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Big End of Small Town – Mazda CX-3 v Toyota CH-R Comparison Test

No question, the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota CH-R are big players in a small sandpit. These Japanese heavyweight brands each have a primed product and the marketing muscle to mount an assailable sales attack on the small SUV segment in Australia. For two


No question, the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota CH-R are big players in a small sandpit.

These Japanese heavyweight brands each have a primed product and the marketing muscle to mount an assailable sales attack on the small SUV segment in Australia.

For two years the CX-3 has pushed others aside, its volume continuing to rise while 12-plus classmates have fallen and only three others have gained ground this year.

The top-selling Mazda is overdue for real competition, then, and it comes in the form of this plucky Toyota that matches its rival’s petrol-engined front- and all-wheel drive range, almost entirely mirrors its pricing, adds on-paper specification and technology, and thrusts forward with sharp styling. Oh, and it wears the ‘big T’ badge on its snout.

Sorry, other small SUV classmates – there is a new big boss in the kids’ playground.

TESTED

Mazda CX-3 Akari AWD ($35,290 plus on-road costs)

  • 109kW/192Nm 2.0-litre petrol 4cyl | 6sp automatic
  • Fuel use claimed: 6.7l/100km | tested: 8.6l/100km

Toyota CH-R Koba AWD ($35,290 plus on-road costs)

  • 85kW/185Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol 4cyl | automatic CVT
  • Fuel use claimed: 6.5l/100km | tested: 8.3l/100km

OVERVIEW

Toyota has no answer to the $19,990 (plus on-road costs) Neo or even the $22,390 (plus orc) Maxx that make up 80 per cent of CX-3 sales, according to Mazda. Conversely, with the CH-R, its maker reckons $27K-plus is where the sales action is.

The $26,990 (plus orc) CH-R six-speed manual is therefore the same price as the CX-3 sTouring. The $28,990 (plus orc) automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT) is the same price as its rival’s optional six-speed auto. And optioning all-wheel drive (AWD) instead of front-wheel drive adds a further $2000 … to both, of course.

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