A fellow dad driver asked me recently what compact vehicles I recommended for driving short distance in mostly a city/urban environment. He was looking to save gas consumption by downgrading from his mid-size crossover but wanted to keep as much of the cargo space as he could. At the time, I mentioned a few compact crossovers and hatchbacks off the top of my head but admitted that none of them were my favorite. If I had reviewed the 2020 Mazda CX-30 at the time, my answer might have been drastically different.
Meant to fit into the Mazda family in between the CX-3 and the CX-5, the CX-30 is all new for Mazda but it’s born from the same ingenuity and design superiority you would expect from any vehicle in their lineup. Mazda has always straddled the line between premium and affordability but with the CX-30 that line leans toward luxury in all the best ways. There are some tradeoffs to consider though, including less then desirable interior space, but if a compact crossover is what you’re looking for, the CX-30 could be it.
What Zoe Liked About the CX-30
My daughter is still too young to truly voice her opinion on review cars but in the CX-30 I’ve never felt such a sense of closeness with her – literally. There’s not a ton of interior space in the CX-30 and it was certainly a tight squeeze installing Zoe’s car seat in the back seat. But it did fit and once I was in the driver’s seat I could easily reach around and tickle her feet, which always makes her squeal with delight. Too often, she feels so far away in the backseat and it’s always a virtual Yoga session to hand her a juice box when I’m driving other vehicles, including my own. But in the CX-30 we got closer and being that we’re the car together practically every day for at least an hour, that’s a fun time to be just a tickle length away.
What this Dad Digs about the 2020 Mazda CX-30
If Looks Could Kill – The CX-30’s is sharp, clean and confident – in stark contrast to fatherhood which can be messy and unpredictable. Thankfully the CX-30 can mask any disheveled dad driver with its cool lines and aerodynamic flow. I’ve long been a fan of Mazda’s Kudo design language and in the latest lineup offers from the Japanese manufacturer, those designs have really flourished. There are no crazy lines in the body style that break up the ultra-smooth curves that carry from the nose to the rear of the CX-30. Those elongated headlights give off the perfect amount of aggressiveness and the same goes for the taillights. The CX-30 is lower in stature then most compact crossovers giving the overall appears more of a performance stance. I could have done without the pronounced fenders but this bad boy is still as smooth as a bullet – the very definition of visually aerodynamic.
Zen on Wheels – Life can get crazy – throw in some kids and it can get downright chaotic. Every parent needs a calming space to go to that is both serene and aesthetically pleasing to the senses. When you own a 2020 CX-30 that calming place is on wheels. The interior design is as flawless as the exterior, built around minimalistic design elements that create a relaxing, zen like cabin that’s both mature and luxurious. There’s no clutter here: the dash, the center console, the doors, even the gauge cluster behind the steering wheel all contain the automotive essentials in a layout that is clean and spaced out. Even the infotainment screen that rises from the dash seems to peek up from its hiding place in a non-intrusive fashion. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto both work on that screen, but Mazda’s user interface works just fine. The optional brown leather that wraps the top of the dash, seats, center console and runs along the door design is a sophisticated touch of class.
Driving Does Matter – Mazda’s tagline is “Driving Matters” so it should be a no brainer that a compact crossover like the CX-30 would be an exhilarating and capable driving experience. While it has a few hiccups, the overall drive is enjoyable for any driver’s skill level. Under the hood, all trims of the CX-30 come equipped with a 2.5-liter 4 cylinder engine that produces 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque; a capable engine, particularly for a vehicle this size. Pair that with the all-wheel drive that my Premium Package CX-30 came with and you’re in for fun-filled drive. This bad boy is nimble but grounded, thanks to its low center of gravity, and hugged corners like Zoe embraces our cat – with tender strength. Acceleration was a bit slower then I was expecting but the paddle shifters help things get a little more manual and exciting.
The Premium Package CX-30 gets 25 miles to the gallon in the city, and 33 on the highway. During my week of test driving, I was able to squeeze out 28 miles per gallon in a combination of city and highway traversing. These are the welcome fuel economy numbers you want to see from a lightweight crossover like this.
Safety Standard – Safety features like adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning all come standard on any trim level of the CX-30. That’s good news for safety conciseness drivers and the icing on the cake for a base level CX-30 that starts at an affordable $21,900. Blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert is included in all levels above the base.
Where this Dad give the CX-30 gets a Down Vote
Limited Passenger and Cargo Space – With as little as a glance at the CX-30, it’s obvious there isn’t a ton of passenger and cargo space inside the CX-30. This just isn’t a vehicle with that kind of priority and it requires consideration if space is what you need. The back seat is comfortable but cramped – I can’t imagine more than two adults fitting comfortably back there and that’s with limited leg room. Zoe’s car set barely. There is a sense of coziness to the cabin, which is fine for driver and front passenger but I’m not sure that back set is ideal for long trips.
The good news is that trunk it wide and deep, allowing for a decent 20.2 cubic feet of cargo. The second row seating fold down easily to provide more space but they don’t fold down completely flat which makes cramming in long pieces of cargo tricky.
No Room for Life’s Extras – As any parent knows, transporting children around comes with a lot of extra baggage that require space: things like toys, diaper bags, snacks, etc. Unfortunately, a minimalistic design concept means that there aren’t many places where that extra baggage can be stored in the CX-30’s cabin. Less areas where Zoe can hide a crayon is always a good thing but even cargo nooks and crannies up front would have been helpful.
If Compact is What You’re Looking For…
The idea of a crossover is that you want a car with a little bit of SUV thrown in for fun and adventure. The 2020 CX-30 is closer to a car – or hatchback – then a SUV, mostly because of its size but also because it drives like one. Mazda’s crossovers have never been on the large size so the CX-30 feel right at home in that family lineup. And for my dad driver buddy who wanted a smaller crossover that uses less gas, the CX-30 would most definitely be my first recommendation.
The real choice lies in which version of the CX-30 is right for you. The base model of the CX-30 starts at $21,900 and includes the same engine as the top tier trim but you won’t get blind spot monitoring standard. The Premium Package that came on the CX-30 we tested starts at $28,200 and comes with most of the bells and whistles you could ask for. I could easily go with the Select Package or the Preferred Package which start at $23,900 and $26,200 respectively. They both come with blind spot monitoring and Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatibility; the Preferred Package comes with the 12-Speaker Bose system.
Which package you choose still snags the core vehicle that proves that great things can indeed come in small packages.
Phillip is a filmmaker, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and craft beer aficionado. He writes about cars, car tech, and various other cool Dad things. He lives, works and plays in Dallas, Texas.
