The 2019 Mazda CX-3 follows the innovative tradition of Mazda by providing a sporty driving experience, a quality, well furnished interior all while maximizing the overall value for money. The 2019 CX-3 also follows the Mazda design principle of being compact while still being comparable with the larger more expensive vehicles. Compared to the 2018 version, the 2019 CX-3 includes some optional features becoming standard and the addition of a few new features as well. Individually these are small changes, but in all adding up to a significant upgrade!
2019 Mazda CX-3 GS Blue Exterior
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT White Exterior
SLEEK EXTERIOR
The sporty exteriors Mazda has come to be known for, is clearly visible in the design of the 2019 Mazda CX-3. The signature flat-faced Mazda grille with chrome wings protruding into the headlights is proudly on display as the showpiece of the front end. Complimenting the grille are the sleek headlights and fog lights, hood accent lines and the protruding fenders giving off an aggressive look with a wide and planted stance.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT White Exterior Side View
2019 Mazda CX-3 GS Blue Exterior Side View
The side view of the 2019 CX-3 truly showcases the pleasing shape with great overall proportions, a sloped roofline and a sporty shape to the windows that run the full length of the vehicle. The rear end ties it all together with dual exhaust, sleek and pronounced red tail lights and a shark fin antenna. The proportions are nicely balanced making the CX-3 look great from every angle and overall, the exterior showcases a sleeker more compact and miniaturized version of the CX-5 and the CX-9.
EFFICIENT INTERIOR
The interiors of the 2019 Mazda CX-3 have been slightly reworked, with the largest improvement being seen in the top of the line CX-3 GT model. The GT receives an electronic parking brake which frees up space on the center console, plus some nicer materials for the seats, dash and all around the interior. The GT model includes all the features and options like the GPS navigation, BOSE sound system, power adjusted heated front leather seats, heated steering wheel, moon roof and automatic climate control, so in the end there are no upgrades to decide about.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT Black Interior
The center of the dash proudly displays a 7 inch touchscreen infotainment system, which acts as the central controlling and info hub. Add the two USB ports, auxiliary audio jack and Bluetooth and all your connectivity requirements are taken care of. You can control the display from the touchscreen itself, the center console dial and buttons or the steering wheel mounted buttons depending on which is easiest to reach. One feature that many find lacking is the option to connect with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which for the base model GS would be quite handy, but not so much needed on the top of the line GT.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT Black Interior Dash
Overall the interior design is quite sleek from the look of the vents to the leather stitching all around the dash, it’s certain that you get a lot of bang for your buck with the top of the line 2019 CX-3 GT.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT Black Interior Side View
2019 Mazda CX-3 GS Black Interior Side View
SPORTY PERFORMANCE AND DRIVE
Both the GS and GT versions of the2019 Mazda CX-3 are equipped with the same 2.0 L four cylinder SKYACTIV-G engine and paired with various combinations of six speed manual or automatic transmission with front or all wheel drive. This engine churns out 148hp, which at first glance doesn’t seem like a lot, however given the compactness of this CX-3, it’s actually more than enough. Just like everything else about this vehicle this engine has been meticulously designed to work perfectly under various conditions. It’s quiet and smooth when cruising around at low speeds and exciting with its peppy acceleration to get you to higher speeds with ease. The engine blends seamlessly with the rest of the vehicle to provide you with a very satisfying driving experience.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GT White Exterior Front View
The stiffer chassis doesn’t flex under stress leading to some sporty handling. You can make the CX-3 literally dance at your fingertips – which is extremely helpful on tighter city streets. When we first came across KODO’s seamless design philosophy we thought it was just another marketing gimmick, but we were pleasantly surprised when we drove the CX-3 for an extended period of time. Driving the 2019 CX-3 was one of the most connected experiences we have felt to a steering system. Within moments of driving, you can figure out exactly how much steering input you have to provide for a particular driving task. Soon you will be driving like a pro and that’s something rarely if at all seen in a vehicle in the compact SUV segment. A lot of the components such as the transmission and chassis are tweaked on the fly, thanks to the SKYACTIV technology, optimizing the CX-3’s drivability to specific road conditions.
2019 Mazda CX-3 GS Blue Exterior Front View
For great fuel economy, the automatic transmission with front wheel drive is your best bet to achieve an 8.3 L/100km consumption in the city and 6.9 L/100km on the highway.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The many minor updates seen in the 2019 Mazda CX-3 culminate together to bring about a significant upgrade to the previous year and help to keep the CX-3 at the forefront of the compact SUV segment. The pleasing and sleek exterior, with the high quality interior and the sporty performance will have many buyers choosing the 2019 CX-3 over the competition. The well equipped CX-3 GS starts at only $20,795, while the top of the line fully loaded CX-3 GT model tops out at $30,795.
