- Handsomely sculpted
- Supremely sporty
- Good fuel economy
- Harsh, near-jarring ride
- Cramped, loud cabin
Crossovers, as the name clearly implies, are mash-ups of a car and an SUV. On paper, the thought of combining the two designs might seem like a good idea, but rarely does it actually equate to something that looks or performs half decently in the real world. Just take a look at the Toyota C-HR. Yikes. Luckily, this isn’t an issue the 2019 Mazda CX-3 suffers from. The Japanese firm’s subcompact competitor is striking, barely missing out on being gorgeous, and is quite the performer.
With its subcompact size, the CX-3 is essentially a slightly taller and wider version of the last-generation Mazda3. In addition to being ever so slightly bigger than the Mazda3, the CX-3 crucially offers all-wheel drive. The CX-3 isn’t a trendsetter, competing against the likes of the Hyundai Kona, Kia Niro, Honda HR-V, and Nissan Kicks.
Just like other Mazda models, the CX-3 is available in Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trims. With front-wheel drive, the CX-3 Sport starts at $21,435 (including destination). All-wheel drive (AWD) is available throughout the entire lineup and adds $1,400 to the CX-3’s bottom line. Our test vehicle was a Grand Touring trim with AWD. With the incredible soul red crystal paint, a few dealer-installed accessories, and the Premium Package ($710), which adds niceties like an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a heated steering wheel, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and traffic sign recognition, our tester came out to $29,695.
Interior and exterior design
Of course Mazda would get the proportions and lines of its baby crossover just right. The CX-3 shares many of its flowing lines with the outgoing Mazda3, which is just another way of saying it’s a handsome machine. The soul red crystal paint scheme may cost an extra $595, but it’s a splendid color, and we like how it contrasts with the black body cladding. In pictures, the CX-3 comes off as being a larger vehicle than it really is in person. In the flesh, it’s a curvy little thing that’s the perfect size.
Once again, there are no surprises with the CX-3’s interior. The automaker’s simplistic yet upscale and refined cabin is a breath of fresh air as rivals move toward more cluttered designs. Everything is clearly labeled and positioned where you expect to find it. If you reach to turn up the heat, there’s a low chance of you missing the dial and accidentally landing on the one to get the air to blow on your face. Leather-trimmed sport seats are standard on the top two trims and really boost the CX-3’s upscale feel. The circular air vents and faux suede dashboard are a nice touch as well.
Putting it politely, the CX-3 is well behind its competitors in terms of interior space.
While fit and finish are excellent, and material quality is well above what one would expect in a vehicle at this price point, the CX-3 feels claustrophobic on the inside. Its dramatic roofline severely eats into overall passenger space. The issue isn’t too bad in the front, because the passengers sit incredibly low, but it’s a different story out back. The rear seats offer just 37.2 inches of headroom, and only 35 inches of legroom. In other words, get behind someone of average height and your knees will rub against the front seat.
The most egregious issue with the CX-3 is its puny trunk. The model offers only 12.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, and it trails its competitors in terms of interior space. Overall passenger volume for the CX-3 checks in at 87.6 cubic feet. That’s well behind the Honda HR-V (110.1 cubic feet) and the Hyundai Kona (94.1 cubic feet). Cargo space is down in the CX-3, as well, as the HR-V can hold 23.2 cubic feet behind the rear seats, while the Kona has 19.2 cubic feet of space.
Tech features
Technology is one of the CX-3’s strong points, though it doesn’t offer a comprehensive suite of advanced safety features like Toyota’s C-HR. The base Sport trim comes with a government-mandated rearview camera, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, and Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support system as standard. Optional features on the Sport include lane departure warning, advanced Smarty City Brake Support with pedestrian detection, a head-up display, and adaptive cruise control with stop and go. All of these features are standard on the range-topping Grand Touring trim.
The little gem in the CX-3 isn’t its technology, it’s how easy the tech is to use. Every CX-3 comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen that’s tacked on top of the dashboard. Mazda places the controls for the infotainment system directly behind the shift knob, which is a fantastic location because your hand naturally gravitates there. Hard buttons are included for music, home, and navigation functions, while a rotary dial lets the front passengers scroll through the infotainment system’s menus. It’s a good thing the CX-3’s infotainment system is simple to use, because Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still missing. Both features are available in many of its competitors, including the Kona.
While the 7.0-inch touchscreen is a good size, the head-up display, while nice, provides an overwhelming amount of information on a tiny screen. It’s in charge of providing the car’s speed, lane departure warnings, information about the cruise control settings, turn-by-turn guidance, and blind spot monitoring warnings. That’s a lot of information packed into a tiny rectangle, and it becomes difficult to sort through what all of the symbols means.
Mazda’s lane departure warning system deserves a mention. Instead of sounding an audible alert or sending vibrations through the steering wheel when the CX-3 drifts out of its lane, the software emits an alien-like sound through the speakers to warn the driver. It’s horrifying at first, and you’ll think something’s broken, but once you get used to it, it’s a much nicer form of feedback.
