Mazda 2 vs Mazda CX-3 – Which one should I buy?

QUESTION - MARTIN:
My wife has a Mazda 2, and we are looking to buy another new car. At the dealer we looked at the current Mazda 2 Genki small hatch as well as the Mazda CX-3 Maxx small SUV.

Is there another car we should look at? We drive mainly in the city and a little country from time to time. Mileage would be approximately 10,000km per year.

The Mazdas appeal to us because they have lots of features and we like our Mazda 2.

BUDGET:
$30,000

RESPONSE - SAMANTHA:
The Mazda 2 is a fabulous city car, and within your budget you can load up on the features and spec. The Genki model you looked at ($20,690) is the top of the range and does come with a lot of standard equipment. It’s an excellent option.

The CX-3 Maxx ($22,390) is also an excellent vehicle, with a higher driving position and slightly easier access up front than the diminutive Mazda 2, however it is, in fact, based on the Mazda 2 so the extra money doesn’t get you much more in the way of cabin room or cargo space, and the mid-spec Maxx model grade doesn’t have as much equipment as the top-spec Mazda 2 Genki.

It’s also worth noting that as the CX-3 has a larger engine than the Mazda 2 (2.0-litre vs 1.5-litre) it will have some more costs associated with it; not just the buying price, but also slightly higher running costs such as fuel consumption, as well as tyres etc., so be sure an SUV is necessary for your needs.

If you are looking at a slightly larger car than the Mazda 2 light hatch, you may want to consider the Mazda 3 instead of the CX-3. The Mazda 3 Maxx Safety is the pick ($25,890). Other small hatchbacks worth looking at outside the Mazda brand include the Ford Focus (Trend, or a demo Titanium), and the Hyundai i30 Active X ($22,590).

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Should you be happy with the Mazda 2’s size, other cars in its segment to consider would be the Volkswagen Polo TSI Comfortline ($21,190) and the Renault Clio Dynamique ($25,000). Both will be slightly more expensive to service than the Mazda, but have fun and frugal 1.2-litre turbo engines with automated gearboxes, and a host of included options. Each has a different and unique seating position – be sure to test drive them and see what suits.