after experiencing loose steering feel i took the CX3 to bengkel, they sort of adjusted the steering rack (for free) and now it's a bit better. the slackness of the steering disappeared somewhat, but the unnatural vagueness is still there.
still knocks a bit if saw the wheel. It will also torque steer under moderate throttle, and i still don't think it's normal but if i drive regularly and let the car settle before pushing it then it's ok.
that said the EPS on the CX3 is surprisingly quite good if you ignore the vagueness, especially when under load. I could also feel the road as it responds to lumps and bumps. The body control is decent if you are willing to be patient and let the chassis settle when pushing.