Best used small SUV for 2024

The Mazda CX-3 Akari has repeated its win from last year in the small SUV category of carsales’ Best Used Cars for 2024, proudly presented by Bingle.

It’s just the second consecutive year in the limelight for the CX-3. Although the CX-3 was outsold in its VFACTS segment by the Mitsubishi ASX in 2018, there’s no doubt the Mazda was generally superior.

Quite apart from the CX-3’s visual appeal, it was more fuel-efficient than the ASX, and delivered similar performance in a slightly more compact footprint. There was the added driving enjoyment on offer too.

The Mazda has held its value well over the years and the higher-grade grades like the range-topping Akera came with leather trim and the sort of modern active safety features buyers would expect in a new car, not one that’s six years old.

While the ASX remains a good second car for the family, the CX-3 is the sort of machine that young singles would likely prefer to buy.

In 2018, the CX-3 flagship cost $39,190. That was a lot at the time for such a small vehicle and the bad news for buyers in the used-car market in 2024 is that the diesel-powered CX-3 Akera will still cost around the $27,200 mark, according to RedBook. That’s if you can find one.

Last year, we observed that the CX-3 Akari diesel in the used market was a rarity, because Mazda didn’t sell that many when they were new. That situation is unchanged for the 2018 model in 2024. Of the 91 CX-3 listings on carsales.com.au at the time of writing, only two are diesels and only one of those is a CX-3 Akari.

While the diesel CX-3 is a very effective machine in its own right, be aware that it won’t deliver the fuel-efficiency benefits drivers will expect from a diesel in short-hop, stop-start motoring.

The 2018 Mazda CX-3 Akari diesel AWD was rated by RedBook at 39.3 points, which was slightly less than a couple of other finalists in its segment, but the CX-3 ‘zoom-zoomed’ its way ahead of those rivals with a judges’ score of 46 points, for a total of 85.3 out of 100.

Mazda introduced an upgraded CX-3 in 2018, when carsales reviewer Feann Torr acknowledged that the model’s then-new five-year warranty and interior improvements were attractive, but it was the CX-3’s combination of touring ability and ride/handling balance that really caught his attention.

“The CX-3 is a good open-road cruiser but the recalibrated suspension doesn’t take away the Mazda CX-3’s spirited feeling either. Thrown into a handful of corners, the baby Mazda SUV felt surprisingly agile and satisfying. You can have fun in this car, for sure,” he said.

Here’s what one of our judges thinks of the 2018 Mazda CX-3 in 2024:

There are so many choices to be had in today’s small SUV segment, but for buyers seeking a six-year-old model that offers benchmark practicality, durability, comfort, safety and driving appeal, it’s hard to look past the Mazda CX-3, a deserving winner in its category of the 2024 carsales Best Used Car Awards, proudly presented by Bingle.

The Toyota C-HR Koba scored 39.5 points from RedBook and 37 points from the judges for a total of 76.5.
RedBook value: $25,950

The Subaru XV 2.0i-S scored 39.1 points from RedBook and 36.0 points from the judges for a total of 75.1.
RedBook value: $25,700

What makes a car eligible for carsales Best Used Cars awards?
• Less than six years old
• Standard side-curtain airbags
• Standard Bluetooth
• Standard electronic stability control (mandated for Nov 2013)
• Standard reversing camera for SUVs

How did RedBook weight the categories for scoring?
• 10 per cent for resale
• 10 per cent for ANCAP rating
• 20 per cent for cost of ownership
• Five per cent for service intervals
• Five per cent for number of days for vehicle to sell