2023 Mazda CX-30 – First Drive
The Mazda CX-30 is as Fun as it is to Drive
Alike the Mazda 3 and 3 Sport, the CX-30 still falls under the subcompact category, but with more practicality. It also wears Mazda’s modern aesthetic design and comes with a well-graded interior – that’s if you opt for the Turbo Premium Plus trim. Speaking of which, the CX-30 is available with an optional 250 horsepower turbocharged engine if you opt for the latter.
The two highest Turbo Premium and Turbo Premium Plus trims unlocks the more powerful 250 horsepower turbocharged engine. But the naturally aspirated trim beneath is not bad and still produces a respectable 191 horsepower from its 2.5 liter engine. All trims will also come standard with Mazda’s i-Actv AWD system. Base models comes priced in at $24,225 with the top Turbo Premium Plus at $36,750.
Powertrain and Performance
Base models get a 2.5 L four-cylinder engine producing 191 horsepower via a 6-speed automatic transmission. A more powerful turbocharged 2.5L engine that produces 250 horsepower is available on the same platform. Unfortunately, the CX-30 will not have a manual transmission and will come standard in AWD for improved all-weather traction. The naturally aspirated engine gets a combined 29 mpg on both city and highway driving while the turbocharged engine variant gets just 25 mpg.
Interior, Comfort and Features
Considered to be one of the highlights, the CX-30’s interior design and craftmanship is great with solid construction quality and soft-touch materials throughout. Our tester model comes with a dual tone black and tanned brown interior, which blends well with the metallic finishing and lacquered panels. Available for upgrade is also a 12-speaker BOSE sound system and heated front seats.
The CX-30 offers more practicality than the Mazda 3 with higher ground clearance, more headroom and slightly more cargo capacity in the back. Extra cargo space is made via the rear 60/40 rear folding seats with a simple spring-loaded latch lever.
The 8.8″ media screen runs on Mazda Connect software available with Android Auto and Apple Carplay for smartphone connectivity. While the overall functions are basic, the user interface is intuitive and the overall performance is not bad.
Test Drive and Final Thoughts
Despite sitting higher off the ground than the Mazda 3, the CX-30 still retains an enthusiastic driving spirit with excellent road feel and handling. Under test was the 2.5L naturally aspirated engine which still proved to provide smooth and ample power upon acceleration.
The interior was also found to be very quiet and pleasant to drive thanks to the well padded seats and soft-touch leather linings. Although the 6-speed automatic transmission feels dated in today’s terms, it still gets the job done via a transparent and organic driving experience.
The Mazda CX-30 is a great fit that fills the bit of lacking practicality from the Mazda 3, but still continues its trademark with contemporary styling, a refined interior and road enthusiasm.
Specifications
- Vehicle : 2023 Mazda CX-30 (Premium)
- Vehicle Type : Sub Compact Crossover
- Seating Capacity :2+3
- Engine : 2.5L SKYACTIV 4 Cylinder
- Transmission : 6-Speed Automatic
- Price as tested: $32,850
Pros
- Aesthetic Styling and Exceptional Interior
- Quiet Cabin with Soft Touch Materials
- Smooth Acceleration and Excellent Road Feel and Handling
- Decent Power and Performance
Cons
- Stale Technology with not much excitement