Review: 2016 Mazda CX-3 has a winning formula for SUV buyers

An affordable sport-utility vehicle shouldn't be this much fun to drive, or look this good while carving corners and running errands. Thankfully for us - and anyone shopping for a small SUV - Mazda doesn't play by the usual rulebook with the CX-3.
Brand new in the Mazda lineup for the 2016 model year, the CX-3 is based on the same vehicle platform that you'll find in the nimble Mazda 3 sedan and 5-door hatchback. This helps explain the CX-3's surprising agility and crisp handling - after all, the Mazda 3 scored the win in the "Small Car" category in this year's Daily News Autos Awards.
Lo and behold, the CX-3 also took home victory, this time in our "City SUV" category. Pitted against the likes of the Fiat 500X, Chevy Trax, Buick Encore and Honda HR-V, Mazda's win came in one of the auto world's most booming sales segments.

The fenders are curvaceous and the front fascia proudly wears Mazda's signature grill and slim headlights (in the Grand Touring trim, LED lighting is fitted front and rear).

There are three trim levels to choose from when shopping for the CX-3: Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. With a starting price of $26,240, even a fully loaded CX-3 Grand Touring with available all-wheel-drive struggles to break the $30,000 barrier.

We don't normally suggest going for every available option but, in this case, the Grand Touring model probably represents the best deal of the bunch.

That's because it can be optioned with safety features like lane departure warning, blind spot assist, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning system with active brake assist, and more. It's worth noting that every CX-3 comes with a reverse camera, and even the base model starting at a little over $20,000 isn't going to make you feel like a cheapskate.

In fact, no matter which trim you choose, each and every CX-3 is equipped with the same 146-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine coupled to a 6-speed automatic. You do have a choice of front- or all-wheel-drive across all three trim levels.

On the road, the CX-3 shows that it shares engineering DNA with Mazda's other zippy family members, such as the Mazda 6 midsize sedan and even the nimble MX-5 Miata roadster. Oh yes, did we forget to mention, both of those Mazda cars also won their respective categories in the 2016 Daily News Autos Awards.

Yes, this is a very good year to be a Mazda product.

That's not to suggest the CX-3 is perfect, however. Power from the engine is adequate and nothing more. A turbocharged engine would give this small SUV some real punch, though you'd have to be willing to sacrifice a few MPGs for this potential extra urge. As it stands, the 2016 CX-3 returns a solid EPA mileage rating of 27 city/32 highway (for models fitted with AWD). Mazda could surprised us with a peppier CX-3, though we doubt it.

There is also more wind noise around the large side mirrors than we'd like. Again, the trade-off here is that the overall size of those side mirrors makes them useful for actually seeing, say, a car in your blindspot. So we can accept a little, ahem, extra wind in this Mazda.

No complaints are to be found when it comes to the style of the dashboard or layout of the controls. Simple and easy to understand, the CX-3 cabin is smartly designed and includes handsome touches like leather on the dash, round vents, a sporty main instrument binnacle ahead of the driver, and soft-touch surfaces where they should be.

Due to its small size, room is merely okay in the rear seat and the 12.4 cu. ft. of cargo space is on the puny side. But if you want to scale things up a bit, there is always the equally attractive Mazda CX-5 sport-utility.

And guess what? The CX-5 just happened to win the "Small SUV" segment in the Daily News Autos awards.

So really, your decision is easy! That is, if you happen to be shopping for a Mazda (and yes, you should be). 

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Review: 2016 Ford Focus ST is low on compromises and full of fun

Nissan coined the phrase “4-Door Sports Car” with its Maxima sedan all the way back in 1988, and the new model uses the designation as well, though the phrase might not be as accurate as it used to be.

If the trademark for “5-door Sports Car” is still on the market, though, Ford may be wise to snatch it up and throw “5DSC” decals on every Focus ST they sell, because this little pocket rocket is as close as you can get to that old cliché.

For 2015, Ford’s mid-tier hot hatch – the ST is bookended by the raucously-fun Fiesta ST and the mighty, all-wheel drive Focus RS – received some cosmetic updates and new options to make it even more appealing than before, and the updates carry over into 2016.

And “appealing” is certainly a term that can be used to describe this mighty mite, especially when finished in “Tangerine Scream” yellow paint (a $595 option). While it certainly looks the part of a sports car, be wary of ticking the options box for this garish paint if you drive in Manhattan, as I was hailed not once, but twice as a cab by pedestrians.

Overall, though, this is a hot hatchback that definitely looks the part, with just the right amount of fender flares, trim touch-ups, and aggressive tweaks. The headlights are more streamlined and the front fascia adopts a cleaner version of Ford’s trapezoid grille, while the taillights get a trim up from the outlandish shape they were before.

Inside, there’s plenty of goodies for all you sports car fans out there. Heavily-bolstered Recaro leather seats keep you firmly in place – almost too much so, if I’m honest – and an optional carbon-fiber shift knob is a subtle but fun touch, and wouldn’t look out of place on a race car.

Speaking of the shifter, Ford’s 6-speed manual is a delight to use, with a short, notchy throw and clear shift pattern. No fishing for gears here.

The clutch is on the heavier side with a higher engagement point than I usually prefer, and while it’s a delight to use when the going gets twisty, try navigating 2nd Avenue, uphill, during rush hour traffic, and you may be wishing your left knee was made of Adamantium.

The 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder under the hood is a peach, and puts out way more power than such a small engine has any right to. A total of 252-horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque may sound like an uncontrollable mess, but Ford’s clever torque-vectoring system makes this car feel almost like it has all-wheel drive.

Steering is delightfully on the heavy side, and gives you a sense of full control over where the car goes, down to the millimeter. Weaving through city traffic is a breeze, and you’ll feel like a Formula 1 driver on even the mildest of twisty back roads.

So it looks the part and goes the part, but isn’t it really just a glorified toy with no practical side?

Thankfully, the answer to that question is a resounding “nope!” With 4-doors (5, if you consider the hatch a 5th door) and enough space to haul pretty much all the people and things you’ll ever really need to haul, the Focus ST is as practical as a small crossover in a pinch.

The updated SYNC 3 infotainment system is a delightful update over the outgoing platform – though still not perfect – and HID headlights, ambient lighting, and available leather seats make this feel like just a top-trim Focus when you’re not hustling it.

The suspension is tight but forgiving, even on the most pothole-ridden of NYC roads, and throttle response is smooth and easy if you’re driving relaxed. There’s no “sport” mode to be found here, the only difference in aggressiveness comes from both of your feet. It will even manage 31 mpg on the highway, and we saw an average figure of about 25 mpg through a week of mixed driving conditions.

So what’s to keep you from buying one right now? Unfortunately, the Focus ST has a heck of a lot of good competition, specifically from the folks at VW and Subaru. The ST is not nearly as refined as the venerable Volkswagen GTI, and though it’s technically not a hatchback, the recently-updated Subaru WRX is all-around more livable and even faster, not to mention equipped with standard all-wheel drive.

Also, the two aforementioned pocket rockets both offer the option for an automatic transmission if you’re unable to row your own, in the form of VW’s excellent 6-speed dual clutch and the more boring but still manageable CVT in the WRX. The ST remains manual only, and while that’s fine for most hot hatch buyers, it may not be enough to sell a first-timer.

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Man, 21, riding scooter in Queens in critical condition after being struck by car which burst into flames

A 21-year-old man riding a motorized scooter is fighting for his life Saturday after being struck in Queens by a car which burst into flames, police said.

The victim was traveling east on Cooper Ave. and 73rd St. in Glendale at 3:45 a.m., police said.

The driver of an Acura MDX was driving west on Cooper when he went on to the east lane and collided with the scooter.

The driver of the Acura, a 38-year-old man, fled but was later caught, a police source said at the scene.Charges are pending on the driver of the Acura, police said. Alcohol may have been a factor.

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Three FDNY firefighters arrested in bar fight at Citi Field

Three FDNY firefighters were cuffed after a bar fight near Citi-Field Friday evening, police said.The brawl took place at McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon on 126th St. and 37th Ave. in Flushing at 8:27 p.m., police said.

Smoke eaters Michael Profeta, 34, and John Martin, 33, were both charged with assault and disorderly conduct, while Anthony Cardazone, 43, was charged with resisting arrest, assault and disorderly conduct.

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Model Irina Shayk finally documents romance with Bradley Cooper in steamy hot tub shot

Supermodel Irina Shayk finally displayed her romance with actor Bradley Cooper, with a sexy shot of the two posted to Instagram on Friday.

The Brazilian beauty’s breasts were front and center, barely hidden in a crisscrossed dark green bathing suit as she cozied up to a shirtless Cooper in a hot tub.

The steamy image cut off the heads of the couple but Cooper’s grizzly scruff was still evident.

Despite being linked together since April 2015, the highly secretive couple only stepped out together for their first red carpet appearance last month at a party during Paris Fashion Week.

Even though they’ve kept a low profile, the A-list couple have been snapped getting hot and heavy. They were caught sharing kisses during an Italy vacation last August and the two have been living together in the Big Apple for several months, an insider told the Daily News in November.

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Three sailors rescued off desert Pacific island after spelling ‘help’ with palm fronds

Three castaways were rescued from a desert Pacific island after they used palm fronds in the sand to alert the Navy to their whereabouts.

Search crews spotted the missing seamen Thursday after they spelled “help” along the sandy beach and waved bright orange life jackets to get the attention of a passing Navy P-8 airplane.

"Our combined efforts coupled with the willingness of many different resources to come together and help, led to the successful rescue of these three men in a very remote part of the Pacific," said Lt. William White, Sector Guam public affairs officer.

The sailors went missing Tuesday while sailing to Weno Island, a tiny Micronesian atoll in the state of Chuuk. Four nautical miles into their trek, a giant wave capsized their 19-foot skiff, forcing the trio to swim all night to a deserted island known as Fandadik.

They fashioned a distress signal with leaves, which caught the attention of a U.S. Navy crew from Japan.

The men were taken to Pulap, while family members were relayed the good news from search and rescue watchstanders in Guam.

The U.S. Coast Guard, the Navy and AMVER — Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue — all combined on the mission.

The Coast Guard 14th District has completed seven different search and rescues since March 28, resulting in 15 lives saved, according to a statement from the agency. 

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Deported Spanish Activist Gets Tourist Visa; Return Uncertain

Environmental activist Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, who was deported in February last year, has been granted a one-month tourist visa through the Foreign Ministry’s online “e-visa” service, but an immigration official said yesterday that it was unlikely he would be allowed to use it.

An email from the e-visa service sent to Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson on Wednesday said his application was successful, while a copy of the e-visa provided by the activist states that he is free to use it before July 6—subject to the usual conditions of entry to Cambodia.

“We are pleased to inform you that your e-visa application to the Kingdom of Cambodia has been approved. Please kindly check on the reminder below before departing on your journey,” the email said.

Despite this, however, the head of investigations at the Interior Ministry’s immigration department, Uk Heisela, said he did not believe Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson would be allowed to return.

“As far as I know, he will not be allowed to enter, because he was put on the blacklist,” said Major General Heisela, who personally arrested Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson prior to his deportation last year.

Indeed, the conditions that every applicant must agree to when applying for the e-visa suggest that Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson—whose Spanish passport is stamped “Not allowed to enter Cambodia”—would not be permitted into the country.

“I understand that possession of an e-visa does not automatically entitle the bearer to enter the Kingdom of Cambodia upon arrival at a port of entry if he or she is found inadmissible,” the application form reads.

Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson, a fluent Khmer speaker, had led a campaign against the planned Stung Cheay Areng hydropower dam in Koh Kong province and was deported after being accused of setting up an illegal roadblock to prevent a government convoy from reaching the project site in September last year.

The activist wants to return to stand trial on conspiracy charges laid by the Koh Kong Provincial Court after he was deported. The charges stem from his involvement in a separate campaign against a pair of sand dredging companies.

On Thursday, he said he would write to Interior Minister Sar Kheng to ask whether the e-visa would be accepted before booking flights to Cambodia.

“Though I was very happy to see the application for the e-visa being approved, I think this is most likely due to some low-level clerk not even bothering to [ascertain] my identity,” Mr. Gonzalez-Davidson said in a message.

“I hope I am wrong and that my return has indeed been given the green light, but then it is most likely that the e-visa was approved due to the sheer incompetence of those in charge of the ministry of foreign affairs.”

“I do not want to be arrested [on arrival], but if being arrested guarantees that I will be present during the upcoming trial, I am ready to go forward. The charges against me are a total fabrication and are nothing but revenge against the work I have been doing in Koh Kong.”

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