2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD Review #DriveMazda

When you think of Colorado, what comes to mind? The mountains? Fresh air and the great outdoors? Perhaps even cross-overs and SUVs heading up a muddy trail, packed full for the weekend? Those are just a few of the reasons I love Colorado and experiencing nature in a great ride makes the journey even more incredible. Last week I was given the opportunity to try out the 2016 Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD and it offered much more than I had imagined. As a “subcompact crossover” it boasted a roomier interior than expected and handled almost “as sharp as she looked,” even in the Colorado snow and slush.

I was a little apprehensive testing out a new car for a week with mud, dirt, slush and snow filling our Colorado terrain. Often times with car seats in the back of compact cars, my little ones have almost no room to rest their muddy boots. This wasn’t a problem with the Mazda CX-3. Their seats fit great, the anchor systems were easy to reach, and they both could see well out of the windows. The cabin was obviously very well designed. The interior felt upscale featuring beautiful upholstering and awesome modern amenities. The touch-screen display offered control for music, media devices, gps, settings and more at my fingertips and was very user-friendly. Combine the stylish interior with the sporty soul red metallic paint job our car featured and this dapper beauty just begged for a little fun.

We took the Mazda CX-3 on a trip out to the forests to test its capability on snow, ice, dirt roads, mud, slush, you name it. I was impressed at how well it handled all of it. The All-Wheel Drive did great on these terrains and offered a smooth and pleasant drive on normal pavement.  The Mazda CX-3 also handled curves and turns with precision and with a 0-60 mph in about 8 seconds we enjoyed the “go!” the 2.0 L, 4-cylinder engine offered. Sure, it’s not record breaking fast, but it still let me feel the wind through my hair and elicited giggles and “wheeeeees” from my precious cargo, while still feeling safe.

Speaking of safe, the Mazda CX-3 had many options I really liked. The rearview camera does an excellent job of warning you when you get too close or if any cross traffic has driven or run behind your car. I also really liked the blind spot monitoring. A small icon will light up on your side mirrors should a car be in your blind spot. Other great safety features in this particular model were the lane departure warning and the brake support.

All in all, we definitely enjoyed and were impressed with the Mazda CX-3 Grand Touring AWD. Stylish and well thought out inside and out, it drove and looked great. If you’re looking for a smaller car great in weather and fun to drive, you may want to #DriveMazda.