2020 Mazda CX-3 Review

　　

2020 Mazda CX-3 Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　If popular small SUVs such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 are too big or expensive, going with an extra-small SUV can be a great way to downsize. The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is a solid choice in that class. In particular, it sets itself apart from the rest with attractive styling, sporty driving manners, respectable fuel economy figures, and a long list of features.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2020 Mazda CX-3 Sport 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$122/mo  for CX-3 Sport

　　CX-3 Sport

　　Sport 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A) (Most Popular) - $20,640 MSRPSport 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A) - $22,040 MSRP

　　vs

　　$166/mo

　　Avg. Compact SUV

　　For 2020, the CX-3 is only available in a singular Sport trim as opposed to last year's four choices. With this one model, you get plenty of advanced safety features as well as a few driver assistants. Still, the CX-3 has some inherent drawbacks, such as a below-average cargo space and tight rear seating. As much as we like the CX-3, we suggest cross-shopping it against the top-rated Hyundai Kona, the roomier Honda HR-V or the Kia Soul.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the CX-3 drive? Power is more than adequate for typical city driving, and the CX-3 has no issues merging with highway traffic. But once up to speed, passing on the highway, or even maintaining speed on longer uphill grades, requires near maximum throttle.

　　Despite the lack of power, the CX-3 remains one of the better cars to drive in the class. The CX-3's steering makes it easy to guide through fast, flowing turns. But the tires howl even at very modest cornering speeds, putting a damper on how much fun you can have on a deserted winding road.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the CX-3? The Mazda really distinguishes itself in the class thanks to its firm but compliant suspension. Body control is excellent for the class, and everything from speed bumps to high-speed highway dips are dispatched beautifully. Likewise, broken pavement doesn't really faze the Mazda.

　　Most people will find the front seats of the CX-3 agreeable and comfortable, though the seats come up a bit short on thigh and back support for larger-framed folks. Imperfect roads introduce a fair amount of road noise into the cabin. But that pales next to the noise the engine makes under hard acceleration.

　　

Interior

8.5/10

　　How’s the interior? A clean and minimalistic approach puts all controls within the driver's reach. The center display has touchscreen ability, and it's also controllable by an easy-to-use knob near the shifter. The screen thankfully doesn't wash out in sunlight. Thanks to a low hood and thin roof pillars, visibility is generous when you're looking forward. Rear visibility is adequate.

　　Front passengers enjoy a relatively spacious interior with ample shoulder and legroom as well as room around the driver's hands. Adults seated in the rear have fairly tight legroom, especially if the front passengers are tall. But children should have enough room back there.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? The CX-3 is at or near the top of the class with its intuitive and flexible infotainment interface, along with driver assistance niceties such as traffic-adaptive cruise control. There's no native navigation system, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment. With better integration with your phone and more natural voice control, we prefer these alternatives to the navigation systems in other Mazdas anyway.

　　

Storage

6.5/10

　　How’s the storage? Cargo space behind the rear seats is a bit on the tight side, even for this class of vehicle. That said, folding the rear seats from the cargo area is easy to do as the latch on the seatback is within arm's length. The rear seats don't fold completely flat but still go quite low.

　　Front passengers get bins in the center console that can double as cupholders, but not as very good ones — cans and bottles rattle about constantly. There's a tray for cellphone storage, but it's frustratingly small for the latest phones.

　　As for child duty, the CX-3's rear car-seat anchors are visible and easy to access. You'll need to slide the front seats forward a bit to fit a rear-facing safety seat, but access through the rear doors is good for installation and removal.

　　

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the front-wheel-drive CX-3 will get 31 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is on par with competitors from Honda and Hyundai. With all-wheel drive, that number drops to 29 mpg. On our 115-mile mixed driving evaluation route, our front-wheel-drive CX-3 test vehicle returned 31 mpg.

　　

Value

8.0/10

　　Is the CX-3 a good value? While most small crossovers echo their subcompact car roots with swaths of hard plastic and uninspired styling, Mazda has decided that small vehicles don't have to look or feel inexpensive. It's easily the most premium-feeling vehicle in the class. Overall, the CX-3 easily justifies its cost.

　　

Which CX-3 does zzdcar recommend?

The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is now only available in the Sport trim level with no options. Essentially you only need to choose a color and decide if you want all-wheel drive.

　　

2020 Mazda CX-3 models

The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is a subcompact SUV that is offered in a single Sport trim level.

　　The CX-3 Sport feature highlights include:

　　148-horsepower four-cylinder engine Six-speed automatic transmission Adaptive headlights that aim the light through turns Automatic climate controlIt also comes with technology features such as:

　　A 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration Forward collision mitigation that automatically hits the brakes if you don't react in time A blind-spot monitor to let you know if a vehicle is lurking off to the side Lane departure warning to keep you from drifting out of your lane Adaptive cruise control that reduces the some of the burdens of driving

　　

2020 CX-3 Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$20,640
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$122/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles