News Releases
When the all-new 2016 Mazda CX-3 entered the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s (NWAPA) “Mudfest” last week, sitting with 6.22 inches of ground clearance, it clearly had the lowest ground clearance among its competitive set. But much has been the case with Mazda as a brand, a big punch can come in Mazda’s small footprint—even off-road, where CX-3 shined. During the 22nd annual NWAPA Activity Vehicle of the Year competition, which included a two days of testing—one day of on-course testing and one day off-road testing—the 2016 Mazda CX-3 drove away with top honors, earning the designation of Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year, Compact Utility Vehicle.
“I think the Mazda CX-3 was the biggest surprise for our members,” said Ryan Douthit, event chair and producer of Driving Sports TV. “Not only did this subcompact crossover excel on our sealed-surface handling course, it also showed surprising capability on our rugged off-road circuit.”
Much of CX-3’s performance can be attributed to its predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive, which uses 27 sensors to instantly transfer power before a driver would ever feel a loss of traction. Using i-ACTIV AWD, CX-3 can adjust how its power is routed more than 200 times per second, offering a versatile package for daily life and weekend adventures.
The 2016 Mazda CX-3 compact crossover SUV is the fifth model in Mazda’s lineup of new-generation vehicles that feature the full range of SKYACTIV Technology and KODO—Soul of Motion design. With a starting MSRP of $19,960, plus destination charges, CX-3 offers all the essentials people look for in a vehicle; a design of overwhelming quality and style, packaging developed solely with the customer’s ease-of-use in mind and the responsive driving feel that Mazda strives for in every model.
Mazda North American Operations is proud of its award-winning vehicle lineup. The 2016 model year vehicles have already earned over 100 industry accolades with a recent impressive win from the MX-5 with two awards for Word Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. To learn more about Mazda, visit InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com.
