2024 Mazda CX-3 vs 2023 Nissan Qashqai

What's the difference?

It’s easy to see why the Mazda CX-3 remains such a favourite with small SUV buyers. The Evolve grade tested is dynamically capable, space efficient and well equipped for the money. That said, although I don’t like being ageist, as it starts to creep up on a decade on sale, the market leader is giving ground to the competition in key areas including design, fuel efficiency and refinement. It’s time for a new-generation model, but in the age of electrification, will there be one? In the meantime, this evergreen favourite remains a solid urban SUV option.

As mentioned we need more time behind the wheel for more accurate drive impressions, but it appears, once again, that Nissan has stepped up its game and made significant improvements over the model it replaces.

The new Qashqai is far more refined than the old model, and indeed much more refined than a bunch of other top-selling small SUVs.

A larger and more premium interior, huge uptick in standard gear and much needed safety boost are the icing on the cake.

Nissan is well and truly on a winning streak. 

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

You’re not going to mistake the current CX-3 for anything other than a Mazda, which speaks to the consistency of the brand’s design approach.

Tightly wrapped and neatly detailed the CX-3's exterior has aged well, and thanks to cosmetic tweaks over time it’s still looking clean and contemporary. 

The step up from 16-inch alloys on the lower Sport and Pure grades to 18-inch rims on this Evolve also lifts the look to a more mature, premium level.  

The interior is a simple, fuss-free environment, but in a small-SUV world moving rapidly towards slick integrated screens for multimedia and instrumentation, the CX-3 is showing its age.

The 8.0-inch media display stands proud in the centre of the dash, almost like an afterthought, and the instrument cluster, while okay from an ergonomic point of view, is dated by an analogue tachometer in the centre and LCD-style read-outs either side.

And although it’s always a subjective call, I’m guessing the Evolve’s white and tan interior trim combination won’t be to everyone’s liking, from an aesthetic or practicality point-of-view.

That said, the interior surfaces across the dash, doors and centre console flow into one another nicely, and brushed metal look highlights around key controls and vents enhance the quality feel.

Speaking of which, physical dials and knobs for adjustment of the ventilation system and audio volume is welcome. Maybe old-school is the best school?

However… the multimedia screen can only be accessed by a rotary dial in the front centre console once the car is mobile (it works as a touchscreen when you’re stationary).

Keenly aware there are various opinions on this set-up when it comes to safety. Touchscreens, by definition, take your eyes off the road ahead, so on one hand it makes sense to transfer control to the rotary dial.

But when you’re using a sequential app like Spotify, it can take a hell of a lot of twirls of that controller to get to where you want to go.

Soon you’re grinding your teeth in frustration which upsets concentration and your eyes are well-and-truly off the road, anyway. 

For what it’s worth, I’d prefer the relative ease of a quick press on the screen rather than having to go ‘around the horn’ to hit your favourite track or podcast.

After recently spending quite a bit of time with Nissan’s other two new SUVs, the X-Trail and Pathfinder, there’s a clear family resemblance to the new Qashqai.

It represents an evolution of the second-gen model it replaces, but brings it bang up to date. Interesting touches include a floating roof, which is two-tone on some grades, LED boomerang-style headlights, lashings of chrome, and a ‘Qashqai’ imprint stamped into the front quarter panels.

Nissan didn’t stray too far from the formula of the larger X-Trail with the interior, which makes sense given the two models share Nissan’s CMF-C platform.

The new Qashqai is longer, wider, taller and has a longer wheelbase than the old model.

There’s been a focus on tactility of the controls and the design is elevated. The clean, modern look and feel is a welcome departure from the dated look of the previous Qashqai.

We only sampled the higher grade ST-L and Ti, but ST and ST+ make do with a cheaper looking plastic steering wheel. The leather D-shaped steering wheel with stitching in higher grades is a nice touch. 

At just under 4.3m long, less than 1.8m wide and a little over 1.5m tall the CX-3’s footprint is squarely city-sized, and no surprise it shares the Mazda2’s 2570mm wheelbase because it’s underpinned by the same platform as the small hatch.

But there’s more than enough breathing room up front and storage options are creative.

Rather than the ubiquitous single storage box between the front seats the CX-3 offers up an adjustable multi-compartment arrangement, with cupholders and bottle retainers ready to flick into position in multiple locations. 

It’s still covered with a padded lid which doubles as an armrest, and there’s also a generous glove box and bins in the doors with space for large bottles, even an overhead drop-down glasses holder.

Move to the back and there’s a surprising amount of head, leg and shoulder room for an SUV of this size. Sure, it’s no limo, but sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, I was pretty comfortable.

Best for two full-size adults in the rear, although a third can squeeze in for short, relatively uncomfortable journeys. Three up to mid-teenage kids will be fine.  

Rear storage includes bottle shaped cavities in the doors, a map pocket on the back of the front passenger seat only (a weird Mazda habit) and dual pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

No adjustable ventilation outlets in the rear, but in a car this compact, their absence isn’t as big an issue as it might be elsewhere.

For power and connectivity, there are two USB-A sockets in the front (one media, one power-only) as well an SD card slot, an ‘aux in’ jack and a 12V outlet. No power options in the rear, which won’t play well with the kids.

With the back seat upright, boot capacity is an okay 264 litres. Enough to accommodate either the largest 124L or the smaller 95L and 36L suitcases from out three-piece set. But not all of them together.

With a bit of not so gentle persuasion, the large CarsGuide pram just squeaked in, but lower the 60/40 split-folding rear backrest and available space expands to 1174L.

Tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads is a plus and a speed-limited space-saver spare sits under the boot floor.

And if you need to hook up a small boat or other lightweight trailer, the CX-3 Evolve is rated to 1200kg (braked) and 640kg (unbraked).

Following last month’s X-Trail launch, it was clear as soon as I jumped behind the wheel of the Qashqai that the two models are related.

The dash layout and design are the same, which is not a criticism, with some elements like the gear shifter mirrored in both models. The Qashqai misses out on the under-console storage tray found in the X-Trail and Pathfinder.

There may be far fewer than the old model, but I’m glad Nissan hasn’t completely ditched physical buttons like some brands are trying to do. It’s much faster to change air-con settings that way, rather than via a touchscreen menu.

Speaking of, the 12.3-inch multimedia screen is responsive and has a relatively logical menu structure - the graphics are much more visually appealing than the old model, too. There was no ST at the launch so I’m not sure what the 8.0-inch system is like.

On higher grades, the digital instrument cluster is easy to customise, while the head-up display is crisp. 

The front USB-A and USB-C ports are found in the central bin which is a decent size for the segment, but the glove box - like in the X-Trail - is smaller than expected. Big bottles fit in the front doors, and storage is best described as good for the segment, without being exceptional. 

The front seats in ST-L and Ti don’t have a huge amount of thigh support, but chunky side bolsters. 

There is more rear head and legroom than before and I sat comfortably behind my 183cm (six foot) frame, with loads of toe room and plenty of headroom, even in the Ti with the massive sunroof.

In terms of amenities in the rear, it has knee-level air vents, USB-A and C ports, map pockets, smaller bottle holders in the doors, a fold-down centre armrest (in ST-L and Ti), ISOFIX hooks on the outboard seats and top tethers across the board.

The boot in most grades takes 429 litres of cargo, but that drops to 418L in the Ti due to the placement of a subwoofer. Fold the 60/40 split-fold seats and available volume increases to 1524L (1513L Ti).

It’s a spacious boot but can’t quite hit the heights of the petrol Corolla Cross (436L). There’s a 17-inch temporary spare under the boot floor.

Ti grades also come with Nissan’s ‘Divide N Hide’ boot storage solution that allows you to lift and split the boot floor panels and slide them in vertically so they provide separate, secure spaces in the cargo area. 

From launch, Nissan will offer four grades, all with petrol front-wheel drive powertrains. There’s no longer a price-leading manual base variant, and the petrol-electric ePower variants are still to come in 2023, although timing is unclear.

Four grades are available - the base ST, the ST+, ST-L and top-spec Ti.

The ST starts the range at $33,890 before on-road costs, which is over $3000 more than the old model. The lack of a manual means no more sub-$30,000 Qashqai.

The ST+ is about $5000 more than the old model at $37,890, while the ST-L has gone up by $7500 to $42,190. The range-topping Ti now costs $47,390, which is a staggering $8300 more than the equivalent outgoing variant.

This pricing moves Nissan out of the cheap and cheerful end of the small-SUV segment occupied by the likes of the Mitsubishi ASX and MG ZS. It’s now in the mix with the Mazda CX-30, Subaru XV and the Toyota Corolla Cross.

As one would hope given the repositioning, Nissan has significantly increased the standard equipment for the new model.

As well as the new safety gear (see ‘Safety’ section below), other features in the ST include 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, heated and auto-folding exterior mirrors, auto LED headlights, auto stop-start, and keyless entry and start.

The ST+ includes a larger 12.3-inch multimedia display with sat-nav and wireless Apple CarPlay, a surround-view monitor, rain-sensing wipers, LED fog lights and 18-inch alloys.

ST-L grades gain 19-inch alloys, tinted windows, a heated leather steering wheel, power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, adaptive LED headlights with an anti-dazzle function, wireless charging, auto dimming rear-view mirrors, roof rails and more.

The flagship Ti features quilted leather-accented seats with a massage function for the front seats, driver seat memory function, panoramic sunroof, a 10.8-inch head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a hands-free power tailgate, 10-speaker Bose audio system, the handy ‘Divide N Hide’ boot storage system, and an auto parking system.

Given the big price hike and the fact that some models have a digital instrument cluster as standard, Nissan could have included the larger multimedia set-up with wireless Apple CarPlay and sat-nav in the base ST. But the rest of the range has a healthy amount of gear.

The CX-3 is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine sending drive to the front wheels via a six-speed auto transmission.

The all-alloy unit features direct-injection and variable valve timing to produce 110kW at 6000rpm and 195Nm at 2800rpm.

Gone is the old 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine from the previous model, replaced by a new 1.3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit that is found, in different states of tune, in sister brand Renault’s Captur and Arkana. 

Power and torque is up by 4.0kW and 50Nm respectively over the old model, for outputs of 110kW and 250Nm.

The engine outputs are better than a number of the aforementioned competitors, while matching those of the Skoda Kamiq.

The new Qashqai is front-wheel drive only (there is no all-wheel drive version planned) and uses a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Mazda’s official fuel economy number for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 6.3L/100km, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder emitting 143g/km of CO2 in the process.

That’s an impressively small emissions figure for a 2.0L petrol engine, more in line with smaller-capacity engines.

Stop-start is standard and over a week of city, suburban, and some freeway running, we averaged 7.4L/100km (at the pump), while the car’s on-board computer indicated 7.1L/100km for the same period.

Minimum fuel requirement is 91 RON ‘standard’ unleaded (or E10) and you’ll need 48 litres of it to fill the tank.

Using the official number, that translates to a driving range of around 760km, which drops to roughly 650km using our real-world figure.

By using the new engine, the fuel economy figure for the Qashqai has improved over the old model. It now consumes 6.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, down from 6.9 litres.

While the efficiency gains are welcome, the new powertrain requires 95 RON premium petrol whereas the old model made do with cheaper 91 RON fuel.

The petrol Qashqai’s fuel figure is good for the class, but that will improve with the ePower hybrid that consumes about 5.3 litres.

Petrol Qashqais have a 55-litre fuel tank and emit 138 grams of CO2 per kilometre. 

The CX-3’s compact size makes it easy to steer through tight city and suburban streets. 

It weighs in at just under 1.3 tonnes, which is marginally lighter than most of its key competitors, and acceleration is sprightly with the 0-100km/h covered in less than nine seconds.

Close to 200Nm of pulling power is plenty for a car in this class and unusually for a non-turbo engine, peak torque arrives at a relatively low 2800rpm, so there’s ample mid-range urge.

The downside is the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine makes its presence felt inside the cabin, with mechanical noise noticeable even at around-town speeds. Not a conversation stopper by any means, but it’s there.

No complaints with the six-speed auto transmission. It’s smooth and the ratios keep the car in its performance sweet spot nicely. It also shifts into sequential ‘Manual’ mode if your prefer or need to call the shots.

Electric ‘drive-by-wire’ throttle response is smooth, but flick the console-mounted rocker switch to ‘Sport’ and things become more urgent, with the transmission shifting down earlier and holding on to ratios longer.

The steering is evenly weighted for easy parking and road feel is good. Speaking of parking, a 10.6m turning circle is large-ish for such a diminutive SUV, but surprisingly, not out of line for the category.

Suspension is by struts at the front and torsion beam at the rear, and despite the CX-3’s relatively short wheelbase and the Evolve’s bigger 18-inch wheels, ride comfort over typically pock-marked urban roads is surprisingly good. The Toyo Proxes R52A (215/50) tyres are also quiet and reassuringly grippy.

Braking is by generous ventilated discs at the front and solid rotors at the rear, and they’re more than up to the task of calmly washing off speed in this city-sized SUV. 

The front seats proved comfy and supportive on test, although you’ll have to step up to the next Touring grade to score electric adjustment for the drive or lumbar control of any description.

These drive impressions are fairly high-level given the launch drive was kept to the city limits of Melbourne and that meant we were stuck in a few traffic jams. 

When accelerating from a standing start, there’s a beat or two of turbo lag from the new engine. Once you’re past that, it’s a super responsive little engine when you’re already up and running. If only it sounded a bit nicer.

The CVT does its job well and without fuss, but is not as smooth as the transmission and 2.5-litre engine combo in the X-Trail. But still, very little to complain about.

Ride quality is difficult to fault when you’re on smooth, urban roads, but it becomes a little more unsettled and jiggly on uneven roads.

I only drove the ST-L and Ti at the launch and both ride on 19-inch alloy wheels. I’m keen to drive the ST (17-inch) and ST+ (18-inch) to see if smaller wheels improve the ride. But as it stands the Qashqai can’t match the impressive ride of the new X-Trail.

It may have had a somewhat thrashy engine, but the previous Qashqai has better than average handling characteristics. We can’t report on that element just yet due to the limited city-focused drive route, but the times we managed to punt it into a corner, it revealed a balanced chassis and well calibrated suspension set-up.

One thing that clearly stands out compared with the old model is how much more refined the Qashqai is. The engine is more muted in the cabin, there’s far less wind and road noise and it just feels like a massive step up. Great job!

The Qashqai achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP rating from crash tests conducted in 2021.

The model has upped safety gear in a big way. From the base ST grade the Qashqai comes standard with a front centre airbag, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection, rear AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, tyre pressure monitor, traffic sign recognition, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Nissan’s 'ProPilot' system that combines adaptive cruise control with steering and lane keep assist tech for semi-autonomous driving is standard from Qashqai ST-L. That grade and Ti also get front parking sensors and an alarm.

Mazda covers the CX-3 with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is the current market standard. Roadside assist is included for the duration. 

Recommended service interval is 12 months/15,000km, and the average annual cost for each workshop visit, for the first seven years, is $438.

An average under $450 is alright, but Toyota’s capped price figure of $195 per workshop visit for the first five years of C-HR ownership puts it in perspective. Mind you, Toyota’s charges step up considerably after that fifth year.

As with other Nissan models, the Qashqai comes with a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty.

It is also offered with a six-year capped-price servicing plan, and the average price across that six-year period is $670 per service. The cheapest service is year one at $375 and the most expensive is year six at $1108.

The schedule for the servicing is every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first, and that is an appropriate term for this model.

The Qashqai also comes with five years of free roadside assistance.