Used 2022 MAZDA MX-30

The 2022 Mazda MX-30 is the company’s first foray into all-electric vehicles. Taking the form of a subcompact SUV/crossover (the MX-30 chassis closely related to that of the CX-3) with small rear passenger doors that open in the opposite direction of the fronts, the MX-30 exhibits the graceful and high-end styling for which Mazda is rightfully renowned.

This model runs solely on battery power. Mazda plans to add a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant for the 2023 model year and begin selling MX-30s nationally. For now, though, we’re concentrating on the new MX-30 electric vehicle (EV).

The automotive world is in a phase where more EVs are launching, so the MX-30 already finds itself in competitive company with the Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia Niro EV, Nissan Leaf (well into its second generation), the Tesla Model 3, and the Chevrolet Bolt EUV.

Unfortunately for the 2022 MX-30, most of those rivals have a range that exceeds 200 miles. This electric Mazda has an EPA range of only 100 miles, thanks to its small 35.5-kWh lithium-ion battery.

With the emergence of electric drivetrains comes novel metrics. In this case, the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) at which a battery is measured. For example, the Hyundai Kona Electric has a 64-kWh battery enabling a range of 258 miles. A basic Nissan Leaf, however, manages only 149 miles from its 40-kWh power pack.

The EV closest in range to the Mazda MX-30 is the Mini SE Hardtop, which the EPA rates at 110 miles.

On the plus side, a smaller battery keeps weight down. And Mazda claims a DC fast-charging capability that brings the battery to 80% capacity within 36 minutes.

In 2022, look for a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the new Mazda MX-30 to arrive. By then, Mazda will sell the MX-30 will be sold nationally. In addition, an all-new series of Mazda EVs, based on a new scalable EV platform, is scheduled to arrive in 2025.

KBB’s Andy Bornhop drove the MX-30 recently in Southern California. Reports Andy:

Mazda says the new MX-30 is 300 pounds heavier than the CX-30 but handles better. It cites a few reasons, including the liquid-cooled battery down in the floor of the chassis, which gives it a 2-inch-lower center of gravity than the CX-30. And that battery, notably, is mounted in a protective cage that significantly improves the torsional rigidity of the MX-30’s chassis. Also, again thanks to its battery, the MX-30 has a rear-biased fore/aft weight balance of 40/60, which means the outside front tire is less likely to get overwhelmed in aggressive cornering.

In our 69.4-mile drive of the new 2022 MX-30, we found what Mazda said to be true. The electric MX-30 indeed drives like a Mazda, which is to say it responds well to driver inputs and feels totally composed while negotiating twisty roads. What’s more, the ride quality is excellent, and the brake-by-wire brake pedal — which has no mechanical linkage to the wheels but must blend traditional friction braking with electrical regeneration — feels totally normal.

When I started my drive, the MX-30 had a fully charged battery and an indicated range of 103 miles. When I finished the drive, which blended stop-and-go city driving with highway motoring at speeds of up to about 70 mph, I had driven 69.4 miles and finished with a remaining battery charge of 31% and an indicated remaining range of 33 miles.

The message here? The EPA range of 100 miles seems about right.

So, how did this new electric Mazda drive? Very well. While you won’t be overwhelmed by the 143 horsepower of the electric motor, it has the immediate electric torque we’ve all come to appreciate in EVs. Equally important, the response to the accelerator pedal (it’s not a throttle, right?) is remarkably refined. The front-drive MX-30 accelerates away from a spotlight in a dignified way, and in situations where you might have to lift off the pedal and then reapply it, the power comes on in a tempered way that’s reminiscent of a well-trained chauffeur.

While the MX-30 has G-Vectoring Control Plus, a system that improves cornering performance by adjusting the torque and performing selective wheel braking, I couldn’t perceive it working. It must have been apparent in the poised and balanced feel of the MX-30 chassis.

Inside, the tilt/telescope steering wheel has a meaty leather-wrapped rim, and the paddles behind help the driver adjust the amount of regenerative braking. A couple of tugs on the left paddle results in a significant amount of lift-off deceleration, which charges the battery as much as possible and almost makes it possible to drive the new MX-30 EV in a truly one-pedal fashion.

This Mazda EV doesn’t feel like a crossover SUV from the driver’s seat, but the view forward out the MX-30’s windshield is good. We also like the abundant headroom and the traditional-looking PRNDL shifter. Not so good, however, is the rear three-quarter view, blocked by the wide B-pillars formed when the front and rear doors are shut. Also not our favorite — the rough felt-like fabric on the upper door panels made from recycled plastic bottles.

Nor are we fans of the MX-30’s piped-in audio soundtrack for the electric powertrain. While the synthesized sound rises in frequency with vehicle speed as you’d expect, it reaches too high of a sustained pitch. I kept waiting for an upshift to occur, but it never happened. How about an off switch for this, Mazda?

On a positive note, the floating console of the new MX-30 has a handsome look, and the sustainable cork trim used on the center console (and interior door pulls) has a unique historic link–Mazda actually began life in 1920 as Toyo Cork Kogyo, a producer of cork.

There’s almost no rear legroom with the driver’s seat all the way back for a tall driver. And even though adults can squeeze in back there, the 5-seat MX-30’s 60/40 split-folding rear seat is best for kids. Also notable, the MX-30’s cargo area is much larger than expected, and it gets bigger with the rear bench folded forward. Because of the battery, which gets a bit taller toward the rear of the vehicle, there’s no room for a spare tire. As a result, Mazda includes a repair kit beneath the MX-30’s cargo floor.

At the other end of the vehicle, when you open the hood of the new MX-30 EV, you may be taken aback by how tiny the rigidly mounted powertrain looks from its spot on the passenger side of the engine compartment. What gives?

Our take: As Mazda’s first EV, the MX-30 is a gentle first step toward full carbon neutrality by 2050. Mazda wanted to start with a simple EV, and that’s what the MX-30 is. It’s not particularly quick, but it’s a fun-to-drive errand-runner with Mazda style and manners. Mazda could have built an EV with, say, 250 horsepower and 250 miles of range. But that would mean a bigger and heavier battery in a bigger and heavier vehicle.

Mazda uses sustainable materials like cork (harvested without felling trees) in the center console and interior door pulls. The company also uses a fabric made from recycled plastic bottles in the MX-30’s door panels.

Nor has Mazda followed the Tesla trend of a seriously sparse dashboard enlivened only by a large infotainment screen. Instead, there’s a conventionally hooded driver instrument cluster and a 7-inch touchscreen in the center stack flanked by physical controls for climate control.

Cabin space is sufficient for a couple of large adults in the front. But the sloping roof, limited legroom, and secondary rear-hinged doors suggest kids-only accommodation behind those front seats.

The new MX-30 is compact, the same 173-inch length as the CX-30. But it has a handy 21 cubic feet of rear cargo volume, which expands considerably with the 60/40-split rear seat folded.

There’s something almost reassuring about the styling of the new MX-30. It has a definite Mazda look to it that wouldn’t be out of place in the luxury segment and should find plenty of approval across the car-buying population.

A new element has crept in as well. A chromed strip at the base of the rear pillar has the word Mazda embossed in upper-case letters, subtle enough to be classy. The roof can also be the same color as the rest of the body or a contrasting hue. And to emphasize the crossover/SUV aspect, the MX-30 comes with plastic side cladding.

The most remarkable feature, though, is the lack of a B-pillar. The front doors open the usual way, the small rear doors (which can only work if the fronts are open) go the other way, resulting in a larger aperture than usual. This is not the first time Mazda has adopted such an approach.

There was also the Mazda RX-8 (2003 to 2012), possibly the first 4-door coupe. And those little rear doors were called Freestyle doors back then, just as they are now.

Single-tone exterior paint colors include Ceramic Metallic, Polymetal Gray, or Jet Black.

MYMAZDA APP
This smartphone app allows owners to check on the status of their MX-30 remotely, control the charging process, lock/unlock the doors, and set cabin temperature before unplugging and setting off.

MAZDA DRIVING DYNAMICS
Sure, electric vehicles are usually great at launching from a standstill. But not many of them are quite as accomplished through the corners. Mazda is one of the few mainstream marques that can approach the kind of kinetic involvement so revered in cars like BMWs and Jaguars. For a vehicle that can be real fun, it’s a shame the MX-30 requires recharging more often than its rivals.

Even in base form, the Mazda MX-30 is well-equipped. Among its standard features are a large 8.8-inch center screen (with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), the latest Mazda Connect infotainment system, and interior luxuries such as heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and heated power-folding mirrors. The base Mazda MX-30 also has a 7-inch digital gauge display, a power moonroof, parking sensors, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a thorough safety suite that includes automatic emergency braking and active cruise control.

As a Premium Plus model, the new Mazda MX-30 EV comes equipped with a Premium Plus package that includes leatherette seats (in gray or brown), a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree monitor, keyless entry, and a Bose 12-speaker audio system with three months of SiriusXM satellite radio.

More significant, the Premium Plus MX-30 has what Mazda calls the i-Activsense safety suite, which includes blind-spot monitoring with steering assist. It also features front cross-traffic assist, which will sound a warning if it senses any dangerous cross-traffic at parking lot speeds (below six mph).

The most notable options on the new Mazda MX-30 are three multi-tone paint colors designed to highlight the vehicle’s coupe-like roofline. You can get an MX-30 in Polymetal Gray ($895), Ceramic Metallic ($895), or Soul Red Crystal ($995), each of these paint colors complemented by a dark gray roof and a silver D-pillar badge.

Machine Gray Metallic, which isn’t a multi-tone offering, is $495.

A drivetrain consisting of an electric motor and a 35.5-kWh lithium-ion battery gives the 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV 143 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. This goes solely to the front wheels.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t given the new MX-30 city or highway fuel economy ratings, but the EPA does say this new electric Mazda SUV has an estimated range of 100 miles. While that’s much less than the competition, Mazda says the new MX-30 meets the needs of most urban residents, most of whom drive about 30 miles a day. EPA fuel economy for the 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV is 98 MPGe city/85 MPGe highway/92 MPGe combined.

What’s more, Mazda has partnered with ChargePoint to give MX-30 owners a $500 charging credit that you can use for public charging or toward the purchase of a ChargePoint in-home Level 2 charger.

And get this — through a special program, Mazda is offering MX-30 owners a loaner (one time a year, for up to 10 days) whenever they need a different Mazda for a long trip. This program lasts for the first three years of MX-30 ownership.

Regarding charge times: Mazda says the 35.5-kWh battery can be brought to an 80% charge in 36 minutes with a Level 3 50-kW DC fast charger. With a 220-volt Level 2 charger at home, it takes a bit less than three hours to reach an 80% charge. Using a 110-volt electrical home current, you can expect an 80% charge in about 14 hours.

Electric motor/35.5-kWh lithium-ion battery
143 horsepower
200 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 98 MPGe/85 MPGe
EPA range: 100 miles