Automotive Fleet, March 2018

AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I MARCH 2018 40 neednt worry about educating their drivers about this very intuitive vehicle Vehicle safety is a big deal for me not to mention fleet managers so I was very pleased to find that the mid cycle update for this CX 3 featured the Smart City Brake Support pre crash safety feature This feature is an automated frontal crash system that can apply the brakes below 19 mph While I thankfully didnt need to test this feature during my time with it I felt much more confident on the road and Im sure fleet drivers with a lot on their mind will appreciate the extra set of eyes too I also loved the blind spot detection notifications Navigating the unforgiving freeways of Los Angeles was much more pleasant in the CX 3 everytime I received a light ping when I was preparing to merge into a lane that had a vehicle in my blind spot gave me that much more confidence during my ride The infotainment setup is wonderfully intuitive and after minor troubleshooting on my end I felt confident in navigating the roads without having to think twice when it came to understanding the interface Though smaller in size the CX 3 still gets the job done Trunk space was 124 cubic feet behind the second row seats and 445 cubic feet with the row folded down The second row seats are compact though not tiny by any means a passenger who joined my test drive and sat in the back seat said that he was quite comfortable though observed that if it was packed entirely with taller people they might feel cramped The Mazda CX 3 AWD model offers an EPA estimated rating of 29 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway for a combined 31 mpg AF MAZDA CX 3 The Mazda CX 3 was updated for model year 2018 with the addition of several new standard features many of which fleet managers with an eye for safety will love BY ANDY LUNDIN T he Mazda CX 3 was updated for the 2018 model year with the addition of several new standard features many of which fleet managers with an eye for safety will love My initial thoughts during my test drive with the CX 3 which was the Grand Touring 4WD trim were that it was nimble responsive and above all safe While not as large and spacious as its bigger brother the CX 5 this subcompact SUV holds its own New features include G Vectoring on the optional i Activ all wheel drive system which improves driving dynamics including steering handling and stability This is where my first thoughts of nimble and responsive came into play Every maneuver felt precise and responsive Driving the CX 3 was effortless and I felt instantly comfortable in it Fleets 2018 The infotainment setup for the Mazda CX 3 is very intuitive After minor troubleshooting drivers will feel confident in navigating the roads without having to think twice when it comes to understanding the interface PHOTOS VINCE TAROC New features for the CX 3 include G Vectoring on the optional i Activ all wheel drive system which improves driving dynamics including steering handling and stability