2020 Mazda CX-3 Review

Name: 2020 Mazda CX-3
Brand: Mazda

Price Range: $16,990 - $23,990

2019 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

Good

7.7

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Mazda has gone to great lengths to give the 2020 CX-3 a premium look and feel that's beyond the norm. It has first-rate steering, praiseworthy handling and ride quality, and a cabin that looks grown-up. Though the CX-3 is shy on cargo and rear-seat space, its style and value might just make up for that.

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Average price: $18,458

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Appraise My 2020 Mazda CX-3

Pros

Attractive and comfortable interior
Engaging driving experience
Impressive fuel economy for a crossover
Good selection of available driver aids and active safety features

Cons

Below-average cargo space
Cramped rear seat
Suspension tuning could be too firm for some

What's new

The CX-3 lineup has been reduced to only the Sport trim
Many more standard advanced safety features
Added convenience features including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Part of the first CX-3 generation introduced for 2016

Overview

Written by automotive expert Mark Takahashi

4/15/2020

If popular small SUVs such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 are too big or expensive, going with an extra-small SUV can be a great way to downsize. The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is a solid choice in that class. In particular, it sets itself apart from the rest with attractive styling, sporty driving manners, respectable fuel economy figures, and a long list of features.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

For sale near Ashburn, VA

7 listings

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New Listing
2020 Mazda CX-3
Sport 4dr SUV
$17,417
fair price
$364 above market
- 51,245 miles
- 5 Seats, 29 City / 34 Hwy MPG
- 106 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Upgraded Headlights
- Blind Spot Monitorin...
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
Close
Located in Richmond, VA
Vehicle History:
No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
Features and Specs:
31 Combined MPG (29 City/34 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
JM1DKDB78L1471695
Stock:
471695R
Certified Pre-Owned:
No
2020 Mazda CX-3
Sport 4dr SUV
$12,233
great price
$3,300 below market
- 99,630 miles
- 5 Seats, 29 City / 34 Hwy MPG
- 42 mi away
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Upgraded Headlights
- Blind Spot Monitorin...
Close
Located in Waldorf, MD
CALL US FOR ANY QUESTION OR TO SCHEDULE A TEST DRIVE. FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE CALL OR TEXT (240) 202-4002EASY FINANCING PROGRAMS. We offer financing no...
Vehicle History:
No accidents, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
Features and Specs:
31 Combined MPG (29 City/34 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN:
JM1DKDB70L1475126
Stock:
S65404
Certified Pre-Owned:
No

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For 2020, the CX-3 is only available in a singular Sport trim as opposed to last year's four choices. With this one model, you get plenty of advanced safety features as well as a few driver assistants. Still, the CX-3 has some inherent drawbacks, such as a below-average cargo space and tight rear seating. As much as we like the CX-3, we suggest cross-shopping it against the top-rated Hyundai Kona, the roomier Honda HR-V or the Kia Soul.

Edmunds Expert Rating

edmunds TESTED

by the Edmunds Experts

Good

7.7

out of 10

We drove the 2020 Mazda CX-3 on our test track and on real roads. Our Edmunds team conducts rigorous independent vehicle testing, driving 500,000 miles a year.

Performance

7.5/10

How does the CX-3 drive? Power is more than adequate for typical city driving, and the CX-3 has no issues merging with highway traffic. But once up to speed, passing on the highway, or even maintaining speed on longer uphill grades, requires near maximum throttle.

Despite the lack of power, the CX-3 remains one of the better cars to drive in the class. The CX-3's steering makes it easy to guide through fast, flowing turns. But the tires howl even at very modest cornering speeds, putting a damper on how much fun you can have on a deserted winding road.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the CX-3? The Mazda really distinguishes itself in the class thanks to its firm but compliant suspension. Body control is excellent for the class, and everything from speed bumps to high-speed highway dips are dispatched beautifully. Likewise, broken pavement doesn't really faze the Mazda.

Most people will find the front seats of the CX-3 agreeable and comfortable, though the seats come up a bit short on thigh and back support for larger-framed folks. Imperfect roads introduce a fair amount of road noise into the cabin. But that pales next to the noise the engine makes under hard acceleration.

Interior

8.5/10

How’s the interior? A clean and minimalistic approach puts all controls within the driver's reach. The center display has touchscreen ability, and it's also controllable by an easy-to-use knob near the shifter. The screen thankfully doesn't wash out in sunlight. Thanks to a low hood and thin roof pillars, visibility is generous when you're looking forward. Rear visibility is adequate.

Front passengers enjoy a relatively spacious interior with ample shoulder and legroom as well as room around the driver's hands. Adults seated in the rear have fairly tight legroom, especially if the front passengers are tall. But children should have enough room back there.

Technology

7.5/10

How’s the tech? The CX-3 is at or near the top of the class with its intuitive and flexible infotainment interface, along with driver assistance niceties such as traffic-adaptive cruise control. There's no native navigation system, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment. With better integration with your phone and more natural voice control, we prefer these alternatives to the navigation systems in other Mazdas anyway.

Storage

6.5/10

How’s the storage? Cargo space behind the rear seats is a bit on the tight side, even for this class of vehicle. That said, folding the rear seats from the cargo area is easy to do as the latch on the seatback is within arm's length. The rear seats don't fold completely flat but still go quite low.

Front passengers get bins in the center console that can double as cupholders, but not as very good ones — cans and bottles rattle about constantly. There's a tray for cellphone storage, but it's frustratingly small for the latest phones.

As for child duty, the CX-3's rear car-seat anchors are visible and easy to access. You'll need to slide the front seats forward a bit to fit a rear-facing safety seat, but access through the rear doors is good for installation and removal.

Fuel Economy

7.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The EPA estimates the front-wheel-drive CX-3 will get 31 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is on par with competitors from Honda and Hyundai. With all-wheel drive, that number drops to 29 mpg. On our 115-mile mixed driving evaluation route, our front-wheel-drive CX-3 test vehicle returned 31 mpg.

Value

8/10

Is the CX-3 a good value? While most small crossovers echo their subcompact car roots with swaths of hard plastic and uninspired styling, Mazda has decided that small vehicles don't have to look or feel inexpensive. It's easily the most premium-feeling vehicle in the class. Overall, the CX-3 easily justifies its cost.

2020 Mazda CX-3 trim level differences

The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is a subcompact SUV that is offered in a single Sport trim level. Compare the 2020 Mazda CX-3 trim levels in-depth.

Which CX-3 trim does Edmunds recommend?

The 2020 Mazda CX-3 is now only available in the Sport trim level with no options. Essentially you only need to choose a color and decide if you want all-wheel drive.

Cost to Drive

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$159/mo

$211/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

See Edmunds pricing data

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Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

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Make

Model

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Reliability

The 2020 Mazda CX-3 has a 3 years / 36,000 miles basic warranty and 1 recall. RepairPal gives it a reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5, ranks it #2 out of 8 among Subcompact SUVs. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.

Reliability Rating by RepairPal

4.5 out of 5 stars4.5/5Excellent

#2 out of 8 among Subcompact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

$370/yr

vs. $435/yr
for Average Subcompact SUV

Frequency

0.47x/yr

vs. 0.69x/yr
for Average Subcompact SUV

Severity

7.9%

vs. 10.7%
for Average Subcompact SUV

Recalls

1 recall found

Checking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.

If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).

Recall Number:: 23V487000
Manufacturer Recall Number:: 6023G
Number of vehicles affected:: 236100
Defect Description:: Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Mazda3 and 2016-2021 CX-3 vehicles. The rearview camera image may not display properly by showing a flickering or distorted image.
Defect Consequence:: A rearview camera that does not display properly can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Corrective Action:: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera, as necessary. In addition, dealers will install a wiring harness fastening seal. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed September 13, 2023. A second notice will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500 Option 6. Mazda's number for this recall is 6023G.

Warranty

3 years / 36,000 miles Basic Warranty

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles
Drivetrain Warranty: 5 years / 60,000 miles
Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited miles
Roadside assistance Warranty: 3 years / 36,000 miles

Mazda CX-3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.4

31 reviews

5(71%)

4(13%)

3(3%)

2(6%)

1(7%)

See all 31 reviews of the Mazda CX-3

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

2020 CX-3 Features & Specs

MSRP (New) Excludes Destination Fee	$20,640
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$159/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the CX-3 models:

Blind-Spot Monitor: Warns if a vehicle is lurking in your blind spot and beeps if you signal a lane change in that direction.
Smart Brake Support: Warns if a front collision is imminent and applies the brakes automatically if the driver does not respond in time.
Lane Departure Warning: Alerts the driver if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane without signaling.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover13.8%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good