You may not be able to see most of the changes that Mazda has made to the 2018 CX-3, but the Japanese brand is hoping you’ll feel them.
With a base price of $21,050, the 2018 Mazda CX-3 starts at just $150 more than its 2017 counterpart. For that extra Grant and Franklin, customers get a host of subtle additions to the compact crossover, including Mazda’s Smart City Brake Support, an automated emergency braking system that can bring the CX-3 to a halt in a low-speed?19 mph or less?emergency situation. Every 2018 CX-3 also comes equipped with a small revision to the suspension system that welcomes new bushings, updated dampers, and a fresh set of front lower control arms, as well as Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control system that briefly reduces engine torque at turn-in, imperceptibly transferring load to the front axle, which takes up any slack in the suspension to improve steering response. New engine mounts, thicker rear-hatch glass, and additional sound-deadening material promise to quiet down what noise, vibration, and harshness makes its way into the cabin.
Other changes to the 2018 CX-3 include a new steering-wheel design on all models, an improved, full-color head-up display system on the top-end Grand Touring trim, and the addition of a new Premium package on Grand Touring models, which replaces last year’s I-Activsense package. The $1435 Premium package includes previously available tech such as adaptive cruise control, high-speed automated em...