No Compromises
In the automotive industry, we’re used to seeing products that look great on paper, but not so much in execution. There are little details that tend to escape attention when you’re looking at a brochure or spec sheet: the materials used in the cabin, how well the switches and knobs feel, the gaps between body cladding, or how comfortable the seating position is.
The Mazda CX-30 is one of the rare exceptions. On paper, the Mazda CX-30 does little to distinguish itself from any of the other modern top-of-the-line subcompact crossovers on the market today. The mechanical specs are on par with the best in the market, and safety and convenience features are comparable as well. But it’s in the attention to detail — things that you’ll notice in person — that Mazda is simply in a league of their own.
We start first on the outside, where Mazda’s Kodo design language applied to the CX-30 no longer needs any introduction. Red Dot Design Award? Check. World Car Design of the Year Finalist? Check. (That was won by another Mazda, the Mazda3). German Auto Zeitung Design Trophy winner? Yup. Japan Automobile Hall of Fame Car Design of the Year? Done and done.
The accolades speak volumes of the Mazda CX-30’s design, but it’s in person that you truly get to appreciate small things like how the light reflects on the side panels, or how its small rear quarter window effectively minimizes blind spots, allowing you to glance at objects or vehicles at the rear more easily. Either way, there’s very little doubt that Mazda’s CX-30 is one of the best-looking cars in its segment.
Inside though is where Mazda’s magic is most apparent. The cabin is impeccably crafted, from the soft touch materials to the driver-centric balance of the instruments, Mazda has every right to position themselves as a premium automobile manufacturer. Going back to talking about details, the difference between the CX-30 and its competitors is noticeable with things like how the turn signal stalks don’t wobble, or how the buttons and knobs don’t feel like they’ll come off in a few years. Even the seats stand out from the others in its class, with more cushion, better leather materials, and more bolstering support.
This “middle-tier” two-wheel drive version of the all-wheel drive Sport variant makes do with an eight-way manual adjusted seat for the driver and a six-way manual adjusted seat for the passenger as opposed to the 10 and six-way power adjusted seats of the higher variants.
The Mazda CX-30 seats four passengers easily and contentedly, with adequate space left over for baggage. It might not be the roomiest in its class, but it certainly ranks up as one of the most comfortable for passengers.
Those already familiar with the Mazda3 will be right at home with Mazda’s Connect system, with its 8.8-inch LCD monitor tilted slightly towards the driver, which allows him to keep his focus more on the road. It loses the 12-speaker Bose sound system in favor of a simpler, but impressively capable eight-piece speaker system.
Powered by Mazda’s tried and true 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 154-hp and 200-Nm of torque mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the CX-30 hardly feels burdened, even at highway speeds with a full complement of passengers. The engine does especially well when driven at low, relaxed speeds, returning excellent responsiveness with even the most gradual prodding of the pedal, and delivering power in a behaved manner. The Mazda CX-30 is also one of the most fun to drive in its segment. The steering feedback is excellent and perfectly weighted (to me at least). The sense of nimbleness and agility is present throughout the drive, almost as if the car encourages you to drive it spiritedly. That’s something that can’t be said for other subcompact crossovers.
This 2WD Sport variant does lose out a bit in terms of convenience features when compared to its more expensive siblings. It loses the Active-Driving Display HUD, power liftgate, parking sensors, and utilizes a simpler rearview camera instead of the 360-degree camera, but these features are hardly missed. In terms of safety, this variant doesn’t come equipped with Mazda’s I-Activesense safety suite, but is still impressive with its seven airbags, ABS, stability control, and standard cruise control.
To summarize, this is the best car in its class bar-none, both in paper and in person. But the adage “you get what you pay for” absolutely rings true here, as its P1,790,000 price tag can be a bitter pill to swallow for those shopping for a car in such a niche segment. It becomes even more painful when you realize that its competitors are priced well below comparatively, and pretty much do the same thing. They just don’t do it this well.