Used 2018 Mazda CX-3 Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 CX-3, so we've included reviews for other years of the CX-3 since its last redesign.
solid tank of a car
Gene O, 07/05/2017
updated 01/07/2021
2017 Mazda CX-3 Sport 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
67 of 68 people found this review helpful
This car feels like a hybrid of a small tank and a porsche. The car handles excellently and because of the way this car handled and steered on a test drive, I picked the CX3 over a subaru crosstrek - an uninspired driving disappointment, by comparison. The CX3 is not quite a utility vehicle. It's more like a station wagon that's a little jacked up higher off the ground and has AWD. It feels powerful with a 2L engine and has good acceleration if you drop the pedal. In the snow, it bites and drives great. Bad weather is no match - snow, ice, rain - it can handle any of that stuff. Several inches of wet snow and going uphill - barely a slip. It's a little beast. On the highway its smooth sailing and very good MPG. You don't get a huge gas tank - max range is about 295-300 miles. Comfortable interior and lots of USB ports and stuff for phones and other junk you want to plug in. the touch screen has good visibility and all the functions work well - good ergonomics with the console dial, voice control, rear camera and steering wheel buttons. The inside climate control is a little wonky - it's not easy to get it just right for some reason. either you get ice cold air or something that doesn't defrost your glass or something that's hot....odd. Sometimes my kid likes to sit in the middle of the back seat when I drive and he's very close to me there - like a parrot on my shoulder - which I'm not crazy about. The back seats are not huge. He says they're comfortable. A USB port or two back there would be cool instead on me having to run a wire from the front. the cargo area is big enough for me to carry 2 hockey equipment bags for both my kids and most other bulky stuff but it's not huge, either, which is something I happily accept for what the car is. It has a small sub-section under the floor so you can make it a little bigger, if you want. Stereo may sometimes have a little buzz if you set the bass all the way up to max. My pet peeve with the CX3 is that the outside back of the car gets FILTHY with road stuff and spray. I suppose a set of mudflaps would fix that. If you're driving on wet and salted roads, the back of the car is coming home covered in a filthy grime of road salt. Not nearly as bad in summer when roads are cleaner. Even a good car wash has trouble eliminating all that filthy grime off the back so there's the Achilles's heel of the CX3. - update - at 40,000 miles needed new tires and new brakes. Mazda just rolled out Android auto and upgraded USB ports for this car at a cost- will update that too. I added Michelin Defender tires to the car and that cut down significant road noise. Car itself is on the noisy side. If you're in the car during a rainstorm, it sounds like you're in a tin can. The handling and performance of the car remains excellent. With top of the line tires on the car, it excels in bad weather handling and is superior on dry roads. Interior holding up well. Stereo buzz was a faulty speaker that Mazda fixed for free so, no more buzz. Update at 65,000mi - cars back brakes will wear out before front brakes, which seemed unusual but that's what happens. Car is on 2nd set of tires - michelin defenders -which are excellent. First set wore out around 35k, Mechanically, the car has been very sound and the handling, traction in snow with AWD and overall engine performance are still top notch. All regular maintenance has been done at correct intervals. Added the carplay/android auto update when it was available about 2 years ago which brought the car up to a modern convenience. Fuel efficiency is excellent. Overall. still solid tank of a car and has been a fun to drive reliable workhorse for our family that we have no plans to change out.
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Great fun for the $$. 2018 Mazda CX-3 Grand Tourin
Dave, 10/08/2017
2018 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
32 of 33 people found this review helpful
Traded a 2005 Mazda 6 with 110k and was looking at the New 3's with the 2.5l engine but this one caught my eye. Never liked the Crossovers much but this was different. The style is great and the features are what I expected for much more $$ in other brands. For a great run around car this is nirvana. 35+mpg so far, Bose sterio, safety features +++, phone, tablet friendly. Cruising around Vegas in traffic or 70+mph this car is awesome and a lot of Fun. Extremly responsive in city, and quiet on highway which I did not expect. Back seat and cargo are a bit small, but 99% of my driving is alone so no biggie for me. The lack of middle armrest is a bit weird but the center controller is awesome. If you are in the market for a Crossover, Do yourself a treat and give this car a test drive. For 26k you just cant beat it. Zoom Zoom
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CX 3 Ideal For Me
Dave S., 02/22/2018
2018 Mazda CX-3 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
31 of 32 people found this review helpful
It has a smooth, firm ride, and the steering is responsive. The CX 3 handles curves, corners, and turns extremely well. Cannot wait to take it on winding country roads and scenic drives when I travel far enough away from Chicago and suburbs. The compact SUV size makes this the perfect urban ride that can handle starts and stops. Very good burst when light goes green. This is a useful vehicle that can also be fun to drive for distances. Interior and dash design are awesome, IMO. Everything is within reach, and the center strip knobs below the gear shift make it easy to operate the stereo, the sound, the station, the XM channels, or any of the modes this 7-inch tablet style screen offers. Screen visibility is very good. Back up camera imaging is crystal clear. Blind spot and lane warning signals provided on side mirrors, with accompanying beep sound when other vehicles are getting close in other lanes. Stereo system is excellent, with 7-speaker Bose sound system. I purchased the AWD due to winter conditions that come and go here. But the CX 3 does not seem confined by this, as it drives and handles like a FWD in stable weather, while AWD kicks in when snow and ice are present. I am enjoying the CX 3 very much, and look forward to several more years owning this. BTW, the CX 3 boasts a sporty appearance, with smooth flowing sides, an elegant front, and well designed rear with easy hatch and dual exhausts.
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AWD GT with i-active sense package
kobelco, 12/28/2016
updated 07/12/2019
2017 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
91 of 98 people found this review helpful
I live in Minneapolis and wanted a small vehicle with AWD. Choices were between this CX-3 and Subaru Impreza. Bought this car five days ago. I'm writing about initial impressions, will update (if I can) later with more extensive use. Absolutely love this car! Great acceleration, great handling, great mpg. Looks and feels just right. Interior space is an issue though, obviously not the most important factor as I would not have bought the car if it was. With the car seat in the back, there is space for one other person comfortably. Trunk space is the least I've seen in almost any car I can recall. But this is meant to be my commuter car, primarily to be driven around the city. Entertainment screen and control is mostly intuitive, though I had to fiddle around a bit to learn all the aspects that you can control. Interior is snazzy with two-tone stitched leather. Got the remote starter and all weather floor mats from the dealership as well. The price I have mentioned is the walk-out price, including TTL. Update 2017-06-29: It's been now over 6 months and I love this car even more. Getting around 30 mpg, combined. On certain trips I've averaged 40 mpg!! The iActiveSense features are really useful: The adaptive cruise control is something that I don't think I'll drive without in any car. Auto brakes are cool. Lane departure warning is a pain and I've turned that feature off. Update 2018-01-11: After over a year of ownership, I still can't help but smile every time I get behind the wheels of my CX-3, especially after a vacation where I've not driven my car for a few days. Still averaging 30.4 mpg today. Update 2019-07-12: Still loving this after 2 and half years of ownership.
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CX-3 A fun fun sports car. Love it.
Michael M, 02/13/2018
2018 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
16 of 16 people found this review helpful
CX-3 A fun fun sports car. Not much storage, so think of it more as a fun car than a family car.
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