Some upgrades completely change the way a car feels to live with day-to-day.
Today at Auto Retrofit, we completed an OEM-style electric tailgate installation on a 2016 Mazda CX-3 — and honestly, it’s one of those upgrades that immediately makes the vehicle feel newer and more premium.
The Mazda CX-3 has always been a solid compact SUV for Australian driving conditions. It’s practical, reliable, easy to drive around the city, and still looks modern nearly a decade later.
But like many SUVs from that era, one thing it missed from factory was a powered tailgate.
And once you experience one properly installed, it’s surprisingly difficult to go back.
Why the owner wanted the upgrade
The customer mainly used the CX-3 as a daily family and shopping vehicle.
Like a lot of drivers, they were getting tired of:
- Manually lifting the tailgate constantly
- Pulling the boot shut with full hands
- Closing it awkwardly in tight parking spaces
- Dealing with the heavier boot during wet weather
It’s one of those things you don’t think much about initially… until you’re using the boot multiple times every single day.
That’s usually when an electric tailgate starts making a lot of sense.
OEM-style integration was the goal
For this installation, the focus wasn’t simply making the boot open automatically.
The goal was making it feel factory.
That meant:
- Smooth opening and closing speeds
- Quiet motor operation
- Clean wiring integration
- Factory-style control buttons
- Soft-close functionality
- Proper tailgate alignment
- Safe obstacle detection calibration
A lot of cheaper universal kits can technically “work”, but they often feel obviously aftermarket in the way they operate.
On the CX-3, we wanted the finished result to feel natural — like Mazda could have offered it themselves from factory.
The installation process
Like most modern vehicles, the Mazda CX-3 requires careful integration with the vehicle electronics and tailgate structure.
The installation included:
- Replacing factory gas struts with powered struts
- Installing the tailgate control module
- Routing wiring through factory loom locations
- Integrating cabin and tailgate buttons
- System calibration and testing
- Soft-close latch adjustment
One thing many people don’t realise is how important proper wiring routing is.
Modern tailgates open and close thousands of times over their lifetime, so wiring needs to flex safely without creating long-term reliability issues later on.
That’s why clean installation work matters just as much as the hardware itself.
The difference afterwards was immediate
Once completed, the CX-3 instantly felt more refined.
The tailgate now opens and closes automatically using:
- Factory key remote
- Tailgate button
- Driver cabin control
And because the system includes adjustable opening height and anti-pinch safety protection, it’s genuinely practical for daily use rather than just being a novelty feature.
Honestly, this is one of those upgrades where customers usually notice the convenience within the first 24 hours.
Then after a week or two, manually closing a tailgate on another car suddenly feels strangely outdated.
Why electric tailgate upgrades are becoming more popular
We’re seeing more owners upgrading vehicles like:
- Mazda CX-3
- Toyota RAV4
- Mazda CX-5
- Hyundai Tucson
- Kia Sportage
- Toyota Prado
The reason is pretty simple.
Modern drivers want convenience features without necessarily replacing their entire vehicle.
And for many owners, upgrading an otherwise great SUV with premium features makes far more sense financially than buying a brand-new car.
Especially when the finished result feels factory-quality.
Final thoughts
Today’s Mazda CX-3 electric tailgate upgrade was a perfect example of how the right retrofit can modernise a vehicle without changing what people already love about it.
The car still drives exactly the same.
It’s just noticeably more convenient every single day.
And that’s really the best type of upgrade:
The kind you quietly appreciate every time you use the car.
If you’re driving a Mazda CX-3 or another SUV without a powered tailgate, it’s worth experiencing the difference properly integrated OEM-style systems can make.
Because once you’ve lived with an electric tailgate for a while, there’s a good chance you won’t want to go back.