2023 Mazda CX-30 review: Full range detailed

The Mazda CX-30 is a small crossover SUV based on the same platform as the Mazda3 small car. It’s larger than the CX-3 small SUV but smaller than the CX-5 medium SUV.

A winner of Wheels Car of the Year in 2021, the CX-30 is an excellent small-to-medium vehicle with a premium-feeling interior and loads of features and equipment.

The CX-30 range starts at $30,120 for a base manual G20 Pure front-wheel-drive and tops out at $48,310 with the six-speed automatic X20 Astina all-wheel-drive with its mild hybrid powertrain.

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JUMP AHEAD

• Pricing
• What body styles are available for the Mazda CX-30?
• What features are standard in every Mazda CX-30?
• What key features do I get if I spend more?
• How safe is the Mazda CX-30?
• How comfortable and practical is the Mazda CX-30?
• How much boot space does the Mazda CX-30 offer?
• I like driving – will I enjoy this car?
• Which Mazda CX-30 engine uses the least fuel?
• What is the Mazda CX-30’s towing capacity?
• How long is the warranty and what are the Mazda CX-30’s servicing costs?
• Which version of the Mazda CX-30 does Wheels recommend?
• What are the Mazda CX-30’s key rivals?

Pricing

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What body styles are available for the Mazda CX-30?

The CX-30 comes as a five-door crossover SUV only, with a maximum seating capacity of five. There are front-drive and all-wheel-drive models, a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic (depending on the model), and four engine options. They are a 2.0-litre inline-4 producing 114kW/200Nm; a beefier 2.5-litre offering 139kW/252Nm; a very-mild hybrid 2.0-litre and a less-mild hybrid 2.0-litre available in the range-topping X20 Astina.

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What features are standard in every Mazda CX-30?

The features listed below are standard in the entry-level model and will appear in higher-grade models, unless replaced by more premium equivalent features.

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What key features do I get if I spend more?

Mazda tells us the mid-spec G20 Evolve and G20 Touring are the most popular variants, followed by the entry-level G20 Pure.

As ever, as you spend more money, you get more goodies.

In a unique move, Mazda allows buyers to option the Vision Technology package on the automatic (but not manual) G20 Pure and G20 Evolve, whereas it is standard on the Evolve M-Hybrid, Touring SP and Astina variants.

Opting for this pack nets a 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, a driver monitoring camera, front-cross traffic alert and traffic jam assist. A necessary tick-box? Nope, as the standard array of active safety kit is comprehensive enough.

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However, if your budget can stretch a further $1500, the higher-quality cameras and front sensors are a nice-to-have – but be prepared for the potential of an extended wait time since the option is factory-fitted.

It’s important to remember that across the range there are three engine options. The least powerful 2.0-litre produces 114kW/200Nm, then there’s the 2.5-litre which steps things up to 139kW/252Nm and lastly there’s the hybridised 2.0-litre which produces 132kW/224Nm.

There’s also the G20e Mild Hybrid with a lithium-ion battery but it only saves 0.2L/100km – hardly anything.

The Evolve also brings:

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Paying more again for a Touring gets you those features plus:

Then there’s the Touring SP which adds this again:

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The Astina tops the range and in addition to everything above includes:

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How safe is the Mazda CX-30?

A five-star ANCAP safety rating covers the Mazda CX-30 range, based on testing conducted in 2019.

Seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain, and driver’s knee) are standard.

It packs a comprehensive suite of active safety features even in base form. This includes autonomous emergency braking with vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist and reversing detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert and traffic sign recognition.

The lane-keep assist system works well for steering intervention, with a subtle jolt of the wheel when veering close to the edge, but it is quick to alert the driver – either visually in the head-up display or audibly too.

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Meanwhile, Mazda could improve the traffic sign recognition system during roadworks and in wet weather, but it is almost perfect in normal conditions. It can work with the speed limiter (known as intelligent speed assist in Mazda parlance) but not with the adaptive cruise.

A reversing camera and rear parking sensors are standard, which can be expanded to include a better-quality 360-degree system and front sensors – plus front cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist and a driver monitoring camera – with the $1500 Vision Technology package.

The second row includes two ISOFIX anchors, three top tether points and rear door locks.

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How comfortable and practical is the Mazda CX-30?

The CX-30 has a beautifully designed interior. There’s nothing whacky or “goodness, that’s clever” but it’s a model of clarity and deeply sensible ergonomics. Everything falls easily to hand, the materials are top-notch and with the SP’s burgundy leather, it’s not as dark as lower-spec CX-30s in the cabin.

Smaller Mazdas tend not to be market leaders in cabin space and the CX-30 is no different.

Front and rear-seat passengers each score a pair of cup holders and a bottle holder in each door. The centre console bin is a small but useful space and the glove box is tiny, presumably in the interest of offering more knee room.

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Rear-seat passengers get roughly the same deal as those in the 3 except for the middle passenger.

There is a reasonably chunky transmission tunnel that robs the middle occupant of precious foot space. It will do the job for most city trips. Headroom isn't super generous, either, but one 180cm Wheels tester was okay and fit comfortably behind their own driving position.

At the centre of it all is an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, which is easy enough to navigate (even if it does just look like a giant sideways phone) and – in a wild departure from the direction most of the industry is going – is accessible through a rotary dial on the centre console rather than being a touchscreen.

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How much boot space does the Mazda CX-30 offer?

The boot has a small 317-litre capacity. This compares poorly against the Nissan Qashqai (490L), Toyota Corolla Cross (487L), Honda HR-V (437L) and Kia Seltos (433L), while even the slender Hyundai Kona has a larger 374L capacity.

It’s not all bad, though, as the CX-30 can extend up to 430 litres with underfloor storage. With the 60:40 split-fold second row down, it has a 1406-litre total capacity.

All CX-30s use a space-saver spare wheel.

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I like driving – will I enjoy this car?

Yes. The Mazda CX-30 is a great car to drive, even amongst its peers.

The impression of being a jacked-up Mazda3 hatchback transcends beyond the CX-30’s design. This is no surprise as it retains the same underpinnings. Despite its heavier weight, the small SUV body hasn’t affected dynamics, with the CX-30 feeling just as planted.

Mazda’s engineers focused on retaining its sporting DNA, with a sharp turn-in and sharp, weighty steering. The agile handling is likely to plant a smile on your face; even around tighter bends, there’s minimal body roll and your progress is assisted by a torque vectoring system for enhanced stability.

It has a smooth ride, but the suspension can become fidgety at low speeds and over obstacles such as large potholes or speed bumps. While we could blame this on the torsion-beam rear suspension, the front suspension isn’t perfect either.

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It’s an eminently comfortable cruiser, cheerfully knocking over the miles. The 2.5-litre has the distinct advantage of being able to shut down cylinders when in a level cruise to reduce fuel consumption. It’s quiet and composed and you only get a mild racket from the tyres if the surface is terrible.

It’s very happy around town, too, and the lovely thin-rimmed steering wheel is just right for all the maneuvering and turning in and out of the cut and thrust of suburban and urban driving. The transmission calibration also does its best to make it feel sprightly, although do expect to get rinsed by plenty of other cars on the road. The CX-30, even in 2.5-litre guise, isn’t going to win many drag races.

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Which Mazda CX-30 engine uses the least fuel?

If fuel use is your greatest concern, get the hybrid e-Skyactiv X range-topper which uses 6.0L/100km on the ADR81/02 combined cycle. However, it’s worth noting it requires 95RON premium fuel. All other CX-30s will happily run on cheaper 91RON or even E10.

Next best is the 2.0-litre e-Skyactiv at 6.3L/100km. Mazda calls this a mild hybrid but using the word hybrid is a stretch if you ask us.

The 2.0-litre version uses 6.5L/100km (both manual and automatic). The 2.5-litre front-drive uses 6.6L/100km combined while adding all-wheel-drive lifts that to 6.8L/100km.

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What is the Mazda CX-30’s towing capacity?

The Mazda CX-30 can tow up to 1200kg braked, 600kg unbraked and has an 80kg maximum towball limit.

How long is the warranty and what are the Mazda CX-30’s servicing costs?

The Mazda CX-30 is covered by a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty. That’s the same as a Toyota, and it’s worth noting that rivals such as the Mitsubishi ASX and Eclipse Cross, Kia Seltos and Haval Jolion offer longer warranties.

The CX-30 requires servicing every 12 months or 10,000km, whichever comes first. Servicing costs vary depending on the grade, but are on average around $1800 over five years.

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Which version of the Mazda CX-30 does Wheels recommend?

If it’s a first car, you honestly can’t go wrong with the base G20 manual which has an impressive equipment list including safety features.

If you’re after something a bit more richly equipped, you can’t go wrong with an Evolve or Touring. Although avoid the G20 Evolve mild hybrid. Save yourself the $2K and just get the normal 2.0-litre variant.

If you’re getting an Astina, we’d probably steer you away from the e-Skyactiv X 2.0 and point you towards cheaper versions like the $41,810 front-drive G20 Astina which leaps out as a great purchase. You don’t really need all-wheel-drive these days.

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If you like a bit of power, there’s the 2.5-litre version as well. A 0.8L/100km economy penalty (over the X 2.0-litre) is worth it – plus it’s a few grand cheaper outright, and can run on less expensive 91RON fuel.

Mazda needs to make its hybrids save fuel like Toyota’s hybrids. They’ve got a long way to go in that department.

It’d be hyperbole to say the Mazda CX-30 gets the heart racing (although no judgement if it does for you), but little touches like its indicator chime, plush cabin, available red leather and attractive styling make it a more emotional choice compared to some rivals such as the Toyota Corolla Cross.

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What are the Mazda CX-30’s key rivals?

• Toyota Corolla Cross
• Nissan Qashqai
• Volkswagen T-Roc
• Subaru Crosstrek

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