New Mazda CX-30 gets everything right
SUV drives well and looks even better
Mazda reestablishes itself as the go-to brand for affordable vehicles that deliver more style and fun than the competition with its winsome new CX-30 subcompact SUV.
The CX-30 gets everything right, from its clean, striking exterior design to sharp handling and prices that prove an affordable small SUV can simultaneously be a great value and the vehicle your friends wish they’d bought.
The CX-30 competes with SUVs such as the Ford EcoSport, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Rogue Sport and the upcoming Chevrolet Trailblazer. There’s not a bad vehicle in that group, but there’s precious little to make your heart flutter, whether behind the wheel or
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walking up to it on the street. The CX-30’s responsive handling, striking profile, subtle curves and lines and good value will be hard to walk away from.
It’s bigger than Mazda’s little CX-3, a nice little SUV likely to have a short shelf life once shoppers figure out how good the slightly pricier CX-30 is.
Everything about the CX-30 feels precise, as if each screw was tightened by the worker who would take that vehicle home from Mazda’s plant in
Salamanca, Mexico. The steering is firm and precise, the sixspeed automatic transmission shifts fast and smoothly, the suspension keeps the little SUV stable and level under braking, acceleration and on curves.
A 186-horsepower, naturally aspirated 2.5L engine and sixspeed automatic transmission are standard. That’s not a lot of power for a vehicle with sporty aspirations, even a small SUV, but the CX-30’s quick throttle response and precise steering invite the driver to apex every corner and dart through gaps in traffic.
Even the multifunction rotary controller – usually my least favorite feature – feels exceptionally precise as you browse features from Apple CarPlay to a range of driver assistance features. I’d still prefer my choice of using a touch screen or the dial mounted in the center console, but Mazda made its system less burdensome than most by reducing the number of things it controls.
Mazda has upgraded its head up display to a clear projection on the windshield, a considerable improvement from an earlier system that used a small plastic panel rising from the dashboard.
The front seat is roomy, with plenty of storage in a deep center bin. Rear leg and head room are limited. At 20.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat, cargo space is in the middle of the pack.
Safety and driver assistance features:
❚ Adaptive cruise control
❚ Automatic high beams
❚ Lane departure alert and assist
❚ Blind spot alert
❚ Rear cross traffic alert and assist
❚ Drowsy driver alert
I tested a top of the line CX-30 SEL with all-wheel drive. It stickered at $30,240, competitive with top models of other subcompact SUVs.
Features on my test vehicle included:
❚ 18-inch alloy wheels
❚ LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights
❚ Power driver’s seat
❚ Memory for driver settings
❚ Heated front seats
❚ Android Auto
❚ Apple CarPlay
❚ Push button start
❚ Dual-zone climate control
❚ Power sunroof
❚ 12-speaker Bose audio CX-30 prices start at $21,900 for a base model with frontwheel drive.