It was on a dark, moonless night, zipping along the winding country road that is the back road out of De Queen, Ark., that I decided that no other vehicle matches the value proposition of Mazda's CX-3.
I toggled on sport mode as the road wound down through a series of tight, hilly curves toward the plain of the Cossatot River. The subcompact SUV's quick-shifting automatic applied Germanic logic, downshifting for approaching curves. The automatic headlamps kept the high-intensity, self-leveling beam centered on the path ahead, but politely dimmed, when a farm pickup suddenly appeared out of the gloom.
With all-wheel drive, the lightweight (2,930 lbs.) Ute clung to the road with unrelenting stick. Inside, a 7-speaker Bose sound system, automatic temperature control, and Mazda's "Head-up Cockpit" made things snug, comforting and confidence inspiring.
The CX-3 and Subaru Crosstek are generally recognized as top choices in a segment that includes the Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Buick Encore, Chevrolet Trax and Nissan Juke.
The Mazda gets the nod because of the immense attention to detail that went into the design and engineering of this vehicle, which first hit the showrooms a year ago. It's hard to know where to start on that, so let's begin with SKYACTIVE technology, which basically means Mazda engineers go through every component of a system-driveline, chassis, body-and look for ways to make it better.
Mash the standard push-button starter button and the happy burble of a punchy 146-horsepower, 2.0-liter SKYACTIV-G engine lets you know there's something nice under the hood. It's not a scream-down-the-racetrack beast, but it can get to 60 in around 8 seconds, not bad for a class where 9- and 10-second times are more common, and top out around 120 mph.
Power is quickly accessible across a broad torque curve, making it easy to pull through a curve, which makes the car all the more engaging when pushed down a lonely back road.
In a niche marked by strong fuel economy ratings, the CX-3 is near the top of class, delivering better than 27 mpg in town and nearly 35 on the highway.
The cabin is smartly designed and constructed of better materials than are usually found in this class. Seats are firm, supportive and comfortable on a road trip. The CX-3 is seven inches shorter than the Mazda3, and that is felt in a lack of rear leg room and cargo area, so if that's important to you, better to stick with the car.
The CX-3 comes in four models. The Sport, starting at $19,960, is a great deal. Standard are 16-inch alloy wheels, power mirrors, cloth seats, a seven-inch MAZDA CONNECTTM touchscreen infotainment system with voice commands, Bluetooth phone connectivity for phone and audio streaming, a USB input, keyless entry, push-button start, power door locks and a six-speaker audio system and more.
Move up to the Touring model, $21,960, and you get 18-inch wheels, heated outside mirrors with signal lamps, heated front seats, folding arm rest, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. A $1,410 Touring Premium package adds the Bose sound system, satellite radio, HD radio and cargo cover.
At $24,990, the Grand Touring adds leather seating, LED fog lamps, navigation, paddle shifters, and a Heads-up display that keeps the driver's eyes on the road.
Mazda's safety suite, the i-Activesense Package, with radar cruise control, automatic smart braking automatic, lane departure warning, high beam control and rain-sensing wipers adds $1,200. That is about as reasonable of a price that we've seen for a similar package; in fact, it's $750 less than Mazda charged for 2016 models.
Standard lecture: These features will be standard on many cars in a year or two, but don't buy a new car today without them. They reduce injuries by a third and Your Favorite Auto Writer thinks that once public awareness grows, used vehicles without these technologies will suffer a price hit.
When equipped with the forward collision prevention system, the 2017 CX-3 earned a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS. It scored Good ratings on all other IIHS crashworthiness categories, including the front small overlap test and roof strength. The NHTSA awarded the 2017 CX-3 with a five-star overall rating.
Not bad for a car that is affordable, comfortable and fuel efficient.
Especially one that's fun to drive.
Bottom Line: If you're looking for an affordable car that you can love, here it is.