Mazda MX-30
FINAL REPORT Our final thoughts as quirky electric coupé-SUV ends its six-month stint on our fleet
WHAT do I make of the Mazda MX-30? The rear-hinged-doored electric coupé-SUV has charmed, frustrated and baffled during its six months with me, but it feels like we’re much closer to understanding it than I was back when it rolled off the lorry. There are undeniable issues with Mazda’s enigmatic electric runabout, but they can all be solved at a stroke with one simple measure: getting another car.
This isn’t as bad as it sounds. It’s not a suggestion that prospective buyers should look elsewhere, but rather that Mazda’s creation works so much better as a second car, in tandem with something else. Unless your driving is exclusively over short trips with one or two passengers, you’re likely to find yourself regularly wishing for a vehicle with more range, more space, or both, to overcome the Mazda’s shortcomings.
We’ve been using it as the only car for a young family of four, so these limitations have been exposed. I wouldn’t labour this point if we were talking about a city car here, but the MX-30 is longer than rival electric SUVs like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Vauxhall Mokka-e, both of which offer greater ranges and more rear-seat space. At 4,395mm, the Mazda is 551mm longer than a Honda e and 763mm longer than a Fiat 500, but it’s these compact electric city cars that most closely match its cabin space and range.
The one big exception here is the boot, because the Mazda has a large load bay, at 341 litres. It’s bigger than those of SUVs mentioned above and significantly more roomy than anything you’ll find in a city car.
Having got the MX-30’s somewhat unorthodox market positioning out of the way, we can get onto its strong points. The small 35.5kWh battery means you can get an MX-30 for just over £26,000, once the plug-in car grant has been applied. That’s cheap for an electric SUV in today’s market and on a par with the Honda e. The small battery means charging is quick; roughly five and a half hours from a 7kW home wallbox or around 36 minutes to go from 10 to 80 per cent on a 40kW fast charger. It makes the official range of 124 miles slightly less of an issue, even when we got closer to 110 miles from a full charge on average.
Concentrate on how the Mazda makes you feel and the scorecard is a lot more promising. The MX-30 is a fun car to drive. Mazda has intentionally tried to replicate the progressive power delivery of a petrol car, rather than giving you all the shove at once, but it still feels faster than the 9.7-second 0-62mph time suggests.
More importantly, the MX-30 is wieldy and responsive on the open road, hiding its 1,675kg kerbweight very well. The steering and pedal control weights feel natural, with more feedback and feel than we’re used to in an EV. The ride is firm on bumpy surfaces but the damping gives it smoothness and poise that I appreciated.
The unusual cabin materials – cork trim and recycled cloth – bring some character and, despite our fears, have shown no sign of wear and tear during our test. Even the light “stone” leatherette on the seat edges, which looked like a magnet for grime, has resisted marking and stains admirably.
Away from the funky trim choices, the MX-30’s cabin is very well built. The infotainment system is easy to use, too, and largely validates Mazda’s decision to go with a dial-operated set-up rather than a touchscreen. Things become less seamless when using Android Auto, as I often do, because it’s more tailored to touch inputs. It just needs a bit of practice.
The MX-30 took time to truly understand, primarily because it isn’t really like other cars on the market. The curious mix of strengths and weaknesses will deter some buyers, but those that can live with the range and cabin space will find a fun, quirky EV that rewards on financial and emotional levels. If you simply can’t imagine gelling with the Mazda, I can sympathise, but could it be you just need another car to go with it?
“The MX-30 is wieldy and responsive on the open road, hiding its kerbweight very well”