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You'd think that the Mazda CX 3 is a slightly taller Mazda 3, and you'd be wrong. But you know who didn't make a mistake in return? Mazda, because they launched this cash car. 

Built on the Mazda 2 platform, the Mazda CX 3 was an instant success. Perhaps one reason was that people thought that the Mazda CX 3 was a slightly taller, slightly more aggresive looking Mazda 3. And nothing wrong with that really, as the T-Roc is a slightly taller, slightly more aggresive looking Polo, the Captur is a slightly taller, slightly more aggresive looking Clio and Drumcode Radio is an slightly taller, slightly more aggresive sounding Last.fm. So naturally you'd think that the Mazda CX 3 is a was a slightly taller, slightly more aggresive looking Mazda 3 Mazda 3. But it's not, because we're in the Mazda world and things here don't necessarily have to be logic.

So the first less than logical thing is that the space inside is comparable to the Mazda 2, not Mazda 3. The second thing is that... actually you don't really have the second thing, because this is where the good things start.

First of all, the Mazda CX 3 looks good and is a compact cross-over, so that even the physically weakest girl can drive something like this. And if the compact cross-over is covered with protective plastic on all the car's edges, now that girl can drive with confidence and she can park without closing her eyes that she will hit the curb. And even if she will, she'll just scratch the plastics.

What is most interesting instead is that the Mazda CX 3 came optionally with an all-wheel drive system, being the only car in its class that offered such a thing untill the Yaris Cross arrived. Why would you go for a 4×4 system on a Mazda 2? I don't know. Anyway, it's a system that only helps you in the snow, and if you're browsing the ads for cross-over Mazda 2, it means that you live somewhere in the city, where realistically you only have 4-5 days of snow around the city and where you do actually need the 4x4, you'll never go in that sort of places. But it's good to know that you had this option.

Mazda CX 3 Engines

Petrol

• 1.5 SkyActiv-G of 114 horsepower - Honestly, you don't even need more for the Mazda CX 3. The idea is that if you want to keep the price at a civilized level and in line with the car segment, the 1.5 petrol engine, manual gearbox and front wheel drive should be all you configure. Plus I don't think you need that 4×4 system.


• 2.0 SkyActiv-G of 120 horsepower - Of course, everyone talks about this engine, as if it were a fusion of Sofia Boutella and Nicole Moudaber. Indeed, it's a good, reliable, economical engine, but when you put it on the Mazda CX 3, it ends up costing so much that you'd rather look at a CX 5 instead. 

Diesel

1.5 SkyActiv-D of 105 horsepower – Nope. Besides the fact that it has the same fautly injectors and the particulate filter clogs just as daily as the older 2.2 brother, the engine is rarer than the moments when fuel prices drop.

Mazda CX 3 Reliability Issues

• Since it's basically a Mazda 2 with a wig, it share the same air conditioning issues, and especially the compressors keep on failing. You could say it's a cool car, but only in terms of appearance, because inside you'll sit like in a crowded bus. Or like in a club, barricaded by girls.


• I continue with the idea that the Mazda CX 3 is more cramped inside than it seems, and I'm going to take the boot as an example, which is a bigger joke than my sex life. Or a smaller joke? I'm lost here. Anyway, you can only fit a Lone CD in the boot so take this into consideration.


• The paint is exfoliated with one fourth moisturizing cream, just like the rest of the cars in the Mazda range, from the Mazda 2 to the CX 5. Which means that it will also peel off as easily as a slight breeze, especially if it's the Mazda specific cherry color paint.

Mazda CX 3 Verdict

The Mazda CX 3 was clearly a success, a success far beyond the Mazda 2 on which it is based. The question is the following. All the SUV hysteria started in the 90s with the Mercedes ML, in Europe atleast because in the US it started with the Cherokee XJ all the way back in 1984. Then in 2005 we decided that we could go one step smaller, and so we flocked to the BMW X3, Audi Q5, Toyota Rav4 and so on. Then we thought that a Q5 was too big, and we switched to the Tiguan, which was a slightly taller Golf. And the Mazda CX 3 took another small step and now people are interested in buying even something like that, just like the Captur caught on with the public. What's next, Toyota Aygo Cross? oh wait… In any case, the petrol Mazda CX 3 is an excellent car, even if it is slightly expensive for what it offers.

Which engines do I recommend? 1.5 SkyActiv-G petrol, front wheel drive and manual gearbox. And nothing else mattress.