Mazda CX-3 Akari 2017 Review

Drive programs for SUVs frequently take journalists to exotic locations up the side of a mountain or wading through a river in a tropical rain forest.

But Mazda, acknowledging that the natural environment for its small CX-3 SUV is commuter country, mapped out a route through Melbourne's rapidly growing suburbs in the north west for the local launch of the updated model.

There was enough coarse-chip bitumen around to demonstrate that the manufacturer has made some in-roads, so to speak, lowering the volume of tyre noise in the revised CX-3. That, in this context, was the major KPA for the small SUV. If Mazda cops it in the neck for any criticism at all, it's usually road noise.

But the added insulation throughout the CX-3 has done the trick, it seems. The cabin was noticeably quiet, even by the standards of other brands, let alone Mazda's own products sold here in the past. Without an earlier CX-3 on hand to compare road noise it's difficult to quantify how much quieter the new car is.

Not only were the tyres quieter, so was the diesel engine – one of the two powerplants sampled in the high-grade CX-3 Akari model with all-wheel drive.

Diesel is a decent drive
As the most expensive model in the CX-3 range, the 1.5-litre diesel variant was conspicuously noisier when the engine was under load, but it was also quieter than some larger-displacement diesels in cars costing considerably more than the CX-3. Mazda has tweaked the diesel with the same Natural Sound Smoother recently introduced in the Mazda6.

While the Mazda diesel was a hard-working unit, it nonetheless felt very much like the smaller-displacement diesel it was in the way it delivered its power – a little peakier than engines of 2.0-litre capacity or higher. Despite that, few owners will feel it lacks torque or its performance is underwhelming. The diesel CX-3 Akari is arguably the best variant for open-road touring, but only three per cent of CX-3 buyers opt for the diesel, according to Mazda.

We can't understand why, because it's a gem, and doesn't cost that much more than the petrol counterparts. Maybe it reflects the short-trip regime to which most CX-3s are subjected, rather than any inherent problem with the car or its pricing.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine felt livelier than we recall of the same engine in the Mazda3. It produced unexpected power and torque, also pairing nicely with the six-speed automatic transmission for safe overtaking on various occasions, undoubtedly contributing to the car’s fuel consumption of 8.9L/100km in a mix of urban and country driving over a length of around 85km. While the engine was a little thrashy higher in the rev range, it was refined and subdued when cruising.

Both engines were paired with six-speed automatic transmissions, which are standard in the Akari level of trim. Shift points changed when the CX-3 was set to Sport mode, and the shift quality was quicker and slightly more aggressive in that mode, but still smooth enough for 95 per cent of the population. In normal mode the transmission was prone to slur the changes more.

While the ride was moderately firm over uneven bitumen on country roads, the secondary-level ride comfort – over smaller irregularities – was fine. The steering felt light, but the CX-3 handled neatly and cornered with plenty of grip in reserve on the dry roads.

There wasn't a lot of opportunity to assess the CX-3's cornering dynamics, but it did track through corners neatly and with little sign of waywardness, even with power applied in tighter going. This would be a combination of both cars' all-wheel drive, the changes to the steering and suspension, plus the addition of G-Vectoring Control.

Zoom-zoom with a view
The driving position was generally fine, and the simplified tachometer (fewer calibrations) and standardised control location and operation were welcome, but the conventional handbrake lever is placed closer to the passenger than the driver. At times the indicators were too quiet.

Mazda’s obsession with simplifying the dash is a good thing, for the most part, but where other brands have a toggle switch to raise or lower the line of sight to the head-up display in the CX-3 Akari tested, Mazda insist that the adjustment be made through the infotainment system, which can take time, although users will rarely have to readjust it, presumably.

I found the seats were reasonably well shaped, but not especially comfortable in the cushioning.

Rear accommodation is tight for adults, but kids up to early teenage years should find headroom and kneeroom more than adequate. The CX-3, despite its light-hatch platform, offers roominess inside roughly approximating small passenger cars of a decade ago. Being an SUV, it’s easier to enter and leave, however.

Rear lacks adjustable vents for the kids, even in the range-topping Akari variant, but the CX-3 is not alone among its rivals in this.

Doors and tailgate closed solidly, but weren’t heavy, making the CX-3 ideal for the target buyer.

A space-saver spare resides under the two-tier boot floor. The boot itself is deep, flexible and practical, with a secondary floor that can conceal smaller items from prying eyes – or just keep those items separate from bulkier items.

But the boot is not large in volume, overall. Mazda can't address the CX-3's light-car luggage capacity with an update. It needs a new model with different hard points to bring boot space up to anything like the same level as Honda's HR-V – 264 litres for CX-3, versus 437 litres for the HR-V. That said, the CX-3's boot is useful up to a point. For many families, a car like the CX-3 doesn't need to be big enough inside to compete with medium SUVs. It's a compact family car for the inner suburbs as much as open-road touring.

As you'll read elsewhere, the CX-3 delivers a number of important new safety features across the range. Since the corporate communications and events staff at Mazda – or any car company for that matter – would prefer we don't actually test features like autonomous emergency braking on public roads, we shall take it on faith that the system works.

With all the extra safety gear on board, plus the fact that the CX-3 was already a winner before the update, it's little wonder it is the most popular product in its segment.

2017 Mazda CX-3 Akari petrol AWD pricing and specifications:
Price: $35,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 109kW/192Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.7L/100km (NEDC Combined)
CO2: 160g/km (NEDC Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

2017 Mazda CX-3 Akari diesel AWD pricing and specifications:
Price: $37,890 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 77kW/270Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 5.1L/100km (NEDC Combined)
CO2: 134g/km (NEDC Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)

Related reading:
>> Simpson by soft-roader
>> Mazda CX-3 Diesel 2015 Review
>> Mazda CX-3 Maxx 2015: Video Review