√2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve review

The name might be a mouthful, but we are here to demystify Mazda’s latest small SUV. Does the 2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid strike the right balance for a refined and efficient family car?

What we love

Good quality 360-degree camera system
Nice combination of ride quality and handling
Interior quality and presentation

What we don’t

Lacks the space and versatility of segment rivals
Not very hybrid nor efficient
Priced close to larger mid-sized SUV competitors

Introduction

Today, we’ve got the new mild-hybrid variant of Mazda’s latest small SUV offering: a 2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid.

It’s a new variant of the already comprehensive CX-30 SUV range, which itself squeezes into Mazda’s array of SUVs as yet another option. Along with more traditional SUV options from the Japanese manufacturer like the CX-3, CX-5 and CX-9, Mazda is offering even more choice for SUV-hungry Australians. There’s the CX-8, as well as the smaller MX-30 and CX-30.

And don’t forget, there’s a new CX-60 on the horizon as well, which takes Mazda’s SUV offerings up to seven in total.

In terms of dimensions, this CX-30 sits in between the CX-3 light SUV and CX-5 medium SUV. Does that make it a big compact SUV, or a compact medium SUV?

Let’s decode this car’s tongue-twisting name and nomenclature. The lower-case ‘e’ denotes a mild-hybrid assist system, which Mazda has also chosen to spell out at the end of the name.

Taking the existing 2.0-litre non-turbo, four-cylinder petrol engine, Mazda has tacked on a 24-volt mild-hybrid system. This operates through something known as a belt alternator starter (BAS), which replaces a normal alternator. This unit charges a small (0.17kWh) 24-volt lithium-ion battery under braking, which is then used to power vehicle electronics and a more advanced stop-start system.

Power outputs remain the same, 114kW and 200Nm, but claimed fuel economy drops by 0.2 litres per hundred kilometres, from 6.5L/100km (for the non-hybrid variant) to 6.3L/100km.

The engine takes non-premium 91-octane regular petrol at the bowser, and runs through a six-speed automatic transmission that benefits from full torque converter lock-up on all ratios.

The differences for the 2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid over the non-hybridised CX-30 Evolve don’t stop at the powertrain.

Sitting above the base Pure specification, both Evolve variants get things like an 8.8-inch infotainment display, 7.0-inch instrument cluster display, auto LED headlights with high-beam assistance, rear parking sensors, push-button start, and an eight-speaker sound system. These are all items shared with the Pure.

Evolve goes to dual-zone climate control, 18-inch wheels, paddle shifters, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, second-row armrest (with cupholders), and a sunglasses storage box.

Our car – a CX-30 G20e Evolve – gets some extra kit atop the mild-hybrid bits: keyless entry, 10-way power adjustment for the driver with two-position memory, auto-dipping and position-memory mirrors, 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, and driver monitoring.

All of this effectively costs $3750 considering the non-hybrid Evolve with less kit costs $32,090 (before on-road costs).

Key details	2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid
Price (MSRP)	$35,840 plus on-road costs
Colour of test car	Snowflake White Pearl Mica
Options	None
Price as tested	$35,840 plus on-road costs, $39,815 drive-away (Sydney)
Rivals	Suzuki Vitara \| Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross \| Hyundai Kona

Inside

The Mazda CX-30 might slot into a sweet spot for Australian buyers, who want something right-sized for urban use, that can still double up as a small SUV for family duties. The CX-30 splits the difference between the smaller CX-3 and medium-sized CX-5 for length, width and height.

The CX-30 sits closer in overall dimensions to the MX-30 small SUV, which is positioned as a design flagship for the brand, but offers a more conventional design.

Despite being nowhere near top specification, this CX-30 G20e Evolve looks and feels quite nice. There is a mixture of materials – some hard and others soft – around that helps this feel good for the asking price. It’s got a feeling of cohesion.

And for those wanting a little bit of extra space in their SUV, they are probably looking for said space behind the front seats. So with that in mind, let’s go through this CX-30 by starting from the business end.

The boot of the CX-30 is square and carpeted, with its quoted 317L being a decent offering for the segment. For comparison’s sake, the CX-3 is smaller at 264L, while the CX-5 is bigger at 442L.

And like other SUVs in Mazda’s range, the size of the boot does play something of a second fiddle to the overall shape and design. There are bigger boots available out there, in other words, but the car will likely be more box-shaped.

Underneath the boot floor you’ll find a space-saving spare wheel along with the tyre-changing equipment. Up on top, there is a sturdy parcel shelf that could actually handle a bit of weight, which is much better than the flimsy fabric designs you see on other competitors.

The second row of the CX-30 has a good amount of room available for the segment. In this regard, it feels closer to a mid-sized SUV than a small one, which is nice. It is not capacious by any means, but we fit the kids in the back – along with their big baby seats – without any issues.

Headroom is particularly good, while legroom is decent and adequate. You’ll find a couple of air vents in the back of the centre console, but no USB power outlets for second-row useage.

Overall comfort is also good in the back. The blue leather-esque material up front is continued on the second-row doors, which is nice. We noted that the relatively high hip line in the doors means the windows aren’t massive, and kids in baby seats might not be able to observe the outside world. And on that point, you’ll see ISOFIX points on the outboard seats and top tether points (mounted on the seat-backs) for all three.

The interior of the CX-30 is perhaps at its strongest up front, especially for the driver. It’s well-designed with a sense of cohesion. It’s also comfortable and practical; two important traits for a vehicle of this kind.

Adding electric adjustment in this specification does help elevate the everyday useage experience, offering good and easy adjustment of driver ergonomics. Tying the electric mirrors into this system is a nice touch, and not something you’ll find in every car with memory seats.

The cloth-covered seats are also good: slightly bucketed in their design, and with a little splash of extra stitching to raise them above the ordinary.

Which brings me to my next point. The seating position – and overall driving experience – of the CX-30 is decidedly car-like. Things like visibility and seat height in particular don’t seem much different to what one would expect from a sedan or wagon.

It’s probably a good thing for many buyers who don’t want to feel like they are purchasing a monster truck, but it raises the question of whether this CX-30 competes with non-SUVs like the Toyota Camry, Skoda Octavia and Hyundai Elantra.

There are twin cupholders in front of the shifter for beverage-carrying duties and a storage slot that suits a phone. The glovebox is quite big, and the centre console as well. There is a removable divider in the latter for some extra practicality, and you can reach in without fully opening it. For everyday useage, it works well.

Around the gearshifter you’ll find a plane of piano-black plastic material that (admittedly) looks quite nice when clean and new. It shows up grime and dust quite quickly, however, and after only 1100km our tester was already displaying scratches on a high-traffic area. Bangles, watches and things like that were no doubt to blame.

	2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid
Seats	Five
Boot volume	317L
Length	4395mm
Width	1795mm
Height	1540mm
Wheelbase	2655mm

Infotainment and Connectivity

The infotainment display in this CX-30 isn’t touchscreen-operated. Instead, there is a chunky rotary dial located between the volume knob and electric parking brake.

There is a thick stepped feeling in the dial, which allows you to operate it more easily while on the move – and keeping your eyes on the road as much as possible. This is better than some touchpad set-ups, but I would still prefer a touchscreen for everyday useage, as featured in some older Mazda vehicles.

It’s worth pointing out here that some newer Mazdas (like the MX-30) are moving to a touchscreen operating system. However, this CX-30 is persisting with the rotary dial.

The infotainment display measures in at 8.8 inches. Not huge, but it looks nice and works in well with the overall dashboard design. It features ingredients like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, native navigation and digital radio.

In front of the driver is a round 7.0-inch TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen that mimics an analogue gauge, but allows a handful of different readouts and measurements.

Safety and Technology

ANCAP crash testing back in 2019 gave the Mazda CX-30 full marks with a five-star score. Impressively, the model scored a near-perfect 99 per cent result for adult occupant protection.

And in comparison to Pure and non-hybrid Evolve specifications, you get a few extra bits of kit in this hybrid model that help in the safety and technology stakes.

Lane-departure warning, lane-keep assistance, radar cruise control (with stop-go functionality), rear parking sensors, reversing camera, rear cross-traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking (with junction assistance), and low-speed reverse autonomous braking are all equipment you will find in the cheapest, base specification.

The CX-30 G20e Evolve mild hybrid adds a few extra bits, however. There is a more advanced keyless entry function, a quality 360-degree camera system, Cruising and Traffic Support, driver monitoring, front cross-traffic alert, front parking sensors, and electric adjustment for the driver’s seat.

A little extra detail here: the driver’s seat has 10 ways of electric adjustment (including lumbar support) and two memory functions. There are curtain airbags for front and rear seats, as well as a driver’s knee airbag. And that thing called Cruising and Traffic Support is a kind of semi-autonomous driving mode for low-speed driving in traffic.

	2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid
ANCAP rating	Five stars (tested 2019)
Safety report	Link to ANCAP report

Value for Money

Naturally, Mazda has this CX-30 pegged in between the CX-3 and CX-5 on price, which makes sense. And within its own ecosystem, the G20e Evolve M Hybrid stacks up reasonably. If Mazda wanted an extra three grand in return for the meagre saving in fuel, it wouldn’t stack up. But adding in a few extra bits like the 360-degree camera system, front parking sensors, and adjustable driver’s seat helps balance the ledger of value somewhat.

And it’s a far cry from the top-spec Astina, which costs around $12,000 more with its Skyactiv-X engine and all-you-can-eat specification grade. From that point of view, this G20e Evolve could be a sweet spot in the range for many buyers.

At $35,000, the CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid does sit at the precipice of larger SUVs – albeit at lower specification grades. Entry-level options like the Kia Sportage, Nissan X-Trail and Toyota RAV4 are all within reach.

However, the question must be asked about how this SUV – which isn’t very SUV beyond the wheel cladding – competes more broadly with other options. Namely: wagons.

Along with options like the Volkswagen T-Roc and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (small SUVs on the big side), one should also consider options like a Subaru Impreza, Skoda Scala and Kia Cerato. Even some larger wagons can be had in their base specifications, like the Skoda Octavia and Mazda 6.

The servicing costs are set at $1151 for the first three years, and five years takes it to $2002. Servicing costs aren’t the cheapest among set-price service plans, and may vary depending on use and distance covered.

Mazda’s warranty is a good one covering five years and unlimited kilometres of driving.

At a glance	2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid
Warranty	Five years / unlimited km
Service intervals	12 months or 10,000km
Servicing costs	$1151 (3 years), $1641 (5 years)

Fuel economy for us worked out to be 7.7L/100km on an overall average with a variety of driving conditions. It was as high as 8.2L/100km with a heavier focus on town driving, while conditions very sympathetic to economy whittled that number down to 7.5L/100km.

It doesn’t match the 6.3L/100km claimed by Mazda, which is only slightly better than the same engine without the mild-hybrid add-ons.

Fuel Useage	Fuel Stats
Fuel cons. (claimed)	6.3L/100km
Fuel cons. (on test)	7.7L/100km
Fuel type	91-octane unleaded
Fuel tank size	51L

Find your nearest bp

Driving

Although there is a mild-hybrid addition to this 2.0-litre petrol engine, power outputs remain the same at 114kW and 200Nm. It’s enough for basic propulsion, but fails to offer anything more than that.

Big throttle inputs see the six-speed auto gearbox kick down a gear – cueing the engine to rev its heart out – and giving you enough punch for most situations. But powerful it is not.

The hybrid aspect of the powertrain doesn’t do anything to help shift mass, like you might find in other hybrids. Instead, it harvests kinetic energy from braking that charges the small (0.17kWh) 24V battery. This energy isn’t used to spin wheels, but is instead used to power onboard electrics like headlights, infotainment and instruments.

This energy is usually produced by burning fuel that spins an alternator. By taking this load off the engine – using the more sophisticated belt alternator starter (BAS) system – fuel savings are made possible.

In other words, it’s focussing more on the ‘mild’ than the ‘hybrid’. Noticing the engine flares up from cold start – revving mildly to build up some heat – doesn’t feel very hybrid. The engine can also be a little noisy in operation at times.

Despite the occasional engine noise, the big benefit from the mild-hybrid set-up is the tidy stop-start system. The engine turns off pre-emptively as it coasts down to a stop, which saves a few combustion cycles in the engine. Then it uses the system to help kick the engine over fairly smoothly when you want to take off and can ‘assist’ the engine to get up to speed as you start off from a stop.

With that out of the way, the Mazda CX-30 is easy and car-like to drive.

Ride quality is overall very good, blending the important elements of a quality ride and tidy handling at the same time. There is some busyness that translates into the cabin over your rougher patchwork roads with potholes and drains at lower speeds.

At higher speeds, the CX-30 is nothing but composed. It’s tuned in a manner that feels rewarding through the corners, but it (importantly) doesn’t spoil the entire broth.

Larger wallows and bumps – especially at speed – prove the CX-30 is very good. It turns sharply and sweetly into corners with confidence. This isn’t really about being a weekend warrior through the twisties, but if you need to swerve and avoid, the CX-30 feels well tied down.

The overall driving experience might be SUV in name but not in nature. It’s more like a large hatchback, which isn’t a bad thing really. The whole SUV dilemma is a can of worms. Everybody wants one, which is fair enough. But making something more decidedly SUV – with more mass and a higher centre of gravity – comes with compromises.

Instead, our experience here is more car-like: compliant, small and easy to handle. And the turning circle is tight, which is always a good thing for parking.

Key details	2022 Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve M Hybrid
Engine	2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol + mild hybrid
Power	114kW @ 6000rpm
Torque	200Nm @ 4000rpm
Drive type	Front-wheel drive
Transmission	Six-speed torque convertor automatic
Power to weight ratio	78.1kW/t
Weight (kerb)	1460kg
Tow rating	1200kg braked, 600kg unbraked
Turning circle	10.6m

Conclusion

Hybrid SUVs might be all the rage at the moment, spearheaded no doubt by Toyota’s Yaris Cross, C-HR, and RAV4 Hybrid SUV ranges.

This CX-30 doesn’t carry the same hybrid punch in terms of either efficiency or performance. However, that doesn’t make the G20e Evolve M Hybrid a bad vehicle. Far from it, in fact. It’s nice to drive, rides well, and has an interior that is very nice for the asking price.

Are the fuel economy gains of this mild hybrid worth it? No. However, the additional spec makes good sense.

It’s front-wheel drive, petrol-powered and low-slung. They’re not necessarily SUV traits. The only one I can see is the cladding around the wheel arches, really. But does that matter? For an SUV that’s not too big – but potentially just big enough – the CX-30 G20e strikes a nice balance of size and equipment.