2022 Mazda CX-30 / Luxurious, Fun and Flawed 

CX30 is easily the best car in the class imo. Honestly no comparison. The interior quality, design, noise isolation, powertrain options, and reliability are top notch.

I really like the cladding on the CX-30 because I live in Buffalo NY which is the snowiest city in the U.S. and the plows here dump tons of salt onto the roads each winter and that cladding will help prevent rust from spreading onto the door sills and lower sections of the vehicle… it also helps with rock chips and road tar too. I haven’t had any issues with visibility in this car… the mirrors are large and blind spot alert is standard except with the base trim and that helps plenty too. My CX-30 did 0-60 in 7.6 seconds using draggy with the base engine and AWD, that is phenomenal for this class in my opinion and great for getting around. I’m averaging 30mpg doing mixed driving which is ok but not amazing and I run Blizzak tires in the winter and so far this car is an absolute beast in the snow, I’ve been able to slide it around quite a bit and get the tail out in the snow too which is fun. For $26,000 I really can’t complain about much, these 2.5l engines and 6 speed automatic are pretty solid and have really known issues so I am plenty happy with it. I got the car in machine grey to hide the plastic lol that cladding is ugly if you get something like white but I really like the way it looks in grey

I've had my 21 CX30 Preffered awd since last August and have 11k miles on it. the transmission smooths out after you get some miles on it, feels much better than new. the visibility is fine for me, that's the sacrifice that comes with the style. it wouldn't look right with bigger windows. I have wretched roads so for me the cladding is a plus. really if the cladding was not there or smaller the cars proportions would be off. real world fuel economy has been 34 to 35 mpg mixed highway/city, it gets better mpg than listed but that really depends on how a person drives. nothing can help someone who jams tha gas from every stop like they're trying to get their pregnant wife to the hospital for delivery. Drive like an emotionally mature human and you'll be rewarded. Want to drive spicy, hit that sport mode and it's good. Interior room is good for me but I'm 5'9". I considered the competition and they just didn't come close. Only other one that made the short list was the Subaru Crosstrek but cvt is a deal breaker for me and it was low on power. At least you can get more power in the crosstrek now but that cvt, nope for me.

I research everything I buy probably way too much but usually worth my time in the end. Looking forward next year to buying a new CX-30 Turbo Premium. It checks every box for me in both what I need and want. Thanks for the honest review. Much appreciated.

Just bought a Turbo Premium. The 4th Mazda our family has bought. Very good review. So far, the most consequential flaw I see is that 12.7 gallon gas tank. If you drive it with gusto, looks like only about 250 miles on a full tank. But the quality, features, Mazda reliability, power and steering feel, and premium interior more than make up for the flaws mentioned in this video or the small gas tank. Mazda is hot right now...I'm 60 and have bought 9 new cars in my life, and I have never seen more activity at the dealership...easily 10 deals in progress, even though dealer has a huge over MSRP markup (because of my Mazda loyalty and multiple purchases, I got a "good deal" (LOL) of only $800 over MSRP. Welcome to our world, circa 2022...)

I bought a 2021 CX-30 Select AWD in Sept. 2021, have about 8000 miles on it in mainly 'suburban' Northern NJ driving. I didn't even consider Toyota, Honda, Nissan as they have CVT's and small engines with turbos. Inside and out it looks like a 'luxury' brand like BMW, Audi, Acura, even Lexus. It has all the safety goodies I wanted. Drives/handles very well. Sit well in it, all controls placed well. Enough engine for my needs. Real temp spare and jack. Decent fuel mileage. Flaws: Main storage a little small and the slant of the tailgate takes away from wanted space. Angle of front pillars a bit much, I am 5'4" so a little tight to get in/out and not bump my head. Front view a bit small. Small gas tank so limits range, needs to be about 2 gallons more.

I picked up a '22 Carbon Edition 8 days ago. I really like the Soul Red Crystal paint but my wife has that color on her '21 Miata so I opted for something different. I first eyed this car when we got her Miata last year and thought it was a great looking ride for a CUV. I love the squat look of the greenhouse, visibility be damned! I can see fine out of it. I didnt even test drive the car before buying it (long story). When I pulled out of the dealers lot, my first impression was how REFINED the car felt. It was quiet, all the controls felt solid, the materials and fit and finish are near luxury car in detail. The only downfall to the whole experience is the motor noise when at throttle, reminding me that this is not a high end car. The ride can be a bit firm at times but on decent roads its very nice. I never liked the rotary knob for the screen in the Miata and figured once I set everything, I wouldnt use it a lot. I adapted very quickly to it and now can say I am actually a fan of it! Its easy to navigate and I dont have to reach to hit the screen, plus, no fingerprints! Love the rain sensing wipers! Every vehicle has its flaws, this one no exception. Small gas tank, low fuel light comes on with a quarter tank left, headlights on for DRL instead of dedicated DRL. The flaws are livable and the pluses more than make up for it. Its a great looking car with a very upscale feel to it. I am very happy with my purchase. (paid sticker, these days, thats a bargain)

I'm debating between getting a Premium CX-30 or a Premium 3 hatchback. This helped with my decision. Thanks for your excellent review.

i just got myself a 2020 nissan versa sv. i'm a toyota person but i think I dropped the gun too fast and this is what i ended up leaving the lot with, lol i'm grateful though, its the perfect car for me. all glory to god! I like these kind of videos. i have videos of my car on my channel as well and videos about the process of getting my car.

We will get our second CX-30 this week after 40.000 miles. Same trim (sportline, just below the highest trim France trim). The engine has been a little updated E-Skyactiv-X instead of Skyactive-X, which is unknown to you 186 Hp 240 torque instead of 180 hp 220 torque. So why Cx-30 again why not something else? Fun to drive (manual shift is great with Mazda), great comfort even on 700 miles trip in a day, Mileage of course (yesterday when for a full tank - had driven 520 miles and 50 miles still left, 400 on highway). You can drive at 130 miles/h on German highways (modern cars in Europe are hybrid and limits the speed), I know you don't have them, but we do. Bose sound system - fun parties in here. The car looks great, the color too (red of course, but this time with ceramic). We love the headlight with Adaptative front light. Have I something bad to say about cx-30, quite a list (mostly linked to the computer) but they can't outweigh the reason why we buy another one. In the equation, you have the garage and how they take care of the little things, ours is ok, and that counts. That's the kind of trip you can do in a day while having fun and not that much tired. we were able to make it in 10h45' without breaking the speed limit. Mileage: 38.5 mpg according to the computer, 34 mpg real. France Highway max speed: 81 mph. www.google.com/maps/dir/Strasbourg/65170+Saint-Lary-Soulan/@45.6763674,1.8298676,7z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x4796c8495e18b2c1:0x971a483118e7241f!2m2!1d7.7521113!2d48.5734053!1m5!1m1!1s0x12a813c3a8a03b99:0x406f69c2f3d75e0!2m2!1d0.320251!2d42.815835!3e0

I drive a 2014 Honda Civic and think this Mazda style is really nice, good job with this.

Great job Tyler

Just got a CX-30 Select. I'm happy with it overall. There are a few annoyances that are easy to remedy. I'm 6'4". My left knee rubs sore on the seam of the door handle. Attached a small pad to handle, problem solved. Window sill is too high to rest my arm on, so I bought a height adjustable arm rest for the door handle. I want to add some height to the center console too. It's about an inch too low, which causes me to lean a bit to the right. I'm pleased Mazda gives the driver the ability to turn off all the auto-assist functions. Cannot turn off the automatic headlights though. The headlights come on every time I start the car and back out of the garage. The wide angle rear camera is awesome! It helps compensate for the blind spots.

I think the visibility is just fine. Of course, if you have the seat all the way up like an old grandpa you might have some trouble seeing. But i have the seat on the lowest position and it's perfectly fine with me. I own a 21 cx-30 base model and love it. Was thinking about getting the Mazda 3 hatch but the extra ground clearance is useful when driving in the snow.

I drove one of these as a rental car to drive around Zion/Utah. Loved it overall but the thing I want most of all in all of these small SUV/crossovers is more ground clearance. It's AWD but if you do wind up on a not so great side road or in the snow, the height is a glorified sedan.

We are seriously considering the 2023 cx 30. After doing extensive research, it always leads me back to the Mazda. I can't think of any reason not to.

I don't care what anybody says it's amazing how good that red looks in select by far the best color and with the 18-in wheels it looks perfect in fact so perfect I ordered one today 29,000 out the door

Without a doubt the best review out there, as it combines facts with driver experience in the best possible way, something not easy to accomplish. The giant A pillar (you forgot to mention the lack of ability to fold the mirrors on exit) are also 2 big issues. Trans, rear axle, seats engine all expertly covered. Still a great car, very premium execution. If you do a CX5 review a comparison would be useful.

The plastic is great! It prevents rock chips. Remember that :)

I think the only way to get that badass look is with the short windows. Looks like it drove right out of Saints row 3rd. Good review.

I love the CX-30, by far the best car in the segment. 0-60 in 5.7s is nuts for the price.

nice video, thank you

I got this car in a Premium Plus Turbo trim in March. But my issue wasn't front visibility; it was rear. I found removing the rear-center headrest pretty much solves the issue though; removing all three rear headrests really opens it up (assuming you don't regularly transport more than 1 other person around). Another big con of this car is the small 12.7L gas tank, which most reviews don't mention -- and something I didn't even think of when shopping for the car. You average 230-260 miles a tank, which is very low. Most compact and CUV cars have a tank of 13-13.5L, which can give at least 100 miles more. But overall, the car is really great. Has a high-end feel and the looks are stunning.

Good review. Good job

I look that Mazda on roads and it attracts me a lot … it’s looks classy. Less is more!

Are heated mirrors included or optional for the selected and preferred trim levels?

Can this be comparable to the buggy cupra formentor?

A very informative review. I’d appreciate any thoughts you have on whether cx 50 solves some of the “problems” that you identify as potentialmissues for some if not many drivers - especilayy the visibility issue - thanks

Can’t beat Mazda hands-down the number one vehicle out there at a good price

Excellent --- very thorough review! I own a 2020 Premium trim CX30. Especially agree with you on 2 negatives: the excessive cladding and the narrow windows. The limited visibility issue has concerned me from day one. Otherwise, I really like this vehicle --- but until Mazda addresses the windows issue, I will not be purchasing another Mazda in the future!

Would cx30 be a good choise for a new driver? Car would be used mostly for city rides but hiking trips as well. We have an abilty to choose between the manual and automatic, most of the reviews highlight the manaul as a better choice. have you experienced any problems with the automatic shifter?

If you're looking at Nissan, subaru buy a mazda, if you cant afford toyota, honda buy a mazda, if you need to finance, buy a new mazda at 5%. Great warranty, reliability, performance and style for the price. Obviously don't even look at anything american or anything with cvt transmission. Best deal right now is a 21-23 mazda with less than 20k miles certified, warranty till 28-30 or 100k miles 8% financing for $22k

Great review! I think the CX30 in red is the sexiest looking car out there right now! Yes, the looks make visibility bad, but hey not as bad as a Camaro.

Does the Cx-30 hold its value Good like a Subaru Crosstrek?

how quiet is road noise?

I chose the 2022 CX-30 Preferred-CE (Carbon Edition, in Polymetal Gray/Blue Metallic) AWD over the 2022 Corolla Cross XLE AWD, after having a chance to inspect & drive both in-person. Not a fan of the uniformly thick black cladding in-general with the CX-30, but with the carbon edition black wheels & side mirrors, after-purchase blacked out front chrome trim & side window trim, as well as blacked out roof & roof rails (& a few other custom black vinyl-wrapped accents), the cladding looks a lot better & a natural part of the vehicle design. Shame that you have to do much of that customization yourself after purchase to get it looking right (IMO).

AWESOME review! Been looking at this vehicle. I currently own the 2020 Hyundai Kona Ultimate Trim. First time having a 1.6t Dual Clutch. Looking to upgrade after the Kona began randomly idling rough after 13k miles. How does this compare ? Or would you suggest the CX5 instead ?

For anyone that's on the fence about this car: Did A TON of research trying to decide between this, the VW Taos, and a Ford Escape.... We wanted a car of this size because we already have a Tundra for the kid/roadtrips/etc. We needed a second vehicle to safely and reliably get us from point A to B around the city. If you are small people (under 6ft) you will be ABSOLUTELY fine in the cx-30 and so will any passengers because you can move your seats up. The way we see it, a back row of seats and a trunk is a total bonus, because we don't really need it. If that happens to be your situation too...this car will be great for you. The Escape has a ton of room but the upper-tier package tried to WOW us with a ton of bells and whistles that I doubt will work properly in 5 years. Additionally, it was not priced competitively at all. Also it's kind of ugly. Rav4 ended up being too pricey too, but is obviously much more reliable. Ultimately these were both much bigger than we needed. The Taos is priced very well, but has a lawn mower engine and cannot compete with Mazda's reliability, even if it is a bit more spacious. We liked the interior and look of the Taso, but it doesn't compare to the Mazda. The infotainment system: The knob thing is extremely easy to use. I don't know why so many youtubers complain about it. Seriously, you will be used to it after a couple of days. No wireless car play is annoying but I was told that's a chip shortage thing. Visibility: Yep, could be better. However, we were able to cram more safety features into our Premium package than with any of the competition. So I hope that helps someone. If you're not hauling big people and don't need a ton of gimmicky features, it's a great car. If you want all the latest and greatest tech and this is going to be your main family vehicle, go bigger.

Great review. I hope the side visibility isn't any worse than the 3, which you've reviewed I think. And the 3/4 and rear visibility must be a lot better than the hatchback 3. All around the windows look taller to me, but I haven't test driven a CX-30 yet so I don't know first-hand. I like the smaller size though. Thanks.

"held back by an only adequate transmission" ? most, if not all, of this car's competition has a CVT. the 6 speed auto transmission was the deciding-factor for us to purchase one.

I love the more traditional interior dashboard and layout... I also love the traditional shifter... But the main problem here in America for the Mazda SUV's (and crossovers) - like the CX-5, CX-9, etc) was the lack of interior room - including lack of headroom. I was really hoping the new redesigned crossovers and SUV's would fix this major problem. So far with the redesigned CX-50 - I am disappointed. The interior still is cramped.. We would like more interior room - raising the roofline and making a taller roofline would improve so many things. It would increase all around comfort, interior room, increase headroom, increase driving enjoyment, and improve visibiility and improve safety - you see out better - means less accidents.. I know this (a higher roof) would make the vehicle slightly less fuel efficient.. But I would gladly trade bit less gas mileage for better visibility and better safety and the other benefits I mentioned earlier.. Hopefully Mazda remembers this when redesigning future SUV's/crossovers.

Excellent review; subbed! The biggest con for me with this car, which wasn't mentioned in the review, is the combination of a small gas tank and higher than average (for the class) fuel consumption, which would make for frequent refueling stops on longs trips and such. I also like to fill up on the weekend, but with this CX-30 I'd need to do a mid week fill up. The other, lesser, problem for me is the ride quality which is not as comfortable as other subcompact SUVs like the Corolla Cross and, especially, the Crosstrek (per reviews I've seen). Still, this would probably be the car I'd pick if I was in the market for a subcompact SUV right now.

I just bought a '22 CX 30 and disagree with your silly criticisms....I love it.

How does the Corolla cross compare with the cx-30 for interior space?

Uno, dos, tres, cuatro 🕺

I appreciate your review and loved it. I however respectfully disagree with the infotainment and seats. I'm coming from a 2020 X1 and the infotainment is a lot easier and intuitive to work, despite being not a touchscreen. The seats are great and snug, also (in my opinion) better than BMW.

This is really a very well done review. Even if you don't end up liking this car, you end up walking away with respect.

I'm looking for a daily driver that is quiet, reliable and comfy. Can't decide between this or Mazda 3. I love the sedan but the second highest spec for it is the price of the premium CX-30

My sister had a CX-3 and now has the CX-30, she enjoyed the CX-3 much more than the 30. I like the CX-3 much better also.

I test drove an HRV. I cant believe Honda would manufacture a piece of junk like that. Test drove a 2022 CX-30 Turbo Premium with 2,450 miles. It's now in my garage. The best part is the adaptive headlights along with auto highbeams. Night driving is as bright as a nightgame at Yankee stadium. Should be mandatory on every vehicle. Would save many lives.

How quiet is it on rough roads?

Im.comfused between CX 5 and CX 30.PLZ HELP WITH THE REPLIES.

My last car was a 2010 Mazda6 6MT. When looking for a replacement, I cross shopped a Crosstrek and a CX30. The Crosstrek with a 6MT was a clear winner, for all the reasons you mention!

Mazda got rid of the Bose stereo in this trim (apparently a victim of chip shortages). That was a big selling point for me. I really don't want to hyper-extend my budget into the Turbo models to get the Bose option. So, is the stock 8-speaker Mazda system really awful? I know it wouldn't be as good as the Bose, but on its own is it severely lacking?

This is on the top of my list. I don't like the plastic cladding and the absence of touch screen. I like the look of the dash...screens on the new sportage. I'd buy the mazda cx30 select, wouldn't pay for upper trims on this car.

Great review! I briefly sat in one at an auto show and it was way too cramped. I sat in the driver's seat for less than 10 seconds, opened the door, walked away, and crossed it off my list. Probably nice for a smaller person like sub 6ft tall and narrow shoulders. Also if you can get your hands on the new Kia Sportage and Hyundai Sante Fe that would be awesome.

👍

Next time you get your hands on a CX-30, see if you can get out to the fire tower on a muddy day. I wanna know if mine will make it :)

Good review, but a bit too heavy leaning on the boy-toy-racer angle.

I own one and just love it. I purchased the 2.5 S Premium AWD. Traded a Nissan Altima which I did not like. The Mazda CX-30 is really a Compact Luxury SUV. So, don't be a hater.

I like this car, but I am not crazy about all of the plastic above the wheel wells … it looks chintzy and I feel that these should be painted if you opt for the premium and above trim levels.

It's priced well because of its cost-cut rear suspension that's not independent. It's a twist-beam rear axle, and not many cars use this cheaper setup much, except for the very cheaply made VW Jetta. Mazda tires to convince customers that it serves the purpose for many people, but it has its limitations. If you're somebody who is in-tune with the way their cars feel, you will definitely feel the trade-offs, especially down the road when the suspension loosens up, and the tires wear, and the alignment gets out of whack.

No mention of the remote start being stuck behind a monthly fee (after the trial period) only available through the app.

I am thinking of pushing my dad to trade in his 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross for this, what do you think? The Mitsubishi isn't a bad car per se, but as a 21 year old the car is very lacking in technology in its class and very poor value. For example, the car, for $35k+ CAD doesn't even have lane departure warning, or basic standard features these days like Lane Keep Assist, Adaptive Cruise, etc. Very barebones and out of date on this inside as well, feels like a 2008 vehicle.

The visibility, rear legroom, and gas tank size was the deal breaker for me. Although it’s priced very competitively and arguably the best looking interior in Mazdas line up. The Mazda 3 Sedan has the best visibility from the 3 platform. I think the CX-50 and the CX-5 are the crossovers to get.

I wanted to like it when I test-drove one, but was turned off by the extremely heavy steering and Mazda's no-touchscreen-mantra

Love the CX-30 "on paper" (i dont own one yet).. but the black plastic wheel arches are HIDEOUS!!! Honestly, that could be a deal breaker. What the hell were the designers thinking 🤔 ?

It’s supposed to feel more like a sports car. They did it on purpose, brah.

I'm waiting for the 2024 Chevrolet trax. I don't care about the power difference at all. My commute to work is 1 mile and I had enough road trips in my life.

We own one. A 2022 with all the bells and whistles. Plush, comfortable, fun to drive, and hugely overly complex. The engineers who designed the software interfaces should be fired. After owning the car for 3-4 days our battery died. Turned out that if the key is within several yards of the car the remote start on the car remains engaged, running down the battery if the car isn't started and ran sufficiently to recharge the battery. Additionally, when the battery died the electric brakes remained engaged making us unable to push the car (as in out of the garage so a tow truck can haul it to the dealer). We called the dealer and were told to call the Mazda 800 number. We did and followed all the directions. I spent an ENTIRE DAY trying to get my car back on the road because the battery had died. I was shocked to learn it apparently needed to go to the dealer so that all of the electronic systems on the car could be reset due to the dead battery. We asked the dealer if we had to return when the battery is replaced/dies next time and they told us, "we guess so...." I have to believe that there is something we are missing. Would Mazda really make a car so complex it is unreasonable to own? I simply don't know the answer to that question. But yes folks, we do own a 2022 CX-30. It is a comfortable, well layed out, fun to drive car. And it will be our last Mazda due to its complexity.

Wait. Android Auto and Apple Carplay isn't wireless? That's dumb.

16:20 One does tend to look like a kid stealing Dad's car in this!

Sooo why not just simply put a V6 engine in the vehicle 🤷🏽‍♀️

Mazda trying to apply the kodo design, which makes the car feel small inside.

I own a 2021 Turbo Premium. There is a lot to like, overall design, engine and transmission. The suspension is absolutely AWFUL. Sure it is smooth on smooth road but on any bumps just TERRIBLE. Shakes, bottoms out, feels like the car is going to shake apart!

Huh, 6'3 and you fit behind yourself. I may be giving this vehicle a little more thought. OBVIOUSLY it isnt going to be the most comfortable. But this isn't a people hauler.

🦆🦆

kia and hyundai! that mazda plastic exterior is such a huge turn off and YES MAZDA, enough for me to look elsewhere.

The Taus has an awful dual clutch transmission. No thanks ever

Whay is this "Segment" ? Mazda asks Audi money for these rust buckets.