Compact SUVs are the stars of the current car market in South Africa, with almost every brand launching a new model every couple of months, this time around I had the opportunity to spend time with the recently launched Mazda CX-30 Active Auto, an entry-level to the CX-30 range. dressed in the beautiful Soul Red Crystal, competing against other Compact SUVs of its class such as the Volkswagen T-Roc, here are my thoughts…
Quick Facts
- Model: Mazda CX-30 Active
- Engine: 2.0 Litre 4-cylinder N/A petrol
- Power & Torque: 121kW & 213Nm
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
- Fuel consumption: 6.6L/100 Km
- Boot capacity: 295 Litres
- Price: R469,000
So, what is the Mazda CX-30 you may wonder?
Well, to cut it short and simple, the CX-30 is basically a Mazda 3 with an SUV-looking shape and higher ground clearance. offered in three trims levels, Active, Dynamic, and individual. The new compact SUV joins the CX line and is set to fill the gap between the Mazda CX-3 and the bigger sibling Mazda CX-5.
Exterior and Design
Stylish and attractive exterior, the Mazda CX-30 is an eye-catcher, with its sleek and smooth design, perfectly proportioned shaped. the front-end showcases a Large 3D grille with a floating Mazda emblem in the center. The CX-30 comes fitted standard with automatic LED headlights with fog lamps, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding side mirrors, and rides on 16-inch grey metallic alloy wheels.
Interior
Jumping inside the CX-30, the interior is well-designed, simple but yet very classy. Mostly filled with soft-touch materials that you may find in higher-class brands cars. The cabin is well-insulated, fitted with comfortable cloth upholstery seats with good side support and height adjustment for the driver’s seat. leather trim covers on the dashboard, center console armrest as well as on doors panels.
The Mazda CX-30 comes equipped with a semi-digital instrument cluster with a head-up display, a multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted controls for phone, voice-command car info, media, and cruise control with the buttons finished in brushed aluminum.
other features include a user-friendly 8.8-inch infotainment system display compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay via USB, controlled by a rotary dial in the center console, push start button, i-stop, 2x USB port and 1x 12V power socket, as well as a manual air-conditioning system.
In terms of tech, it was quite shocking to find that the Mazda CX-30 cuts corners on some essential features such as a reverse camera and rear parking sensors, which I believe are very important and should be fitted as standard for a car of this price range. Paddle shifter, automatic AirCon with rear air vents, and keyless entry are available on the mid-spec “Dynamic” and top-spec trim ”Individual”
Practicality
The CX-30 is a stylish, fun car to drive around town and long-distance. It offers a very refined and luxurious-like driving experience. comfortable and spacious at the front, the rear cabin space can feel a bit cramped for adults, as it’s quite tight in terms of knee room and headroom due to the curved roofline.
Smooth and comfortable ride quality, the CX-30 feels well-sprung, managing to absorb road imperfection with ease. The luggage capacity is quite smaller than its rivals, claimed at 295Litres it can further be extended with the rear seats folded to a 60:40 split. Handy for large/long items storage.
Safety
On the safety side, the CX-30 comes fitted standard across the range with 7airbags which include Driver, Passenger, Knee (driver), Curtain (front and rear), and Side airbag. as well as ABS with EBD as well as DSC
The Drive
Mechanical wise I found it hard to fault the CX-30, the engine and transmission combination works well but isn’t really the sharpest, as we all know, a lot more power can be extracted from the 2.0L engine. However, it feels just enough for this particular use. With that said, the 2.0L four-cylinder naturally aspirated SkyActiv-G engine does not feel underpowered, it produces 121kW and 213Nm of torque mated to a 6-speed transmission that works well if not pushed too hard. A slight delay/bug can be noticed when overtaking/(flooring the accelerator), the transmission struggles to downshift to the right gear e.g when cruising at 6th gear and you put your foot to the floor to overtake, the transmission will downshift to fourth then fifth and that bug causes the engine to rev quite high/loud which can be quite worrying sometimes, but I managed to have found a solution that issue, is by using the “Sport Mode “.
In sport mode, the engine revs quite high and shifts to about 6000 rpm, which makes the car a little more responsive, and thus you get smoother transmission shifts, but one downside of using sport mode is the effect on the fuel consumption.
After both casual and enthusiastic driving style, i managed an average of 8.7L/100km which is quite higher than the 6.6L claimed by Mazda.
Verdict
Scoring a solid 8.5/10, the CX-30 is an overall great all-rounder compact SUV. sleek and stylish design with a classy interior and premium driving experience. the CX-30 will be a good fit for style-conscious individuals or families with small/no kids, as it does not offer a lot of space compared to its siblings like the CX-5, priced right about the same price as the CX-30 Dynamic (R6600 cheaper than the Mazda CX-5 Dynamic Auto ), which I believe is the best value for money is in terms of space/practicality and amount of standard features. but at the end of the day it all comes down to a matter of budget and personal preferences
Pricing and Aftersales
The new Mazda CX-30 range is priced as follows
Mazda CX-30 2.0L Active 6AT R469,000
Mazda CX-30 2.0L Dynamic 6AT R499,000
Mazda CX-30 2.0L Individual 6AT R540,000
All prices include a 3-year/unlimited-kilometer service plan and factory warranty, 3-years roadside assistance as well as a 5-year corrosion warranty.
For more, Book a test drive here!
