2024 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Review: Flexible To Gas Up And Fun On The Road

Launched at the start of the decade, the Mazda CX-30 would soon take up where the CX-3 would leave off, as the automaker's rugged-looking subcompact crossover champion. Aimed at singles and new families-to-be who want to drive something a little spicier than typical subcompact fare, this stepping stone to more "grown-up" vehicles has definitely been a hit in the United States. The low admission fee to experience the CX-30's "zoom-zoom-zoom" certainly caught more than a few eyes, as well as the crossover's attractive Kodo appearance, the promise of all-wheel drive, and Mazda's signature handling capability.

It's now 2024, though. Will the CX-30 continue its streak of sales increases among those singles and couples? Are there any new tricks up its sleeve? How will it fare against newer and updated competition like the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, or the Volvo XC40? To determine where Mazda's subcompact crossover stands near the middle of the 2020s, the automaker recently sent down an example in its highest trim, the CX-30 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus, down to the windy roads and busy intersections of my Old Dominion home in Southwestern Virginia for a week of errands, highway cruising, and mountain curves. 

Until those singles and couples need either the Mazda CX-90 or the mild-hybrid CX-70 and their 3.3-liter inline-six engines for their growing families, those entering Mazda's world through the 2024 CX-30 have the Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder to move around town and beyond. Without the turbo, there's 191 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque going exclusively to all four corners via a six-speed automatic; front-wheel drive versions vanished from the factory for the 2022 model year on.

Should more power be needed or desired, though, the 2.5 Turbo models pump up the volume to the tune of up to 250 horsepower and up 320 lb-ft of torque. To get all this power, though, drivers will need to open up their wallets at the pump, as premium fuel is required. That can be a painful proposal to most CX-30 2.5 Turbo owners, especially when premium fuel commands truly premium prices as of this writing. Luckily, though, the turbos can function happily on lower-cost regular gas, with Mazda's ECU knowing how to make the most of what passes through the cylinder heads. The result amounts to 227 horses and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Sliding down into the 2024 Mazda CX-30, the driver is greeted by a trio of analog/LCD gauges, accompanied by a standard 8.8-inch touchscreen. The premium trims of the subcompact receive a 10.25-inch center display as well as a heads-up display. The 360-degree camera system can pick up on the speed limit signs to help guide the use of the adaptive cruise control, too: a green line appears at the appropriate speed on the speedometer for locking the cruise control onto.

The center display in all trims of the CX-30 can either be touched directly or controlled by the dial on the center console, though using the dial will take getting used to for owners new to Mazda's way of doing things. The premium trims gain both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the non-premium models have regular CarPlay with Android Auto coming soon, if not already. 

All trims possess a wide variety of safety and driver tech as standard, including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and auto high beams. The premium trims add the aforementioned traffic sign recognition, but only the top-tier 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus has the 360-degree camera system and enhanced adaptive cruise control available during certain highway traffic situations.

Being one of the two entry points into the Mazda family (the other being the Mazda3), as well as residing in a segment that has largely replaced the old guard of low-cost hatchbacks and other econoboxes, the 2024 Mazda CX-30 presents a few options for interior comforts, depending on trim and budget. The base 2.5 S, for example, has tons of standard amenities that would've been the envy of the economy lot a decade or so ago, like remote keyless entry, power windows and door locks, and air conditioning. Cloth seating for five does bring it all back to earth, though. 

Start moving up the trim line, and materials give way from cloth, to leatherette, to genuine leather, while more amenities like leather-wrapped steering wheels, dual-zone climate control, and rear air conditioning vents make things more pleasant.

Cameron Aubernon/SlashGear

For most outings around town, the 60/40 split rear bench left in its upright position is enough as far as hauling things around go. At 20.2 cubic feet, a few bags of groceries or some flat-packed furniture will be cozy out back, for sure. Bring down the seats, though, and the space opens up to 45.2 cubic feet for bigger items or enough gear for a weekend getaway. The rear seats are also a bit cozy, with legroom at 36.3 inches compared to the spacious 41.7 inches for the driver and front passenger; it's still a subcompact crossover, after all.

Like the rest of the Mazda family, the 2024 CX-30 wears the automaker's Kodo design language well, presenting a handsome and fairly classic offering in a segment that can sometimes lean into more unconventional territory. Though this example isn't wearing Mazda's signature (and striking) Soul Red Crystal Metallic tint coat, the Platinum Quartz Metallic fits nicely with the black plastic cladding over the fenders and lower trim. It looks as if you could go off-roading (for a given definition of off-roading, anyway) in this subcompact crossover. In fact, the all-wheel drive system has an off-road mode for low-speed adventure away from asphalt.

That said, most owners aren't going to even visit the trails the CX-30's bigger sibling, the CX-50, plays upon. Its rugged looks are really for the mean streets, which have their own obstacles waiting for their next victims. For what it's worth, the cladding does mean fewer scratches to the paint to worry about when pulling into the parking lot, or brushing past foliage in narrow backstreets.

After reviewing a handful of big trucks, spending a week with the CX-30 in its ultimate 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus form was a refreshing change. The nimble handling Mazda's known for really showed itself on my usual photoshoot trip to Draper Valley Overlook in Pulaski County, Virginia, gliding through the turns up and down the mountain before heading back home on the local routes. Fuel economy was decent for the majority in-town driving I did, with the subcompact crossover landing at around 20 mpg. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 22 mpg city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. 

Though more expensive, the turbo-four definitely brings the "zoom-zoom-zoom," especially the sound the engine makes when pulling away from the lights. It can certainly get you in trouble quickly if you're not paying attention, but you'll at least be wearing a smile when the red-and-blue lights flash into view.

In a segment generally ruled by price,the 2024 Mazda CX-30 presents an unusually premium experience. The 2.5 S starts at $24,995, some $800 above the 2024 Mazda3 Sedan's starting MSRP of $24,170; the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus as-tested arrived with a total sticker of $38,310 including destination fees. For comparison, the Volkswagen Taos starts at $23,995, while the 2024 Hyundai Kona begins at $24,250, and the Volvo XC40 is close with the premium trims at $36,350. 

The Kona offers more cargo space for the price with 25.5 cubic feet before the seats are folded, though with more polarizing looks to go with the space. The Subaru Crosstrek, meanwhile, will follow the CX-50 and the rest of the soft-roaders down the bumpier trails. And, unlike the CX-30, the Volvo offers a mild hybrid option and an XC40 Recharge all-electric version.

Still, the CX-30 remains a hit for Mazda in this space, bringing in new customers into the fold, as well as giving older fans in the midst of downsizing a fun option in motoring. Fortunes can change for this subcompact crossover as the decade goes into its second half, of course, but for now, choosing this machine for the everyday is a safe bet to place.