Mazda CX-30: Japanese declare war on Germans

You can forget about them going after their own, or the offerings from South Korea, France or heaven forbid, the US. They are going after the big boys.

The big question though is, does Mazda’s new CX-30 have the firepower to tackle the likes of Volkswagen’s popular T-Roc and Audi’s premium Q2? I was recently given the opportunity of a brief launch drive of this new model that slots in above the CX-3 and below the CX-5 to wrap my head around if this is even remotely possible. We have already brought you all the details in our launch story from a week ago, and we will be getting a CX-30 for road test, so I won’t go into massive detail once again.

This is the second production model to adopt the latest evolution of Mazda’s Kodo design philosophy for their Coupe looking compact SUV. And as such I think this new CX-30 certainly has the styling to start the battle on the right foot. Interior wise I feel the CX-30 offers better quality, look and feel when compared to the T-Roc and the Q2. Minimalist, effective, with no hard plastics on display, with a neat symmetrical cockpit that is firmly focused on the driver as it should be.

Interior and luggage space is at least on par with the competitors, as is the tech offering in terms of the very latest version of MZD Connect, which comes in the form of an 8.8-inch display screen that allows for easy control of all infotainment, navigation, settings and connectivity applications. Occupant safety is well taken care of and the CX-30 was awarded the maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP in its latest series of tests and performed strongly in all four test categories: Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist.

Where the CX-30 takes a potentially ship sinking hit, although I honestly believe most buyers won’t really have an issue with this following point, but I do know that all petrol heads will. And that is Mazda still don’t have a turbocharged engine option for local buyers, and this is something both the T-Roc and Q2 capitalise heavily on. The naturally aspirated 121kW/213Nm 2.0-litre powerplant is adequate for everyday motoring, but if you are looking for a more spirited drive, then you will find the Germans somewhat more appealing.

Wrapping up the package the CX-30 comes with a three-year unlimited kilometre service plan, three-year factory warranty, a three-year roadside assistance and a five-year Corrosion Warranty. The CX-30 has been exceptionally well received around the world and has received many accolades, including winner of the Car-of-the-Year 2020 in Thailand, winner of the 2020 Red Dot Design Award, earned five stars and the highest safety rating in the Euro NCAP, won the 2020 Design Trophy in the SUV category in Germany, and being a finalist for the 2020 World Car-of-the-Year Award.

But despite all of what I have told you, none of it counts for anything down here on the tip of Africa. We value status almost over everything else and are quick to dismiss quality and reliability over badge appeal. Now if consumers could only get the 40-year-old notion that Mazda only builds cheap Japanese cars out of their heads, and actually go and have a look at what is on offer in 2021, half this seemingly impossible battle would be won.

Pricing

CX-30 2.0 Active AT – R469 000

CX-30 2.0 Dynamic AT – R499 000

CX-30 2.0 Individual AT – R540 000

T-Roc 1.4 TSI Design Tiptroic – R489 400

T-Roc 2.0 TSI Design DSG – R548 300

T-Roc 2.0 TSI R-Line DSG – R593 600

Q2 30 TFSI – R504 000

Q2 30 TFSI Sport – R534 000

Q2 35 TFSI – R545 500

Q2 35 TFSI Sport – R584 400

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