2021 Mazda CX-3

Pros: Agile handling; peppy acceleration with good fuel economy; classy, high-quality interior trimmings; good selection of rare-for-the-class available safety and convenience features

Cons: Stingy cargo capacity and rear-seat space; some tedious infotainment-system controls; subpar vision to rear corners

CG Says: The 2021 Mazda CX-3 is unchanged. The subcompact CX-3 slots below the compact CX-30 in Mazda’s crossover lineup, and is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The sole powertrain is a 148-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Standard safety features include low-speed automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive LED headlights with automatic high-beam headlights. Even when measured against its similarly diminutive class competitors, the CX-3 is rather tight in rear-seat space and cargo room. However, its sporty driving demeanor, impressive list of available equipment, and all-around refinement make the CX-3 a fine choice in this segment.