Mazda CX-30: Quietly and Confidently Rising to the Top

2020 Mazda CX-30

© PHOTO BY SCOTT TILLEY

This all new Kodo designed SUV by Mazda has the flowing beauty of a coupe and the bold proportions of an SUV.

Th Mazda CX-30 is a brand new compact crossover SUV that is produced by the Mazda Corporation that debuted at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. This new model was designed for drivers who are still single or are married and starting a family in the United States, so it will find its home in the Mazda stable between the CX-3 and the CX-5. It was made available in North America January 2020.

The all new CX-30 is an SUV that combines the strength of a traditional SUV with a well thought out design style that showcases Mazda's Kodo design language. The engineers are always building vehicles with a human-centric view, so the design team wanted to create an SUV that would enrich their customers' lives. From the engine to the chassis to the transmission, the engineers have gone over every aspect of this new crossover to provide a holistic, smarter approach to the way an owner interacts with their vehicle.

Exterior

When you look at the front of this new Mazda, you will notice the signature wing takes on a sharper and deeper form. It is designed that way to give the CX-30 a stronger more refined front end that is suggesting perpetual forward motion. Nothing is wasted in the engineer's eyes. The rear window has a sloping like shape that gives the CX-30 a coupe-like look while the design of the liftgate makes for functional use of the cargo area and visually provides a more powerful looking stance. A buyer will have the option to choose from a full pallet of colors including the new polymetal gray.

Interior

The interior was not only designed with the driver in mind, but also the other occupants. The engineers created a cockpit that allows the driver to connect with the crossover, but not feel separated from the other passengers. The engineers then worked on creating an open cabin that would allow the feeling of togetherness by all the occupants in the CX-30. This is great for new or young families that are shuttling children around to all their different activities. The engineers also looked at the noise pollution that enters a vehicle on a daily basis, so they focused on noise vibration and harsh sounds. They looked at and measured anything and everything from the tires to the headliner to minimize any road noise.

PowerTrain

All the CX-30s, no matter their trim level, will have the responsive and super-efficient inline four-cylinder Skyactiv-G 2.5L that you find in all the other Mazda CX crossovers. This engine provides the worlds highest engine compression ratio at 14.0:1 and that converts to class leading standard 186 horsepower and while delivering 186 lb-ft of torque. It will be mated to the quick-shifting Skyactiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission to produce, in the AWD drive premium I had for the week, an EPA rated at 25 mpg city / 33 mpg hwy.

Safety

The CUX-30 has already shown itself to be a very safe vehicle right out of the box, as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced the 2020 Mazda CX-30 had already earned its 2020 TOP SAFETY PICK award when equipped with specific headlights. To qualify for the 2020 TOP SAFETY PICK award, the CX-30 earned good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests.

Safety is a top priority with Mazda, and we are proud to have the CX-30 earn the 2020 IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK award, said Mazda North American Operations President Jeff Guyton. We are committed to providing the most advanced safety technologies in our vehicles, and we continue to challenge ourselves to create unique products and technologies, which provide our customers a confident, relaxing, joyful driving experience.

There has been a bit of discussion on the internet as to why Mazda would build a vehicle that some say fits into the Mazda3 slot. They say the CX-30 has a bit more interior space and realistically the same amount of cargo space. They say it can't match the fuel economy of the 3. I would say those are all valid points, but I think when you try to compare the Mazda3 to the CX-30; in my opinion, you are comparing an apple to an orange. It's like comparing a Miata to a CX3, 5 or 9. As someone who has moved into empty nest territory after raising three children, I would probably prefer the CX over the Mazda3 sedan or hatchback if I still had my children. I'm not here to hate on the 3, quite the contrary. I believe the Mazda3 has a strong place in the Mazda fleet for a specific demographic just like the CX-30 does. Yes, the interior space is fundamentality the same; but the CX-30 lays out better for a small family to interact in the middle of all their daily shuttling to and fro. Also because the CX is a an SUV design, it will sit up higher and have better overall visibility for a potentially safer ride for a family. Yes the cargo space is the same, but the CX-30 allows you to load large items like multiple traveling hockey bags and suitcases easier and more efficiently because of its more traditional rear SUV design. And with the new Off-Road Traction assist function you can take the CX-30 off grid with the confidence to find those great fishing spots. Yes there is a fuel difference, the 3 is far more aerodynamic with its sleek sports car design and the CX-30 is designed like an SUV. Also the curb weight for the CX-30 is between 3,232 to 3,408 lbs vs the 3 which has a curb weight of 3,022 to 3,255 lbs.

So don't take my word for it; go test drive both and figure out which vehicle fits your lifestyle better—the apple or the orange. Either way, you will end up with a great vehicle.