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M4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 MAY 2019 MOTORING THE Mazda CX-3 enters 2019 as a top choice for buyers who value driving a classy yet fun and stylish car; over maxi- mum utility. No doubt, the Mazda CX- 3 ranks with the top of the subcompact SUV class because it offers arguably the sportiest performance in the class, as well as a handsome cabin lined with premium materials. The CX-3 should definitely be in anyone's shortlist if you are interested in a subcompact SUV. It's priced com- petitively and offers one of the most dynamic driving experiences in the class. While the Mazda CX-3 is based on the Mazda2, it is also longer, wid- er and taller, giving it more space for passengers and luggage. No one expects a small, entry-level crossover to be a performance ma- chine, but Mazda has instilled the CX- 3 with extraordinarily sharp steering and a nice balance of attributes. The CX-3 has a comfortable and stylish cabin. The Mazda really distinguishes itself in the class in ride comfort. The sus- pension tuning is firm but compliant. Body control is excellent for the class, and everything from speed bumps to high-speed freeway dips are smoothed out beautifully. The interior of the CX-3 has an ex- cellent driving position to good vis- ibility and simple controls; the neces- sarily characteristics any driver would want to have at hand when driving a comfortable car. The centre display has touchscreen ability and doesn't wash out in sunlight. You can also control the screen with an easy-to-use knob near the shifter. Finding an agreeable driving position is quick and easy thanks to a tilt-and- telescoping wheel and a fairly adjust- able seat. The controls all fall readily to hand. Indisputably, Mazda has made driving the No. 1 priority. For engines, the CX-3 follows Maz- da's 'right size' approach, so instead of going for small capacity turbo units across the board, it features larger engines with modest power outputs. The car comes in both petrol and die- sel, with a 2.0 Skyactiv-G in one power output (119bhp) and a 1.8 Skyactiv-D (up from 1.5 litres) diesel with 113bhp. Both cars come with a six-speed man- ual as standard, while a six-speed auto is offered with the petrol engine. With smart looks, a classy interior and grown-up driving dynamics, it's a desirable choice. Indeed, the CX-3 is possibly the best small crossover to drive. Visit the GasanZammit show- room in Mrieħel and take the oppor- tunity to test drive the Mazda CX-3. Mazda CX-3 Best small crossover gets interior, engine upgrades MERCEDESBENZ delivered 181,936 cars in April (-5.5%) and a total of 742,809 in the first four months of the year (-5.6%). The ongoing sales success of the new A-Class resulted in worldwide growth for the compact cars in April (+6.0%). A contribution to this sales success came from the new A-Class Saloon, a further model complementing the compact-car entry into the world of premium saloon cars from Mercedes-Benz. Unit sales of SUVs were still dampened in April by the model changes. Mercedes- Benz Cars expects positive results, especially for the new SUV models, increasing vehi- cle availability in the coming months and therefore addi- tional growth opportunities in a highly competitive market environment. Since the begin- ning of the year, Mercedes- Benz has maintained its mar- ket leadership in the premium segment in Germany, UK, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Portugal, Poland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Australia and Canada. "With the EQC sales launch on May 6, we have reached another milestone along the way to a new era at Mercedes- Benz: The EQC is the pioneer of our future Mercedes-Benz EQ vehicle portfolio," said Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Market- ing and Sales. "We are delight- ed not only with the first fully electric SUV from Mercedes- Benz, but also with the strong demand for our new premium SUVs: The new model year of the GLC and GLC Coupé, and also the new GLS, have been available for order since April, and together with the GLE and our new compact cars, will provide further momentum in the course of the year." Mercedes-Benz unit sales by region and market In Europe, 71,263 cars with the three-pointed star were delivered last month (-4.8%). In Germany, the region's core market, sales of 24,970 units in April were slightly below the high prior-year level (-1.3%). In the major markets of France and Russia, unit sales increased in both April and the first four months of the year. In France, Mercedes-Benz actu- ally achieved a new record for January to April (+2.8%). In the Asia-Pacific region, Mercedes-Benz sold 79,125 vehicles (-1.4%). In China, the region's core market, sales con- tinued to grow and reached a new high of 232,050 units in the first four months of the year (+2.2%). Unit sales were at a new record level also in April, with deliveries of 57,707 vehi- cles (+0.8%). In Singapore and Vietnam, unit sales increased at double-digit rates in the first four months and also reached new record levels. A total of 111,668 units were sold in the NAFTA re- gion from January to April (-11.7%). In the region's core market, the USA, Mercedes- Benz sold a total of 22,949 ve- hicles with the star last month (-15.7%). Sales in the USA in the first four months totalled 94,120 units (-10.9%). Mercedes-Benz sells about 182,000 vehicles worldwide in April