Los Angeles was the chosen stage to unveil the Mazda CX-3, Mazda's latest crossover. A model that will enter the hottest segment at the moment with the almost simultaneous presentation of several competing proposals, which makes the segment of compact crossovers one of the most disputed segments in 2015.
This is not so much the news of a new Mazda model as the continual report of a veritable world automobile war. The fight for the throne of compact crossovers continues to rise in pitch, with new proposals appearing in rapid succession. Historically we already knew them, but the current phenomenon of compact crossovers with record sales makes it the fastest growing segment commercially, with the Nissan Juke being one of the main culprits. Their arrival on the market sparked renewed interest in these small crossovers, with a more distinguished and sporty style than most SUVs from which they are derived.
Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka and Dacia Duster are a hit, with all of them selling handsomely above what their builders had projected. But 2015 promises to be epic. It is the year of all battles with the arrival of new warriors hungry for conquest. The Jeep Renegade, Fiat 500X and Honda HR-V will be available soon. Mazda also wants a piece of the action by joining a true crossover Battle Royale.
Mazda chose the Los Angeles Motor Show in the USA to present its most compact crossover, the logically named CX-3. The chosen stage may seem strange, given the appetite for large cars, but the US is still the origin of the entire worldwide phenomenon associated with SUVs and crossovers. To demonstrate the importance of this new segment, it is enough to mention that the Mazda CX-3 was accompanied at the American show by the local debuts of the Honda HR-V and Fiat 500X. On the American battlefield will find rivals Nissan Juke and the unexpected success of the Buick Encore (the brother of the Opel Mokka).
Like its competitors, the Mazda CX-3 starts with a more modest utility vehicle, in this case the Mazda 2, also recently renovated. Sharing a 2.57m wheelbase, it grows in all directions, measuring 4.27m in length, 1.76m in width and 1.54m in height, the compact crossover achieves generous external dimensions, which come closer to the segment above than to the top. segment B with which it intends to compete.
As you can see from the images, all those extra centimeters were put to great use in the final design of the CX-3. The Kodo language, the name of the style currently used at Mazda, finds here, perhaps, its best expression.
As we could see in the new Mazda MX-5, the Mazda CX-3 also frees itself from unnecessary lines, giving way to vast and full surfaces. The only exception is the arch that characterizes the side of most of the new generation of Mazda models, which rises from the edges of the front grille and extends along the side, fading as it approaches the rear wheel. The grille takes center stage at the front, with the sharp and aggressive front optics joining it.
The Mazda CX-3, clearly descended from the Kodo lineage, gains a distinctive element, with the illusion of a continuous glazed surface given by the black C and D pillar, interrupted by a small opening and giving the roof the perception that it floats above. the cabin.
Also proportionally, the CX-3 is somewhat atypical, like the rest of Mazda's “all ahead” models, that is, transverse front engine and front wheel drive. The A-pillar is in a more recessed position than the norm, generating a long front, which is not typical of this architecture. The Mazda 2 results in a car with somewhat compromised proportions, given its contained length. The Mazda CX-3's extra inches allow for more convincing proportions.
Also in this field and living up to the crossover designation, the bodywork reveals a fusion of typologies. The underside is more robust, with generous wheels, and just like an armor, with the base and wheel arches coated with plastic additions, “ticks” typical of SUVs. The upper part is slimmer and more elegant, with a reduced cabin height and a high waistline, more worthy of cars with a much sportier vein. Note that the Mazda CX-3 should be one of the lowest in the segment, so the general perception is that of a vitamin hatchback rather than a small SUV.
In the end, this merger results in one of the most appealing compact crossovers in the segment, with the interior not to be outdone. Although practically modeled on the Mazda 2, it's not a disadvantage. The touches of color on the door trims and center console, the underside of the instrument panel covered in leather and a design tending towards the minimalist, but with careful presentation, make it quite appealing and I'll risk it, even worthy of proposals from the segment above.
As a trend, the number of buttons and controls has been reduced. The tablet-style display at the top of the instrument panel allows you to view and access a range of functions, controlled by a large button-assisted rotary control located behind the gearbox knob. Top versions of the CX-3 can come equipped with a HUD or Head Up Display.
Not much is known about the Mazda CX-3's final specs. The model presented in Los Angeles was equipped with a 4-cylinder 2-liter capacity Skyactive engine, already known to other Mazdas, associated with a 6-speed automatic transmission. A typical setup for the American market. The only confirmation in terms of engines for other markets is the 1.5 liter Skyactive D that we could already see in the new Mazda 2. The wheel drive is front, but it will also have versions with four-wheel drive, with a system derived from the Mazda CX-5.
The focus on driving for which Mazda is known is expected to transition to the CX-3, something we'll only be able to test when summer rolls around. The Mazda CX-3 will begin shipping in Japan in spring 2015, with other markets receiving it after that date. If the Mazda CX-3 can replicate the global success of its bigger brother CX-5, it could become one of the most serious candidates to win this epic auto war.
