Mazda MX-30 | Test Drive

30 August 2021 Redazione News, Tested

MAZDA MX-30

Words Marco Rallo / Photos Daniél Rikkard

We are now used to hear about smart objects. But can something inanimate ever get the better of human instinct? This would be a good topic to entertain friends and colleagues while waiting for the dawn, but it all sounds different when the situation is adapted to the world of cars, where zero-emission ones inevitably come to mind. Electric cars, to make sure to stir up the aforementioned bar talk. Mazda has recently presented its first electric car and perfectly in line with the identity of a cutting-edge brand, but which knows what the expression “driving pleasure” means, the MX-30 is a concentrate of intelligence and cleverness, a series of tricks put together for a very specific reason and ready to surprise while always remaining faithful to the need to be on top of the food-chain.

Positioning itself on the shelf of compact SUVs with coupe lines, the MX-30 incorporates the nomenclature that identifies cars designed to offer practicality to families (CX-3 and CX-30) and the one that represents the brand in the mind of every driving enthusiast (MX-5), thus creating a fully electric model that relies on a single electric motor with a 35.5 kWh battery capable of guaranteeing a maximum range of about 200 km. Few, you might object, especially since it is a small SUV and not a more rational city car, but Mazda has done its homework and based on an average mileage as regards not only the use of an electric car, but also the road traveled in the most typical of home-work commute, 200 kilometers are more than enough, so you’ll probably don’t need to carry unnecessary and expensive bigger engines and heavier batteries.

Here is one of the many points that characterizes the MX-30, which thanks to its generous dimensions, however, confirms that Mazda will soon make available a range extender, a wankel engine that connected to a generator will allow the batteries to be recharged. This is how the space left empty inside the engine compartment will be exploited. Traction only at the front in our case and a power of 143 horsepower which, thanks to the instantaneous delivery and the 270 Nm of torque, allow agile movements in the city, as well as far from urban centers. The very low center of gravity and a weight that slightly exceeds 1,700 kg are therefore the two aspects that wink at an enjoyable handling, even when the road gets curvy. Other distinctive features of the MX-30 are identifiable in its side view with a sloping tail and which thanks to the rear doors that open against the wind (just like on the RX-8, ed) accentuate the fluidity of the Kodo design and the desire to take off some stylistic whim, for a model as important as effective.

Useful in case of children, unless your rear passengers are in a hurry, there is no lack of space on board and despite the idea of ​​claustrophobia aroused by observing it from the outside, even those who sit in the back stay comfortable and relaxed. Always remaining in the cockpit, thanks to the use of recycled materials both for the seats and dashboard, the MX-30 continues to show off great personality, with two digital screens, an upper one with multimedia system and navigation and a lower 7″ through which to manage climate controls. Once praised the concreteness and the will to stand out in the crowd without necessarily calling into cause sci-fi design solutions, driving the first 100% electric Mazda proves to be perfectly in line with what the company promised.

Agile in the city, with a length of 4.39 meters and a width of 1.80, the seat of the MX-30 is high enough to offer excellent visibility all around, but at the same time low enough to provide feedbacks useful to perceive an on road behavior not so far from the illustrious convertible relative. Despite the excellent starting point, the weight and the deliberately reduced power of the electric motor, it prefers a more relaxed drive than you may be used to when it comes to electric cars. This is how the two paddles behind the wheel come useful, managing the level of battery regeneration, while the charging queues from the rapid chargers require little time, still remembering that on the other hand the maximum range you will have will never exceed 220 km, before another break looking for a socket.

If we wanted to talk about intelligent cars, the MX-30 really has its say and for once not in terms of multimedia gadgets or superfluous options that you will probably never use, but rather by paying the right attention to customers that are no stranger to coexistence with an electric car. With prices starting from € 34,900, Mazda offers three different specs – Executive, Exceed and Exclusive – which tick the respective boxes in terms of equipment, but which guarantee an eco-friendly and smart driving experience from the very first step of this stylistically exciting model. For once, there is a whim, but also a lot of concreteness.

MAZDA MX-30

Engine electric with 35.5 kWh battery Power 143 hp Torque 270 Nm

Traction Front-Wheel-Drive Transmission Single Gear Automatic Gearbox Weight 1.720 kg

0-100 kph 9,7 sec Top Speed 140 kph Price from €34.900 Range ca. 200 km