Mazda CX-3 XD Touring 2020 Review — The Driver's Compact SUV
The Mazda CX-3 trades the Vezel's volume practicality for genuinely better driving feel — Skyactiv chassis, sharp steering, and a 1.8L diesel that delivers proper torque. The catch is the diesel-side excise, which makes it land at similar money to the Vezel hybrid.
thumb_up Pros
- check_circle Skyactiv chassis is in a different class to Vezel / Yaris Cross handling
- check_circle 1.8L diesel torque is genuinely usable for hill-country driving
- check_circle Premium interior materials — feels a level above the volume Japanese SUVs
- check_circle Sharper styling — the CX-3 ages slowly compared to its competitors
thumb_down Cons
- cancel Diesel-side excise (LKR 5,500/cc on 1.8L) puts the landed price up against Vezel hybrid
- cancel Tighter rear-seat headroom than Vezel
- cancel 5–8% softer resale than Vezel due to smaller buyer pool
- cancel DPF maintenance discipline matters on diesel variants
Rating
8/10
The Mazda CX-3 is the enthusiast pick in the compact SUV class. Where the Vezel optimises for volume practicality and the Yaris Cross optimises for fuel economy, the CX-3 optimises for how the car drives — and Mazda’s Skyactiv chassis tuning does it convincingly. This is the compact SUV you buy if you actually enjoy steering a car.
This review covers the 2020 Mazda CX-3 XD Touring (1.8L Skyactiv-D diesel) — the most-imported CX-3 configuration for Sri Lanka in 2026. The Skyactiv-X petrol variant is rarer in JDM imports and is reviewed separately when stock is available.
What you get
- 1.8L S8-DPTR Skyactiv-D four-cylinder turbo diesel
- 6-speed automatic
- 5 doors, 5 seats, 350L boot
- i-Activsense safety bundle (standard from 2018 facelift)
- Combined output 116 hp / 270 Nm
How it drives
The CX-3’s calling card is chassis poise. Three observations:
- Steering is genuinely the best in class. Properly weighted, accurate around centre, and the on-centre feel is closer to a Mazda 3 than to a Vezel.
- Body control is meaningfully better than a Vezel. The CX-3 corners flatter, brakes more confidently, and feels more substantial on highway sweepers at 100+ km/h.
- Diesel torque changes the driving character entirely. With 270 Nm available from 1,600 rpm, the CX-3 has the kind of mid-range punch that the petrol-hybrid Vezel and Yaris Cross simply don’t have. For overtaking on the E01 expressway or climbing Hatton with passengers, the diesel pulls effortlessly.
- Refinement is the Mazda surprise. The cabin is genuinely quieter at highway speed than the Vezel; interior materials are a clear step up.
Real-world economy
Sri Lankan CX-3 diesel owners report 17–20 km/L mixed driving — exceptional for a diesel SUV but a step behind the petrol hybrids in the same class:
| Vehicle | Real km/L |
|---|---|
| Honda Vezel Hybrid | 25 |
| Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid | 28 |
| Mazda CX-3 Diesel | 18 |
At LKR 297/L diesel (vs LKR 388/L petrol), the per-kilometre fuel cost works out:
- CX-3 Diesel: LKR 16.5/km
- Vezel Hybrid: LKR 15.5/km
- Yaris Cross Hybrid: LKR 13.9/km
Over 60,000 km of ownership, the CX-3 spends roughly LKR 60,000 more on fuel than the Vezel and LKR 156,000 more than the Yaris Cross. Smaller margins than the diesel-vs-petrol comparison usually suggests because diesel is meaningfully cheaper per litre in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka tax math (2020 CX-3 XD Touring, JPY 1.6M auction)
| Line | Amount (LKR) |
|---|---|
| CIF (LKR) | 3,655,000 |
| CID (20%) | 731,000 |
| Surcharge | 365,500 |
| Excise (1,800 × 5,500 — diesel 1,501–2,000cc) | 9,900,000 |
| Luxury (CIF below threshold) | 0 |
| VAT base | 14,997,000 |
| VAT (18%) | 2,699,000 |
| Business + service costs | 445,000 |
| Landed selling price | ~LKR 17.8M |
The diesel excise — LKR 9.9M on this example — is the structural reason a CX-3 costs similar money to a Vezel hybrid despite a substantially lower auction CIF. The 1,800cc diesel sits in the LKR 5,500/cc band; the 1,500cc petrol hybrid sits in LKR 1,500/cc band. That’s a LKR 7.65M excise gap on the largest tax line.
For a like-for-like driving experience comparison, the CX-3 diesel and Vezel hybrid land at roughly LKR 17–18M for 2020 examples. The CX-3 Skyactiv-X petrol variant (where you can find one in JDM auctions) lands meaningfully cheaper because of the lower petrol-hybrid excise band, but inventory is limited.
DPF maintenance — the diesel-specific consideration
Modern Skyactiv-D engines use a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) that captures soot particles from combustion and burns them off in a regeneration cycle. For Sri Lankan urban use, two things matter:
- Highway-cycle regeneration — DPFs need occasional 80+ km/h driving to complete a regen. Pure city use can clog the DPF over time. Owners who drive only in Greater Colombo should plan for a monthly highway run (E01 expressway is ideal).
- Diesel quality — Sri Lankan low-sulphur diesel is now widely available at Lanka IOC and most CEYPETCO stations. Avoid generic stations on long trips.
For city-only buyers, a CX-3 petrol-hybrid (where available) avoids the DPF maintenance discipline entirely.
Auction-sheet notes for the CX-3
- Target grade: 4 or 4.5
- Watch for: stone-chip damage on the front lip (CX-3s are aerodynamic with low ground clearance up front), DPF service-record evidence (look for
DPF再生notes) - Common issues: glow-plug failures on diesel variants past 100k km (cheap to fix); occasional infotainment software glitches (resolvable via dealer)
- Auction-sheet note: Mazda 8-speed automatics in newer CX-3 examples (2021+) need fluid-change service at 60k km; verify documentation
CX-3 vs CX-30 — when to step up
The Mazda CX-30 is the slightly larger CX-3 successor, sharing the Mazda 3 platform. CX-30 lands LKR 3–5M more than equivalent CX-3 grade and offers more rear-seat space and a 100% redesigned infotainment system. For buyers who want the Mazda driving experience but found the CX-3 too tight in the back, the CX-30 is the structurally right step up. See CX-3 vs CX-30.
Verdict
8/10 for the driver-buyer. The CX-3 wins on driving feel; loses on resale and rear-seat space to the Vezel. For the Sri Lankan upgrader who genuinely values how a car drives — and who’s willing to accept the diesel maintenance discipline — the CX-3 is the structurally right pick. For volume buyers, the Vezel is still the safer call.
Send us your spec — we’ll come back with current CX-3 options (both Skyactiv-D and where available Skyactiv-X) alongside Vezel and Yaris Cross comparables.
Read also
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