This Mazda CX-3 Akari is finished in Soul Red Crystal Metallic and it’s a colour that you can almost fall in to. Magnificent to say the least. There are a lot of paint colours in the car market but few are as lustrous as this colour.
And as I press publish on this article, Mazda CX-3 has just been awarded the Best City SUV in the 2018 Drive Car of the Year awards. And that’s no mean feat in a segment packed full of very good cars. In Mazda’s own words “Comprehensive, intensive testing by a team of motoring experts was carried out to determine the 2018 winners, and the sum of the CX-3’s design, tech, performance and safety features set it apart from its competitors.”
What is it? This Mazda CX-3 is the Akari – the top model in the CX-3 lineup. It has almost everything that you’d expect in a luxury compact SUV and arguably competes heartily with the likes of Audi Q2, BMW X1 and Lexus NX300 (new smaller Lexus UX model out soon).
Competition? Apart from the aforementioned premium SUV entrants, you could compare the Mazda CX-3 Akari with Fiat 500x, Ford Ecosport, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Infiniti QX30, Jaguar E-Pace, Mini Cooper Countryman, Mitsubishi ASX, Nissan Qashqai, Peugeot 2008, Renault Capture, Suzuki Vitara, Toyota CH-R, and perhaps Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.
At a stretch, at least in price, but far away in quality, you could include, Holden Trax as well as Jeep Renegade and Compass.
How Much? The Mazda CX-3 range starts from $23,990 (plus on-road costs and dealer delivery) for the manual Neo Sport and goes to the range-topping Mazda CX-3 Akari Auto All Wheel Drive at $37,990. Currently, Mazda dealers in Queensland are offering the Akari for $37990 drive away.
At the Front
Mazda Cx-3 has the typical Mazda family look – a fine looking grille, headlights and an included front splitter. The splitter helps channel the air into the braking and cooling systems, making the CX-3 more efficient.
Headlights are adaptive LED’s with auto on/off function. Daytime running lamps are standard as are front fog lamps.
All Cx-3’s have a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 6-speed transmission – either manual or automatic. The Akari is only available in Auto.
The 2.0-litre engine produces 110kw of power, more than sufficient as around town commuter vehicle or highway runner.
Down The Side
The side profile of the CX-3 is attractive with the typical wedge design found in most of the suvs on the market. Mazda takes pride in their design strategy and if you line up their contributions, Cx-3, Cx-5 Cx-8 and CX-9 the family resemblance is uncanny.
Mazda is also extremely focused on safety and technology and this ethos is evident in all models and particularly this new Mazda Cx-3 Akari.
If you’d prefer to browse the total specification list, click on this link – Mazda CX-3 Specs but below are the ones that I think are the most important to consider with the Mazda Cx-3 Akari.
One aspect of this top of the line Mazda Cx-3 that did disappoint me was the lack of auto windows for the front passenger seat. If I was the designer, I’d have auto down/up windows for all the seating positions. Arguably this feature doesn’t cost a lot of money and with the Akari, I think it’s justified.
Another aspect of modern cars that I like is the ability to close or open all the windows (and the sunroof) from the driver’s key fob. Volkswagen, BMW and even Nissan have this feature and I’m fairly confident that other prestige Europeans and Japanese brands have it too.
If, as a company, you’re trying hard to move consumers up from a basic or mid-range model, then it makes sense to offer the surprise and delight items. I recall in my VW days that customers were absolutely wonderous about the remote up and down window feature.
At the back
There’s enough room in the luggage area of the Mazda CX-3.
With the second row in play, plenty of space for prams, golf clubs and any DIY supplies you may pick up on your travels. WIth the second row stowed, space is almost cavernous.
With a split-fold rear seat system, you can still carry 1 or 2 passengers whilst still able to stow that flat pack from Bunnings or Ikea
Drivers Side and Seat
You really only get to know how comfortable a car is after you’ve driven it for a longer time. One of my biggest beefs with dealer test drives is that they’re typically around the block and rarely out on the highway. If car makers and dealers want to earn the trust of their customers, I’d recommend that they offer overnight test drives at worst and weekend test drives preferably.
My time with the Mazda CX-3 Akari was great. You really get to know a car after sitting in it for a week – you begin to understand the idiosyncrasies of a particular car.
On the highway, the Mazda is comfortable, little tyre ort wind noise and in fact, my passengers even fell asleep on the hour journey from Peachester to Redcliffe.
The dash layout is excellent, the seating position is great and there’s sufficient adjustment in the seat and steering wheel to get all but the shortest and tallest drivers in a good position.
The dashboard and infotainment system along with steering wheels controls allow the driver to keep their eyes on the road – Head up display takes a bit of getting used to but after a short time, you only notice the information, not the screen
Be careful when it comes to assessing the safety in the vehicle you’re considering. ANCAP persists in allowing manufacturers to quote ‘old’ 5-star ratings on recently released cars.
The Mazda CX-3, released this year still promotes a 5-star rating from 2015.
I’ve no doubt that with the modern technology – Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Blind Spot monitoring that the CX-3 Akari would still achieve the top rating.
Nonetheless, that’s my assumption – I firmly believe that for car makers to quote that they have the safest car for sale, then they should test their claim against the current ANCAP criteria.
Through the Green Vehicle Guide, Mazda quotes about 6 litres per 100km for the CX-3. Even with a 20% tolerance change, this is still a very economical vehicle to own and run. During my week with the Mazda, I achieved 6.4 litres per 100km but that was mainly highway from Peachester to Redcliffe with a small amount of neighbourhood running. As with most modern Japanese cars, MAzda Cx-3 achieves a Euro 5 pollution score
Mazda CX-3 Akari SUV. I use RACQ Insurance to give you a guide as to what you’ll pay for your annual comprehensive car insurance. Conditions precedent for this cover are:
- A male driver over 60 years of age, having held a license for over 10 years
- Bronze member of RACQ with 2 other insurance policies
- Has paid cash for the car for private use with the car parked in a garage overnight.
- The driver resides in postcode 4017
- The car is fitted with an engine immobilizer
- 1 at fault claim in the last 3 years, with no license suspensions
- Rating 1 currently having held that rating 1 for 10 years or more
- No driver under 25 will use the vehicle.
The premium quoted online by RACQ Insurance for Private Use – $447.15 with a $750 excess. Variations from the information above may result in different outcomes. Check online with RACQ Insurance for your own particular quote.
Where to Buy – Dealers
My test vehicle was supplied by Mazda Australia. No financial incentives were paid to me by Mazda for this review. If you’re in the market to buy a Mazda CX-3 Akari or any other Mazda for that matter, pick your dealer carefully. When I want to check out the ‘worthiness’ of a dealer, I Google ‘Mazda Dealers Brisbane” where the city is the one that you live in or around and the brand is that particular one you’re interested in.
I only list dealers who have achieved a minimum of 15 reviews with Google and then only those with 4 stars or higher.
From a South East Queensland perspective here’s the dealers I’d visit:
Northside Grand Prix Mazda 4.4 Stars from 222 Reviews
Southside Oldmac Mazda Springwood 4.4 Stars from 206 Reviews
Eastside Oldmac Mazda Cleveland 4.4 Stars from 99 Reviews
Westside Ipswich Mazda 4.3 Stars from 92 Reviews
Gold Coast Tweed Heads Mazda 4.2 Stars from 74 Reviews
Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Mazda 4.2 Stars from 94 Reviews
(Google Stars and review numbers effective 20th November 2018)
My Opinion
The Mazda CX-3 is one of the best selling small SUVs on the Australian market. Whilst the Mitsubishi ASX is the better seller, Mazda doesn’t participate in the fleet and rental market and only sell their product to private customers.
Whilst the CX-3 Akari is at the top of the pile when it comes to price, the other models in the range are cost-effective, safe and as easy to drive.
Strengths
- Smooth power delivery and economical
- Plenty of room in the second-row seats and luggage area.
Weaknesses
- Auto windows at least for the front passenger seat is a must.
- Remote open and closing windows in the Akari would be a plus
Mazda CX-5 – In Their Own Words Mazda CX-8 Asaki – New Car Review – Why Should You Buy Why Should You Buy – Mazda CX-9 7 Seater SUV Mazda6 Diesel Wagon – Car Review – Why Should You Buy
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2 thoughts on “Mazda CX-3 Akari Review – Why Should You Buy”
Hi Bob
I’m in Perth
My son just turned 17 and I’m looking for a “ safe “ car that he likes. He goes for driving test late january
Unless you think otherwise, it’s down to Kona versus CX-3, his preference.
It appears to be most of the CX-3 locally are Maxx and local Melville Mazda dealer has 5 2019 models at about 25 k and between 4 and 14 kms
My questions are
Is cx 3 the better choice in this subcompact suv range
Should I push for Akari as it has land departure warning and front sensors
Should I push for new instead of demo
What impact do you think the cx 30 will have on the Cx 3 prices
Stephen
Honestly, you buy the best car with the money you have available. My preference is the CX-3. Mazda builds great cars and the resale value model for model is superior to Hyundai. The more safety tech you have in a car, the less likely your young person is to be involved in an accident.
My one strong suggestion is that he undertakes a defensive driving course in your area. That will lift his skill level above his peer group