Overview

Mazda’s known for doing things a little differently with its cars, so it should come as no surprise that the CX-30 isn’t like most other compact SUVs. For starters, though it’s small enough to be a comparison with cars like the Peugeot 2008 or Ford Puma, it’s based on the underpinnings of a full-sized family hatchback rather than a supermini, which endows it with a grown-up character missing from many rivals.

The engine line-up’s curious too. No small-capacity turbocharged petrol engines here – you can choose from a pair of 2.0-litre units that don’t have turbochargers. What they do have are mild hybrid systems to boost economy and, in the case of the range-topping SkyActiv-X, an incredibly clever compression ignition system that allows it to burn petrol in a similar fashion to diesel.

The CX-30 certainly doesn’t follow the crowd, then, and sticks out in a rather marmite way. There’s less marmite in the cabin, which is the same as the Mazda 3 hatchback’s and therefore high-quality and intuitive to use.

But even here it’s not free of Mazda’s stubbornness – there’s no touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, the display’s set far back out of the driver’s reach and you interact with it via a rotary dial on the centre console. It’s great when you’re using Mazda’s own software, but a bit frustrating when you’re using the touchscreen-optimised Apple Carplay or Android Auto…

So the Mazda CX-30 won’t be for everybody, but that just means that for some it’ll be everything they want and more. Want to know more? Keep reading for our full review – covering what the Mazda CX-30 is like inside and out, how practical it is, how much it’ll cost you to run and what it’s like to drive.