2022 Mazda CX-30 Review

Name: 2022 Mazda CX-30 Review
Brand: Mazda

Price Range: $18,999 - $29,200

Mazda CX-30 Premium 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

2022 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo 4dr SUV Exterior Shown

+177

The 2022 CX-30 is a sophisticated and sporty entry in the extra-small SUV class. It has striking looks and plenty of standard features. Though it's priced higher than much of its competition, it offers a lot for your money. It's comfortable on the road and gives you a decent amount of storage too.

See all features & specs

Price & Payment

131 cars

$23,878 avg. price

Min$

Max$

See listings

Appraise My 2022 Mazda CX-30

Mazda CX-30 model years

Mazda CX-30 for Sale

2022 Mazda CX-30 Review

byReese Counts^{Vehicle Test Editor
Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at Edmunds in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.}

rating written Rex Tokeshi-Torres^{Associate Manager, Vehicle Testing and Operations
Rex Tokeshi-Torres has worked in the automotive industry for over 17 years. Rex is a vehicle testing technician and photographer at Edmunds and is responsible for coordinating vehicle testing and logistics, organizing data, and capturing photos for the site and social media. He has written over 100 vehicle-related articles and has rated, tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. He has also contributed content to Autobytel, Autotrader, Automobile, the Associated Press and DSport along with various motorsport teams. His affinity with cars started because of Hot Wheels and his love of modifying cars. He occasionally drives Subarus.}

Pros

Upscale interior design and build quality
Advanced safety features come standard
Poised handling and refined ride quality
Powerful turbocharged engine

Cons

Transmission can be slow to downshift
Significant rear blind spots
Below-average fuel economy

What's new

All-wheel drive standard on all trims
New Carbon Edition package available
Minor trim and feature updates
Part of the first CX-30 generation introduced for 2020

Overview

The quality of extra-small SUVs has generally improved over the last few years, and few vehicles are a better representative than the 2022 Mazda CX-30. It's small, but it's not cheap. The interior looks and feels upscale and comes standard with pretty much the same number of technology features and advanced driver aids you'll find on Mazda's larger and more expensive CX-5.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

2022 Mazda CX-30 for sale near you

3 of 131 listings

Preferred 4dr SUV
MSRP: $21,975
9 mi away
Select 4dr SUV
MSRP: $23,998
3 mi away
Select 4dr SUV
MSRP: $20,500
15 mi away

See all 131 listings

Mazda even gives you the option of equipping the CX-30 with a 250-horsepower turbocharged engine. This is the same engine Mazda puts in the big three-row CX-9, so you know you're in for some fun when you put big power into the little and relatively lightweight CX-30. For 2022, Mazda has made all-wheel drive standard across the board without a significant bump in cost. There's also a stylish new Carbon Edition package.

There are other attractive picks in this class. The Chevrolet Trailblazer and Volkswagen Taos are two appealing newcomers, and the Subaru Crosstrek is a great pick if you want something with an outdoorsy vibe. Check out our test team's Expert Rating of the CX-30 below to help you decide on which model is right for you.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds spent a year testing a 2020 Mazda CX-30 Premium with all-wheel drive. First impressions are often undercut by a disappointing long-term experience, but the CX-30 held up well. It's comfortable, spacious and fun to drive, with an interior that's more premium than just about everything else in the class.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8/10

How does the CX-30 drive? The CX-30 is easy and engaging to drive. The base engine provides better-than-average power for this class. Our test CX-30 needed 9 seconds to reach 60 mph, where rivals take more than 10 seconds. Of course, you can always go with the turbocharged engine if you have the need for speed. The 0-60 mph time is just 6.4 seconds, making the CX-30 Turbo the quickest car in its class. (It even beats a Volkswagen Golf GTI.) The steering is sharp and gives you a good feel for the road. It complements the CX-30's excellent handling as it hugs corners and feels composed and at home on twisty roads.

The transmission, left in its default mode, likes to upshift early to help maximize fuel economy. The transmission takes a beat to kick down if you're trying to pass at freeway speeds. Using the Sport mode helps liven up the CX-30's character.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the CX-30? For a sporty SUV, the CX-30 is really quite comfortable. The front seats are supportive and comfortable enough for long drives. The rear seats are nicely padded and offer a good seating position that's not too upright. The suspension has a sporty tautness to it, but it's still adept at absorbing bumps and impacts.

Freeway cruising is especially nice. The CX-30 has one of the quieter cabins in the class, which lends it an upscale feel. The dual-zone climate control is a little weak for those who like it really cold, but the rear vents ensure rear passengers get their share. The heated seats take time to warm up but are nicely toasty once they are.

Interior

7.5/10

How’s the interior? The CX-30's interior is simple but classy. The controls are easy to see and understand. The infotainment system is laid out well, and navigating with the rotary knob is mostly easy. The exceptions are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which would undoubtedly be more convenient to operate if the CX-30 had a touchscreen.

For an extra-small SUV, the CX-30's cabin is pretty roomy. In front, individuals 6 feet tall and under should have ample space in all directions. Though the CX-30 will accommodate five total, rear seat comfort is really optimized for two average-size adults.

The CX-30's swoopier shape involves some trade-offs. It isn't as easy to climb in and out of as its boxier rivals, and rear visibility is a bit compromised by a thick rear pillar and relatively small window.

Technology

8/10

How’s the tech? The CX-30 comes standard with a good amount of tech. The advanced safety and driver aids are among the best in class in the way they operate. You even get a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, though you'll have to pay for service after the trial ends. Our test CX-30 had two USBs and two 12-volt power ports up front.

The upgraded Bose audio system delivers a nice, clear sound with good bass. The navigation system is easy to use, and the 8.8-inch infotainment display is a really bright and sharp screen. Using the rotary dial is easy enough but having a touchscreen would be welcome. In previous Mazdas, the display granted touchscreen capability if you were stopped, but that's no longer the case for this latest infotainment system that's in the CX-30.

Storage

7.5/10

How’s the storage? The CX-30 is middling in terms of storage compared to the class leaders. Cargo room behind the rear seats is decent, but the depth of the space from the hatch to the back of the rear seats seems shallow. A wide and tall hatch opening provides good access for loading. But because the rear seatbacks don't lie flush with the cargo floor when folded, it won't be as easy as it could be to slide in long, heavy items.

Storage for small items is a bit better. The sizable cubby in front of the gearshift, center armrest bin and glove compartment are mostly usable. The door pockets and cupholders are small but that's because it's a small vehicle. If you have young kids, installation access for car seats is great, but actual space for a larger rear-facing seat will be tight.

Fuel Economy

6.5/10

How’s the fuel economy? The CX-30 gets an EPA-estimated 26 mpg combined (24 city/31 highway) with the base engine and 25 mpg combined (22 city/30 highway) with the available turbocharged engine. Both of those are low for the class, and some competitors get more than 30 mpg combined.

Our base-engine test CX-30 got 26 mpg overall during our evaluation, so the EPA's figures seem achievable in real-world driving.

Value

7.5/10

Is the CX-30 a good value? The CX-30's price starts off on the higher side, but it offers an abundance of standard tech and safety features that have it competing against many of the competition's midline trims. Select the turbocharged engine, however, and the price becomes hard to justify. A Mazda CX-5 with the same engine costs just a little bit more.

The interior is roomy, and build quality is excellent with the interior adorned with soft-touch surfaces, leather and nicely placed chrome trim. The piano-black door handles creak a little at times and can leave smudges, but no one's going to notice there. Warranty and ownership costs are standard for the class.

Wildcard

8.5/10

The Mazda CX-30 is sophisticated, athletic and attractive inside and out. Just like the smaller Mazda CX-3, it handles curvy roads with precision and instills confidence as you continue to drive it, but it has the benefit of more interior space and comfort. All in all, it's a well-rounded vehicle.

Which CX-30 does Edmunds recommend?

Get the CX-30 Select for the best value. It adds a few extra features over the base model, such as upgraded upholstery, keyless entry and blind-spot monitoring, all without significantly pushing up the price. The cool factor for the CX-30 undoubtedly rises with the 2.5 Turbo models, but unfortunately so does the price.

Compare 2022 Mazda CX-30 trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2022 Mazda CX-30 models

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 is an extra-small SUV with seating for five. It's available in 2.5 S, Select, Preferred, Carbon Edition, Premium, 2.5 Turbo, 2.5 Turbo Premium and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trim levels. Feature highlights include:

2.5 S
The CX-30 in base 2.5 S comes respectably equipped with:

2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (186 horsepower, 186 lb-ft of torque)
Six-speed automatic transmission
All-wheel drive
16-inch alloy wheels
LED headlights
8.8-inch infotainment display
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Eight-speaker audio system

Every CX-30 also comes with:

Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
Lane keeping assist (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)
Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)
Drowsy driver monitor (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)
Automatic high beams

Select
Adds comfort and convenience by way of:

18-inch wheels
Keyless entry
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Simulated leather upholstery
Center armrest for rear passengers
Tinted rear windows
Blind-spot monitor (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot)

Preferred
Similar to the Select but with:

Sunroof
Power-adjustable driver's seat with memory functions
Heated front seats

Carbon Edition
New for 2022, the Carbon Edition includes all of the Preferred trim's features and then adds or replaces:

18-inch black-painted alloy wheels
Special gray paint
Heated side mirrors with black caps
Red leather seats

Premium
The Premium trim is the nicest CX-30 you can get with the standard engine. It has the Preferred trim's features as well as:

Adaptive headlights (swivel as you turn the steering wheel for better illumination in curves)
Power liftgate
Roof rails
Paddle shifters
Leather upholstery
Navigation system
12-speaker Bose premium audio system
Satellite radio
Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield)
Traffic sign reader

2.5 Turbo
It comes equipped with the features of the Preferred trim plus:

Turbocharged 2.5-liter engine (227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque or 250 hp and 320 lb-ft with 93 octane fuel)
Roof rails
Auto-dimming rearview mirror

2.5 Turbo Premium
This trim bundles the turbocharged powertrain with the features of the Premium trim.

2.5 Turbo Premium Plus
The Premium Plus trim is only offered with the turbocharged engine and tops off the features list with:

Front and rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking)
Rear cross-traffic with automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the vehicle and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Traffic Jam Assist (enhanced adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist at speeds under 40 mph)

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2022 Mazda CX-30 2.5 S 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.89 per gallon for regular unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$133/mo

$155/mo

Avg. Compact SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

See pricing history

Mazda CX-30 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.3

28 reviews

5(68%)

4(10%)

3(12%)

2(7%)

1(3%)

Write a vehicle review See all 28 reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

The perfect crossover especially for the price

Ron P, 06/12/2022

2022 Mazda CX-30 Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

I recently purchased a new 2022 CX-30 Premium Trim with metal grey metallic exterior. Things that I really like: engine not too big not too small, leather interior, gauges and buttons for everything, Bose 12 speaker sound system, heads up display, plus dozen’s of other features. Things that I do not like: nothing - absolutely nothing. Update: 2 years later….. I stand by my initial …

A Surprising High Tech AWD Driving Machine

Pukfan, 07/10/2022

2022 Mazda CX-30 Select 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Recently purchased a new 2022 CX-30 Select and have 200 miles on it so far. First the dislikes: Poor placement of cup holders and USB ports; cabin noise (I do have Mazda roof racks and I am coming from a very quiet prius); poorly indexed user manual; annoying safety alarms; odd location of valet key access point in door handle and small buttons on the key fob; poor gas mileage for a … small car; slight hesitation on moving from stop; cannot tow anything (per user manual); only 1.25 “ trailer hitch available. What I do Like: Drivability- feels like a sports car on windy country roads; love the styling inside and out - exterior sets it a bit apart from all the others while the inside feels luxurious; the entertainment center is NOT touch screen which I like and well organized/easy to navigate with two large knobs. While driving home I could not get my phone to connect via apple car play - could not find anything in the user manual index to walk me through this. I also was freaked out a bit as headlights switched between high and low beams on their own. Several buttons labeled with icons that I could not decipher. So I decided to read the manual starting on page one. Glad I did as I learned the headlight system includes a feature that automatically adjusts to the lighting conditions - that you can easily turn off (I decided that I like it). To connect my phone the first time I had to tap the start engine button once to get into ACC mode and set it up - connection now not an issue. Learned how to adjust the driver seat and steering wheel for proper fit - first time I have ever done that and it really makes a difference (did the same procedure on my other cars as well). Automatic windshield wipers work to perfection as it has rained all week and I have not had to touch the wiper knob since leaving the dealership. Well-designed infant seat attachment points in the rear. I downloaded the Mazda App that allows you to start, shut off, open/close windows remotely (three year free trial) and get some info like fuel, mpg, and other info remotely from your car. In summary, a fun car to drive, practical hatchback with AWD, and stylish enough inside and out to stand apart from the other CUVs out there at one of the few under $30K in today’s market. **Update - I noticed the ride was a bit rough. Thanks to the Mazda app I easily checked the tire pressure and was surprised to see all tires were well above 40 psi - much higher than the recommended tire pressure of 36 psi. Lowered down to 36 and that did the trick.

Some good things some not so much

King Kong , 11/28/2022

2022 Mazda CX-30 Select 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)

Positives: Good looking suv Powerful enough Handling is great Interior is great Negatives: Backseats room MPG Super small gas tank, it annoys me so much Headroom sucks big time

Newbe but love it!

Breeze90265, 07/19/2022

2022 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Premium 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)

I'm not a Mazda fan but I have been looking and testing cars everyday for two weeks. I had to replace my moms car, a 1995 BMW 12 cylinder 850Ci, and I have test driven BMW, Kia, Hyundai, Buick, Honda, Lexus, Nissan....etc basically everything out there. Today I bought the Mazda CX 30 Turbo Premium after all. It was priced at 34.5k. A little more than I wanted to spend but jeez the ride …

See all 28 reviews of the Mazda CX-30

Write a vehicle review

2022 CX-30 Highlights

Trim:

2.5 S

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$22,500
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	26 MPG
Cost to Drive	$133/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	20.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the CX-30 models:

Smart Brake Support: Warns you if you are rapidly approaching a vehicle, pedestrian or bicyclist. Can apply the brakes to reduce the severity of a collision.
Mazda Radar Cruise Control: Maintains a driver-selected distance between the Mazda CX-30 and the car in front.
Lane Departure Warning System: Alerts the driver if the Mazda 3 begins wandering outside of its lane.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover14.7%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

People who viewed this also viewed

Mazda CX-50
3.7 average Rating out of 24 reviews.
Starting at $30,300

See Mazda CX-50 Inventory

Mazda CX-5
5.0 average Rating out of 3 reviews.
Starting at $28,570

See Mazda CX-5 Inventory

Honda HR-V
4.2 average Rating out of 19 reviews.
Starting at $25,400

See Honda HR-V Inventory

2022 Mazda CX-30 Review

Price & Payment

2022 Mazda CX-30 Review

Pros