THE 2020 Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina is the small SUV you can’t miss. It features a classic Kodo design front end that is sleek yet elegant. It screams luxury. At the same time, it looks a little badass cool.
The interior is divine, even if it does feel like a hot mess of colour choices. Black surfaces cover the dash, which is matched to brown leather adorning the doors and centre console. The seats are white leather.
There are no sharp edges, and the use of simple and minimalistic buttons on the dash extends the feeling of luxury. The multimedia screen sits in the middle of the dash, and its integration is seamless. It just feels like it belongs.
It’s easy to use, and offers a full suite of radio options, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If there is a downside, it’s that the rear seats, despite offering reasonable space, are not rear-facing baby seat friendly.
It just means that if you have a little munchkin, the person in the front passenger seat is going to be up close and personal with the dash. On the plus side, the boot space is an impressive 422-litres (1,406-litres with the seats laid flat).
It has a powered tailgate for added convenience.
Under the skin of the CX-30 is Mazda’s tried and tested 2.5-litre 4-cylinder engine. It’s zippy and has enough grunt to deliver the power when you need it, with 139kW and 252Nm on tap.
The CX-30 not only has keyless entry, but it also sports a sensor touch handle. This small feature really makes it all seamless and adds to the sleek design. There’s also an active driving display, which is a sweet little screen in front of the driver.
It shows you a host of information, including speed, current speed limit of the road you are on, and details such as navigation information. You really don’t have to take your eyes off the road, which is an exceptional safety feature.
The car also chimes in when you are approaching a car too fast or if you turn your blinker on, and there is someone next to you, just to make sure your paying attention and to keep you on your toes.
The Mazda CX-30 features panoramic aerial parking, which is just an absolute dream to use. It’s not just a safety feature, but also makes it near impossible to run into anything while parking. Front and rear parking cameras and sensors are also on board.
We did note that the reverse camera stays on for a while when you switch from reverse to drive. It’s a bit trippy, but as an added bonus, you can see how long you can see your house when you drive away.
There’s adaptive cruise control as well, and who doesn’t love that ability for the car to slow down and speed up as it needs to. It’s all paired with creature comforts like heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, along with a Bose sound system.
It all makes for a very happy driver, because nothing says good vibes like warm hands and a banging stereo.
On the road, we did find the suspension quite hard. It makes for great vehicle control, but it’s less than super groovy for your passengers, especially in the back seat. Overall though, it’s genuinely hard to fault this Mazda, it’s simply a beautiful car.
The 2020 Mazda CX-30 G25 Astina (FWD) is priced at $46,139, and comes in Polymetal Grey Metallic, Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Machine Grey Metallic, Titanium Flash Mica, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Jet Black Mica, Sonic Silver Metallic, and Snowflake White Pearl Mica.
Our 2020 Mazda CX-30 was provided by Mazda Australia. To find out more, contact your local Mazda dealer.
