTouring and Akari models.All trim levels, bar the Neo, are available with all-wheel drive and all front-wheel drive petrol models are available with a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed torque-converter auto adds $2000 to these models.

Mazda has confirmed new details for the brand's new CX-3 small SUV, with two new model grades, and impressive efficiency figures for the petrol and diesel lineup.The CX-3 Akari will sit atop the new baby SUV range, with the new sTouring model sitting beneath it.Mazda is yet to confirm exact specifications for the new trim levels, but we do know their MZD Connect multimedia system, i-Activesense safety technology and a heads-up display for the driver will feature, along with either 16 or 18-inch wheels.Pricing for the CX-3 is also still unknown, but it shouldn't stray far from immediate rivals like the $24,990 Honda HR-V (with standard auto) and the $22,990 Renault Captur.The front-wheel drive auto CX-3's 109kW/192Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is rated at 6.1L/100km on the combined cycle.This pips the exclusively 105kW/172Nm 1.8-litre four-cylinder Honda HR-V, which consumes between 6.6-6.9L/100km on the combined cycle with its CVT automatic.However the petrol CX-3 is still bettered by the 5.4L/100km of the 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo Renault Captur and the 5.8L/100km of the 1.6-litre four-cylinder Suzuki S-Cross 2WD auto variants.Setting a new segment benchmark is the CX-3 turbodiesel, with the 77kW/270Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder, six-speed auto drivetrain rated at 4.8L/100km combined.The Mazda CX-3 will arrive in local showrooms in late March.

Are you tired of getting stuck behind an SUV? If you can’t see through them, you may want to join them.Australia is going to be crawling with a new type of SUV from next year: city-sized soft-roaders. Or as we like to call them, faux-wheel drives.They have the same tall driving position as a full-size SUV (to better navigate the traffic rather than the great outdoors) and yet have the economy of a small car because often they don’t even have all-wheel drive. Handily, they also fit in the same size parking space as a Toyota Corolla.The Suzuki SX4 (now known as the S-Cross) in many ways pioneered this segment; Holden and Nissan followed with pocket-sized high-riding hatchbacks with unusual designs.But Mazda’s CX-3 is the first one that appears to look just right. Due in March, it will soon be joined by the Honda HR-V, Fiat 500X, Jeep Renegade, Renault Captur and the reborn Suzuki Vitara (a sign of the times, now with car-like underpinnings rather than a 4WD chassis).Most of these vehicles will be priced between $20,000 and $30,000, the heart of the new-car market — and put SUVs in the driveways of those who want one but, until now, couldn’t afford it.If you thought it was already difficult to choose a new car in the world’s most competitive market, it’s about to get even tougher.

Mazda's new CX-3 Small SUV expected to draw big sales next yearSUVs for the city are about to spread like wildfire.Japanese car maker Mazda has released its long awaited CX-3 soft-roader, the smallest SUV in its line-up -- and Australia will be crawling with them from early next year.The CX-3 is expected to fit between the top-selling Mazda3 hatch and CX-5 SUV in size and price, starting at about $25,000.It will join recently released five-seaters such as the Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport, and Suzuki S-Cross in the booming baby SUV market.The CX-3 is expected to come with a choice of super economical 2.0-litre petrol or 1.5-litre diesel power, automatic or manual transmission, and front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive.The CX-3 will also be available with automatic emergency braking and a rear-view camera on selected models in some markets; although these safety items are not yet confirmed for Australia.There is no further detail about the new model except that it has "human-centric packaging". In other words, it's designed for humans.Translated this means Mazda has positioned the front wheels further forward than usual to give the driver extra legroom and a more natural seating position.Meanwhile, the rear seat is set taller than the front so back seat passengers have a better view and are less likely to get car sick.As expected, the CX-3 adopts the latest Mazda design language with sharp creases and a pointy nose.Perhaps torturing the design language, however, Mazda's media blurb says: "The front grille stacks seven fins with silver-painted front edges to create an expression of concentrated energy that flows horizontally. The signature wing is stout and three-dimensional. It forms the starting point for a powerful sense of speed that flows across the entire body."In other words: "we designed it to look fun and sporty".

Mazda's new baby SUV to be revealed at Los Angeles motor show in November.Mazda has confirmed that the long-awaited CX-3 small SUV will make its production debut at the Los Angeles motor show next month.The CX-3 is expected to be based on the new Mazda2's platform, and sit beneath the CX-5 in Mazda's SUV lineup to rival the likes of the Holden Trax, Nissan Juke, Ford EcoSport and the upcoming Renault Captur and Honda HR-V.Teased in a single teaser image for now, the CX-3 looks to evolve the Kodo design of Mazda's existing passenger car lineup, with a more shapely beltline and an aggressive headlight treatment that could resemble the recently unveiled fourth-generation MX-5.Other details will have to wait until the official unveiling on November 19, but we do know the CX-3 will join its big brother CX-5 and the Mazda2, 3 and 6 in having the full range of Skyactiv fuel-efficiency and chassis technology.Exact timing for the CX-3's local arrival is also yet to be confirmed, but the new model will hit Australian showrooms before 2016.

While Holden and Ford sales have been in steady decline over the past decade Mazda has steadily climbed and in 2012 the Japanese car maker overtook Ford as the third highest seller behind Toyota and Holden.An indication of the dramatic swing is that in 2004 Holden sold around 178,000 vehicles compared with 55,000 Mazdas. As of November 2013 the gap had closed to just over 8000 with Holden down to 103,000 and Mazda up to 95,000.The number 3 is most significant because the Mazda3 makes up around 40 per cent of Mazda’s total Australian sales despite the imminent arrival of an all-new model. The company’s other star performer is the CX-5 which is now Australia’s top seller across all segments of the highly-competitive SUV market segment.Mazda’s 2013 performance is all the more impressive because it has been a relatively quiet year with no new model releases and only the addition of some new variants to the CX-5 and BT-50 range.Australia is one of Mazda’s most important markets and this was recognised when the Japanese head office chose Melbourne as the first of five major cities to reveal the upcoming, third generation, Mazda3 with Istanbul, St Petersburg, London and New York following as the earth moved around the sun.The next three years will be busier with five new models set to arrive here spearheaded by the all-new Mazda3 in January 2014. Also due for new generation models between 2014 and 2016 are the Mazda2, MX-5 and CX-9. Mazda won’t be specific on the fifth new model but given its success in the SUV field and the trend towards sub-compacts a CX-3 is the strong favourite. Based on the Mazda2 platform it would join recent releases such as Holden Trax, Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Ford EcoSport.Each of these upcoming models will continue the roll-out of Mazda’s ground-breaking SkyActiv technology that covers all aspect of vehicle design including engines, transmissions, brakes, body structure and chassis designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions by between 20 and 30 per cent.