2016 Mazda CX-3 Promises Perky City Crossover Fun

Mazda has revealed its new 2016 CX-3 compact crossover at the LA Auto Show, a perky little city SUV it hopes will channel the success of the Mazda3. Powered by the company's SKYACTIV-G 2.0 liter gas engine, in the US at least, the CX-3 will be offered in front wheel drive form or all wheel drive, paired with the SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic transmission.

European markets will also get a 1.5 liter clean Diesel engine option which isn't coming to North America. Specifications like power and fuel economy will be announced in the new year.

Outside, the angular body measures 168.3 inches long, 69.5 inches wide, and 61 inches in height.

Inside, there'll be Mazda Connect for hooking up the infotainment system to your smartphone, with a stitched-fabric-finish dashboard. There's HARMAN audio along with Bluetooth streaming and phone hands-free. A 7-inch display sits atop the dashboard, while a rotary control is used for navigation.

Various seat finishes will be offered, including leather and Lux Suede. Meanwhile, Mazda has made plentiful use of accent colors, showing up on the door trim, handles, and spotted across the center console.

Safety features will include radar-controlled object detection, as part of Mazda's i-ACTIVSENSE system.

The Mazda CX-3 will go on sale in Japan in spring 2015, and then follow on with its US debut in the summer. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.