Look cool and save too.
Mazda CX-3 Neo
SUB-compact SUVs – we’re calling them ‘small’ because ‘compact’ now means medium – have sparked the SUV segment in 2015. Honda’s HR-V is another key arrival and finished seventh.
Mazda’s CX-3 is the coolest looking and fun to drive. It also offers the best value. Keen pricing – the Neo starts at $19,990 – works with a resale figure among best in category to make the Mazda unstoppable.
The jacked-up hatch's 6.3L/100km economy is among the misers, though it can’t touch the second-placed Peugeot’s impressive 4.9L/100km.
Never mind that the front-drive CX-3 won’t venture much further off road than a gravel driveway. It’s one of those rare creations that’s trendy yet sensible, and desirable yet affordable. And that makes it a certified Gold Star Value Awards choice.
Peugeot 2008 Active
LIGHTWEIGHT, agile and dynamically sharp, the under-rated 2008 deserves a look-in if you're a keen driver also seeking a surprisingly spacious compact crossover.
And even the outmoded four-speed auto works well in real-life scenarios.
Ford EcoSport Ambiente
ECOSPORT is to Fiesta what CX-3 is to Mazda 2: a fashionable quasi-SUV based on a light hatch. Accordingly, it mirrors the Mazda’s strengths of sharp entry price and great economy, though falls down with a relatively poor resale. It’s a similarly talented steer, but the base 1.5-litre isn’t a patch on Mazda’s 2.0; we’d recommend the turbo-triple Trend.
| Baby SUVs | Mazda CX-3 Neo man 2.0L FWD | Peugeot 2008 Active man | Ford EcoSport Ambiente man 1.5L |
| Purchase Price | $19,990 | $21,990 | $20,790 |
| Combined cycle fuel (L/100km) | 6.3 | 4.9 | 6.5 |
| Fuel RON (min. rec.) | 91 | 95 | 91 |
| Three-year fuel cost | $3596 | $2978 | $3710 |
| Redbook resale (%) | 66.8 | 59.3 | 59.2 |
| Three-year depreciation | $6637 | $8950 | $8482 |
| AAMI insurance premium | $738 | $827 | $798 |
| Service interval (months) | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Warranty (years) | 3 | 3 | 3 |
