Mazda CX-3 Activ AWD

MANILA, Philippines -  It’s hard to believe that just four years ago, the subcompact sport utility vehicle segment didn’t even exist yet. Then a little over three years ago, Ford unveiled the EcoSport. Starting at an astoundingly low sub-P800,000 price, the EcoSport created a whole new genre—the sub-1-million-peso crossover category.

I call it the true crossover segment, as they’re more closely related to their subcompact sedan or hatchback siblings (the Fiesta in the case of the EcoSport) and they’re mostly front-wheel drive only. So much for going off-road..

But that price-leading EcoSport spawned a whole host of similar FWD-only subcompacts in the Mazda CX-3, Nissan Juke, Honda HR-V and BR-V, Chevrolet Trax, Ssangyong Tivoli, and the recently launched Suzuki Vitara. All but the CX-3 and HR-V start below one million (although only the smallest-of-them-all EcoSport can lay claim to a sub-P800,000 entry price).

Which leaves the all-wheel-drive CX-3 and Subaru XV and the front-wheel-drive HR-V as the standouts as they are priced closer to the bigger compact SUV’s (Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV 4, Nissan X-Trail, etc.) than the subcompact FWD crossovers.

The Mazda CX-3’s price? A cool P1,480,000. Of course, that’s for the heavily loaded top-of-the-line CX-3 Activ AWD variant. (The CX-3 range starts at P1,280,000.)    

I know what you’re thinking: At just under P1.5 million, the flagship CX-3 is knocking on the doors of entry-level Toyota Fortuners, Mitsubishi Montero Sports, and Ford Everests—big seven-seater diesel-powered true SUV’s.

Well the CX-3 flagship’s price might be uncomfortably close to those behemoths’, but Mazda believes a CX-3 buyer will not be distracted by those leviathans. It’s more for people who want a cute and sexy small sport ute that’s as easy as—or even easier—to drive than a Toyota Vios (which is six inches longer than a CX-3) but has the typical crossover virtues of high visibility, generous ground clearance, and confidence-inspiring water-wading depth. Add to that high-end features like leather-and-suede interior, LED headlights with daytime running lights (DRL’s), dual exhausts, big 18-inch alloy wheels with sport tires, a Bose sound system (with MP3/Aux/USB connectivity) with a seven-inch touchscreen, and you’ve got one very appealing crossover with exclusivity and even luxury thrown into the mix.

And I haven’t even said that the CX-3 has arguably one of the best-looking exterior designs on the road—bar none.      

Smooth, fuel-efficient power comes from Mazda’s 148ps/192Nm Skyactiv-G petrol 2.0-liter inline-4 with i-STOP. This spirited powerplant is mated to a six-speed Skyactiv automatic with manumatic mode.

Typical lively Mazda handling surprisingly comes from a very traditional and basic MacPherson strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension. It’s Mazda’s tuning that makes the difference. Responsive handling (and handsome looks) come from the generously sized 215/50R-18 tires and alloy wheels. Impressively, the entertaining handling does not come at the cost of a harsh or choppy ride, despite the sporty suspension tuning and the shortish 2,570mm wheelbase, which is less than an inch longer than a Toyota Vios’. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is standard. Braking is solid, thanks to four-wheel discs with ABS and EBD.    

Neither does that wheelbase (and the mechanical hardware required to deliver drive torque to the rear wheels) exact a penalty in interior space. It may not be class-leading but the CX-3 does have more than enough space for four—five at a pinch. The rear cargo area is also enough to swallow a couple of bikes or weekend gear for four (but not at the same time).

It’s becoming a veritable asphalt jungle out there for small crossovers. And Mazda knows just how to be the king of that jungle with the CX-3. Truth be told, it’s perhaps the Japanese equivalent of the German subcompact SUV’s that are now being introduced left and right. Audi Q2 and Q3, BMW X1 and X3, Mercedes-Benz GLA-class—P2.5- to P3-million-plus luxury crossovers that are about as diminutive as the similarly equipped Mazda CX-3.  

That’s probably the best way to rationalize the purchase of a Mazda CX-3. The glass is half-full, alright.