2025 Mazda CX-3 Review

Famed for its great table manners behind the wheel, attractive styling inside and out, the CX-3 remains one of the fan favourites in the light SUV segment.

For 2025, Mazda has axed the previous entry-point into the CX-3 range while adding a new range of equipment and visual tweaks to remaining members of the range.

With no shortage of rivals in the light SUV segment, just how well does Mazda’s CX-3 assert itself as a go-to option for buyers in 2025? Let's take a closer look to find out.

Mazda CX-3 Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

Prices for the MY25 Mazda CX-3 range kick off from $30,965 for the entry-level G20 Pure and stretch out to $39,485 for the range-topping CX-3 G20 Akari.

• CX-3 G20 Pure - $30,965

• CX-3 G20 Evolve - $32,695

• CX-3 G20 GT SP - $35,925

• CX-3 G20 Akari - $39,485

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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What Features Does the Mazda CX-3 Have?

Mazda's entry-level CX-3 G20 Pure comes riding on a set of 18-inch alloys and picks up automatic LED headlights with LED tail light and LED daytime running lamps, adaptive cruise control, cloth upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, climate control, keyless start, a head-up display and a rear-view camera with rear-mounted parking sensors.

Upgrading to the CX-3 Evolve range adds a set of black 18-inch alloys, keyless entry, LED fog lights and black leatherette upholstery with a leatherette finish applied to the door sills and centre console.

The CX-3 GT SP picks up a set of heated and power-folding side mirrors, upgraded leather and faux suede upholstery with heated front seats and power and lumbar adjustment for the driver's seat.

Finally, Mazda's range-topping CX-3 Akari range picks up adaptive LED headlights, leather upholstery, a surround-view monitor and a single-pane sunroof.

Connectivity & Infotainment Features

The CX-3's infotainment offering is one area where the platform is beginning to show some signs of its age.

All members of the CX-3 family, from the entry-level Pure to the flagship Akari come packaged with the same 8.0-inch infotainment display sitting atop the dashboard.

While it ticks all the fundamental boxes, the CX-3's 8.0-inch display is a little underwhelming and falls short of some of its more contemporary peers, especially in range-topping Akari form.

The CX-3's infotainment system receives AM/FM and DAB+ digital radio and comes packaged with satellite navigation, with the Pure and Evolve picking up a six-speaker sound system.

Buyers upgrading to the CX-3 GT SP or Akari pick up a significantly more powerful seven-speaker sound system courtesy of BOSE.

Mazda’s 8.0-inch display is not a touchscreen unit, instead, you take control via a rotary dial sitting on the centre console. Once acquainted with the dial and shortcuts, it's nice and simple to control but can be frustrating depending on the layout of your Apple CarPlay or Android Auto menus.

Does the Mazda CX-3 Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Interestingly, Mazda's CX-3 range offers wireless smartphone mirroring for just one of the major ecosystems.

iPhone owners can breathe a sigh of relief, because the CX-3's 8.0-inch infotainment system offers wireless Apple CarPlay, though unfortunately, Android Auto remains a wired-only offering.

That means that if you have an Android device, you'll need to bring your own USB cable in order to access Android Auto.

Is the Mazda CX-3 Comfortable to Drive?

The CX-3 is an extremely well-mannered and user-friendly package designed to tackle the urban jungle with ease.

While it's not the most contemporary vehicle in the light SUV segment, the CX-3 remains one of the best when it comes to ease of driving while offering a healthy slice of fun behind the wheel thanks to its lightweight, agile stature.

All members of the range come powered by the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit, which serves up 110kW of power and 195Nm of torque to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.

It’s certainly not a powerhouse, though the CX-3 doesn't waste time picking up the pace thanks to its lightweight proportions and actually offers decent power figures compared to its main rivals.

As a city car, the CX-3 is close to faultless.

It's more than zippy enough to keep up with traffic, offers a surprising slice of fun when tackling corners and remains effortless to pilot through the tight confines of a car park.

The steering offers a healthy blend of tangible feedback while remaining easy to throw around while parking.

Better still, thanks to its pint-sized proportions, the CX-3 is an incredibly easy package to park in virtually any vacant space, meaning it makes light work of a run through town.

The suspension package is noticeably firm on bumps around town now that all variants come riding on 18-inch alloys, though it's not an uncomfortable ride by any stretch around town.

You’ll certainly feel the bumps if you're tackling a country road or rough stretch of tarmac, though, with the CX-3 presenting as primarily a package for the urban jungle.

On the highway, the CX-3 feels a little light on its feet, though overall it offers a decent amount of power for its size and holds its own extremely well in the ever-competitive light SUV segment.

As a complete package, the CX-3 is an incredibly well-mannered little SUV package that is easy to pilot, feels light on its feet and offers some dynamic handling that make it a formidable option for buyers in the space.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

While it doesn’t pick up any hybrid assistance, the Mazda CX-3's engine is a pretty fuel-efficient unit.

On a combined cycle, Mazda says the CX-3 consumes 6.3L per 100km, putting it on par with its main, non-hybrid rivals in the light SUV segment.

• Mazda CX-3 City Cycle Fuel Economy: 7.7L per 100km

• Mazda CX-3 Highway Cycle Fuel Economy: 5.5L per 100km

• Mazda CX-3 Combined Cycle Fuel Economy: 6.3L per 100km

Is it Practical and Spacious?

For what it lacks in outright size, the CX-3 makes up for with a carefully curated design and mature, premium cabin that makes it a lovely place to sit.

It remains very much a light SUV cabin, though, which can make it feel a little tight inside for tall front occupants and is quite limited when it comes to rear accommodation, but this is a common trait for many, if not all, members of the small SUV segment.

Climb aboard and you’ll notice there are more than a few similarities with the Mazda 2's cabin, a model within the Mazda stables that shares the same platform.

The CX-3 offers a range of more premium finishes, however, particularly in higher-ranking members of the family which look and feel lovely.

Climb aboard and there's enough space for tall front occupants, though cabin width is far from abundant; likewise, rear visibility is limited due to the bulky C-pillar plastics.

Ergonomics are solid thanks to the adjustable steering wheel and a range of soft-touch finishes for the door sills and either side of the centre console for your knees.

The dashboard layout is clean and user-friendly to operate, offering physical dials for the climate controls for quick changes on the fly, while Mazda's leather-wrapped steering wheel feels great in hand.

The CX-3’s centre console is a bit limited when it comes to storage options, though there's a tray sitting behind the gear lever, a pair of cupholders and another cubby underneath the folding armrest, alongside the usuals like a glovebox and door bins.

Move to the rear and things are pretty cramped in the back of the CX-3.

There’s limited legroom behind a tall driver or front passenger while headroom is also quite cramped if you've got a long torso.

Amenities in the second row are pretty scarce, coming in the form of a folding armrest with cup holders and some door bins, though no rear air vents or charging options, which is a bit of a miss these days.

The CX-3 comes packaged with a pair of ISOFIX anchors on the outboard seats as well as three top tether mounts on the seat backs for child seats, with easy access into the cabin from wide-aperture doors, though second row space is tight for bulkier child seats.

How Big is the Mazda CX-3's Boot?

The Mazda CX-3 isn't a powerhouse when it comes to boot space, though it does the best it can with its limited proportions.

With the rear seats standing, there's 264L worth of boot space on offer, putting the CX-3 at the bottom end of the segment when it comes to outright capacity.

There’s a bit of a raised edge between the boot floor and the outside world, though considering it’s a fairly low-slung package overall, it’s easy to unload suitcases from the CX-3's boot.

• CX-3 Boot Space Minimum: 264L

• CX-3 Boot Space Maximum: 1,174L

Is it Safe?

In spite of its age, Mazda has thrown a decent list of safety technology inside all versions of the CX-3, though some features are reserved for higher-ranking members of the range.

Notably, Mazda has bundled adaptive cruise control into all CX-3 versions for 2025.

As standard, the CX-3 comes packaged with pedestrian and cyclist detection for the AEB system, alongside adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and lane-departure alerts.

There's also driver attention alerts, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors and curtain airbags on offer in all CX-3 variants.

Buyers stepping up to the CX-3 Evolve adds a set of front-mounted parking sensors while the GT SP picks up traffic sign detection.

The CX-3 range remains unrated by ANCAP after its previous five-star rating expired in 2022.

What Warranty does the Mazda CX-3 Come With?

Mazda offers the CX-3 range in 2025 with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

Buyers also pick up five years' worth of roadside assist and a capped-price servicing program that stretches out to seven years.

Five years’ worth of servicing for the CX-3 range totals $2,200 while seven years' worth of servicing is priced at $3,165.

Service intervals for the MY25 Mazda CX-3 range stand at 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Mazda CX-3 Worth it?

While it's not the most modern package on the market, the CX-3 remains a rock-solid offering in the small SUV segment.

It's a fun-loving package that makes light work of the city grind thanks to its agile handling, easy-to-park proportions and zippy engine that gives it a charming nature around town.

The CX-3 isn't the most competitive in the segment when it comes to infotainment tech, nor fuel efficiency, as a range of hybrid rivals continue to flood the market.

The pricing is also a little curious, especially in light of the removal of the previous base version, meaning the CX-3 is priced dangerously close to the more practical and dynamic Mazda 3 hatch and sedan range.

That said, the CX-3 ticks enough of the most important boxes for the segment to warrant a spot on your shortlist.

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Five Mazda CX-3 Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty

2. 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol produces 110kW / 195Nm

3. 6.3L per 100km fuel economy figures

4. 264 - 1,174L boot space Unrated by ANCAP

5. Expired ANCAP safety rating