Packing 250 hp and 310 lb-ft, the 2021 Mazda CX-30 should finally have the power to back up its handling prowess.
Mazda
Since it hit the scene for the 2020 model year, we’ve been enamored with the way the Mazda CX-30 handles — it’s one of the more fun-to-drive SUVs on the market. One thing it hasn’t been, however, is powerful. The Japanese automaker is addressing that deficiency with the 2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo seen here, and now we know how much it’ll cost: The base manufacturer suggested retail price checks in at $31,000, including $1,100 for delivery.
The CX-30 2.5 Turbo delivers up to 250 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque — quite a bit for a subcompact crossover. That’s on high-test premium fuel, of course. Pump in regular ol’ 87 octane and you’ll get a still-impressive 227 hp and 310 lb-ft. With that much extra power running through the company’s mandatory six-speed automatic, it’s understandable that Mazda has fitted the CX-30 Turbo with standard i-Active all-wheel drive. We’ve already tested this engine in the similar Mazda3 and come away impressed, so its presence in the heavier, less-aerodynamic CX-30 figures to be even more welcome. After all, the standard CX-30 with its naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four, only manages 186 hp and 186 lb-ft. This sharp-handling crossover could surely use a little more Zoom-Zoom.
A midrange CX-30 Turbo equipped with the Premium Package carries an MSRP of $34,000 including delivery, and includes leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel with paddles, 12-speaker Bose premium audio with SiriusXM satellite radio and onboard navigation. On the safety front, Premium Package features include a head-up display, adaptive LED headlamps and traffic-sign recognition.
This little badge is one of the only ways you can spot that the CX-30 you’re looking at has a turbo.
Mazda
For 2021, there’s also a new range-topping Premium Plus model for $35,000 including freight. It includes a bevy of additional Advanced Driver Assist Systems, including Traffic Jam Assist (Mazdaspeak for active lane-centering at speeds under 40 mph when the adaptive cruise control system is enabled) and automatic emergency braking that works in reverse between 2 and 4 miles per hour. It’s also tied into the rear cross-traffic-alert system. Additionally — and perhaps most usefully — the CX-30 Premium Plus includes a 360-degree camera suite and parking sensors at the front and rear, among other features.
EPA fuel economy estimates have not yet been released for this new model, but if the Mazda3’s efficiency metrics provide any guidance, there won’t be much of a downside to the CX-30’s additional power, if any at all. Unusually, the front-wheel drive Mazda3 Turbo boasts higher miles-per-gallon figures than its non-turbo relative, netting two additional MPG in the city and one on the highway (and one on the combined test cycle). For now, we know that the 2021 CX-30 with the base 2.5-liter engine and AWD nets 24/31/26 (city/highway/combined) ratings, and we wouldn’t expect this new forced-induction model to stray too far from those competitive figures.
For 2021, the Mazda CX-30 range starts at $23,000 delivered for a base, front-drive naturally aspirated model, so there’s now quite a price walk to the Turbo AWD model. That said, Mazda has done a good job making even its lower-end models look and feel upscale as of late, so we’re optimistic that the 2021 Mazda CX-30 Turbo is going to feel worth the money, comparing well against rivals like the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Nissan Rogue Sport and Subaru Crosstrek (which itself just got a much-needed turbo option).
The 2021 Mazda CX-30 range begins arriving in North American dealers this month.