TRAVIS LANGNESS: The Mazda CX-30 caught our interest
when it debuted in 2020.
It falls between extra small SUVs like CX-3
and compact SUVs like the CX-5.
Yes, the similarity in names is a bit confusing,
but that's besides the point.
We generally like the way Mazdas look
and how they drive so we were curious to see
how the CX-30 would stand up to a year long test
from our diverse staff, where we treat vehicles
like normal shoppers.
While we usually like to purchase long-term test
vehicles for evaluation, the cost of running a full fleet
prevents us from doing so.
So from time to time we'll borrow vehicles
for the purposes of evaluation, and that's what we did here.
We received this CX-30 in September 2020.
And now, at the time of this recording,
we've got about 15,000 miles on it.
What was good?
What was bad?
Well, we'll explain all that.
For more information on our long-term CX-30
and all the nitty gritty details about what
it was like to drive for a year, click the link
in the description below.
While you're down there, press like and subscribe.
And if you want to cash offer on your car today,
go to edmunds.com/sellmycar.
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Where the CX-30 starts in the low $20,000 range,
our premium package with all-wheel drive
totaled about $32,000.
Our CX-30 has the 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine
with 186 horses.
That's a lot of power for an SUV of this size.
And it's something we loved when we tested a CX-30
with that engine separately.
It went 0 to 60 roughly two seconds faster.
As for the rest of our CX-30, it's slightly firmer ride
means you definitely notice bumps and ruts
but the firmness also gives you a sensation of sharp handling.
A trade-off that more than a few of our editors
were happy to make.
The smallish cabin because of the overall smaller size
was a debate amongst the taller people on our staff.
One staffer, who's just a touch over six feet,
said they were 50-50 on the interior space
and they wondered if they could live with it on a daily basis.
They loved the sunroof, but they didn't
like that their hair was brushing that roof every day.
So taller people or those with longer torsos, that
might be something to keep in mind.
Let's keep talking about space because it's important
when you consider that an SUV of this size
needs to fit a family.
We found the CX-30 had a decent amount
of cargo space for daily errands,
stuff like a hike, grocery bags, or a couple of pieces
of carry-on luggage.
But if you surf, anything like the board or something
that long would take up a lot of the interior.
The parents on our staff with more than one child
found situations where they wanted a bigger SUV.
This is going to be the way things fall for all SUVs
in this category, not necessarily
this Mazda in particular.
But it's worth noting.
We've also had some debate on the infotainment controls.
Unlike most modern cars, you don't get a touch screen.
Instead you have this rotary controller for all functions,
including phone projection like Apple CarPlay.
Some on our staff preferred this setup and others
think it's a deal breaker.
You want to spend some time playing with it
and remember there's a learning curve before you decide.
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There were two recall campaigns for this model year CX-30
and our car was subject to one of them.
The problem was a power liftgate that may slowly
lower slightly when open and parked on an incline
and there's a chance someone could bump their head into it.
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Mazda's maximum service interval is 10,000 miles or 12 months,
whichever comes first.
Or 5,000 miles or six months for severe use
like in hot or cold climates or in extremely heavy city use.
While this kind of maintenance is stuff you can generally
do at home if you're mechanically inclined,
we like to stick with dealership service departments
to mimic the ownership experience
of a regular customer.
And it was fine.
No issues at all.
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How about reliability?
We had a broken windshield but that's not the car's fault.
The CX-30 was flawless, just as it should be.
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While we usually like to have around 20,000 miles
on our long-term test cars by this point,
it was a pandemic year and all, so we didn't get there.
In this case, we got close to 16,000 miles,
which is still enough to get a decent read on fuel economy.
We averaged just shy of 26 MPG.
We didn't quite match the combined rating of 27 MPG,
but we did more city driving than usual over the last year.
So that checks out.
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What's our CX-30 worth now?
The only way to know for sure is by selling it.
Using the Edmunds appraisal tool helps
us get a value for our specific trim level, the options,
mileage, condition, and location.
After tallying it all up for our region
and calculating based on our mileage,
our values are around 26 grand for a private party sale
and 24 grand for a trade-in.
That's pretty dang good considering the roughly $32,000
starting price.
But remember, we're filming this during the great used car price
spike of 2021.
So there's a chance values will change
by the time you see this video.
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In summary, well, the CX-30 delivered everything
we thought it would-- pleasing driving manners, no worry
maintenance, and reliability.
And with an interior space that works great for solo drivers
or very small families.
If you're looking for an SUV of this size
with these kinds of traits, the CX-30 is a no-brainer.
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Don't forget, for all the details
on the CX-30 and our entire long-term fleet,
click the link in the description below.
Press like and subscribe, we appreciate it.
And for a cash offer on your car today,
go to edmunds.com/sellmycar.