Mazda CX-3 VS Volkswagen T-Roc

At just under 4.3m long, less than 1.8m wide and a little over 1.5m tall the CX-3’s footprint is squarely city-sized, and no surprise it shares the Mazda2’s 2570mm wheelbase because it’s underpinned by the same platform as the small hatch.

But there’s more than enough breathing room up front and storage options are creative.

Rather than the ubiquitous single storage box between the front seats the CX-3 offers up an adjustable multi-compartment arrangement, with cupholders and bottle retainers ready to flick into position in multiple locations. 

It’s still covered with a padded lid which doubles as an armrest, and there’s also a generous glove box and bins in the doors with space for large bottles, even an overhead drop-down glasses holder.

Move to the back and there’s a surprising amount of head, leg and shoulder room for an SUV of this size. Sure, it’s no limo, but sitting behind the driver’s seat set to my 183cm position, I was pretty comfortable.

Best for two full-size adults in the rear, although a third can squeeze in for short, relatively uncomfortable journeys. Three up to mid-teenage kids will be fine.  

Rear storage includes bottle shaped cavities in the doors, a map pocket on the back of the front passenger seat only (a weird Mazda habit) and dual pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

No adjustable ventilation outlets in the rear, but in a car this compact, their absence isn’t as big an issue as it might be elsewhere.

For power and connectivity, there are two USB-A sockets in the front (one media, one power-only) as well an SD card slot, an ‘aux in’ jack and a 12V outlet. No power options in the rear, which won’t play well with the kids.

With the back seat upright, boot capacity is an okay 264 litres. Enough to accommodate either the largest 124L or the smaller 95L and 36L suitcases from out three-piece set. But not all of them together.

With a bit of not so gentle persuasion, the large CarsGuide pram just squeaked in, but lower the 60/40 split-folding rear backrest and available space expands to 1174L.

Tie-down anchors to help secure loose loads is a plus and a speed-limited space-saver spare sits under the boot floor.

And if you need to hook up a small boat or other lightweight trailer, the CX-3 Evolve is rated to 1200kg (braked) and 640kg (unbraked).

Inside the T-Roc is a bit of an interesting dichotomy.

Some of what’s in here is ‘old-gen’ Volkswagen stuff, but it still holds up today against even some recently introduced models.

The dichotomy is that while it’s very usable and slick, some of its materials and surfaces let it down a touch.

The good points are that the cabin tech is a perfect level of physical and digital. The buttons and controls are easy to use and feel solid and even though the climate controls could be more physical, they’re still good as far as touch panel style controls go.

The older VW gear is arguably better than a lot of what’s found in newer models where some use of touchscreens and haptic panels has drawn negative feedback from customers.

The multimedia software managed via the 8.0-inch touchscreen is more simple and sensible than the new version, plus the Digital Cockpit Pro display for the driver is clear and, importantly, customisable. It’s a similar cockpit system that used to seem quite impressive in high-end Audis.

But what doesn’t feel very high-end is some of the plastic and the decisions around function in the rest of the space.

The leather on the seats is not a cheap option box to tick at $3450, but it feels a little cheap to the touch. It’s a tad hard and even has a bit of a rough look to it.

That option also makes them heated and electrically adjustable, though, which is welcome in winter. Otherwise, cloth seats without the optional leather or heating would be absolutely fine, and that means you get a storage space under them, too.

This central space between the driver and front passenger, too, is a little awkward with the cupholder placement. It’s behind the shifter meaning a tall bottle will be in the way and it’s got slightly odd sizing for bottles or cups with nothing to stop them wobbling.

I am, however, a fan of the angled-away phone slot under the climate controls to minimise phone screen visibility (and distraction) and the traditional shifter itself is welcome.

Look up, and (in our test car) there’s an optional ($2000) panoramic sunroof there. It’s yours if you want it, and it does have an electric blind, but some Japanese and Korean cars at this price point get that as standard.

An average-sized adult will find the second row is spacious enough and relatively comfortable. There’s an armrest, dual-directional vents and two USB-C ports.

Behind that, boot space is generous at 445L with the seats up thanks to an adjustable floor, which is very useful for tall items and even manages to fit a space saver spare tyre under it.

It’s a total of 1290L with the split-fold seats down, too, though they’re not super flat with the adjustable floor down.