Mazda CX-3 Review: 2015 Maxx 2WD Manual Petrol
What’s Hot: Punchy engine, great gearshift and killer looks.
What’s Not: Compact boot, no centre armrest, tiny tacho.
X-FACTOR: If the looks don’t do it for you, the build quality and road manners will.
Vehicle Style: Compact SUV
Price: $22,390 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 109kW/192Nm 4cyl petrol | 6spd manual
Fuel Economy claimed: 6.3 l/100km | tested: 7.2 l/100km
OVERVIEW
Mazda's new CX-3 is a newcomer to the small SUV class. But instead of just dipping a toe into the water, Mazda has plunged in with an extensive range of CX-3 petrol and diesel models, two and all-wheel-drive, manual and automatic transmissions.
And here it is - no lengthy teaser campaigns, and no endless parade of concepts. Instead, after wowing audiences at November’s LA Auto Show last year, the car landed - ready to roll - in Aussie Mazda showrooms at the end of March.
And, confident it has a winner on its hands with this sharp new entrant to the sector, Mazda has also made sure it had its dealers well-stocked.
It certainly looks the part, and we loved it at launch.
But is there more to the CX-3 and can it get by on killer looks alone? The rest of Mazda’s range offers polished dynamics and decent interior amenities; fitting those brand hallmarks into a compact SUV is no mean feat.
We’ve good things to report though, Mazda’s first attempt at a compact SUV is every bit as polished as its well-resolved style suggests.
Until stocks of the entry-level Neo model arrive, the Maxx tested here, with a six speed manual and front-wheel-drive, is the cheapest way into the CX-3 range.
THE INTERIOR | RATING: 4/5