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The CX-30 strikes an interesting balance of price and performance. We break down trim levels and specs to see if it's the right car for your everyday driver.
2025 Mazda CX-30 – mazdausa.com | Shop 2025 Mazda CX-30 on Carsforsale.com
What’s New for the 2025 Mazda CX-30?
Mazda’s battle strategy for market dominance goes as follows. Step one, sunset everything that isn’t a crossover save for the Mazda3 and MX-5. Step two, deliver an all-out assault of crossovers that, at least according to market data, Americans much prefer to begin with.
As part of the first generation of CX-30, Mazda has not made a lot of huge changes to the 2025 model year, new on offer is Amazon’s Alexa built in integration on upper trims, and a new premium Aero Gray Metallic finish which had only been seen on the MX-5 Miata.
Carsforsale.com Score
9/10
Powertrain
Score
9/10
Interior
Score
9/10
Technology
Score
8.5/10
Value
Score
9/10
The Breakdown
Agreeable styling
Great turbo engine
Good Cargo Space
So-So Fuel Economy
Spendy Top Trims
Basic Warranty
A Sophisticated City Sprinter
2025 Mazda CX-30 Specs
- 191 horsepower from base engine
- 186 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 8 available trims
- Six-speed automatic gearbox
- Standard All-Wheel Drive
2025 CX-30 Drivetrain 9/10
There’s something to be said about a brand that gives you the option of either an efficient or a powerful gas engine in 2025. It’s a level of variety that used to be commonplace. But these days, different drivetrains are most often spread between straight ICE, hybrid, and plug-in hybrids.
The 191 horsepower 2.5-liter four-pot in lower-trimmed CX-30s is just fine. Efficient, perhaps to a fault, but nothing to write home about. However, the 250-horsepower turbo variant of this same engine is far more exciting. We’re talking 320 lb-ft of torque to go along with all that power. Add all-wheel-drive and Mazda’s own flavor of torque vectoring, and this peppy crossover can sprint to 60 in 5.8 seconds with the turbo.
Fuel economy is about what you’d expect, a combined 29 MPG for the gas sipper non-turbo and 25 combined with the extra grunt. Generally, Mazdas these days are solidly reliable vehicles. However, recent recalls related to the forward sensing camera and the attached lane-keep assist and emergency braking feature not functioning have been observed. A trivial matter, perhaps, but well worth looking out for.
2025 CX-30 Interior 9/10
Overall, Mazda does a good job with its interior options, while not as flashy as others in the segment, its simple design makes it a pleasant place to spend your drivetime. On a more nuanced note, it’s interesting how Mazda maximized the amount of space inside the CX-30 without making it overly bulbous or egg-shaped on the outside.
Rear legroom is pretty nice for the proportions outside. You get all of 36.3 inches in that back seat. Cloth seat coverings adorn the base 2.5 S trim, with leatherette material accounting for the S Select Sport and S Preferred trims. Genuine red leather seats make the S Carbon Edition feel special in ways lower trims don’t quite manage, while standard black leather on the range-topper for the non-turbo, the S Premium, gives that executive look folks are after.
Weirdly, the lower end of the CX-30 Turbo trims go back to leatherette seat covers but in a tasteful Terracotta pattern. Starting with the Carbon Turbo and then back to leather again for the ranger topper Turbo Premium and Turbo Premium Plus. You won’t have to scuff the seats storing large grocery hauls, as 20.2 ft³ of space with the seats up is more than enough for most items. For larger loads, you’ll get 45.2ft³ of space with the seats folded. All around, it’s not a bad use of interior materials and limited space.
2025 CX-30 Tech and Features 8.5/10
Either you love it or you hate it, there doesn’t seem to be much in the middle in regards to sentiments around Mazda’s current spec infotainment system. In any case, the 8.8 inch center screen you find in lower trims of the CX-30 and a larger 10.25-inch units up the range should suffice.
The lower trims of the range make use of a six-speaker audio system, while the speaker count increases to eight in the Carbon edition and then a 12-speaker Bose premium audio system. It’s not bad, especially for the price you pay for premium audio.
Connectivity is okay, with the bare minimum of two USB-C ports up front and optional wireless mobile phone charging starting with the Carbon Edition. Obligatory iOS, Android, and Alexa connectivity is, of course, available, albeit locked behind the Select Sport trim and up in the case of Alexa.
As is a contemporary suite of i-Activsense driver assistants that, at least to a degree, all new cars must have nowadays. In short, the CX-30 has everything you need, not much you don’t need, and a polarizing minimalist infotainment/HVAC control setup that you either jive with or don’t.
2025 Mazda CX-30 Trims & Pricing
2.5 S – $24,995
As basic of a small crossover as Mazda makes these days. Cloth seats, six speakers, and enough room to drive a family of four comfortably.
2.5 Select Sport – $26,650
Leatherette seat coverings are the hallmark of the Select Sport trim. As are extra rear HVAC vents, dual-zone climate control, and 18-inch alloy wheels over the 16s in the S trim.
2.5 S Preferred – $28,940
Heated front seats join the party at the S Preferred trim, as do a tasteful “Greige” leatherette color for the seat coverings. A nice upgrade over the previous trim.
2.5 S Premium – $29,940
Premium trim means premium red leather, which, in the case of the CX-30, also means polished aluminum roof rails and a rear power liftgate.
2.5 S Carbon Turbo – $32,140
All the options and features of the Carbon Edition with the more powerful turbo 2.5-liter engine. Comes trimmed in Terracotta leatherette material, the larger 10.25-inch infotainment screen, and the exclusive Zircon Sand Metallic exterior paint color.
2.5 Turbo Premium – $35,140
Back to leather seats with the Turbo Premium trim, plus some trim-specific interior and exterior trim pieces exclusive to the upper echelon of the range.
2.5 Turbo Premium Plus – $36,950
The highest-trimmed small-crossover Mazda currently makes all the features of the rest of the range, plus many of the lower trim’s optional extras come standard.
2025 Mazda CX-30 Overall Value 9/10
That said, CX-30s are flying off shelves right now, and that’s a testament to the faith the public have with the Mazda brand right now. It’s certainly a brand image their rivals at Nissan wish they had.
In most respects, the CX-30 is perfectly adequate. Fun to drive with the turbo engine and practical enough to offset its just-okay fuel economy. Other cars in the segment, such as the HR-V, eek out slightly better mileage but don’t handle as nicely as CX-30 does. And others, like the Hyundai Tucson, offer more robust warranty and complementary service.
CarsForSale.com Overall Score 9/10
2025 Mazda CX-30 – SOURCE | Shop 2025 Mazda CX-30 on Carsforsale.com
The CX-30 is a perfectly capable of a small crossover. Yes, people will still occasionally bug you about not buying a Toyota instead. But the truth is most Japanese automakers are about on par with each other in terms of reliability these days. Does this mean Mazda’s made great strides or that Toyota’s been slipping lately? Probably a little of both, but it sure bodes well for Mazda at the moment.
2025 Mazda CX-30 FAQ
Does the CX-30 require premium gas?
No, but it will help squeeze maximum power out of the optional turbo engine.
Does the CX-30 have a sunroof?
The CX-30 comes with a moonroof starting with the Preferred trim, not a sunroof.
Does the CX-30 have wireless key entry?
Yes, all CX-30s come with wireless key entry.
