All US sold CX3s are currently only available with the 6-speed automatic transmission. Are any vehicles sold outside the US available with a manual gearbox? Not paddle shifters... All three pedals. If you have one with a manual, I would appreciate your opinion on clutch feel, shifter, gear ratios etc. I also have a 08 MX5 and love shifting that car!
I've got a petrol CX3 with a manual transmission. Fantastic gear box and clutch. The clutch is light but firm enough to feel what you are actually doing and the gear shifting is quite precise. Traded an E87 BMW 120i for my CX3 and the gear changing is just as good, with the drivability of Mazda winning.
The gear ratios are really well balanced for city driving, you can change into 2nd gear at low speeds when stuck in traffic to stop the car from bunny hopping. But you can rev out the gears allot longer when you want to have some fun. I've done a few road trips into the country and the car is completely different, I was shocked how sporty it was. Nothing like dropping back a few gears and giving it a bit on a windy stretch of road.
I read a few US and Canadian reviews that were very firm in their wording that Mazda didn't even bother making a manual transmission and lol'd. I imagine you will eventually get them, Honda did a similar thing with the HRV when they launched their Australian version. If you check CX3's for sale in Australia about 1/3 are manual, and like the US we are a very automatic dominant market.