Mazda smaller SUV got more than a new name for 2020, as the CX-30 delivered a more upmarket experience than the previous CX-3. The big news for 2021 was the addition to a turbo engine to the lineup: 250 horsepower along with 320 lb.-ft. of torque–all inside a smaller SUV.
A few years back, someone at Mazda told us that they were going after Audi. We kinda just nodded and smiled.
Fast forward to today, and the CX-30 might well live up to those claims.
First, it easily sports the nicest interior in the class. The touch points feel great. The dash and door panels look very upmarket. Remember how we used to fawn over Toyota switches back in the day? Mazda must have found that same source.
The steering wheel feels Miata-worthy, while the seats scored top points.
And you gotta talk about the LED headlights, some of the best in the biz. They’re sharp, white and put the light right where you want them.
We previously drove the CX-30 Premium AWD. Take that review and add more power, and you have the 250 along with 310 lb.-ft. of torque found in the Turbo.
Think about that for a minute: more than 300 lb.-ft. of torque in what’s pretty much a smaller SUV.
Do you really need that much power in a smaller SUV? That might be between you and your bank account. The CX-30 starts at just $22,050, with the Turbo model kicking off at $30,050. That sounds like a hefty premium until you realize that’s about par for the course for a nicer, smaller SUV.
No matter the trim, we’d still call the CX-30 easily one of the top smaller SUVs out there.
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