Used 2021 MAZDA CX-30

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 isn’t just another crossover. It doesn’t fit neatly into any pre-existing size categories. It packs a decent amount of power and has a chassis that’s perfectly suited to exploit that muscle. Like every other Mazda, there’s an aesthetic sensibility that’s rare in anything below the typical luxury level. A certain sophistication permeates everything the 2021 CX-30 does and has.

It’s classy and engaging, comes with many standard safety features and advanced driver assists, as well as plenty of options to upgrade the whole experience. Yet it still has a raised driving position and levels of practicality that involve useful cargo space — along with the availability of all-wheel drive. The Mazda CX-30 achieves all this at competitive prices.

Not long ago, SUV/crossovers were just machines made to do a job. There was no thought of driving prowess or enjoyment. The 2021 CX-30 is the opposite of that workmanlike approach.

Sure, it can still perform the usual tasks like the school run, weekly grocery trip, and going to the in-laws’ place at Thanksgiving. But it does so with much more panache. Even if those mythical empty and entertaining roads in TV ads hold no appeal, the CX-30’s pleasant ride quality and precise responses can still brighten any mundane drive.

The feel from the steering is fantastic, letting the driver know what the front tires are doing, while the handling has the right balance of comfort and poise. There’s no turbocharger under the hood of the base model, but — with 186 horsepower — power is relatively plentiful.

The 6-speed automatic transmission is an ideal match. Mazda’s engineers feel there’s no need to cram in extra ratios if the transmission uses the correct ones in the first place. Selecting Sport mode holds those gears for longer, allowing the driver to access more of that muscle.

With the new CX-30 2.5 Turbo, Mazda seeks to emulate the sporty and refined feel of the Mazda3 2.5 Turbo. Despite the CX-30 having a higher center of gravity than the 3, Mazda has succeeded in a big way.

The all-wheel-drive CX-30 2.5 Turbo is a delight to drive, a vehicle that blends all the practicality of a standard CX-30 with the outstanding performance and cornering prowess of a Mazda3 2.5 Turbo. The CX-30 2.5 Turbo feels sportier than the CX-5 Turbo, which is high praise.

At the same time, the CX-30 2.5 Turbo is a highly refined automobile. While it might be a little too firmly sprung for some, the CX-30 responds beautifully to driver inputs, aided by deft tuning of its standard AWD system. When the driver turns into a corner, drive to the rear wheels is momentarily suspended, transferring weight to the front wheels for crisper turn-in response. Once in the corner, though, drive to the rear wheels picks up again, enabling power-on corner exits that are stable, fast, and fun.

The AWD system in the CX-30 2.5 Turbo constantly determines the available grip, and it adjusts the fore/aft power split as needed. For example, more power goes to the rear wheels (those with better traction), when you nail the throttle. Torque steer? Not an issue.

Although the CX-30 2.5 Turbo isn’t designed as an off-roader (and has no underbody protection), it is somewhat capable on rough roads, as long as clearance isn’t an issue. It’s aided by Off-Road Traction Assist, which uses aggressive brake action to slow a spinning wheel and send power to the other side, helping this Mazda keep moving in slippery conditions.

The cabin is arguably the nicest in its class. The front row is spacious, with a lot of shoulder room and a feeling of open space, making it easy to forget that this is an almost-subcompact. The high-quality materials and elegant style wouldn’t look out of place in a more expensive vehicle.

Buyers can choose warm brown/parchment, brown/black, or navy/grey combinations, with seats in cloth, simulated leather or real leather. Mazda has worked hard on how everything looks and feels, and those efforts have paid off, with beautiful accents and a pleasant tactility to the switchgear.

Every CX-30 has the Mazda Connect infotainment system and an 8.8-inch screen sitting on the dash. The dash layout is narrow and wide, with some controls sitting fairly high, bringing them within easy reach. Infotainment controls are near the transmission shifter, where the driver’s hand falls naturally. The audio system’s speakers have been relocated from the doors into the body, improving sound quality, and reducing buzzing and rattles.

This sense of quality continues in the back, but legroom is limited for passengers who are above six feet tall. Behind the rear seats, the luggage area measures 20.2 cubic feet. Folding them down expands that to 45.2 cubic feet. The Honda HR-V offers more.

Admittedly, this is all subjective, but Mazda seems to have design chops that stand way apart (and arguably far above) every other Japanese manufacturer. Some of the lines on the CX-30 are subtle, only discernible at certain angles, yet it all works as a whole. The plastic side cladding detracts somewhat, but that comes with the crossover territory.

Base models have a matte grille and 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Select trim replaces those with 18-inch alloy wheels. Preferred versions add a gloss grille, while the Premium trim has LED headlights and taillight accents, along with roof rails.

The CX-30 2.5 Turbo smartens up its exterior look with 18-inch black aluminum-alloy wheels, larger exhaust pipes, gloss-black grille and outside mirrors, and a “TURBO” badge on the liftgate.

DRIVING DYNAMICS
Mazda continues to prove that practicality doesn’t have to be puritanical. The CX-30 has smooth, responsive steering and a sporty ride without compromising any ride comfort or cargo-carrying capability.

ERGONOMICS
The study of human efficiency in a working environment. Mazda has spent a lot of time on this. The navigation screen is set near the top of the dash, so drivers can see it without moving their eye-line too far from the road ahead. Infotainment controls are simplified to reduce distraction. The front seats have been designed to support the natural position of the spine for better posture, more comfort, and less fatigue than a regular car seat. There’s also an amber light on the stalk that illuminates when the wipers are in Auto mode.

The base version of the 2021 CX-30 has LED exterior lighting, automatic on/off headlights with automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry/ignition, sport front seats, cloth upholstery, 60/40 split/fold rear seats, electronic parking brake, two USB ports, Mazda Connect, 8.8-inch infotainment screen, Multifunction Commander (the main control for infotainment system), Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth phone/audio, HD radio, Wi-Fi, and an 8-speaker audio system.

On the safety side, in addition to airbags for the front occupants’ knees, the CX-30 has adaptive cruise control with stop/go, lane-departure warning/lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert comes in at the Select level, the next trim up.

All-wheel drive is optional in every trim. Select adds dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and simulated leather upholstery.

Preferred trim has an 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a powered moonroof. Premium trim tops the range with real leather upholstery, adaptive headlights, a head-up display, paddle shifters for the automatic transmission, powered tailgate, roof rails, navigation, shark fin antenna, satellite radio, and a Bose 12-speaker audio system.

The new CX-30 2.5 Turbo comes in three trims. These are Standard, Premium (Bose 12-speaker audio, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, leather seats, a power liftgate, traffic sign recognition, adaptive front headlights, navigation, and satellite radio), and Premium Plus (which adds automatic emergency and rear cross-traffic braking in Reverse, Traffic Jam Assist with supplemental steering inputs under 40 mph, 360-degree view monitoring when parking and an auto-dimming driver’s side mirror).

The CX-30 employs a 186-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, connected to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive (FWD) is the standard arrangement, with all-wheel drive (AWD) as an option.

A front-drive 2021 CX-30 is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at 25 mpg city/33 mpg highway/28 mpg combined. With AWD, those figures drop to 24 mpg city/31 mpg highwat/26 mpg combined.

The new CX-30 2.5 Turbo packs a 4-cylinder that delivers 227 turbocharged horsepower and a healthy 310 lb-ft of torque on 87 octane gasoline. Those power figures rise to 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque if you feel the urge to shop around for 93 octane gas. The CX-30 2.5 Turbo is rated by the EPA at 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.

2.5-liter inline-4
186 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
186 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/33 mpg (FWD), 24/31 mpg (AWD)

2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4
227 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm (87 octane)
250 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm (93 octane)
310 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000 rpm (87 octane)
320 lb-ft of torque @ 2,500 rpm (93 octane)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 22/30 mpg (AWD)