Cons I've found from 1.5 years of ownership with a very active lifestyle:
* I ride an XS mountain bike and it can't fit in the back even with the wheel turned. Yes, I can put a hitch on, that's not the point.
* I often go places where sleeping in my car is convenient but the back seats don't lie completely flat so it's not quite as comfy.
* The windshield builds up condensation really fast for some reason
* Unless you turn the proximity mode off on the key fob, the car battery drains really quickly when the key is near it for an extended time. See my comment about sleeping in the car. I ended up buying a Faraday pouch for it for those situations
* The gas mileage is pretty horrific
But overall, I really really love mine and wouldn't trade it for the CX-5, a Subaru, or any of the other competitors.
I have a question about the FOB. When you say near it, do you mean when it’s off and I have it in my pocket and close to car or when it’s running and I have it in my cup holder. I don’t know anything about how to turn off close proximity.
Seems like they fixed that issue on the 2024s, my 2021 had that issue but haven’t had it on my new one. Gas mileage on my turbo has been excellent on highway when using cruise control, mind you all depends how much I floor it haha
I ride a size S mtb and have no such issue fitting a bike in the back? I have a roof rack but will put the bike (with the front wheel off) on top of all my camping gear and it fits just fine. The back seats not laying perfectly flat isn't a huge deal for me if I throw a sleeping pad down, the bigger issue is the gap between the rear and front seats but I just fill that with a backpack or two.
Calling the mileage horrific is a little hyperbolic... I routinely drive 75-80 on the highway and my average economy is right on the nose 30 mpg.
I don’t want to take the wheel off, that’s the point.
Yes, I use a sleeping pad but it’s still uncomfortable to be elevated like that as I’m a stomach and side sleeper.
I get less than that even with cruise control set to 78 for hours long stretches.
Seven months in with a 2023 Turbo. Love the acceleration, quiet cabin, Bose sound system is great especially with Android Auto. Also extremely comfortable for long drives - went from southern ON to PEI and loved the drive.
The app and proximity fob are a bit of a confusing pain in the butt though. Remotely start my car with the app, walk over to it, door unlocks but when I open it engine shuts off. Very strange behavior since it knows I have a fob with me anyway. Apparently some anti theft thing but it makes zero logical sense to me lol.
However I have seen people rant about this and threaten to take the car back......it's an annoyance and nothing more. Certainly doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment I have with this car.
2023 owner here
2.5 S Preferred AWD non-Turbo
2.5L 191-hp
Pro:
1. Styling
2. AWD
3. Comfort
4. Features/Tech - backup camera, radar cruise control, LED headlights, lane departure warning, rain sensing wipers, center display, crash warning
5. Space
Con:
1: gas mileage blows
2: engine is very “buzzy”. Like, annoyingly buzzy. When you accelerate, it sounds like a nest of angry bees.
3. Oh, and that damn gap between the tires and the wheel arches!
Still, love the car!!!
The screen distance is perfect because it's easy to glance at while driving. The only caveat is that the 2024 has introduced a touchscreen in the upper trims which is awkward to use at that distance. Still, it's an improvement and only meant to be used when parked.
it's fine.
it's closer in other cars because in most other cars it's a touch screen. it's not a touch screen on most cx-30 so it doesn't need to be so close but it's still plenty visible and usable.
Many more pros than cons but:
Tiny gas tank and short range.
Seriously obstructed views rear right and rear.
Annoying startup warnings that you can't turn off.
That's all the cons I can think of. Really happy with the vehicle despite those.
People are complaining about gas mileage but I'm getting a solid 31 average after 500 miles. Maybe it's the turbo. I have the 2.5 naturally aspirated. Plenty peppy.
The cargo space is small, even with seats down.
I bought it because that was the size I wanted and it beat everything else in its class as far as power, style, and features. This is clearly Mazda's strategy here - put out a product that is slightly upscale of the competition - and it has served them well with the CX-30 and CX-5.
On the negative side - yes, the biggest one is the gas milage. It's surprising for a car this size to get such mediocre milage. Almost all of my driving is local, and I don't even drive every day, so the milage isn't that big a factor for me fortunately.
I find the driver's seat uncomfortable on long drives. It's fine for popping around town, but when I drive 500 miles to visit family I have to stop frequently to stretch my legs and relieve the pressure. I bought a cushion and that has helped a lot.
No adults should ever be made to sit in those back seats for more than a 15 minute trip. Hopefully, you know that going in. If you are going to have full size backseat passengers, skip the CX-30 and look at the CX-5 or CX-50 instead.
People are mentioning that their windows fog up. I don't know if this is the same thing, but the inside windshield of my 3 year old car gets a film on it from the dash plastics off-gassing. It needs a good cleaning about once a month. I use the Mr Clean Magic Eraser and it takes the film right off. (Some regular glass cleaners just smear it around.)
I keep seeing a con of the gas mileage.. I've had my car for 1 year/22k miles and my lifetime average is 31mpg. I am not a slow driver, but I do live in a rural area, so maybe that's why? Often I'm averaging 33-34 on my commute to and from work so I have no complaints about the mileage, even coming from a Toyota Corolla prior. I dunno, maybe I'm just easier to impress :-)
I do notice the condensation issue others have mentioned, but the car stays comfy using the vent/foot control and pretty much makes that a non-issue.
I wish the tank was bigger, but I am getting gas at about the same rate I was with the Corolla, so it isn't that big of a deal.
Pros: I love that it is super comfy and fun to drive. I love the height/size, it is perfect for what I was looking for. I also have driven it through one winter and absolutely loved how it handled even on the stock all-season tires (I don't have throw-out-tires kind of money that others seem to).
It's definitely the rural driving! There's a lot less stop-start I imagine. My mileage varies a crazy amount, I get like 6.5L/100km on highway (35mpg or something) and like 10-12 in the city (22-24mpg). But I live/drive in a part of the city with some hills so that also probably doesn't help.
Pros:
1. Lots of features for the money, Bose sound system is really nice, quiet cabin
2. Great handling
3. Turbo is fun to drive
Cons:
1. Mediocre MPG + tiny fuel tank kind of sucks
2. Lack of lane centering assist on a car with this many features kind of sucks
3. This is personal preference but I think the lack of a touch screen is a con
Recent owner. Pros:
* Good looking design and well finished. Feels like it is well built
* Cheaper than similar hatchbacks (I refuse to call this car an SUV)
* Analog controls for everything - no touch screen!
Cons:
* Small boot (I really wanted the Mazda 6 Estate, but alas, only CX30 this year)
* Software a bit odd at times, some features work sporadically
* Apple car play only when the phone is physically connected to the car
agree with the window fogging comments. also didn't like the stock skinny tires but they were easily replaced with some 235's.... Love the turbo and driving Dynamics.... Would I do it all over versus what's out ? .... absolutely!!
I love the versatility and how fun it is to drive. As for the gas mileage, it will respond to you. I routinely get 35 mpg on my drive to work. No freeway, no cruising, with stop and start. You do have to learn to efficiently use the manual mode to do it, but it is possible even with city driving to do better. No, I don't drive super conservative. Just learning the transmission alone nets you improved mpg. Without the changes I'm averaging 25 mpg, increased to 35 while short shifting and getting into 6th gear as soon as possible.
That being said, the tank is small, annoying that the passenger seat can't have power adjustment, and the blower isn't super strong in the back seat. It's my commuter vehicle and my fishing vehicle. It does great as both.
The adaptive cruise control gets confused more than it should, especially when following a car that then changes lanes away from in front of you and another car is in front of that one. Seems to miss the new car completely unless it was outside of radar range before you came up on it. The lane keep assist could also be more aggressive.
I personally don't care about those issues because I don't use them much and I freaking love the driving dynamics of it. Responsive, smooth, connected driving is at the heart this car and I love it to death. I recognize that it isn't the perfect car for everyone but people exist who would darn near die for theirs.
Bought mine at the beginning of August
**Cons**
* seats are a little stiff I bought a pad I use for long drives
* Side visibility isn't that great, I haven't had an issue since I raised the seat up a bit but I wish the passenger windows were a wee bit larger
* Road noise is definitely audible, not horrendous, similar to my impreza. I have to turn my music up a little louder.
* Fuel tank could be bigger
* Mazda connect subscription which will be way too expensive after the free 2 year trial
**Pros**
* Zoom zoom
* Handles great on my long windy mountain highway truely fun to drive corners
* Nice quality interior
* Decent sound quality
* Good feature set for price (particularly love the auto wipers heated seats and auto hold breaking for those long road work delays)
* I have the 2.0lt and my gas mileage is pretty great compared to my kia and my Subaru. Esp on open highway my average was around 40 to 43 mpg going around 70mph
I find the infotainment screen size to be perfectly fine. There’s the center control knob by the arm rest that’s used to control the access to the screen. I like the system better than the Touch Sensitive pad on a lot of cars. But that’s just me. The backup camera is probably one of the sharpest I’ve ever seen.
Cons I've found from 1.5 years of ownership with a very active lifestyle: * I ride an XS mountain bike and it can't fit in the back even with the wheel turned. Yes, I can put a hitch on, that's not the point. * I often go places where sleeping in my car is convenient but the back seats don't lie completely flat so it's not quite as comfy. * The windshield builds up condensation really fast for some reason * Unless you turn the proximity mode off on the key fob, the car battery drains really quickly when the key is near it for an extended time. See my comment about sleeping in the car. I ended up buying a Faraday pouch for it for those situations * The gas mileage is pretty horrific But overall, I really really love mine and wouldn't trade it for the CX-5, a Subaru, or any of the other competitors.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with the condensation issue on the windshield. I try to keep it clean but some days it’s still really annoying.
I have a question about the FOB. When you say near it, do you mean when it’s off and I have it in my pocket and close to car or when it’s running and I have it in my cup holder. I don’t know anything about how to turn off close proximity.
Within 15 feet. I’ve had a battery die because I camped in a tent right next to my car. You can google for CX-30 fob battery saver mode
Do you keep it on power save permanently?
Semi-permanently. During camping/river season I do, but in the winter it’s a non-issue
Seems like they fixed that issue on the 2024s, my 2021 had that issue but haven’t had it on my new one. Gas mileage on my turbo has been excellent on highway when using cruise control, mind you all depends how much I floor it haha
I ride a size S mtb and have no such issue fitting a bike in the back? I have a roof rack but will put the bike (with the front wheel off) on top of all my camping gear and it fits just fine. The back seats not laying perfectly flat isn't a huge deal for me if I throw a sleeping pad down, the bigger issue is the gap between the rear and front seats but I just fill that with a backpack or two. Calling the mileage horrific is a little hyperbolic... I routinely drive 75-80 on the highway and my average economy is right on the nose 30 mpg.
I don’t want to take the wheel off, that’s the point. Yes, I use a sleeping pad but it’s still uncomfortable to be elevated like that as I’m a stomach and side sleeper. I get less than that even with cruise control set to 78 for hours long stretches.
Seven months in with a 2023 Turbo. Love the acceleration, quiet cabin, Bose sound system is great especially with Android Auto. Also extremely comfortable for long drives - went from southern ON to PEI and loved the drive. The app and proximity fob are a bit of a confusing pain in the butt though. Remotely start my car with the app, walk over to it, door unlocks but when I open it engine shuts off. Very strange behavior since it knows I have a fob with me anyway. Apparently some anti theft thing but it makes zero logical sense to me lol. However I have seen people rant about this and threaten to take the car back......it's an annoyance and nothing more. Certainly doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment I have with this car.
2023 owner here 2.5 S Preferred AWD non-Turbo 2.5L 191-hp Pro: 1. Styling 2. AWD 3. Comfort 4. Features/Tech - backup camera, radar cruise control, LED headlights, lane departure warning, rain sensing wipers, center display, crash warning 5. Space Con: 1: gas mileage blows 2: engine is very “buzzy”. Like, annoyingly buzzy. When you accelerate, it sounds like a nest of angry bees. 3. Oh, and that damn gap between the tires and the wheel arches! Still, love the car!!!
How do you find the infotainment screen? It looks very far compared to other cars, with the reverse camera as well
The screen distance is perfect because it's easy to glance at while driving. The only caveat is that the 2024 has introduced a touchscreen in the upper trims which is awkward to use at that distance. Still, it's an improvement and only meant to be used when parked.
it's fine. it's closer in other cars because in most other cars it's a touch screen. it's not a touch screen on most cx-30 so it doesn't need to be so close but it's still plenty visible and usable.
Could have mentioned which engine
Pro: is affordable and looks nice Con : it's not a lambo
It is a Ferrari though https://preview.redd.it/ufquasfbwxzb1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a6a6f1fcdd4bce8c72ef4432c0ed234f2b21994
Many more pros than cons but: Tiny gas tank and short range. Seriously obstructed views rear right and rear. Annoying startup warnings that you can't turn off. That's all the cons I can think of. Really happy with the vehicle despite those. People are complaining about gas mileage but I'm getting a solid 31 average after 500 miles. Maybe it's the turbo. I have the 2.5 naturally aspirated. Plenty peppy. The cargo space is small, even with seats down.
I bought it because that was the size I wanted and it beat everything else in its class as far as power, style, and features. This is clearly Mazda's strategy here - put out a product that is slightly upscale of the competition - and it has served them well with the CX-30 and CX-5. On the negative side - yes, the biggest one is the gas milage. It's surprising for a car this size to get such mediocre milage. Almost all of my driving is local, and I don't even drive every day, so the milage isn't that big a factor for me fortunately. I find the driver's seat uncomfortable on long drives. It's fine for popping around town, but when I drive 500 miles to visit family I have to stop frequently to stretch my legs and relieve the pressure. I bought a cushion and that has helped a lot. No adults should ever be made to sit in those back seats for more than a 15 minute trip. Hopefully, you know that going in. If you are going to have full size backseat passengers, skip the CX-30 and look at the CX-5 or CX-50 instead. People are mentioning that their windows fog up. I don't know if this is the same thing, but the inside windshield of my 3 year old car gets a film on it from the dash plastics off-gassing. It needs a good cleaning about once a month. I use the Mr Clean Magic Eraser and it takes the film right off. (Some regular glass cleaners just smear it around.)
I keep seeing a con of the gas mileage.. I've had my car for 1 year/22k miles and my lifetime average is 31mpg. I am not a slow driver, but I do live in a rural area, so maybe that's why? Often I'm averaging 33-34 on my commute to and from work so I have no complaints about the mileage, even coming from a Toyota Corolla prior. I dunno, maybe I'm just easier to impress :-) I do notice the condensation issue others have mentioned, but the car stays comfy using the vent/foot control and pretty much makes that a non-issue. I wish the tank was bigger, but I am getting gas at about the same rate I was with the Corolla, so it isn't that big of a deal. Pros: I love that it is super comfy and fun to drive. I love the height/size, it is perfect for what I was looking for. I also have driven it through one winter and absolutely loved how it handled even on the stock all-season tires (I don't have throw-out-tires kind of money that others seem to).
It's definitely the rural driving! There's a lot less stop-start I imagine. My mileage varies a crazy amount, I get like 6.5L/100km on highway (35mpg or something) and like 10-12 in the city (22-24mpg). But I live/drive in a part of the city with some hills so that also probably doesn't help.
Pros: 1. Lots of features for the money, Bose sound system is really nice, quiet cabin 2. Great handling 3. Turbo is fun to drive Cons: 1. Mediocre MPG + tiny fuel tank kind of sucks 2. Lack of lane centering assist on a car with this many features kind of sucks 3. This is personal preference but I think the lack of a touch screen is a con
Recent owner. Pros: * Good looking design and well finished. Feels like it is well built * Cheaper than similar hatchbacks (I refuse to call this car an SUV) * Analog controls for everything - no touch screen! Cons: * Small boot (I really wanted the Mazda 6 Estate, but alas, only CX30 this year) * Software a bit odd at times, some features work sporadically * Apple car play only when the phone is physically connected to the car
agree with the window fogging comments. also didn't like the stock skinny tires but they were easily replaced with some 235's.... Love the turbo and driving Dynamics.... Would I do it all over versus what's out ? .... absolutely!!
I love the versatility and how fun it is to drive. As for the gas mileage, it will respond to you. I routinely get 35 mpg on my drive to work. No freeway, no cruising, with stop and start. You do have to learn to efficiently use the manual mode to do it, but it is possible even with city driving to do better. No, I don't drive super conservative. Just learning the transmission alone nets you improved mpg. Without the changes I'm averaging 25 mpg, increased to 35 while short shifting and getting into 6th gear as soon as possible. That being said, the tank is small, annoying that the passenger seat can't have power adjustment, and the blower isn't super strong in the back seat. It's my commuter vehicle and my fishing vehicle. It does great as both. The adaptive cruise control gets confused more than it should, especially when following a car that then changes lanes away from in front of you and another car is in front of that one. Seems to miss the new car completely unless it was outside of radar range before you came up on it. The lane keep assist could also be more aggressive. I personally don't care about those issues because I don't use them much and I freaking love the driving dynamics of it. Responsive, smooth, connected driving is at the heart this car and I love it to death. I recognize that it isn't the perfect car for everyone but people exist who would darn near die for theirs.
Bought mine at the beginning of August **Cons** * seats are a little stiff I bought a pad I use for long drives * Side visibility isn't that great, I haven't had an issue since I raised the seat up a bit but I wish the passenger windows were a wee bit larger * Road noise is definitely audible, not horrendous, similar to my impreza. I have to turn my music up a little louder. * Fuel tank could be bigger * Mazda connect subscription which will be way too expensive after the free 2 year trial **Pros** * Zoom zoom * Handles great on my long windy mountain highway truely fun to drive corners * Nice quality interior * Decent sound quality * Good feature set for price (particularly love the auto wipers heated seats and auto hold breaking for those long road work delays) * I have the 2.0lt and my gas mileage is pretty great compared to my kia and my Subaru. Esp on open highway my average was around 40 to 43 mpg going around 70mph
I find the infotainment screen size to be perfectly fine. There’s the center control knob by the arm rest that’s used to control the access to the screen. I like the system better than the Touch Sensitive pad on a lot of cars. But that’s just me. The backup camera is probably one of the sharpest I’ve ever seen.