[OneLyveWyre]

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!

 

[MiikkeyyRSRB91]

Add Canada to that list, no manual option here either, not that I mind though, the Auto is pretty amazing as far as autos go.

 

[anchorman]

The skyactive manual transmissions are delightful to use. Very light positive shifts and nice smooth clutch.

 

[OneLyveWyre]

Anchorman, is your CX3 a manual or have you drove other Mazda SkyActive manual transmission models in the development of your opinion? Would it be fair to say a SkyActive manual transmission in a Mazda 3 would feel similar to a SkyActive manual transmission in a CX3? Thanks Mate!

 

[osterga]

HI
I have not driven a Mazda 3 manual. But i have had a Mazda 6 2.0 gasolin 165 HP, 2014 manual transmission - that gearbox had some issues wiht 3. gear - mainly difficult to shift up from 2. to 3. .

Currently i'm driving a CX-3, 2.0 gasolin 120 HP also manual transmission. That is by far the best, smoothest gearbox i have tried.

I also have a M2 1,5 115HP gasolin - it is almost as good as the cx-3.....

 

[drs88]

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.

 

[anchorman]

Anchorman, is your CX3 a manual or have you drove other Mazda SkyActive manual transmission models in the development of your opinion? Would it be fair to say a SkyActive manual transmission in a Mazda 3 would feel similar to a SkyActive manual transmission in a CX3? Thanks Mate!

The automatic box in a CX-3 is the EW6AX-EL for the AWD (signified by the X) and EW6A-EL in the FWD. The manual transmissions are the C66MX-R in the AWD (once again signified by the X) and the C66M-R for the FWD. There is a chart attached which gives more detail.

I have driven both. Now I probably can’t compare the auto transmission in my diesel so well with the auto in the 2.0G engine because the mapping will be different to take in the low end torque of the diesel. Nor is there a “sport mode” on the diesel although the paddles still exist. Whoever in Mazda mapped the gear changes for the diesel needs a gold star. It changes almost exactly where I would change manually and that is rare in many auto boxes. They nearly always go way out of the torque curve and the fuel consumption curves.

I drove the manuals during test drives and I would have chosen one. It was as good as anything I’ve driven. The gear changes were very slick and well spaced and as stated above, matched with a well weighted clutch.

If you are big into technicalities, I can find you some very informative pdf’s.

 

[anchorman]

The thumbnail is hopeless so look at the last page of this pdf.

 

[riosx2013]

Had a chance to drive the new Miata MX-5 around a short track mazda set up in Toronto. The manual transmission was nearly perfect, what I expect from a Miata. Beautifully paired with the similar 2.0L skyactiv motor. I just can't see Mazda screwing up with a manual with such great transmissions since the original 1990 model I still own. Still not sold on paddle shifters.....

 

[OneLyveWyre]

If a manual with the 2.5L becomes available... I think I would trade in my GT. Are you listening Mazda????

 

[Kanban]

when are they coming?

 

[Sarah]

Agreed... Mazda, when will the CX-3 be available as a true manual in the U.S.? I'd buy it.

I posed the question on Twitter but no discussion has happened yet.

 

[cstone]

I doubt a manual transmission will ever become available in this car in the US. I'm not happy about that, but that's how our market is. The number of people interested in a manual CUV is just too low. Of the already small and shrinking number of people who want a manual transmission nearly all us want either a sporty coupe or an off-road machine. Unfortunately too many of them would gather dust on the lot.

Hopefully I'm wrong.

 

[Redbeast]

If a manual with the 2.5L becomes available... I think I would trade in my GT. Are you listening Mazda????

I would not trade my 2.0L for a 2.5L but, if I had to buy my car now and it would be available, I would take the 2.5L of course ... but I won't trade it if it ever comes available.

 

[Sarah]

I've tweeted at Mazda USA twice and got no response.

However, I'm thinking it might be time to write some sort of letter. Who here is interested in plopping his/her name at the bottom of a politely-worded missive about the joys and practicalities of driving a stick shift and our deep desire to experience it in the CX-3? I really, really want this. I'd be happy to write up a short paragraph or two if anyone would like to join in.

 

[drs88]

I've tweeted at Mazda USA twice and got no response.

However, I'm thinking it might be time to write some sort of letter. Who here is interested in plopping his/her name at the bottom of a politely-worded missive about the joys and practicalities of driving a stick shift and our deep desire to experience it in the CX-3? I really, really want this. I'd be happy to write up a short paragraph or two if anyone would like to join in.

You definitely should do something like that. I didn't choose other cars I test drove when I purchased my CX3 because manual transmissions weren't offered in Australia (alongside the fact I just found the CX3 to be a better package). Because I had test driven the cars and purchased from another manufacturer I was contacted by their marketing departments and asked to submit a letter for forwarding to their parent companies.

 

[Paul T.]

I used to have a 1999 Honda CR-V with manual transmission. That was the last year Honda sold CR-V's with a manual transmission. I now drive a manual civic and in the market for a compact SUV with a manual transmission... of course! Seems like there's no market for an SUV with a manual transmission in Canada/US. Vehicles with a manual tranny are usually for small cars or sports cars. I really hope that Mazda will release a CX3 with manual transmission in 2017.

 

[VANDAL]

The market for CUVs in north america is pretty niche; there are bigger SUVS (CX5 size and up) and smaller compacts (Mazda 3 Sport) that eat away at this segment.

For Mazda to offer a manual transmission in an already small market probably does not make much sense. Yes they would satisfy the gear heads but let's be honest that is a very small majority (especially those looking to buy a CUV in manual)

 

[Snoogie]

There have been talks about having a manual CX3 but only as a FWD variant just like the ones offered in the CX5s. This is just rumors and speculation but its what I was informed about through some Mazda Headquarter news. I would love to have an option of "special" ordering one in manual but as mentioned by VANDAL that the main reason for no manuals is how many people would actually buy this. Manual FWD CX5s are few on our lot and would sit for some time. Having cars sitting on lots cost the dealership a lot of money which in turn the brand will lose money. So as of now there doesn't seem to be concrete word on a manual CX3. I'm still annoying people I know at Mazda North American Headquarters about pushing for a Manual SpeedCX3. But I can only wish for now.

 

[Sarah]

I'm bothering a nice person who works in fleet at MazdaUSA. I'd like to send her a letter with comments from this message board and from twitter and beg her to forward the information to whomever is denying us the fun of a manual CX-3.

I will compile a letter, the tweets, and some messages from here (with permission) and will post it all here before I send... I'm hoping people here can jump on board so I can say that at least twenty people or whatever are hoping for this and that we're just the ones on this one message board.

I want this car SO. VERY. MUCH. But I can squeeze another eight months out of my 2003 Jetta (manual) if it looks like Mazda will offer the CX-3 in stick shift. It must be unimaginably fun with a manual transmission.

(Anchorman, feel free to tell me again how awesome it is so I get good and uppity and plead my case to Mazda with vim and vigor.)