Mazda CX-3 to rival Nissan Juke

This is the all-new Mazda CX-3, a compact SUV designed to rival the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008. The CX-3 will go on sale in the middle of 2015, priced from around £13,000, and is expected to be become the core model in the Japanese brand's line-up.

Like the rest of Mazda’s range, the CX-3 features a number of striking design elements, including heavily sculpted panels, narrow LED headlamps and a chrome front grille.

The Mazda CX-3 is slightly longer than the Nissan Juke, but also fractionally lower. Its wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) is longer than that of the Juke, which suggests it will have more interior space than the Nissan.

The interior design will be familiar to drivers of other new Mazdas: the dashboard is centred around the driver and features a head-up display which beams information onto the windscreen, a larger central instrument binnacle and a seven-inch infotainment system. Mazda’s in-car connectivity system – MZD Connect – will allow internet access on the move and includes features such as audio streaming and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

The 2015 Mazda CX-3 uses the latest range of fuel-efficient engines from the brand's SKYACTIV range. These include a 104bhp 1.5-litre diesel as well as 118 and 148bhp versions of the same 2.0-litre petrol.

Each engine can be paired with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. An all-wheel-drive system – first used on the larger CX-5 – is also available. This monitors the car constantly and sends power to the wheels with most grip.

The Mazda CX-3 will be the next model in Mazda’s renewed range, going on sale after the all-new Mazda 2 supermini and just before the all-new Mazda MX-5 roadster.