Revealed about a year ago, the Mazda MX-30 it is not only the first electric model from the Hiroshima brand, it is also assumed as the Japanese brand's interpretation of what an electric should be.
Used to doing things “your way”, Mazda is one of the few brands that has resisted a certain standardization in the automotive world and the MX-30, as it proves. Starting from the outside, as Guilherme Costa told us the first time he saw it live, the proportions of the MX-30 do not indicate that it is a tram.
The “guilty”? The long hood that seems to have been cut to house an internal combustion engine, and so it will be from 2022 onwards, when it will get a range extender and in Japan there is already a gasoline-only MX-30 on sale. Further back, the biggest highlight is the inverted opening doors that not only improve access to the rear seats, but also make the MX-30 stand out from the crowd.
Electric, but a Mazda first
Whether electric or with a combustion engine, there is something that characterizes modern Mazdas: the quality of their interiors and the sobriety of the decoration.
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Of course, the Mazda MX-30 is no exception and the Japanese model's cabin is a welcoming space where the quality of assembly and materials (including Portuguese cork) are in good shape.
Quality is high on board the MX-30.
As for the space on board, despite the reverse opening rear doors help in accessing the rear seats, those traveling there feel more as if they were aboard a three-door car than in a five-door car. Still, there's more than enough space for two adults to travel in comfort.
Is it electric? It almost didn't seem like
Guilherme had already said it and after driving the MX-30 for about a week I ended up having to totally agree with him: if it weren't for the absence of noise, the MX-30 hardly looked like an electric car.
Of course, 145 hp and, above all, 271 Nm of torque are delivered instantly, however, the responsiveness of the controls and the overall feel are closer to that of combustion-engined cars.
Dynamically, the MX-30 follows the familiar scrolls of other Mazda proposals, with a precise and direct steering, a good ability to contain body movements and also a good comfort/behavior ratio.
When we leave the space that, according to Mazda, is where electric vehicles make the most sense (the city), the MX-30 does not disappoint, showing good stability and always feeling more comfortable to face national roads and highways in the which, for example, the most compact but also distinguished Honda e.
a small (big) snag
So far we have seen that Mazda's approach to creating an electric model has resulted in a product that aesthetically differentiates itself from the competition and offers a driving experience that is different from that expected of a 100% electric model.
However, as the saying goes, “there is no beauty without fail” and in the case of the MX-30 this is directly influenced by Mazda's vision of the preferred place to use an electric car.
As I mentioned, Mazda says that electric vehicles make more sense in the city and that's why it chose to install a smaller battery to save on costs and the environment.
With a capacity of 35.5 kWh, it allows for an announced combined range of 200 km (265 km advertised in cities) according to the WLTP cycle. Well, as you well know, in real conditions, these official values are hardly reached and during the test I rarely saw the indicator promise more than 200 km.
Is this value sufficient for Mazda's intended use of the MX-30? Of course it is, and whenever I've used it in cities, I've been able to verify that the regeneration system does its job well, even allowing it to “stretch” the promised kilometers and reach the advertised 19 kWh/100 km.
The problem is that we don't always walk exclusively in cities and in these circumstances the MX-30 reveals the limitations of Mazda's “vision”. On the highway, I rarely get consumption below 23 kWh/100 km and when we have to leave the urban grid, anxiety about autonomy is present.
Of course, with time and getting used to the MX-30 we are starting to see that we can go a little further after all, but the Mazda model may require some additional travel planning to ensure you have a place to load the MX -30 on arrival.
Companies "in sight"
Like all electric cars, the Mazda MX-30 is especially appealing to companies, with several incentives for its purchase.
If exemptions from the Vehicle Tax (ISV) and the Single Vehicle Tax (IUC) are common for all owners of electric models, companies have a little more to gain.
Let's see, in addition to the 2000 euros of State incentive that companies can apply for, the Mazda MX-30 is exempt from Autonomous Taxation and also sees the company's IRC tax code introduce a greater provision for the permitted depreciation of electric vehicles.
Is the car right for me?
The Mazda MX-30 is proof that we don't all have to use the same solutions to solve the same “problem”. Designed for the city, the MX-30 feels like “a fish in the water” there, being even capable of a few (small) visits to the suburban network that surrounds our cities.
With an enviable quality of assembly and materials and a look that allows it to stand out from the crowd, the Mazda MX-30 is the ideal proposal for those who value more factors such as image and quality and can forego (some ) autonomy.
Note: The images show a Mazda MX-30 First Edition, which is no longer on the market, with the price and equipment published on the technical sheet corresponding to the Mazda MX-30 Excellence + Plus Pack, of identical configuration.