Mazda CX-30

Highly sought-after, the latest offering from the Japanese automaker, Mazda, the new Mazda CX-30 (second-generation), upgraded and launched in Malaysia.

The B-segment (subcompact crossover SUV) runner underpins an Internal Combustion Engine (ICE: petrol) powertrain.

Locally assembled (CKD – Kedah), available via Bermaz Motor (BAuto) are four variants (2.0G 2WD Standard – RM128,409, 2.0G 2WD High – RM134,409, 2.0G 2WD High+ – RM144,409, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium – RM154,409).

Prices (OTR, w/o insurance) include a manufacturer’s warranty (five years/100,000 km) and a maintenance program (free: five years/100,000 km).

Exterior (single-tone) colours (Soul Red Crystal, Machine Grey, Snowflake White Pearl, Platinum Quartz, Deep Crystal Blue, Polymetal Grey, Jet Black). 

Interior (dual-tone) colour (2.0G 2WD Standard: Black-Blue – 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: Black-Brown).

The new CX-30 gets an angular cascading and tiered dashboard (Mazda Jinba-Ittai Design), linked to a low-rising-wide centre console (armrest, wireless charger, vehicle telematics).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors), it sees leather upholstery in two colour (dual-tone) schemes (2.0G 2WD Standard: Black-Blue – 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: Black-Brown) with contrast trims (Gloss Black, Aluminium) and stitching (Beige).

Equipped are the driver/central displays (dash embedded: instrument cluster – floating: infotainment), air-conditioning vents (angular: right side – rectangular: left side) and an ambient light system (LED – 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium).

Inclusively, the layout is ergonomic (functional) with accessibilities purposefully arranged (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Installed is a 7.0-inch colour TFT LCD fully digital (Multi-Information Display – MID) driver display (instrument cluster). Included is a Windscreen-Head-Up Display (W-HUD).

Features are vehicle telematics, Bluetooth, navigation, voice recognition and customisable interface (drive mode dependent).

Comfortable, the interior sees fabric (2.0G 2WD Standard) and leather (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium) upholsteries in one colour scheme (single-tone: Black) with contrast stitching (Beige).

The front gets electric-powered (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: driver-multi-way-adjust, driver-lumbar, driver-memory) and manual-operated (2.0G 2WD Standard: driver-multi-way-adjust – 2.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: passenger-multi-way-adjust) bolstered seats. 

The rear gets a manual-operated (2.0 2WD Mid, 2.0 2WD High, 2.5 2WD High, 2.2D 2WD High, 2.5T AWD High: 60:40 split-fold) bolstered bench.

Included are headrests (adjustable: front, rear) and armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out).

Mounted is a three-spoke-round steering wheel. Leather (single-tone: Black) with contrast trims (Gloss Black, Aluminium) and stitching (Beige).

Features are multi-switches (Bluetooth, media, voice recognition, vehicle telematics), column adjustments (tilt, telescopic) and paddle shifters (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium).

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) system (turning radius: 5.3 m).

Accessing the boot’s electric-powered (button-operated: remote/key fob, interior button, tailgate button) tailgate (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium), opens to 430 litres (rear seats up) and 1,406 litres (rear seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 1,436 kg, the new CX-30 stands at 4,395 mm long, 1,795 mm wide, 1,540 mm tall and with a wheelbase spanning 2,655 mm.

Dynamically solid (Mazda Kodo Design), it parades a seamlessly curvaceous exterior, emphasised by cleanly and roundly cut surfaces.

The long-overhang front-end sees a formed bonnet, muscular quarter panels (flared fenders) and a sculpted bumper (grille: interlocking triangular-pattern inserts, wing trim, Mazda emblem – vents: lower-centre).

Accentuations, body clad (Black: bumper, fenders, side sills) and body trims (Black: grille inserts, vents, side mirror arms, B-pillars – body-colour: side mirror caps, door handles – Chrome: grille wing, Mazda emblem, window surrounds).

Solidly sculpted (Mazda Kodo Design), it continues the seamlessly curvaceous profile, emphasised by roundly cut and horizontally symmetrical surfaces.

The short-overhang rear-end sees a mildly dipped roofline (roof-edge spoiler), muscular quarter panels (flared fenders), a tapered tailgate (Mazda/CX-30 emblems) and a covered bumper (corner exhausts).

Accentuations, body clad (Black: bumper, fenders, side sills) and body trims (Black: bottom roof-edge spoiler, C-pillars – body-colour: door handles – Chrome: exhausts, Mazda/CX-30 emblems, window surrounds).

Sunken, the headlamps are housed roundly sharp and inward-tilted with L-shaped light signature (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium). Installed are full LED (projector) units.

Features are automatic On/Off/levelling/cornering, Adaptive LED Headlamps (ALH – 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium), Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS – 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+), High Beam Control (HBC – 2.0G 2WD High+), Daytime Running Lights (DRL – 2.0G 2WD Standard: bulb – 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: LED), welcome/leaving lights and sequential turn signals (LED).

Seamless, the tail lamps are framed slim, sharp and wrapped-around with L-shaped light signature (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium). Installed are full LED units.

Features are automatic On/Off, welcome/leaving lights and sequential turn signals (LED). Included are a high-mounted stop light (spoiler integrated) and a set of fog lamps.

Fitted are sets of 16-inch (2.0G 2WD Standard – multi-spoke – Silver) and 18-inch (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium – multi-spoke – Silver-Black) alloy rims.

The sets are wrapped in 215/65 R16 (front, rear – 2.0 2WD Mid, 2.0 2WD High) and 215/55 R18 (front, rear – 2.5 2WD High, 2.2D 2WD High, 2.5T AWD High) tyres.

Installed is an 8.8-inch HD touchscreen central display (infotainment – MZD Connect).

Features are Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (wireless), AM/FM radio, USB, Bluetooth, 5G/WiFi/WiFi hotspot, media, live navigation, voice assistant, vehicle telematics and customisable interface (drive mode dependent).

Mated to the setups is Mazda’s ‘SkyActiv-Drive’ six-speed automatic transmission (manual shift mode).

Power is rooted to the front (22.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium) wheels, via a Two-Wheel Drive (2WD) system.

Included is Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control Plus Technology and Mazda’s i-Stop Idling Technology.

0 to 100 km/h acceleration is done in 10.6 secs (2.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium). Top speed is electronically capped at 195 km/h.

Fuel tank capacity is at 51 litres (2.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium).

The new CX-30 features these conveniences.

E.g., Mazda’s Advanced Entry system (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button, remote engine start: key fob), electric-powered (button-operated: remote/key fob, interior button, tailgate button) tailgate (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium), dual-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents) system (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium), electric-powered (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: driver-multi-way-adjust, driver-lumbar, driver-memory) bolstered seats (front), headrests (adjustable: front, rear), armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out), centre console spaces (partitioned, caverned, retractable, under-stowage), steering wheel (multi-function, column adjustments, paddle shifters, EPAS), charging ports (USB, power sockets, wireless charger), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold, interior illumination (LED: cabin, ambient, boot), parking sensors (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: four-front, six-rear), parking cameras (2.0G 2WD High+ Premium: 360-degree – 2.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+: reverse), side mirrors (2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium – BSM), rear-view mirror (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium – interior: automatic-dimming), automatic headlamps (On/Off/levelling/cornering), automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking, walk-away-auto-lock), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), door ajar warning and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Installed is a manual-operated (rear air vents-omitted) system (2.0G 2WD Standard) and a dual-zone automatic climate control (rear air vents) system (2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium).

A suitable daily driver, the ride comfortability feels flexible and firm at the same time, providing great power with agile handling.

Propping-up the chassis (2.0G 2WD Standard, 2.0G 2WD High, 2.0G 2WD High+, 2.0G 2WD High+ Premium) is a suspension setup of MacPherson struts (front) and torsion beam (rear).

Inside and out, performance- and comfort-wise, the ride quality is satisfactory.

Good sound insulation with the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects accounted for. The cabin is well-designed, enhancing the in-car ambience.

Overall, the cabin can suppress unwanted noises well and make them barely noticeable, even when cruising through bumpy asphalts or at high speeds.

The new Mazda CX-30 is built with an elegantly dynamic appeal, offering appearance, space and practicality.

Curvaceous and sharply sculpted, its exterior is well-designed with roundly angular lines donating to a powerful overall character.

Inside and out, the quality of the equipment installed is impressive with clean and minimalistic detailing.

Ultimately, the new CX-30 bargains more than just good looks, as it also offers plenty of other amenities at the price it comes with.