Skip to main content

2020
Mazda CX-30

Starts at:
$21,900
Shop options
New 2020 Mazda CX-30
See ratings
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Consumer rating
Owner reviewed vehicle score
Safety rating
NHTSA tested vehicle score
Shop Cars.com
Browse cars & save your favorites
Dealers near you
Find & contact a dealership near you
Listings near 20149
Change location See all listings

Available trims

See the differences side-by-side to compare trims.
  • FWD
    Starts at
    $21,900
    25 City / 33 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • AWD
    Starts at
    $23,300
    24 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    All Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • Preferred Package FWD
    Starts at
    $26,200
    25 City / 33 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • Preferred Package AWD
    Starts at
    $27,600
    24 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    All Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • Premium Package FWD
    Starts at
    $28,200
    25 City / 33 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs
  • Premium Package AWD
    Starts at
    $29,600
    25 City / 32 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    All Wheel Drive
    Drivetrain
    See all specs

Photo & video gallery

2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30

The good & the bad

This vehicle doesn't have any good or bad insights yet.

Use our comparison tool to look at this model side-by-side with other vehicles or view the full specifications list .

Start your comparison

Expert 2020 Mazda CX-30 review

mazda cx 30 2020 02 angle  exterior  front  grey  off road jpg
Our expert's take
By Fred Meier
Full article
mazda cx 30 2020 02 angle  exterior  front  grey  off road jpg

Automakers continue to find new ways to slice and dice SUVs for smaller niches, and the 2020 Mazda CX-30 is a subcompact that narrowly slots between the CX-3 and CX-5 in Mazda’s SUV lineup. But more than that, the CX-30 subcompact SUV is right-sized to better appeal to buyers.

Related: Mazda CX-30 Brings Mazda3 Style to All-New Small SUV

I’m a fan of the CX-3 for its driving manners as well as its style that’s a cut above most rivals. But it’s a mini-SUV based on the global Mazda2 subcompact car and is too small even for many urban U.S. buyers (Mazda officials admit it was designed more for European tastes). The roomier CX-30 — about an inch wider and about 5 inches longer on a wheelbase 3.3 inches longer — is based on the new Mazda3 compact car. It shares many of the car’s bits and packages them into an SUV that should have more mainstream appeal.

The resulting CX-30 is a stylish utility with the above-class road dynamics and quality characteristic of other Mazdas. It will need those and more to take on the increasingly crowded  competition, from current subcompact SUV leaders including the Honda HR-V and Nissan Rogue Sport to other newcomers, such as the Kia Seltos and Chevrolet Trailblazer. I checked out the CX-30 at a Mazda drive in the desert and mountains of Southern California (per company policy Cars.com pays for its travel and lodging at such automaker-sponsored events). There are four trim levels, including base, Select, Preferred and the test vehicles, which were all Premium.

Stylish Minimalism

The Mazda design evolution that made its production debut with the redone 2019 Mazda3 makes its first SUV appearance with the CX-30. It features smooth and mostly unadorned sheet metal that emphasizes the shape and surfaces. A sweeping curve runs from the headlights to the rear wheels, and the subtle side shaping creates interesting S-shaped highlights from many angles. Generous (maybe a little too much) dark cladding on the bumpers, large wheel arches and lower body visually raise the height, while the rear roof pillars slope steeply back for a more coupelike roofline. The overall effect is classy and near-premium for a subcompact SUV, even more so in the pricier top two trim levels.

First-Class Cabin

The interior has a lot of Mazda3 (a good thing) with a bit more room. The Premium trim level is just that, with a rich black and brown (or white) color scheme and quality perforated leather accented by blue in the perforations. The seats are comfortable and new shaping holds you in place without the restrictive bolstering of some Mazdas. The dashboard has a layered design with contrasting textures and padded materials, and the controls and trim details look and feel solid.

Boosting the quality interior feel is the fact that the cabin is impressively quiet for a small SUV, with very little road and wind noise. Among the ways quietness was designed in was the relocation of audio speakers from the doors to under the dashboard, eliminating the openings in the door panels.

Unlike in many small SUVs, materials quality also holds up in the backseat. There’s headroom for adults there, too, but the legroom is tight. Adult passengers will need concessions from the front occupants and still will have their knees hard against the front seats. The backseat gets its own air vents but no device charging — the nearest USB port is in the center console bin.

Visibility for a small SUV to the rear is average but quite good to the front thanks to slim front pillars and side mirrors mounted on the doors. A packaging oddity to beware of, however: If heated front seats are a must-have, you need to move up three trim levels to get them.

Media Tech Is a Hard Sell

Mazda went to great lengths at the event to justify the CX-30’s multimedia controls — a rotary push-knob setup and shortcut buttons on the center console along with a separate multifunction volume control. Unlike previous Mazdas, the standard 8.8-inch display does not respond to touch even when the vehicle is stopped. The idea is that the setup is safer because the controls are where your hand falls and you can keep your eyes close to the road while glancing at the screen. That actually works for me, but consumer surveys indicate I’m an outlier. It feels particularly unnatural to many to operate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto without a touchscreen. You should test-drive the Mazda system if you consider this SUV.

Meanwhile, the widescreen display is standard. It’s powered by Mazda’s latest system, which is improved in look and operation, but it’s still heavy on menus and requires multiple steps for common functions. And you have to move up from the base to the Select trim level to get CarPlay and Android Auto.

On the plus side, the climate system retains conventional knobs and buttons that have a quality look and feel. Standard tech also includes a pair of USB ports, eight-speaker audio, a Wi-Fi hot spot with a six-month/2-gigabyte free trial and three free years of Mazda’s app-based Connected Services that include vehicle monitoring and remote starting and door locking.

Mid-Pack Room to Pack

Interior storage is good for a small SUV, with generous center console and door bin space.

If you need more cargo space, the backseat folds flat. Cargo room falls comfortably in the middle of the subcompact pack — where the CX-3 brings up the rear. At 20.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat, the CX-30 lags the more ample Honda HR-V and Nissan Rogue Sport but holds more than the Hyundai Kona or Jeep Renegade. The cargo area is short of tricks, such as cargo management features or a multilevel floor, but the 60/40-split seatbacks fold flat and the liftgate is wide with a relatively low lift-over height.

Fun to Drive

All CX-30s use the same smooth, 186-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and six-speed conventional automatic transmission as the Mazda3. That’s more power than is typical among subcompact SUVs (some of which are lighter), though the non-turbo four needs to be wound up to tap it. But the transmission tuning seems aimed to squeeze out higher mileage ratings, and it hampers winding the engine out. Shifts are crisp and it’s quick to downshift, but the gearing leaves an uphill climb back to the power peak. Using the paddle shifters can help, as does the aggressive Sport mode that holds lower gears longer — but it also eliminates the 6th gear, raises the noise level and lowers mileage. While you might wish for a well-tuned eight-speed, you might instead get one of the continuously variable automatics proliferating among small SUVs, so you have to count your blessings.

Handling is controlled and consistent. The CX-30 is easily the drivers’ small SUV — even though, like the Mazda3, the CX-30 uses a cheaper torsion-beam rear suspension rather than a fully independent multilink setup. Body roll is well controlled and steering is quick and precise, aided by the standard Mazda G-Vectoring Control Plus system that uses selective torque and braking inputs to improve steering response and turn-in — as well as the all-wheel drive that is set up to shift torque to reduce understeer. The brakes felt strong, the response predictable and linear, but that was after I got used to pedal motion designed for shorter travel with higher effort. (Mazda says the design is based on research showing it best suits the typical human leg.)

There were few trade-offs. The ride was firm though comfortable and was stable at speed. Rougher city streets did bring out some mild choppiness, however. EPA-estimated gas mileage of up to 25/33/28 mpg city/highway/combined with front-wheel drive compares to the less powerful, CVT-equipped Rogue Sport and is a couple of mpg behind the lighter HR-V.

Standard Safety Tech, Substandard Backup Camera

All CX-30s have a substantial standard array of safety and driver assistance tech, unusually so among subcompact SUVs. It includes a front collision system with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high beams and a driver attention alert. Moving up one to the Select trim level adds a blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert.

What’s inexplicable is a backup camera image that fills only part of the dashboard display and has fixed rather than predictive grid lines that move as you turn the steering wheel. Perhaps it’s a small thing compared with some of the other features, but this isn’t helpful for city parking and is substandard in a class where the bendy lines are common and a 360-degree camera system is not unknown. How much did that save?

Pricing in the Middle

The base CX-30 is fairly well equipped and starts at $22,945 with front-wheel drive, which is about $1,500 more than a base 2019 CX-3 (all prices include a $1,045 destination charge). That’s a mid-pack entry price. You can get a base HR-V for less money; others, such as the Rogue Sport, start higher. You can compare their pricing and features here. All-wheel drive is available on all CX-30s for an additional $1,400.

The sweet spot for CX-30 value is the Select trim with desirable additions for $2,000 more than the base. The price bump gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a better-trimmed interior with black or beige simulated leather, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels that look a whole lot better in those big wheel arches than the base 16-inchers.

The top-of-the-line Premium with its classy interior also adds some features unusual for a subcompact SUV, such as a power liftgate, a head-up display and adaptive headlights. My Premium test car, which also had premium gray paint, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and navigation options tallied $31,670, a bit more than a comparable top-shelf HR-V but less than the Rogue Sport. But if size matters, they all also overlap some well-equipped compact SUVs.

Overall, the new CX-30 is a good-looking subcompact SUV that’s fun to drive and classier than most rivals in a larger but still city-friendly size.

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Washington, D.C., Bureau Chief
Fred Meier

Former D.C. Bureau Chief Fred Meier, who lives every day with Washington gridlock, has an un-American love of small wagons and hatchbacks.

2020 Mazda CX-30 review: Our expert's take
By Fred Meier
2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30 2020 Mazda CX-30

Automakers continue to find new ways to slice and dice SUVs for smaller niches, and the 2020 Mazda CX-30 is a subcompact that narrowly slots between the CX-3 and CX-5 in Mazda’s SUV lineup. But more than that, the CX-30 subcompact SUV is right-sized to better appeal to buyers.

Related: Mazda CX-30 Brings Mazda3 Style to All-New Small SUV

I’m a fan of the CX-3 for its driving manners as well as its style that’s a cut above most rivals. But it’s a mini-SUV based on the global Mazda2 subcompact car and is too small even for many urban U.S. buyers (Mazda officials admit it was designed more for European tastes). The roomier CX-30 — about an inch wider and about 5 inches longer on a wheelbase 3.3 inches longer — is based on the new Mazda3 compact car. It shares many of the car’s bits and packages them into an SUV that should have more mainstream appeal.

The resulting CX-30 is a stylish utility with the above-class road dynamics and quality characteristic of other Mazdas. It will need those and more to take on the increasingly crowded  competition, from current subcompact SUV leaders including the Honda HR-V and Nissan Rogue Sport to other newcomers, such as the Kia Seltos and Chevrolet Trailblazer. I checked out the CX-30 at a Mazda drive in the desert and mountains of Southern California (per company policy Cars.com pays for its travel and lodging at such automaker-sponsored events). There are four trim levels, including base, Select, Preferred and the test vehicles, which were all Premium.

Stylish Minimalism

The Mazda design evolution that made its production debut with the redone 2019 Mazda3 makes its first SUV appearance with the CX-30. It features smooth and mostly unadorned sheet metal that emphasizes the shape and surfaces. A sweeping curve runs from the headlights to the rear wheels, and the subtle side shaping creates interesting S-shaped highlights from many angles. Generous (maybe a little too much) dark cladding on the bumpers, large wheel arches and lower body visually raise the height, while the rear roof pillars slope steeply back for a more coupelike roofline. The overall effect is classy and near-premium for a subcompact SUV, even more so in the pricier top two trim levels.

First-Class Cabin

The interior has a lot of Mazda3 (a good thing) with a bit more room. The Premium trim level is just that, with a rich black and brown (or white) color scheme and quality perforated leather accented by blue in the perforations. The seats are comfortable and new shaping holds you in place without the restrictive bolstering of some Mazdas. The dashboard has a layered design with contrasting textures and padded materials, and the controls and trim details look and feel solid.

mazda cx 30 2020 12 front row  interior  steering wheel jpg 2020 Mazda CX-30 | Cars.com photo by Fred Meier

Boosting the quality interior feel is the fact that the cabin is impressively quiet for a small SUV, with very little road and wind noise. Among the ways quietness was designed in was the relocation of audio speakers from the doors to under the dashboard, eliminating the openings in the door panels.

Unlike in many small SUVs, materials quality also holds up in the backseat. There’s headroom for adults there, too, but the legroom is tight. Adult passengers will need concessions from the front occupants and still will have their knees hard against the front seats. The backseat gets its own air vents but no device charging — the nearest USB port is in the center console bin.

Visibility for a small SUV to the rear is average but quite good to the front thanks to slim front pillars and side mirrors mounted on the doors. A packaging oddity to beware of, however: If heated front seats are a must-have, you need to move up three trim levels to get them.

Media Tech Is a Hard Sell

Mazda went to great lengths at the event to justify the CX-30’s multimedia controls — a rotary push-knob setup and shortcut buttons on the center console along with a separate multifunction volume control. Unlike previous Mazdas, the standard 8.8-inch display does not respond to touch even when the vehicle is stopped. The idea is that the setup is safer because the controls are where your hand falls and you can keep your eyes close to the road while glancing at the screen. That actually works for me, but consumer surveys indicate I’m an outlier. It feels particularly unnatural to many to operate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto without a touchscreen. You should test-drive the Mazda system if you consider this SUV.

Meanwhile, the widescreen display is standard. It’s powered by Mazda’s latest system, which is improved in look and operation, but it’s still heavy on menus and requires multiple steps for common functions. And you have to move up from the base to the Select trim level to get CarPlay and Android Auto.

On the plus side, the climate system retains conventional knobs and buttons that have a quality look and feel. Standard tech also includes a pair of USB ports, eight-speaker audio, a Wi-Fi hot spot with a six-month/2-gigabyte free trial and three free years of Mazda’s app-based Connected Services that include vehicle monitoring and remote starting and door locking.

Mid-Pack Room to Pack

Interior storage is good for a small SUV, with generous center console and door bin space.

If you need more cargo space, the backseat folds flat. Cargo room falls comfortably in the middle of the subcompact pack — where the CX-3 brings up the rear. At 20.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat, the CX-30 lags the more ample Honda HR-V and Nissan Rogue Sport but holds more than the Hyundai Kona or Jeep Renegade. The cargo area is short of tricks, such as cargo management features or a multilevel floor, but the 60/40-split seatbacks fold flat and the liftgate is wide with a relatively low lift-over height.

Fun to Drive

All CX-30s use the same smooth, 186-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder and six-speed conventional automatic transmission as the Mazda3. That’s more power than is typical among subcompact SUVs (some of which are lighter), though the non-turbo four needs to be wound up to tap it. But the transmission tuning seems aimed to squeeze out higher mileage ratings, and it hampers winding the engine out. Shifts are crisp and it’s quick to downshift, but the gearing leaves an uphill climb back to the power peak. Using the paddle shifters can help, as does the aggressive Sport mode that holds lower gears longer — but it also eliminates the 6th gear, raises the noise level and lowers mileage. While you might wish for a well-tuned eight-speed, you might instead get one of the continuously variable automatics proliferating among small SUVs, so you have to count your blessings.

Handling is controlled and consistent. The CX-30 is easily the drivers’ small SUV — even though, like the Mazda3, the CX-30 uses a cheaper torsion-beam rear suspension rather than a fully independent multilink setup. Body roll is well controlled and steering is quick and precise, aided by the standard Mazda G-Vectoring Control Plus system that uses selective torque and braking inputs to improve steering response and turn-in — as well as the all-wheel drive that is set up to shift torque to reduce understeer. The brakes felt strong, the response predictable and linear, but that was after I got used to pedal motion designed for shorter travel with higher effort. (Mazda says the design is based on research showing it best suits the typical human leg.)

There were few trade-offs. The ride was firm though comfortable and was stable at speed. Rougher city streets did bring out some mild choppiness, however. EPA-estimated gas mileage of up to 25/33/28 mpg city/highway/combined with front-wheel drive compares to the less powerful, CVT-equipped Rogue Sport and is a couple of mpg behind the lighter HR-V.

Standard Safety Tech, Substandard Backup Camera

All CX-30s have a substantial standard array of safety and driver assistance tech, unusually so among subcompact SUVs. It includes a front collision system with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high beams and a driver attention alert. Moving up one to the Select trim level adds a blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert.

mazda cx 30 2020 18 camera  center stack display  front row  interior jpg 2020 Mazda CX-30 | Cars.com photo by Fred Meier

What’s inexplicable is a backup camera image that fills only part of the dashboard display and has fixed rather than predictive grid lines that move as you turn the steering wheel. Perhaps it’s a small thing compared with some of the other features, but this isn’t helpful for city parking and is substandard in a class where the bendy lines are common and a 360-degree camera system is not unknown. How much did that save?

Pricing in the Middle

The base CX-30 is fairly well equipped and starts at $22,945 with front-wheel drive, which is about $1,500 more than a base 2019 CX-3 (all prices include a $1,045 destination charge). That’s a mid-pack entry price. You can get a base HR-V for less money; others, such as the Rogue Sport, start higher. You can compare their pricing and features here. All-wheel drive is available on all CX-30s for an additional $1,400.

The sweet spot for CX-30 value is the Select trim with desirable additions for $2,000 more than the base. The price bump gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a better-trimmed interior with black or beige simulated leather, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels that look a whole lot better in those big wheel arches than the base 16-inchers.

The top-of-the-line Premium with its classy interior also adds some features unusual for a subcompact SUV, such as a power liftgate, a head-up display and adaptive headlights. My Premium test car, which also had premium gray paint, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and navigation options tallied $31,670, a bit more than a comparable top-shelf HR-V but less than the Rogue Sport. But if size matters, they all also overlap some well-equipped compact SUVs.

Overall, the new CX-30 is a good-looking subcompact SUV that’s fun to drive and classier than most rivals in a larger but still city-friendly size.

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Available cars near you

Safety review

Based on the 2020 Mazda CX-30 base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Overall rating
5/5
Combined side rating front seat
5/5
Combined side rating rear seat
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating driver
5/5
Frontal barrier crash rating passenger
5/5
Overall frontal barrier crash rating
5/5
Overall side crash rating
5/5
Rollover rating
4/5
Side barrier rating
5/5
Side barrier rating driver
5/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
15.5%
Risk of rollover
Side barrier rating driver
5/5
Side barrier rating passenger rear seat
5/5
Side pole rating driver front seat
5/5
15.5%
Risk of rollover

Factory warranties

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
5 years / 60,000 miles
Roadside Assistance
3 years / 36,000 miles

Compare similar vehicles

Select cars to compare for more detailed info.
  • 2020
    4.9
    Mazda CX-30
    Starts at
    $21,900
    25 City / 33 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2022
    3.8
    Honda HR-V
    Starts at
    $21,870
    28 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2019
    4.6
    Mazda CX-3
    Starts at
    $20,390
    29 City / 34 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2021
    5.0
    Hyundai KONA
    Starts at
    $20,500
    258 mi.
    Range
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2021
    4.8
    Mazda CX-30
    Starts at
    $22,050
    25 City / 33 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • 2021
    4.7
    Mazda CX-5
    Starts at
    $25,370
    25 City / 31 Hwy
    MPG
    5
    Seat capacity
    Regular Unleaded I-4
    Engine
    Front-wheel drive
    Drivetrain
    Compare
  • Compare more options
    Use our comparison tool to add any vehicle of your choice and see a full list of specifications and features side-by-side.
    Try it now

Consumer reviews

4.9 / 5
Based on 45 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.9
Interior 4.8
Performance 4.8
Value 4.9
Exterior 4.9
Reliability 5.0

Most recent

  • Great Car

    I purchased this car after getting hit head on in my Mazda MX five, which was totaled, but thankfully protected me from serious injury. I’m a big Mazda fan having owned a brand new Miata for 20 years prior to trading it in for the MX five. I looked at BMW, Audi, Lexus, Mercedes, and several other type SUV vehicles and chose to purchase the CX 30. I love the size and the nimbleness of handling. The reliability of Mazda’s can’t be beat in my opinion. I have essentially had no issues after buying this car brand new in December 2019 and still owning it as of spring 2024. Other than the normal maintenance I’ve had zero problems. It is easy to park maneuver and has good storage. If someone has really long legs and it’s going to ride in the back seat, they may not be perfectly comfortable. There are several things I wish I could change. One the size of the key fob is too big to fit into small purses And pockets. The center console top opens weirdly, and if you have the back seat full of items, it is often impossible to get into that compartment. It would be better if it open side to side, as is more traditional than tilting to the back where there isn’t adequate clearance when the backseat is full. The only other thing I wish is that it had electric seats. I also find that the shoulder strap on my neck given my height, and it would be very helpful if the shoulder strap was adjustable for people who are not tall. I agree with the reviews describing the easiness of the entertainment system. There is very little not to like about this car. I will definitely buy this model again.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 4.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Excellent compact SUV

    My new CX-30 is excellent. Design handling ergonomic quality marvelous. The infotainment system is not easy for me as an older person but eventually I get it going. The dogs love it.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    11 people out of 11 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Decent car, performs well.

    Overall I enjoy driving the Mazda CX-30. It hugs turns very nicely and has good speed. This was a new model so their were not a lot of reviews on it yet. Some minor issues were recalled but it did not affect the performance of the vehicle. CarPlay feature is nice and it has a lot of cool features like wiper blades that come on automatically if water splashes on windshield, remote start, lane assist and tire pressure monitor. I do not like the fact the gas cap door does not lock and the seats are not electric.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 3.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 4.0
    Exterior 4.0
    Reliability 5.0
    5 people out of 5 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • First week with my CX-30

    This is my first Mazda, and I already suspect it won't be my last. The quality of this car vs. the price is really outstanding. I feel like I'm driving a luxury vehicle. It's only my first week with the car, so I can't speak to reliability yet but everything else has been stellar. Quiet, comfortable cabin, plenty of power for my needs (I feel like some of the complaints about this vehicle being underpowered are unfounded. That said, if this is your major concern, the new turbo engine is out this year). Thoughtful design elements throughout. I hate fingerprints on touchscreens, so I actually appreciate the large screen is not touch-enabled and have found the dial and shortcut buttons very easy to adapt to. The exterior styling of the CX-30 has its detractors, but I love the look personally -- just the right amount of class and ruggedness. If you're in the market for a small/subcompact SUV, the CX-30 definitely should be on your list.
    • Purchased a Used car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    7 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • I Bought the CX-30 Instead of a Subaru Crosstrek

    My wife and I LOVE our new Mazda CX-30. I literally look for excuses to drive it. “Honey, we need pickles, I hear there’s a great new grocery store three hours west of here, I’ll be back tonight” kind of thing. I’m a little over 1k miles after owning the car for not quite three weeks. Before getting the Mazda, we were going to get another Subaru Crosstrek to replace the 2018 Crosstrek we gave to one of our kids. We also really liked that car – the Crosstrek is the perfect size for us, lots of great safety features, it’s been super reliable for the first 30k miles. But it has two problems: it’s underpowered, and it’s noisy, especially at highway speeds. So, when Subaru came out with the bigger engine for 2021, I thought – great! They’ve fixed the power issue, I can live with the road noise. Then my brother said I should look at the Mazda CX-30. I did, and I drove it. I went back to drive it again, then I drove a 2021 Crosstrek Sport, then went back and drove the Mazda. Hands down, the Mazda was the better driving car. It’s quick, quiet, comfortable, great handling. Re the comfort – before buying the CX-30, I watched about every review on YouTube there is for the vehicle. There were a couple that complained about the front seats, especially the passenger seat. I have no idea what they’re talking about. I recently drove it for six hours in one day and was perfectly comfortable, and I’ve previously had back problems and hamstring problems. This car didn’t bother my back or hamstring at all. My wife was in the front passenger seat for three hours and found it to be extremely comfortable. The cabin of the CX-30 is way more luxurious than the Crosstrek, and, as mentioned above, much quieter. The CX-30 also has a ton of features the Crosstrek lacks: rain-sensing windshield wipers, power lift gate, memory seats, and heads-up display. All of these you don’t think you need, but once you’ve had them for a day, you will never get a car without them again. My wife and I also both really like the Mazda’s infotainment and nav systems, it took no time at all to get used to the dial control; in fact, now, I prefer it. I also really like the location of the screen on the dash, compared to the Crosstrek, which has it lower down. And it’s fabulous that navigation directions appear in the heads-up display. The Crosstrek is still a great car. It has three advantages over the CX-30 that I can think of that might be more important to others than they are to my wife and me: 1. More back seat room. If you need more rear-seat room (eg if you will be driving around adults, or children in rear-facing car-seats), you’ll probably want to go with the Crosstrek. 2. The Crosstrek also has more ground clearance (I believe about another inch) so it should be better off-road. 3. The Crosstrek also has a much larger gas tank. That’s my one gripe about the CX-30 – for some reason, the gas tank is only about twelve gallons, compared to about 17 for the Crosstrek. Initial impression of mileage for me is that the two cars are very similar, or perhaps the Crosstrek is a mile or two better. I just put three quarters of a tank in the CX-30 this afternoon, after a mix of highway and city, and got about 27 MPG. In the crosstrek, I was getting around that, maybe one or two MPG better. All of this is in very flat (non-mountain) conditions. Now, excuse me, please I just heard there’s a grocery store a couple hours north of hear that’s got mayonnaise on sale.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    7 people out of 7 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Premium vehicles

    Love this car! It’s like a luxury car at an affordable price. Safety features brought my insurance down from my old 2002 vehicle! Performance is wonderful!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • I just bought this car and I love it!

    It is the perfect size and has all of the safety features that I was looking for. It rides so smoothly and responsively. It's zippy too!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Transporting family
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 4.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • The car to buy

    We found this car to have excellent reviews and the price was right. We need the car for commuting and the safety features and automated features are important to us.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Absolutely Love this car

    I previously had a 2017 Mazda CX 5 I was not shopping for a new car but got a letter from dealership that was worth looking into a trade. I was going to drive both the CX 30 and CX 5. The sales person asked which one I wanted to drive first I took the CX 30 because of course I already drove a CX 5. It was love at first site! This is a very attractive sporty looking vehicle. First thing I said was wow that is a good looking car! It had all the upgrades. Roof racks Utility mats throughout. Very attractive color. It can sometimes look blue. But it is the Metallic Gray. The interior is beautiful. It drives great and has a few upgrades that the CX 5 didn't have such as the set seating and sunglass holder. I did not mind the smaller style one bit! It actually fits me better than the CX 5. This car has all the features you could possibly want. The connectivity service app that is included for 3 years is awesome! Needless to say I never drove the 2020 CX5:-)I plan on keeping this one for a long time to come!
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    1 person out of 1 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • THE NEW PERFECT CAR FOR ME

    Designed by engineers, beautiful exterior styling, nice drive, 12 speakers, extremely clean dashboard, low noise level, fun to drive, good size rear compartment, fits babyseat.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • Only drove it home from the dealer

    Purchased it for my son. Will suit his needs for narrow streets in Boston neighborhoods where he attends school. Small car that will fit in tight parking spaces.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Having fun
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 4.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No
  • FUN to Zoom Zoom

    I plan on having this car for the next 10 years. Its going to be fun!!! So many standard features that I thought were extras.
    • Purchased a New car
    • Used for Commuting
    • Does recommend this car
    Comfort 5.0
    Interior 5.0
    Performance 5.0
    Value 5.0
    Exterior 5.0
    Reliability 5.0
    0 people out of 0 found this review helpful. Did you?
    Yes No

Latest news from cars.com

See all news

Mazda dealers near you

FAQ

What trim levels are available for the 2020 Mazda CX-30?

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 is available in 3 trim levels:

  • (2 styles)
  • Preferred Package (2 styles)
  • Premium Package (2 styles)

What is the MPG of the 2020 Mazda CX-30?

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 offers up to 25 MPG in city driving and 33 MPG on the highway. These figures are based on EPA mileage ratings and are for comparison purposes only. The actual mileage will vary depending on vehicle options, trim level, driving conditions, driving habits, vehicle maintenance, and other factors.

What are some similar vehicles and competitors of the 2020 Mazda CX-30?

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 compares to and/or competes against the following vehicles:

Is the 2020 Mazda CX-30 reliable?

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 has an average reliability rating of 5.0 out of 5 according to cars.com consumers. Find real-world reliability insights within consumer reviews from 2020 Mazda CX-30 owners.

Is the 2020 Mazda CX-30 a good SUV?

Below are the cars.com consumers ratings for the 2020 Mazda CX-30. 100.0% of drivers recommend this vehicle.

4.9 / 5
Based on 45 reviews
  • Comfort: 4.9
  • Interior: 4.8
  • Performance: 4.8
  • Value: 4.9
  • Exterior: 4.9
  • Reliability: 5.0

Mazda CX-30 history

Your list was successfully saved.
Your comparisons
 
 
 
 
Save list Compare