A short preview of the 2020 Mazda CX-30

The car in our photo is the 2020 Mazda CX-30 SUV and as the name suggests it provides a middle ground between the more smaller Mazda CX-3 and larger Mazda CX-5. This means that it’s in direct competition with cars such as the SEAT Ateca, Nissan Qashqai and Volvo XC40.

The CX-40’s platform is shared with the Mazda 3 hatchback and the interior is extremely similar too. This isn’t a bad thing as both quality and equipment levels are high as is the standard of the general layout. Pretty much everything is where you’d expect it to be. The infotainment screen, which sits neatly is a dashboard alcove surrounded by leather, can be controlled by a simple rotary dial. Unfortunately, it’s not all perfect in the cabin as the rear seat space is comparatively cramped and difficult to access thank to such small doors. Meanwhile, the boot is of an average size and matches what the Nissan Qashqai has to offer.

It’s only when you get out on the road that the CX-30 is able to show of its party-piece. For a family SUV this car really is a lot of fun to drive. It has sharp and well-weighted steering and decent body control. It’s a comfortable drive and delivers a ride quality that’s actually better than its Mazda 3 hatchback sibling. The only drawback to the driving experience is that not everyone will get along with the two engine choices on offer. Both are 2.0 litre petrols that do away with turbo-charging. What this means is that there’s not as much in-gear pulling power that you’d get in, let’s say, the 1.5 litre TSI unit you find in the SEAT Ateca. As there’s no diesels on offer it means that if long distance fuel economy is your ultimate priority then it may be worth you looking elsewhere. Your gearbox options comprise of either a 6-speed manual or automatic both of which are very good.

In summary the CX-30 is a well-equipped, nicely built and good to drive alternative to the regular family SUV crowd. The lack of a diesel engine may put some people off. However if you don’t cover big miles on a regular basis then it’s a car that’s certainly worth considering. If you’re interested then don’t forget to head to DesperateSeller.co.uk where we have a multitude of used Mazda CX-30 cars for sale.