We met him for the first time, live and in color, at the Geneva Motor Show in March. We were surprised by the name — CX-30 instead of CX-4, as logic would dictate — but there is no doubt about the relevance of the new Mazda CX-30 in the Japanese builder.
The new Mazda CX-30 turns out to be, effectively, the SUV version of the new Mazda3.
“Welded” between the CX-3 and the CX-5, and considering the Mazda3's somewhat cramped rear accommodations, the CX-30 is “just right”; a more effective response to family needs — more compact than the CX-5, with more space available than the Mazda3 (not a benchmark in the segment).
As Diogo shows us, and as it has been recurrent in the brand, the new CX-30 bets heavily on style — a balanced mix of slender elements, refined surfaces and the (visual) robustness expected of the crossover/SUV typology — going to drink a lot to the original but not very consensual Mazda3, the model that started a new chapter in the Kodo language.
It is inside the CX-30, as well as the Mazda3, that we can most quickly see the results of Mazda's efforts to elevate the positioning of its models. The materials used reveal a high quality, as well as the assembly, in a design tending towards the conservative, but not being less pleasant for that.
The layout is identical to the one already seen on the Mazda3, with only a few differences, very subtle, in the lines and some finishing details.
Highlights include the pair of analogue instruments — something increasingly rare — as well as Mazda's new infotainment system, which we've already had the opportunity to try out. This proves to be superior in all aspects to its predecessor — interaction, responsiveness and graphics. The screen is not tactile, with the interaction being carried out via a rotary command in the center console.
The Jinba Ittai philosophy – the harmonious relationship between horse and rider – remains as current and relevant today as it was the first time we heard about it. As Diogo demonstrates, we are sitting very well, and the precision of the controls and dynamics, despite the bulkier bodywork and superior ground clearance, is easily related to that found in the Mazda3.
In this first contact in Frankfurt, Germany, we had the opportunity to try out the 121 hp SKYACTIV-G 2.0 engine and the 116 hp SKYACTIV-D 1.8. Later, the CX-30 will also receive the new SKYACTIV-X, the engine that promises diesel engine consumption in a gasoline engine.
Discover your first impressions behind the wheel of the new Mazda CX-30 with Diogo, in video: