Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP 2024 Review

Mazda hasn’t exactly employed cost-cutting methods to secure the CX-3’s market success. Offering the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP at $34,450 before on-road costs is proof of that.

This places the Touring SP near the top of the CX-3 pecking order. Pre-ORC pricing for the rest of the range starts at $26,950 for the G20 Sport, extending to $38,770 G20 Akari. Pure and Evolve trim levels sit below the Touring SP.

Opting for a Korean rival means you can buy the highest model grade for less outlay with the $29,250 Hyundai Venue Elite or $30,790 Kia Stonic GT-Line. However, the hybrid-only Toyota Yaris Cross GR Sport and Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Style are more expensive at $36,930 and $39,990 (driveaway) respectively.

The entire range received a revamp and culling in 2023. The 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP tested here was added at the same time, essentially replacing the sTouring but with extra kit.

The G20 Touring SP’s standard equipment includes cosmetic and practical upgrades such as gloss-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a black grille and roof, black suede/leather seat trim, a 10-way power adjusted driver’s seat complete with two-position memory, heated front cushions, shift paddles and an electrochromatic rear-view mirror.

The Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP’s warranty covers five years and unlimited kilometres, while there’s a generous five-year premium roadside-assist program.

Regular servicing comes at 12-month or 15,000km intervals for up to seven years or 105,000km and will, according to Mazda, cost $3069 over that period.

Despite its age, the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP benefits from the gradual addition of features through its lifespan with a comprehensive list of active safety.

The Autonomous emergency braking system (low-speed only but active in reverse as well as forward gears) is accompanied by blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, driver-attention detection front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera, road-sign recognition and tyre-pressure monitoring.

The Touring SP variant also comes with a head-up display using a dedicated flip-up screen atop the instrument binnacle directly in front of the driver. The Touring SP’s adaptive cruise control is enhanced with the addition of stop-and-go technology to help negotiate heavy, slow-moving traffic.

The six-airbag Mazda CX-3 achieved a five-star safety rating in 2015. However, it succumbed to ANCAP’s rating cut-off point in January 2023 and is no longer rated.

Most of the mod-cons you’d expect are present in the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP.

Wireless Apple CarPlay – and wired Android Auto – are now standard across the CX-3 range. The Touring SP also features DAB+ digital radio, two USB-A points (located up front) and a six-speaker sound system.

Embedded GPS features on the rather diminutive 8.0-inch touch-screen, however, it’s worth noting that the MZD Connect infotainment system is only touch-enabled while stationary. Otherwise, it’s operated via a tactile rotating knob within the centre console, next to the electronic park brake.

Further showing its age, the CX-3 Touring SP misses out on USB-C ports, wireless smartphone charging and a completely digital instrument cluster.

Hiroshima’s persistence with naturally aspirated engines continues with the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP. Hence, the familiar 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G petrol engine continues sans forced induction, which generates pros and cons.

The CX-3 is light, both in terms of its segment designation and on the scales. The 1294kg Mazda2-based platform returns a favourable power-to-weight ratio given it’s paired with a relatively large capacity 110kW/195Nm engine.

The disadvantage is that the CX-3 Touring SP has a bit of an appetite for 91 RON fuel.

The official combined fuel-consumption figure for the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP is 6.3L/100km. However, our numbers while testing consistently came in with averages of around 7.6L/100km or more.

Kia and Volkswagen both claim 5.4L/100km for the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engines fitted to their Stonic and T-Cross models respectively. However, the Mazda’s disadvantage is slightly compensated by a marginally larger 48-litre fuel tank.

You might not expect it from a light SUV, but the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP is endowed with a certain level of ‘Zoom Zoom’ the Japanese marque is famous for.

Acceleration is swift enough with the four-cylinder engine coupling well with the in-house six-speed automatic transmission. The torque-converter-equipped unit shifts cleanly, but there are no steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. Instead, you can opt for a manual mode (which is operated with the gear lever) or flick it into Sport mode.

The steering is relatively quick, well-weighted and predictable. The ride quality isn’t bad either despite the relatively short wheelbase and sizeable 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/50 tyres.

There’s a tangible liveliness to the overall driving experience. And that combined with the Skyactiv-G engine makes for a pretty neat little driver’s SUV.

A shortcoming worth noting is that although the six-speed auto is generally intuitive, there’s a bit more gear-shuffling required to maintain speed on steep highway inclines than you would necessarily like.

The 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP’s slick and classy interior effectively upholds the Mazda ethos despite its origins harking back to 2015.

The black leather seat trim with ‘Grand Luxe’ synthetic suede sets the stage nicely with some visible stitchwork evident. There’s also a bit of soft-touch padding to be found and the driver gets not just 10-way power seat adjustment, but also the convenience of two-position memory settings. Both heated front seats are comfortable and supportive, too.

Yet, there’s a caveat. While the cabin is comfortable and quite spacious up front, the CX-3 Touring SP isn’t as user-friendly in the back where legroom is cramped for tall occupants. And there are no rear air vents, an issue that’s seemingly ubiquitous in most light SUVs.

The part-analogue, part-digital dash display covers the main instruments sufficiently, but the graphics used throughout the cabin are also looking a bit dated.

The boot is small and measures just 264 litres (expanding to 1174 litres with the rear seats folded), but it does offer a removable second floor providing space to hide valuables and the space-saver spare.

All-round vision from the driver’s seat gains a pass mark, helped by small windows in the C-pillars.

There’s an endearing quality to the 2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP that makes it easy to understand its popularity.

There’s nothing ‘cheap and cheerful’ about the Touring SP despite its age. However, you have to consider its higher-than-average fuel consumption and the fact you’d never describe the cabin as capacious.

Yet overall, the Touring SP balances sportier styling with all the attributes that have made this light SUV the contender to beat in its segment. In this spec, the Mazda CX-3 remains a compelling package with a touch of class.

2024 Mazda CX-3 G20 Touring SP at a glance:
Price: $34,300 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 110kW/195Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 146g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP Year 2015)

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