The Gay UK December 2015 | Page 31

REVIEWMOTORING
days, you won’t be matching the
official fuel consumption figures
but I still managed 50mpg over
around 300 miles on a mixture of
roads. I don’t hang about either.
Unfortunately, handling proved to
be a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a
fair amount of body roll but it
always feels keen and willing to
entertain around corners. Over
long undulations at speed it feels
quite soft and wallowy which lulls
you into thinking this will be a
comfortable car. Unfortunately
over more pronounced bumps and
rough surfaces, it tends to fidget
and bounce more than you’d
expect. A Renault Captur would be
more comfortable for sure
although I still preferred the
Mazda’s sense of fun. It could be
better though.

THE LOWDOWN
Car – Mazda CX-3 1.5 2WD SE-L Nav Diesel
Price – £20,995 (£21,535 as tested)
Power –105hp
0-60 – 10.1 seconds
Top Speed – 110mph
Co2 – 105g/km

© MAZDA

The Mazda CX-3 is a very likeable
little car. I was impressed by the
combination of real-world
economy and performance on
offer; it really was a surprise when
compared to rivals. I also felt it
looked great inside and out even
though the colour did it no favours
at all. Unfortunately it is expensive
compared to rivals and doesn’t
quite have the fit and finish inside
to justify the price. I also felt the
suspension setup seemed a little
unfinished. The MX-5 shows
Mazda can clearly make a car that
handles, a little of that magic
wouldn’t go amiss here. Even so,
it’s still my favourite baby
crossover.

PROS

CONS

Handling

Expensive compared
to rivals

Styling

Interior feels cheap in
places

Economy

Could be more
spacious in back

THEGAYUK | ISSUE 17 | DEC 2015 31