2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring review: Pint-size fun

[Suarez™]

Mazda builds a sprightly entry for a red-hot market

Mazda's CX-3 is the brand's entry in the super-po[CENSORED]r subcompact CUV class -- basically crossovers that are as small as manufacturers can make them before they become simply hatchbacks wearing bumpy tires. There's only one engine and one transmission in the CX-3: a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G four-cylinder with a six-speed automatic sending 145 horses to all four wheels in this AWD version. A front-wheel-drive model is also available.

The CX-3 channels its "zoom-zoom" siblings well on the road; the steering is agile if a little numb, but the chassis is very stiff without translating into a harsh ride. Do expect some interior engine and road noise, though -- a common feature of Mazdas. With 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in lower-profile (not quite low-profile) tires, the CX-3 exhibits excellent road manners and a taut, controlled ride that's domesticated enough for everyday use by all members of the family. There are other vehicles in Mazda's stable to offer thrills, but the CX-3 does a good impression of the excellent CX-5 -- one of the best small crossovers out there.