Shipments Of New Mazda CX-3 Facelift Have Arrived In Malaysia

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Hans | June 24, 2018 10:39 pm

Barely a few days after we’ve reported that Mazda’s local distributor Bermaz Motor has sold out all its stocks of the pre-facelift CX-3 (a small number of its dealers might still hold some stocks though), pictures of the new CX-3 in transit have surfaced on social media.

It would imply that the launch of the new CX-3 could happen a lot earlier than expected, well before the introduction of the Sales and Services Tax (SST) in September. Assuming that Bermaz Motor is able to get the necessary government paperwork and homologation done in time for them to release an official price before September, there could be a small window of opportunity for early buyers of the new CX-3 to not have to pay for the upcoming SST (specifics on implementation and rate have yet to be announced).

As mentioned in our earlier post, among the many improvements made for the new CX-3 are the adoption of SkyActiv Vehicle Architecture components, which improves body rigidity for better handling, as well as a quieter ride. Comfort and utility for the front occupants are also improved thanks to the inclusion a centre console box and centre armrest, made possible by replacing the outgoing model’s mechanical parking brake with a button-type electric parking brake.

The new CX-3 is differentiated from the outgoing model by its different grille, front fog lamps, and aluminium wheels.

The CX-3 was last sold at RM 126,775 without GST/SST, excluding insurance. The post on a Mazda SA’s Facebook mentions an estimated price of RM121,134, but we won’t take this very seriously until the official price list by Bermaz Motor is out.

With so many significant improvements under the familiar looking sheet metal, we expect the new CX-3 to see a slight increase in its selling price. The incorporation of SkyActiv Vehicle Architecture elements into the new CX-3, which involves new chassis structures at certain key points of the vehicle’s body, are rather costly updates.

More on the new Mazda CX-3 facelift here.