Mazda CX-30 Verdict on its real-world credentials
Has the Japanese brand’s late entry into a crowded class done enough to win us over? It’s time to find out
WHY WE RAN IT
To find out if its driver-focused dynamics help Mazda’s offering stand out in a crowded crossover class
Do the best things come to those who wait? That was the question we hoped to answer when our CX-30 arrived late last year. Considerably late to the increasingly crowded compact crossover class, Mazda was hoping that its first effort would have the talent and tenacity to offset the fact that it would have to fight harder than most to get your attention.
I’ll cut to the chase and reveal that if, like us, you enjoy driving above all else, the CX-30 deserves serious consideration if you’re in the market for a high-riding family car. There were a number of reasons why, but perhaps the most compelling was how much better to drive the CX-30 was than its crossover compadres.
As it has with all of its current models, Mazda really has managed to distil the spirit of its MX-5 into the CX-30. From the deliciously mechanical gearshift through to the accurate steering and surprisingly biddable handling, it’s always a pleasure to drive. So well-honed are the controls, and so satisfying were they to use, that even a sedate run to the shops elicited more smiles than some harder-driven journeys in faster but less engaging so-called ‘performance’ cars. Really.
Yet there’s more to it than that.
The car looks great: its taut lines, sharp creases and unusual concave surfaces drew a surprising amount of attention, which is unusual for what’s essentially a jacked-up family hack. Perhaps a bolder colour than Deep Crystal Blue (it always looked better after a wash and polish) would do the shape even more justice, but few, if any, rivals have a more arresting design.
The f lair continues inside, where the CX-30 feels more expensive than its £25,540 price would have you believe. Its flowing dashboard looks great, while most of the materials bear more than a passing comparison to those used in pricier premium models.
Sport Lux’s cloth seat trim is a little scratchy, but it’s also hard-wearing and its stiction properties hold you more firmly in place than the leather upgrade of the GT Sport.
It’s a little dark inside, with the shallow side windows and predominantly black trim giving a slightly claustrophobic feel, but there was space enough for my growing family, plus the surprisingly lowset driving position (there’s only a 20mm ride-height increase over the 3 hatchback) is comfortable.
Special mention has to go to the infotainment, with its screen set high on the dashboard and intuitive rotary control behind the gearlever.
Infinitely easier to use than most touchscreens, it also benefited from Apple Carplay that never failed to sync with my phone (unlike the stuttering connections of some).
Niggles were few and far between. The need to disable the slightly overeager lane-keeping assistance every time I got in was at least tempered by the fact this operation required little more than a quick prod of a wellsighted button, while the ability of the rear screen (and reversing camera lens) to attract dirt meant the view aft was often obscured. Curiously, not once did the start-stop system ever spring into life, and the shrill beep every time I opened the powered tailgate never failed to grate.
I had expected the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine’s lack of low-speed urgency to irritate, but it was never an issue. The mild-hybrid starter-generator gives just enough low-rev assistance to offset any lethargy, and as the engine loosened up, it became more responsive.
For those used to torquey turbodiesels or lightly-boosted lowcapacity petrols, the CX-30 might feel a little anaemic. It requires some work to extract all the performance, but it’s always eager, and that crisp, quick manual gearchange means the effort is never a chore. Plus, in our time with the car, it returned a very creditable 40.1mpg, which isn’t at all shabby for a bluff-fronted SUV with a fairly big petrol engine.
My biggest issue with the CX-30, then, is the existence of the very closely related 3. In fairness, much of what I’m about to say is true of most compact crossovers, so this is as much a slight against the genre as the CX-30 in particular. But in the 3, Mazda has a car that’s even better to drive, more efficient, every bit as roomy and costs less to buy. If these off-roader-tinged machines offered even a dash of go-anywhere ability,
❝ It isn’t a fast car, but it was a satisfying device to drive day in, day out ❞
JAMES DISDALE
it might be enough to offset their on-road compromises and higher prices. But they’re as likely to get as stuck in the rough as any normal Tarmac-dwelling runaround.
Still, it’s a mark of the CX-30’S abilities that thoughts of swapping it for a 3 became less frequent as the miles rolled by (not that were as many of those as I would have liked, given the lockdown). And while it isn’t a fast car or one that offers a deeply immersive driving experience, it was a satisfying device to drive day in, day out, and that counts for a lot.
That it’s handsome, cost-effective to run and practical only makes it all the more appealing. If you’re in the market for a small crossover, it should absolutely be on your shortlist. It would certainly find itself atop mine.