Topic: Long-Term Test Update: 2016 Mazda CX-3

[conwelpic]

always surprised when the HR-V and CX-3 are brought up that the Crosstrek comes into as a comparable vehicle.  It is quite a bit longer vehicle to these two and therefore the Crosstrek should really be compared to vehicles like the Sportage and Tuscson which are virtually the same length as the Crosstek and vehicles like the CX-5, Escape, Rav4, CR-V are only 3-4" longer.

Where do you draw the line? 

[EV-Light]

Just when I thought CUV's couldn't get any uglier.   And what's the point of such a tiny so called "utility" vehicle with cramped rear seat and cargo area? Even a compact CUV makes little sense to me.

But not to other people. That is why there are many choices out there.

Honestly, from a utility point of view, the Mazda3 Sport is a better bet.  Larger back seat, and more cargo room.

The ONLY practical thing that this CX3 has over a 3 is available AWD, if that is important to you.

Nope...I like the Mazda3 but I think it sits too low, hard to get in and out...the CX3 fixes all of those issues and adds AWD! I'm thinking....it will be a huge success!


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[EV-Light]

always surprised when the HR-V and CX-3 are brought up that the Crosstrek comes into as a comparable vehicle.  It is quite a bit longer vehicle to these two and therefore the Crosstrek should really be compared to vehicles like the Sportage and Tuscson which are virtually the same length as the Crosstek and vehicles like the CX-5, Escape, Rav4, CR-V are only 3-4" longer.

Where do you draw the line? 

Cx3: 168.3 length and 69.5 width
Crosstrek: 174 length and 70 width

So not that much longer....and for a good comparison:

RAV4: 180 length and 72.6 width




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[johngenx]

Do most people read the spec sheets?  Nope.  They will go dealer to dealer to see the "small CUV" thing - they'll see the Crosstrek as the smallest one Subaru offers, just as the Mazda dealer showed them the CX-3, etc.  They will be cross shopped by regular people.  Even the magazines are testing them together.

[dkaz]

The Mazda 5 and Honda Fit were often cross shopped.

[conwelpic]

Do most people read the spec sheets?  Nope.  They will go dealer to dealer to see the "small CUV" thing - they'll see the Crosstrek as the smallest one Subaru offers, just as the Mazda dealer showed them the CX-3, etc.  They will be cross shopped by regular people.  Even the magazines are testing them together.

good points, I was referring more to reviewers not the general public, which in many cases is what is available in a certain price range so that can be a variety of vehicles.

[Solstice2006]

The Mazda 5 and Honda Fit were often cross shopped.

Really?  Why?  Not even close in cargo capacity, physical dimensions.  Maybe close in performance, and price...

[conwelpic]

The Mazda 5 and Honda Fit were often cross shopped.

Really?  Why?  Not even close in cargo capacity, physical dimensions.  Maybe close in performance, and price...

yes it does seem a little odd, top end price of the Fit would be about the starting price of the Mazda 5.

[johngenx]

I think marketing people might end up shocked if they saw what people really compared during their buying process.  We enthusiasts often narrow things by price/configuration and end up in clear segments, but "regular" people I know have the weirdest lists with all kinds of stuff.  My neighbour's son cross shopped a topped-out TRD Tacoma vs a near-base Civic:  "Do I want to spend the money and get my "dream truck" or should I go for the sensible affordable car?"

[Noto]

MY PERFECT compact ute has the exterior of the CX-3, the interior of the HRV and the AWD and ground clearance of the Crosstrek.

Frankencar?




The fuel economy of a Prius, the AWD and truckbed of a Baja, and the...um...door of a...um...something!  Muahahahahahaha?

[redman]

  ^^
^^^^
Wonder if it passed safety 

[dkaz]

The Mazda 5 and Honda Fit were often cross shopped.

Really?  Why?  Not even close in cargo capacity, physical dimensions.  Maybe close in performance, and price...

yes it does seem a little odd, top end price of the Fit would be about the starting price of the Mazda 5.

I found it odd myself, but the Fit does have about 75% of the Mazda 5's cargo capacity, uses less fuel, and is easier to maneuver.

[KD]

I think marketing people might end up shocked if they saw what people really compared during their buying process.  We enthusiasts often narrow things by price/configuration and end up in clear segments, but "regular" people I know have the weirdest lists with all kinds of stuff.  My neighbour's son cross shopped a topped-out TRD Tacoma vs a near-base Civic:  "Do I want to spend the money and get my "dream truck" or should I go for the sensible affordable car?"

When shopping for my wife's vehicle in '09 she set out thinking she wanted an SUV for the awd. We've owned a few wagons in the past, but this would have been our first suv. We tried all of the small and mid-sized ones of interest at the time, including a Tacoma, and then realized she didn't really like the ride of any of them and ended up buying an awd sedan.  Same thing may happen next time. 

[conwelpic]

had to chance to check a 2016 CX-3 GS FWD at a local dealer yesterday.  Here are my observations: (comparing it to my Soul and the new version)

- nice finished interior and liked the red contrast to break up the black
- very poor rear seat leg room, set the driver's seat for me and had a very hard time getting in and getting out of the back seat (I'm 5'-11")
- it felt quite claustrophobic in the rear both for leg room and height
- cargo area not much for height due to the sloping rear roof area
- felt like I was just sitting in a car even with the seat height increased, not the commanding view I get on my Soul
- not much of an underfloor storage area as you need most of that to store the cargo cover when you don't need it.
- manual hood prop and no hood insulator (looked cheap with all the hood framing exposed), nice engine cover however
- no centre console armrest.
- no rear seat drop-down armrest with cupholders.

I'll stick to my Soul 

[Noto]

had to chance to check a 2016 CX-3 GS FWD at a local dealer yesterday.  Here are my observations: (comparing it to my Soul and the new version)

Lady No-san's mother has a CX-3 (loaded, tho), and last weekend they drove up for the evening for dinner and to discuss wedding stuff (which I'm quickly learning is not as much fun as one would expect).  While having some minor quibbles over date/venue (neither of which are yet decided on firmly), I learned that I drank about 3/4 of this bottle:
http://www.bigheadwines.ca/#wines

^^ I'll post in the wine thread more about this...

...but suffice it to say, I was not going to be the one driving to dinner.  We (4 of us) could have taken the Corolla (not likely, since I wasn't driving and it's an economy car), or the Forester XT (which was warm and parked underground), but they opted to drive the CX-3.  I was just drunk and didn't care

Anyhoo, I got into the backseat with no problem (I'm 5'7.5", yes that last half inch matters ) and didn't find a lack of space in the back.  No, it's not as big as the Forester, but it was by and large bigger than the 2009 BMW 335xi, the 2011 Jaguar XF, that Lady No-san's father used to drive us around in, and certainly more spacious than the 2001 Porsche 911 Turbo (my poor legs, head, and neck after sitting back there ).

The Soul is an incredible car - and if Kia were smart, it'd throw AWD in it ASAP to make it a true contender for the major CUV dollars.  Keeping it FWD is seriously moronic.

[johngenx]

yes that last half inch matters )

And I'm sure it does to her

[Noto]

yes that last half inch matters )

And I'm sure it does to her

For sure - she's 5'5"...and wants to wear heels at her wedding! 

[johngenx]

[mixmanmash]

LOL.

[conwelpic]

The Soul is an incredible car - and if Kia were smart, it'd throw AWD in it ASAP to make it a true contender for the major CUV dollars.  Keeping it FWD is seriously moronic.

it's not that they don't want to do it, but they have a capacity problem, they are having enough problems trying to meet the worldwide demand for this model without doing AWD variants.
Here's a recent quote from the Korean Car Blog
the biggest problem was the Soul’s demands far exceeded supply, and the factories couldn’t keep up. The Koreans have offered great efforts for the Soul to succeed in Europe, but they haven’t been able to accomplish and that’s the reason there is no space available in the factory to produce more Soul and the meet demand but also a new AWD or a new enhanced three-door variant with Turbo, even if the market asks for it.

but they are hoping that once the Mexican plants gets up and running that this might alleviate some of their capacity problems.

http://thekoreancarblog.com/2015/10/21/kia-soul-turbo-and-soul-awd-in-the-works/