Mazda CX-30 Review: Final Score 6.7 Out of 10
This article examines the positive and negative points of our latest car review of the Mazda CX-30. The imported Mazda CX-30 from Aftab Khodro can be considered the first imported crossover from Mazda in the Iranian market; a vehicle with a strong options list and powerful powertrain, built on a technical philosophy that […] The post Mazda CX-30 Review: Final Score 6.7 Out of 10 first appeared on Akharin Khodro.
In this article, looking at different parts, we will examine the positive and negative points of scoring the latest car to Mazda CX-30.
Mazda CX-3 0 imported by Aftab Khodro can be considered the first imported Mazda crossover in the Iranian market; A car with a suitable option list and strong driving forces with a technical philosophy that differentiates it from turbocharged and dual-clutch market competitors. The version released in Iran is a product of the joint production line of Changan and Mazda in China, and it uses a 2-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated SKYACTIV-G engine with direct fuel injection, a 6-speed automatic transmission, and power transmission to the front axle. Dynamically, the CX-30 isn't a fast car in the true sense of the word, but the combination of the linear response of the naturally aspirated engine, the 6-speed AT gearbox and the relatively precise chassis gives it a coherent driving character.
The main strength of the car is safety. CX-30 2-liter gasoline got five stars in the 2019 Euro NCAP test and its adult occupant protection score reached 99%. Protection of children was evaluated by 86%, vulnerable road users by 80%, and safety assistance systems by 77%. According to the list of published equipment, the models sold in Iran are equipped with seven airbags and a set of active systems such as automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic warning and lane keeping assistants.
On paper, a naturally aspirated 2-liter engine with around 158 horsepower, a 6-speed transmission, and front-wheel drive doesn't sound very exciting in a market where higher-numbered 1.5- and 2-liter turbo crossovers abound; But Mazda has invested more in this car on the predictable response of the driving forces, steering, chassis and the quality of the interaction between the driver and the car. CX-30 is based on the common architecture with the fourth generation Mazda 3. The front suspension is McPherson and the rear suspension is Twist Beam or Torsion Beam. The combined consumption of this car is about 6.1 liters per 100 kilometers.
Under the hood of the CX-30 is a 2-liter four-cylinder, 16-valve, naturally aspirated engine with direct fuel injection (GDI) that produces 158 horsepower and 202 Nm of torque. The naturally aspirated nature of the engine means that there is no sudden jump in torque of a turbo engine at low revs. To achieve the maximum power, the engine should go to the middle and high rev range; Therefore, in sudden overtaking, reversing the transmission is an integral part of the car's behavior. On the other hand, the power delivery is more linear and the throttle control behaves more predictably in quiet driving and when exiting corners.
Based on the practical tests performed on the roads of Iran, the acceleration of this car from 0 to 100 is recorded in about 10 to 10.5 seconds. This performance is sufficient for a 2-liter urban crossover, but the buyer should not expect the mid-range acceleration of a high-torque turbo crossover.
The combination of naturally aspirated engine and 6-speed automatic transmission is one of the main reasons why the CX-30 is attractive to owners who are concerned about long-term maintenance costs. There is no turbocharger, intercooler and dual clutch set in this car; As a result, some of the parts that can cause high repair costs in turbo and DCT powertrains have been basically eliminated. However, natural breathing should not be equated with simple and old-fashioned; The SKYACTIV-G engine uses direct fuel injection and its fuel system is sensitive to fuel quality and proper service.
The CX-30 uses a MacPherson suspension in the front and a semi-independent Twist Beam or Torsion Beam axle in the rear. This choice has advantages in terms of cost, weight and control, but it is not as flexible as the multi-link system in terms of independence of the movement of the rear wheels. Therefore, you should not expect a completely smooth and isolated ride on bumps or bumps that involve only one of the rear wheels.
The CX-30's suspension does more to curb excess body movements. As a result, the car's ride is controlled, not necessarily very smooth. This feature is considered a positive point on healthy roads; Because when changing the direction, the car will float less. However, on roads full of broken asphalt, the same setting can make sharp hits more felt.
The list of options is generally at an acceptable level for an imported crossover. CX-30 features features such as dual automatic air conditioning with rear vents, rear and side camera, paddle shifter, keyless start, electric driver's seat with memory, leather upholstery, electric trunk, sunroof, electric folding mirrors, head-up display (HUD), 360-degree camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Of course, it should be noted that some options were not present in the initial imported versions and were added to the list of features of this car in later series. The number of speakers and screen size are also among the things that differ in different imported series.
Among the negative points of this section, we can mention the lack of heater, cooler or seat massager, wireless mobile phone charger and cabin lighting. In this price range, the absence of some of these features is not far from expected. On the other hand, the positive thing is that, unlike some competitors, Mazda has not given all the functions to the touch screen and has kept the physical controller and common keys.
The wheelbase of 2,655 mm, the height of about 1,540 mm and the relatively compact body make the CX-30 feel closer to a tall hatchback compared to many longer crossovers. Electric steering, relatively stiff suspension adjustment and Mazda's focus on controlling body movements make the changes of directions feel more precise than the average crossovers.
The Twist Beam rear axle is not as complex as a multi-link system in terms of structure, but you cannot make a negative judgment about the car's handling based on the type of axle. Bushing adjustment, spring and shock stiffness, front suspension geometry, and stability control performance also play a role in the vehicle's ultimate behavior.
Simply put, the Mazda CX-30 is not supposed to be a real sports crossover, but the driver will feel less like sitting behind the wheel of a car with a long body and numb driving behavior.
In terms of driver assistance systems (ADAS), the CX-30 is well equipped on paper. The driver monitoring system, blind spot monitoring (BSD/BSM), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping assistant (LKA), forward collision warning (FCW), rear cross traffic warning (RCTA), traffic sign recognition (TSR) and traffic movement assistant (TJA) are among the equipment of this car. Automatic emergency braking is also included in its list of safety equipment.
The CX-30 has an undeniable advantage: the Mazda name is not unknown to the Iranian market. The history of Mazda 323 and different generations of Mazda 3 has made this brand not enter the market without a background from the beginning. However, Mazda's historical credibility should not be directly equated with the CX-30's liquidity; This model has recently entered the country's market in a limited edition and has not yet passed a multi-year cycle of buying and selling second-hand.
The service status of CX-30 is better than a personal import car or a branded product without official support, but it is still not comparable to cars that have had a service network in Iran for decades. Aftab Khodro has announced in August 1405 that the number of its authorized centers has reached 20 agencies and provides services such as online scheduling and 24-hour roadside assistance. This company has also announced the activity of 20 rescue teams, which is a positive point.
However, it is not possible to judge with certainty about indicators such as the percentage of parts supply in the first visit and the average waiting time for lights, bumpers, radar, body parts or engine parts. Consequently, it cannot be claimed that CX-30 parts are abundantly available. Supplying consumables will likely be a simpler matter, but body parts, ADAS sensors and model-specific assemblies may require more cost and time in the event of an accident. Until the service network has a few years of practical experience, this issue will continue to be one of the risks of car ownership.
CX-30 is one of the leading examples of Mazda's KODO design language; In this style, body volume is more important than broken lines and numerous decorations. An elongated nose, a large grille with a narrow frame, relatively narrow lights and soft surfaces on the fenders have made the car still look relatively fresh even a few years after its initial introduction. The rear design also establishes a good visual connection with the front view with circular lights drawn into the frame and two exhaust outlets.
In the side view, the black plastic covering around the fenders and the lower part of the doors has been chosen deliberately large so that the body, which basically has proportions close to a hatchback, will find the identity of a crossover. This part probably divides the tastes into two groups: for some, it makes the car look more muscular, and for others, the amount of black plastic is too much.
The superiority of the CX-30 design is more in its overall coherence than in display and exaggeration. There is no mention of a large amount of chrome or numerous elements, and instead, the surfaces of the body and its proportions play the main role. The negative points of this design style include the relatively limited area of the rear side windows and the wider C-pillar, which can limit rear visibility.
The design of the dashboard is driver-oriented, and unlike many new cars, the large screen has not dominated the entire architecture of the cabin. The main problem appears when we get from the quality to the cabin space. The 2,655mm wheelbase isn't bad for a 4,395mm long crossover, but the interior isn't designed to provide maximum second-row space.
The space in the front of the cabin is good, but the rear passengers will not have a very comfortable place to sit. The middle seat is also not an ideal choice for long journeys. This issue is considered a negative point for a car that is placed in the category of crossovers, considering its dimensions. Overall, the CX-30 has more of a quality cabin than a spacious cabin.
Safety is one of the CX-30's clearest strengths. The Euro NCAP institute gave Mazda CX-30 five stars in the 2019 test and announced a 99% adult occupant protection rating. The score for protecting children was 86%, vulnerable road users 80% and safety assistance systems 77%.
In the partial overlap crash test, the passenger compartment remained stable and Euro NCAP rated knee and thigh protection for the driver and front passenger as good. In the full-width impact test, the protection of the vital areas of the driver's and rear passenger's bodies was adequate. The CX-30 also scored highly in the side impact and pole impact tests. The Smart Brake Support system also had a good performance in the urban scenarios examined.
CX-30 imported from Iran is equipped with a 6-speed AT automatic transmission and transfers power to the front axle. Mazda calls the Active Adaptive Shift logic for its automatic transmission. This system can change the gear change points according to the slope of the road, twisting, height and the amount of pressing the gas pedal. Mazda also explains that in some situations, holding the gear and delay in changing it is not necessarily a sign of failure and can be the system's decision to maintain the appropriate gear ratio.
Another advantage of this gearbox for the Iranian market is that, unlike CVT, it has a real gear change, and unlike DCT, it does not depend on two sets of friction clutches to move in traffic. Of course, this does not mean that the gearbox is not damaged; Using the right oil, controlling the operating temperature and proper maintenance are still very important. However, overall we are dealing with a gearbox that, in terms of structure, can have lower maintenance costs than some more complex systems.
This section is one of the most important criteria for the Iranian consumer. It's true that the CX-30's engine is naturally aspirated and less sensitive to fuel quality than turbocharged engines, but Mazda explicitly recommends premium unleaded gasoline with an octane number of RON 95 or higher in its official catalog for the SKYACTIV-G 2.0 engine.
SKYACTIV-G engine is a modern engine with direct fuel injection and high compression ratio; Therefore, fuel quality is still important. Continuous use of fuel of lower quality than the factory specification can force the ECU to modify the ignition timing and in improper conditions, there is a risk of knocking or knocking.
Mazda CX-30 is not a car that will overcome all competitors with an extraordinary feature. Its power of 155 to 158 horsepower is not a big number in today's market, the rear row space could be more and the rear suspension is not of the multi-link type. On the other hand, when the free price of the car reaches 11 billion Tomans in Mehr 1405 and above, it becomes more difficult to defend its purchase value.
On the other hand, the integrated chassis engineering, naturally aspirated engine, 6-speed AT gearbox, very good safety level, complete set of driving assistants, well-made cabin and understated design have formed a set that makes the CX-30 a different option from the common turbo and double-clutch crossovers on the market.
Finally, the Mazda CX-30 has a lot to say for the buyer who prefers handling, build quality, safety and natural behavior of the powertrain to the huge back row space or high acceleration in turbocharged cars. But for someone who wants maximum engine power, larger cabin space or less sensitivity to gasoline quality, there will be more reasonable options.
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