-Despite Mazda continuing to offer a manual transmission in many of its models, as well as the fact that many new entries in the subcompact-crossover segment can be had with a manual, the new 2016 CX-3 mini-ute will be purely a two-pedal affair for the foreseeable future. All U.S.-market CX-3s have a 146-hp, Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter inline-four backed by a conventional six-speed automatic with a Sport mode. While the Sport mode is nicely calibrated, and the slushbox does a commendable job of making the most of the 2.0-liter’s output, we couldn’t help but wonder: “Where’s the stick?” So we asked Mazda.
We posed the question during our recent first drive of the CX-3, and the automaker responded that the 2.0-liter in the CX-3 is a unique B-segment application for the brand and that demand has yet to warrant the development of a three-pedal model. Outfitting the CX-3 with a manual wouldn’t be a massive engineering hurdle, however; the same 2.0-liter is hooked to a six-speed manual in base versions of the larger CX-5. Plus, the upcoming 2016 Mazda 2, which shares much of its structure with the wee crossover, surely will be offered in row-your-own spec. For now, however, given the pricing overlap of the entry-level CX-5 and the upper-trim CX-3 models, Mazda feels it has the small-crossover-with-a-stick thing covered.
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- Mazda 3 Refresh, Mazdaspeed 3 Coming for 2017
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- 2016 Mazda CX-3 First Drive: It Drives Nearly as Sharp as It Looks
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- Mazda CX-3 Photos, Build Your Own, Reviews, News, and More
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But that also doesn’t mean it won’t happen down the road. Using the Mazda 3 with the 2.5-liter four as an example—it initially was only available with an automatic but gained a manual option for 2015—Mazda says a three-pedal gearbox could be added to the CX-3 if enough people light torches and raise pitchforks. So, folks, let Mazda know you want a manual, and its handsome little crossover may one day be able to zoom-zoom to its full potential.
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via Agya
