The Mazda family of products in North America just welcomed a new member with the public debut of the new all-new Mazda CX-30 SUV. Auto123 was on hand for the big reveal at the Los Angeles Auto Show today.
What’s so new and different about the CX-30? We look into what Canadian consumers are in for when the model hits the market.
The design conception
The CX-30 slots into the brand’s lineup between the CX-3 and CX-5. So why not simply call it the CX-4? Because that is the name of a Mazda model sold only on the Chinese market. But what’s in a name anyways? Style-wise the new small SUV is the second to be developed by the company according to its Kodo design philosophy, which stands for soul in movement.
With this new model Mazda is looking to fill the hole between the CX-3, too small for some, and the CX-5, needlessly big for other folks’ daily driving needs. From the look of it, it’s clear Mazda feels there’s demand out there for something sportier on the styling front.
Mazda says it wanted to meet four wants expressed by consumers in regards to this new model. The format, for starters, seeks to meet as many needs as possible – good for everyone. The design, second, is meant to generate emotion, touch a sensitive chord with motorists. Third, the interior space, which like the outside offers just the right volume – not too much, not too little. Lastly, the level of performance and comfort, which should meet very high expectations.
The interior
Inside, the CX-30 benefits from the new multimedia interface we’ve already seen in the new Mazda3. It’s good that it’s new, of course, but it also means the CX-30 inherits some of the faults we noted in the 3. Still, the main screen is 8.8-inch, and the commands on it are controlled via a turn-knob down between the two front seats, on the lower console. Another, 7-inch screen sits in front of the driver to provide essential driving data.
On the console, the cup-holders have been moved in front of the gear shifter to clear out any obstruction in the way of reaching the aforementioned turn-knob. The central armrest is also sufficiently large so that both driver and front passenger can place their arms.
Mazda also mentioned giving particular attention to the design of the seats so they could offer the most comfort possible. Same for the sound insulation, as the company took extraordinary measures to reduce noise penetration into the cabin. These included placing additional rubber to the window frames, and adding sound-absorbent carpets. We’ll get a chance to confirm all that when the road tests start, but it “sounds” promising.
For the rest, the product offering consists of a base model featuring all the essentials, and a wide range of options that come into play as you climb the trim ladder. The biggest news is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be connected to easily via the new multimedia system.
The expected safety features are also present, in fact there are unsurprisingly more of them on the menu than ever before, especially as you get into the higher versions.
i-Activ AWD
The CX-30’s all-wheel-drive system is new, and it takes into account real-time road conditions thanks to a monitoring system. This allows it to distribute torque as needed to the front or rear wheels depending on road grip. The performance of each wheel is continually monitored and ensures optimal traction.
The G-Vectoring Control system, which helps the vehicle take corners with the least amount of braking possible and less torque, sends data to that i-Activ AWD. It can disengage torque being sent to the rear wheels to help the car in its turn and resume sending it to help the vehicle back on to a straight line coming out of curves.
These are details, but together they add up – or should add up – to a safer, more responsive drive when the road surface and conditions are less than ideal.
The mechanics
Under the hood is either of two engines: a 2.0L and a 2.5L, both 4-cylinders. The former comes in the DX version, the latter in the GS and GT trims. The 2.5L unit also gets a cylinder de-activation system.
In terms of power, the 2.0L delivers 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, while the second makes 186 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque.
Both engines work with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The base CX-30 gets 16-inch wheels, and this grows to 18 inches on the two higher versions. Announced fuel consumption is 8.9L/100 km (city) and 7.1L/100 km (highway), with the 2.0L engine and FWD. Add in AWD and the numbers rise to 9.4L and 7.7L, respectively.
With the bigger 2.5L engine and FWD, the numbers are 9.3L and 7.1L, respectively, while all-wheel drive brings those to 9.9L and 7.7L, again respectively. If you want to do some math, subtract 0.5L and 0.3L respectively for the same engine when equipped with the cylinder de-activation.
Here is Canadian pricing for the 2020 CX-30 provided by Mazda, not including freight and preparation fees of $1,950:
2020 Mazda CX-30 GX FWD - $23,950
2020 Mazda CX-30 GX AWD - $25,950
2020 Mazda CX-30 GS FWD - $26,650
2020 Mazda CX-30 GS AWD - $28.650
2020 Mazda CX-30 GS AWD w/Luxury Package - $30,550
2020 Mazda CX-30 GT FWD - N/A
2020 Mazda CX-30 GT AWD - $33,850
