Five star rating for new Mazda CX-30

THE new Mazda CX-30 has been awarded the maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP in its latest series of tests with an exceptional 99% score in the Adult Occupant category.

The Mazda CX-30 also achieved maximum points for frontal full-width impact, as well as for both barrier and pole side impacts. Mazda’s Smart Brake Support system also gained full marks in low-speed tests, with collisions avoided in all scenarios.

Following the Mazda6 last year and the All-New Mazda3 earlier this year, this is the third Mazda to achieve an overall five-star rating under the new, more stringent 2018 Euro NCAP crashworthiness ratings.

The Mazda CX-30 performed impressively in all four Euro NCAP test categories - Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User (pedestrian safety) and Safety Assist. The rating is a result of three key factors: the adoption of the very latest Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture, which features a high-rigidity, impact-absorbing yet lightweight bodyshell; a wide range of advanced i-Activsense safety technologies which help drivers identify potential risks and reduce the likelihood of damage or injury; and high standards of pedestrian protection performance.

Last week, the CX-30 won Germany’s prestigious Golden Steering Wheel for 2019, triumphing in the competition’s SUV/crossover category for vehicles up to 4.4m in length.

The prize was presented to Mazda Motor Europe President Yasuhiro Aoyama in Berlin. It is Mazda’s fifth Golden Steering Wheel to date: The Mazda 323 won in 1985 and 1989 followed by the Mazda 626 in 1992 and the Mazda2 in 2014.

Aoyama was enthusiastic at the award ceremony: ‘I am very proud to accept this extraordinary award for the new Mazda CX-30 this evening in Berlin,’ he said. ‘It shows that we are on the right track with our focus on design, technical innovation and the harmony between the driver and vehicle’.

There were other reasons to celebrate, too, with Mazda’s new Skyactiv-X engine finishing among the top three in the innovation category and the Mazda3 achieving the same in the compact car class. ‘With the Skyactiv-X, Mazda offers the world’s first mass-produced petrol engine that uses compression ignition like a diesel over wide operating ranges. The fact that this technology was voted among the top innovations by readers in Germany gives us a positive outlook for the future,’ added Aoyama.

The all-new crossover made its world premiere at the 2019 Geneva

Motor Show. Slotted between the Mazda CX-3 and the Mazda CX-5, it is designed for customers looking for a combination of compact urban-friendly dimensions, generous interior space, practicality and pioneering engine technology. The Mazda CX-30 is fitted with Skyactiv diesel and petrol engines including the new Skyactiv-X.

The new model is due in Ireland in 2020.