All new Mazda CX-30 SUV revealed, and we’ve seen it

Japanese brand Mazda unveiled their all-new CX-30 SUV this afternoon at a press event in Geneva, Switzerland. The 2020 Mazda CX-30 will slot between the CX-3 and CX-5 in the growing Mazda SUV lineup, and it borrows substantiwhal cues from the new Mazda 3 hatch and sedan that were unveiled in November last year.

Chasing Cars was present for the global unveil of the CX-30, which coincides with the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), occurring this week. While we initially thought it might be called CX-4, it’s CX-30, and we’ve been up close and personal with this new Mazda SUV. We’ll have an in-depth video breakdown of the design, interior, engine lineup and practicality in the next day.

Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak has told Chasing Cars that the CX-30 will be coming to Australia, with the new small SUV expected to arrive sometime in 2020. That’s a long lead time for a new Mazda to come to Australia – we’re a key market for the Japanese brand – and the source of the delay is that a production site has not yet been chosen for our market. For reference, the CX-3 is built in Thailand whereas the larger CX-5 is made in Japan.

Either way, closer to the CX-30’s Australian release, we’ll have a first drive of this new SUV. And in the next day, we’ll have a detailed static walkaround you can see here on site, or by subscribing over on the Chasing Cars YouTube channel.

Though we’re well ahead of any announcement of a CX-30 Australian price, Chasing Cars projects that this SUV will enter the market in the high $20,000s, with several grades on offer reaching into the low $40,000s.

Measuring 4395mm long, 1795mm wide and 1540mm high, with short overhangs front and rear, the CX-30 is 12 centimetres longer and three centimetres wider than a CX-3, while being 15 centimetres shorter and four and a half centimetres narrower than a CX-5. It basically splits the difference, sizewise, between its two Mazda SUV siblings. Notably, the CX-30’s 2655mm wheelbase is almost as long as that of the CX-5.

The second new-generation ‘Mazda Premium’ vehicle from this marque, the CX-30 sits on the same platform as the new Mazda 3 and has many mechanical similarities to that car. The CX-30 shares the 3’s engine lineup, with the offering initially comprising of 114kW 2.0-litre and 138kW 2.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engines. A supercharged ‘Skyactiv-X’ four-cylinder petrol of unspecified displacement will arrive later down the track.

European specifications have been confirmed at this week’s Geneva show, but the Australian engine lineup will differ from that offered here. Namely, in Europe, the CX-30 will be offered with two engines: the Skyactiv-G 2.0-litre engine with the Mazda M Hybrid system. The hybrid feature is not offered in Australia.

Both a six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes will be offered, though only the automatic will be available with the available all-wheel-drive system. As standard, the CX-30 is front-wheel-drive. The automatic will command a premium in the region of $1,000.

Like the new 2019 Mazda 3, the CX-30 pairs a McPherson strut front suspension setup with a torsion beam rear end – except for AWD models, which switch to independent rear suspension. The two-wall structure of the 3 is also carried over the new CX-30 to minimise road noise. As we discovered on our early first drive of the 2019 Mazda 3, this works effectively. The new 3 is a quiet car: we’re expecting the same in the CX-30.

Inside, the CX-30’s cabin bears a clear family resemblance to the new Mazda 3, with a clear step up in opulence over this brand’s current product. Soft touch surfacing abounds in the CX-30, including vast tracks of plush material on the dashboard and doors. The seats use their same approach as the new Mazda 3, with standard thigh angle adjustment and a shape designed to give better spinal support. In the back, a rear armrest is fitted.

Two colour palettes will be available for the interior. The ‘Dark Blue’ scheme features blue accents on the dash and doors, and is paired to fabric seats in either black or ‘greige’ (grey-beige). Meanwhile, the ‘Dark Brown’ scheme features earthy tones on the secondary trim elements paired to leather upholstery in black or pure white.

An 8.8-inch infotainment screen is standard. This is not a touch-controlled system, with Mazda preferring to locate the screen in a better position for the driver’s line of sight. Interaction is via an enlarged Commander rotary dial found between the seats. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

Entry-level grades will use an eight-speaker stereo, while a 12-speaker Bose system will be standard on higher-end CX-30s. We expect that satellite navigation and DAB+ digital radio will be fitted to all grades, mirroring the new Mazda 3. A heads-up display is expected to be offered as standard.

High levels of safety technology are expected to be standard fit on the CX-30, given the strictness of both Euro NCAP and ANCAP collision avoidance standards. We expect the CX-30 to mirror the new Mazda 3’s base safety offering, which contains a suite with front and rear AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, driver fatigue detection and traffic sign recognition as standard.

Though the CX-30 is a small SUV, interior space is significantly more generous than the baby SUV of Mazda’s range – the CX-3. Rear seat space is sufficient for six-footers in both headroom and legroom, though toeroom could be better. Rear air vents should be standard from the tier two model upwards, should this SUV mirror its Mazda 3 sibling.

The CX-30’s boot measures 430 litres, which comes mighty close to the CX-5’s 442 litre boot, and represents a substantial increase over the CX-3’s tiny 264 litre cargo area. Mazda appear to be taking lessons from the Volkswagen school of interior packaging. Good to see.

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