Mazda CX-3 vs Nissan Juke & Renault Captur - pictures

The CX-3 is late to the compact crossover party, but Mazda is aiming to steal sales away from established rivals like the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur by offering great looks, frugal running costs and a good drive. We find out if the

Here we test the CX-3 in 1.5 D Sport Nav spec, coming in at £21,895. 

1.5-litre turbodiesel engine produces 104bhp and is coupled with a fantastically precise manual gearbox that gives a great connection with the car. 

Interior layout is very similar to the 2 supermini, with an upright infotainment system and central rev counter. It feels smart thanks to synthetic dash leather breaking up the cabin, plus there's plenty of space and there's lots of st

Rakish looks of the CX-3 don't impact on practicality. Rear head and legroom are good and access is easy. 

Standard CX-3s offer 350 litres of boot space, but top-spec Sport Nav models have a Bose sound system that features a subwoofer in the boot. This means boot space decreases to 287 litres. It's not all bad, though - there's an adjustabl

The CX-3 feels agile in the bends, body control is taut and steering feels precise. This sportiness doesn't come at the expense of comfort, though. The CX-3 is refined and well-damped meaning it's a great cruiser, too. 

Our test car sent power to just the front wheels, but for another £1,500 you can opt for the all-wheel-drive version. It costs a bit more to run than the 2WD version, but it offers reassurance in wintry conditions. 

A six-speed automatic gearbox can be specified, but it's less efficient than the slick manual. 

If you want to cut back on costs, the SE-L Nav model is £900 cheaper than Sport Nav, but still comes with sat-nav, autonomous city braking, parking sensors, heated seats, climate control and privacy glass. 

Angular design mixed with gentle curves and a low roofline means that the CX-3 looks sporty and genuinely eye-catching. 

Tail-lights are shallow and wide and chunky wheelarches contribute to muscular styling at the rear. Blacked-out C-pillar helps the car looks lower to the ground, but doesn't affect rear visibility. 

All cars can be personalised to some degree, with Renault and Nissan dominating this area. However, the Mazda looks the sharpest from the outside and feels like a premium product. 

At £19,195, this Renault Captur 1.5 dCi Dynamique S Nav is the cheapest car in this test. 

Captur is slower than the CX-3 on the move, meaning you have to work it quite hard. This means working the six-speed manual gearbox hard, too, which isn't particularly pleasant as it feels spongy and remote. 

Dash layout echoes that of the Clio supermini with a central touchscreen. The plastics feel cheap, though. 

Elasticated straps and sliding rear bench are just a few of Renault's clever answers to boosting the Captur's family-friendly appeal. 

There's 377 litres of space on offer in the boot, but this can increase to 455 litres by sliding the rear bench forward. Fold all the seats flat and total capacity increases to 1,235 litres. 

Captur is bulky, and you can feel it on the move. Corner at moderate speeds and the car loses its composure. 

It's more at home driving around city centres, where the forgiving chassis makes it easier to live with. 

If you upgrade to Renault's R-Link media system, R-Sound app pipes fake engine noise into the car to make the Captur seem sportier. It's a bit of gimmick. 

Diesel powerplant is shared with the Juke thanks to Nissan-Renault tie-up. It's fuel efficient, but it's vocal, too. 

The Captur's bulbous nose features some sculpted styling elements including large Renault badge, swept-back headlamps and gloss-black 'bow-tie' strip. 

Design is more sedate at the rear, but contrasting roof and pillars improve the Captur's visual appeal. 

Juke feels slower than the Captur despite sharing the same engine. It's 115kg heavier, but the gearbox is more pleasant to use than the Renault's. 

The Juke feels very cramped in the rear and access is tricky, too. Wheelarch intrusion and small rear doors don't help. 

There's 354 litres of boot space on offer, with an adjustable boot floor for extra flexibility. 

Heavy steering and firm suspension give the Juke a planted feel. Thanks to decent chassis control, you can enjoy driving the Juke on twisty roads. 

The Juke is a little less sophisticated on long journeys. The diesel engine is noisy and the slightly harsher ride makes motorway trips tiring. 

There's plenty of kit on offer, but the Juke is expensive. Tekna trim adds cameras which come in very handy because visibility in the Juke is pretty poor. 

Juke's fascia is showing age, with low-res graphics for sat-nav and climate control screens. Material quality isn't great, either, but it's well equipped. 

Short throw and precise action means the gearbox is enjoyable to use. 

Juke looks sporty from the rear thanks to raked hatch and curvaceous lights.