Volvo Introduces the 2025 EX30
Volvo’s 2025 EX30 might just be the bite-size electric crossover that catapults Volvo’s sales into new territory. In addition to a trove of pictures and details, we also have the…
Mazda’s upmarket aspirations might have caught some shoppers off-guard, but driving the new CX-30 CUV for a week changed my perspective. The 2022 Mazda CX-30 Turbo is, by and large, a crossover version of the Mazda3 hatchback complete with the requisite with body cladding needed to morph it into a small crossover. It sits slightly higher off the ground, and weighs a little more, but there’s still plenty of the Mazda3’s charm on board. And perhaps more importantly, the CX-30 feels more expensive than it is, which is exactly what Mazda wants.
The CX-30 has a unique shape for cars in its segment. You generally see more upright profiles and boxier lines, but not here. The Turbo model shares the naturally-aspirated model’s cab-rearward stance, which reminds me a lot of the 1st-generation Mercedes-Benz CLA. Maybe even more of the rebadged Infiniti version, the late QX30. Either way, dimensionally the CX-30 is actually not too much larger than a Mazda3 hatchback. The black body cladding gives it the more butch appearance and the slim rear side window fills in the space the 3’s large c-pillar wastes. I do wish that Mazda would give the black plastic treatment down low the same glossy finish as the black around the windows and side mirrors. This is not the ‘off-road’ Mazda like the CX-50, so I believe shinier stuff makes more sense here. The new paint color for this year, Platinum Quartz Metallic, looks beautiful in the right lighting. It really elevates the feel of the exterior design. You might not be a fan of black wheels, but they really work with this color.
Inside is where shoppers who are looking into CLAs, Q3s and X1s will be pleasantly surprised. The dash design is borrowed from the Mazda3 (where this new premium theme was introduced), as are most of the materials. The model I was driving was a Premium Plus trim, the nicest CX-30 money can buy. Appropriately, everything was buttery soft and looked expensive. The two-tone color scheme delights the eyes, and the steering wheel feels like it was made for your own hands. There is no full LCD instrument cluster and the infotainment screen is controlled exclusively by the rotary controller down by the shifter. The CX-50 gave us hope that maybe future updates to the rest of the lineup will bring touchscreen capability for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We shall see if that eventually transpires here.
There is only one sunroof available, and it is small, so if a panoramic glass roof is your thing, you’ll need to shop elsewhere. I like that there are physical buttons for the climate control, but not the piano black plastic trim that already had many annoyingly visible scratches all over it. The front seat was very comfortable and received good marks in my Tall Person Tally (where my 6 ft. 6″ friend rates seat comfort), but the rear seat was pretty tight for him. Overall, though, I definitely feel Mazda hit the nail on the head with the interior feel. It is much nicer than other competitors like the new Acura Integra, or older players like the Lexus UX and Buick Encore GX.
The CX-30 Turbo is powered by a 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder that puts out 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s if you fill it with regular fuel, however. The numbers bump up to 250 and 320 respectively if you fill your CX-30 with premium. The numbers fall somewhere in the middle if you like the mid-grade stuff. With gas prices how they are right now, the 227 horsepower is perfectly fine for the size of the car given that most of the competition in the mainstream segment make do with 150 or less.
Around town, the torque really pays dividends in giving the CX-30 a spirited personality that is on par or better than what you’ll experience in its competitors. Mazda could have brought back the ‘Mazdaspeed’ moniker, but this is certainly not the same experience. The speed and power delivery is more mature than that, and fitting for the goal of the brand. Let me explain…
When accelerating from a stop, the CX-30 takes a little over six seconds to get to 60 mph, which is plenty of speed and will satisfy the target market. The noise the engine makes under these circumstances truly surprised me. It sounds more akin to an inline-6 than an inline-4, with a deeper growl that would feel natural in a more expensive vehicle. The fact that you can get that experience here in this Mazda is truly impressive. Other competitors’ 4-cylinders do not give off this same level of elegance under duress.
The ride quality is also a nice balance between Euro-firm and Lexus-cushy. If you’re at all concerned about the fact that there is a Torsion beam suspension setup in the rear, then maybe this isn’t the car for you. You cannot chuck it around corners with the same gusto as something with a sportier pretense and an independent setup. Driving it like a normal person who just wants a comfortable, quiet and supple ride yields the most enjoyable time. If this is just the beginning of Mazda’s push upmarket, the ride quality is a fantastic first step. None of this is me saying the CX-30 is boring to drive, not the case. It has its limits, but those limits will not be met by the majority of buyers. The daily driving experience is still fun and nimble, something I believe Mazda will always keep in its DNA.
At $35,875, the CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus is a fantastic value compared to competitors like the Buick Encore GX, Acura Integra and Lexus UX. It has the nicest interior of the group and drives with the most premium feel. It ties with the Acura and Buick for total cargo space, all trumping the Lexus by a decent amount. The Buick will provide a more modern 9-speed automatic if you choose AWD, but all CX-30s comes standard with AWD and cost less when comparably equipped. The Lexus will be the most fuel efficient because it is now hybrid-only, but is the slowest accelerating in the group. The Acura is the newest of the group and offers a six-speed manual, but no real leather. If you want to compare this to more expensive models like Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3, by all means include it in your cross-shopping. Those cars will drive a little sportier and do better on fuel economy simply because of the 2.5 Turbo’s old 6-speed automatic. However, the ride quality and interior in the CX-30 will feel shockingly close to what you’ll find in the Germans, and that is an incredible achievement for Mazda.
At the end of the day, the biggest competition to the CX-30 is Mazda’s very own Mazda3. It is just about the same size, costs a little less, offers a manual transmission (on the base engine, however) + AWD, and forgoes the black body cladding that some people truly detest. If you like riding a little higher and aren’t a fan of the 3’s large C-pillar, then the CX-30 is your ticket to a value-packed near-luxury car ownership experience. Oh, and get the Platinum Quartz paint. It’s gorgeous.
