The term family car can mean many different things in a city like New York. While SUVS and minivans might be the norm for families in most places, city dwellers are known to make it work in smaller vehicles. When we were given the opportunity to review the Mazda CX3 in Soul Red earlier last month, we weren’t sure what we would think of this much smaller ride, but we were pleasantly surprised.
First, here are some key features of the Mazda CX-3:
Cargo Space
While the CX3 is bigger than some sedans size-wise, the cargo space is much smaller than a typical car’s trunk. In fact, our toddler’s umbrella stroller barely fit horizontally across. On the plus side, this cargo space will definitely encourage minimalism and help prevent making your trunk a traveling storage space.
Technology
The technology is just what we remember of the other Mazda’s we’ve reviewed in the past. The center console media dial is great to keep the driver’s eye on the road, and even for the front passenger so that they can comfortably play DJ from their seat. To fit the proportion of the car, the navigation screen is slightly smaller, but with the same great technology. The rest of the dashboard is pretty simple and sleek.
A smaller center console means a smaller armrest- which did leave the hubby and I fighting for elbow room a few times, but we got used to it pretty quickly.
Meanwhile in the back, we only had our kids half of the time since they were spending winter break at their aunt’s house while we enjoyed Valentine’s Day weekend in the Poconos. But our oldest said she was really comfortable in the backseat and there was plenty of space for her. With our toddler’s car seat, there wasn’t much room for a middle passenger- but I’m sure we could squeeze an extra cousin back there if needbe.
Performance
Our second day in the Poconos we had a chance to see how the CX3 handled in the snow. It was the perfect chance to see Mazda’s i-ACTIV AWD™
all-wheel-drive system in action. The system monitors conditions and adjusts the power ideal traction. We had no trouble on the hills and backroads of the Poconos, which put me at ease when we found out that we might be traveling home in the middle of yet another snow storm.
Here you can see just how the CX3 sizes up to pickup truck. We also got the most questions from strangers with this car. People wanted to know what we thought, how it drives, etc. A dad with a smaller car and two kids told us that it was his next car- it was fun to see just how much people really liked this car. I’m sure that the MPG is another appealing factor of this car- 35 MPG HWY.
Don’t Let the Size Fool You
“Entertaining” at Ikea on a Tuesday night
If you really want to put cargo space to the test in a car, where else do you go but Ikea! With the backseats folded down, my sister-n-law and I headed to Brooklyn in the CX3 with our wish list in hand. After a few hours, we walked out with a bunk bed, two dressers, a rug, and plenty of other goodies. In true Nicole fashion, I forgot to measure the car and upon first arriving at the car in the parking lot- we thought we might have to return the bunk beds because well, the box didn’t fit!
As we turned around to head back to the store, the lightbulb came on. Aha! If we take the pieces out of the box, this bunk bed will fit! So we unboxed my daughter’s bunk bed in the Ikea parking lot- and began to fit them into the car. And you know what? It worked! City Living at it’s finest.
Final Thoughts
So, if you’re someone who can’t be bothered to minimize and make it work in a smaller vehicle, then the Mazda CX3 is not for you. But, if you’re a typical New Yorker who or city dweller who wants a nice ride that is great on gas, doesn’t take up much parking space, and can handle those trips to Ikea when there’s no one in the backseat- then this just might be the car for you. For those who love the vehicle but can’t handle the smaller size, the CX5 might be a better fit. Either way, Mazda has a great line of vehicles with all of the needed safety, technology, and style for city dwellers and beyond.