2023 Mazda MX-30 Electric

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes in two trim levels, base and Premium Plus. The base trim comes with 18-inch wheels, adaptive LED headlights, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a sunroof, an 8.8-inch center touchscreen, a head-up information display, an 8-speaker audio system, single-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also comes standard with a ton of safety and driver assistance features. You can upgrade to the Premium Plus to get a more premium cabin feel and some extra features too. The Premium Plus gets 18-inch wheels with a unique finish, keyless entry, a heated steering wheel, a 12-speaker premium audio system, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and blind spot assist.

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The 2023 Mazda MX-30 packs a decent list of standard features even with its base trim. It gets all the basic features and more. There is no change in the powertrain or range either. So if you are on a budget, you can consider getting the base trim of the car. But if you can stretch your budget and you are looking for a more premium cabin, the Premium Plus trim makes more sense. 

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 is powered by an electric motor that sends power to the front wheels of the car. The MX-30 produces 143 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. It comes mated to a one-speed direct-drive transmission. The power output is not that impressive for the class and it feels underpowered compared to its rivals. It takes 8.7 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph and the quarter-mile run takes 16.8 mph. The acceleration figures will not impress the buyers and it feels pretty dull. The top speed of 91 mph is not that good either. The performance is not a strong point for the Mazda MX-30 and it remains more like a city car for daily commutes. 

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 is the least powerful car in the segment and it is also the slowest car in terms of acceleration. The 2023 Kia Niro is the fastest car in the 0 to 60 mph sprint. The 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric comes in second position followed by the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV coming in last after the MX-30. But the story is quite opposite in the quarter-mile run where the Hyundai Kona Electric is the fastest in the quarter-mile run while the 2023 Kia Niro EV comes in second. But the margin between all the other rivals is not that much. 

2023 Mazda MX-30 Ride and Handling

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 has carried forward the Mazda DNA in a lot of aspects of the car. When you get behind the wheel of the Mazda MX-30, other than quicker acceleration and no sound from the motor, there is not much difference you feel in terms of driving experience. The Mazda MX-30 remains an equally engaging and fun-to-drive car as other Mazda models are known for. The engaging nature of Mazda cars is still not missing from the first EV in Mazda’s line up which is a good sign. 

The steering wheel communicates well with the driver and is very precise in terms of response to your inputs. The suspension finds a perfect balance between ride and handling. It keeps the car stable at different speeds and gives you good confidence on the corners. However, it manages to do so without compromising the ride quality for the people inside the cabin. 

2023 Mazda MX-30 Braking Performance

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes with 12.8 inches brake rotors at the front and 11.9 inches brake rotors at the rear. The size of the brake rotors is quite large for the class. But what matters the most is the braking performance. The Mazda MX-30 comes with a curb weight of 3,674 pounds which is on par with the rivals. It takes only 166 feet of braking distance to bring the car to a complete stop from 70 mph. The braking distance is quite good for the segment. The bite from the brake pedals also inspires good confidence in the driver. It is one of the aspects that makes driving fun in the Mazda MX-30. 

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes with the largest brake rotors at both front and at the rear. The braking performance of the MX-30 is also the best in the class as it takes only 166 feet to come to a complete halt from 70 mph. The 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric comes in the second position in terms of braking performance even though it is the heaviest car in the competition. The 2023 Kia Niro EV comes in the third position followed by the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV with a significant difference. 

The range is one of the most important aspects of an electric vehicle no matter which segment we consider. The 2023 Mazda MX-30 seems to lack in this important area which is a competitive disadvantage for it. The Mazda MX-30 delivers an MPGe figure of 98 in the city, 85 on the highway, and 92 MPGe of combined efficiency. The maximum range of the car is limited to 100 miles which is the weakest point for the Mazda MX-30. You can use the standard AC or fast chargers to charge the battery pack of the MX-30. The battery capacity is also not that big when you keep it against the rivals leading to a smaller range. 

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes with the least range in the whole class. The range of the 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric and the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV is more than double the range of the MX-30. The Chevy Bolt EV comes with the longest range of 259 miles followed by the Hyundai Kona Electric taking the second spot with a very small margin of just a mile. The 2023 Kia Niro EV is not that far behind either and it delivers a maximum range of 263 miles. 

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 does not just come with an electric powertrain to save the planet but it goes a step further to do so by introducing recycled material in the cabin. But Mazda does so without compromising the quality of the cabin. As you open the door, you will see soft-touch materials on the door to welcome you into the cabin. The premium treatment continues as you move ahead to the dashboard which also features soft-touch materials that feel and look premium. Mazda has well-thought-out storage spaces inside the cabin too. The driver gets electric adjustments for the seats while the passenger will need to use manual control. Getting in the back seats is a struggle considering the smaller door at the rear but once you are in, it is surprisingly pretty spacious with ample space even for adults. The cargo space is also quite decent for the class.

The interior of all these cars offer similar spaces and none of these go way ahead of the competition to deliver a big marginal difference in the cabin space. The Mazda MX-30 comes with a premium-looking cabin with soft-touch materials on the dashboard and the doors. The Hyundai Kona Electric is not that far behind in terms of interior quality either. The 2023 Kia Niro EV comes with the largest cargo space in the competition followed by the MX-30 and the Hyundai Kona Electric. The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV has the smallest cargo area in the competition but space in the cabin is better than the rivals. 

Standout interior features:

• 8-way power driver seat
• Heated front seats
• 60-40 split-folding rear seats
• Manual tilt/telescopic steering wheel
• Automatic air conditioning
• Head-Up Display

2023 Mazda MX-30 Infotainment

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 does not come with anything new in terms of the infotainment system. You get the same 8.8-inch infotainment display but the sad part is that it is still not a touchscreen system. That means you will have to use the rotary in the center console to control the infotainment display. The infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It also comes with an in-built navigation system. The infotainment system adds some features that are specific to the MX-30 for now. You get an EV settings option in the settings menu to monitor and control EV-related data. It also comes with a high-quality rearview camera. The Mazda MX-30 also comes with a secondary display that is specific to the MX-30. This screen can be used to control the heated seats and climate control. 

Standout infotainment features:

• 8.8-inch infotainment display
• Secondary display to control climate control
• Navigation system
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• AM/FM/HD Audio System
• 8/12-speaker sound system

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 does not try to do something extra to look like an electric car. Instead, it proudly resembles its design language with Mazda’s design language. At the front, you get adaptive LED headlights, and LED DRLs, at the bottom it gets a sleek pair of LED turn indicators, a black grille that houses a big Mazda badge in the center, and an overall subtle and clean design language. The side gets 18-inch wheels and the blacked-out roof on the top looks great. Towards the rear, you get the charging point which is at the same place where gasoline cars give the place to fill fuel. Coming to the rear, Mazda welcomes you with beautiful-looking circular LED taillamps and the rear glass extends towards the back to give it a unique look. Mazda has completely nailed the design department and the simple design language will be easier on the eyes of most buyers. 

The 2023 Kia Niro EV is the longest car in the segment and also comes with the longest wheelbase compared to the rivals. The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes in second position both in terms of the overall length and the length of the wheelbase. The MX-30 is also the highest car to the ground with a ground clearance of 8 inches. The 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric and the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV are pretty close in terms of their dimensions. Both these cars are significantly smaller than the Japanese rivals when it comes to the dimensions of the car. 

Standout exterior features:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Automatic high beam headlights
• Heated side mirrors
• Lip spoiler
• Rain-detecting wipers
• Sunroof

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 has not compromised on the safety aspect for the passengers. The current model year received a complete 5 out of 5 stars in the frontal crash tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave its top score to the 2022 model year of the Mazda MX-30. It also managed to find its place in the Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2022 model year. The Mazda MX-30 gets all the basic active and passive safety features as standard with the car. But it does not stop there and comes with some of the advanced driver assistance features as standard with the car. 

Safety features include:

• Electronic Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Assist
• Front-collision mitigation
• 360 view camera

2023 Mazda MX-30 vs. 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric

The price of both these electric SUVs are quite similar but both of them have some key differences. The Hyundai Kona comes with a range of 258 miles which is more than double the range that the Mazda MX-30 promises. The Hyundai Kona also comes as a better performer between the two when it comes to outright acceleration. The space inside the cabin of the Hyundai Kona is also much better when you look at the rear seat space. But the one area where the Mazda MX-30 shines ahead of the Hyundai Kona is the quality of the cabin and the ride and handling that it offers. However, the 2023 Hyundai Kona comes out as a more practical choice between the two. 

2023 Mazda MX-30 vs. 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV

The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV offers the best range in the competition offering a slightly better range compared to the Hyundai Kona. When you compare it against the Mazda MX-30 Miata, it has the same set of advantages as the Hyundai Kona. The Chevy Bolt EV outperforms the Mazda MX-30 by a significant margin when you look at the acceleration figures of both these cars. The space in the rear seats is also better in the Chevy Bolt EV. However, the Mazda MX-30 comes with a bigger cargo area. And the Chevy Bolt EV comes with a significantly more driving range than the Hyundai Kona EV. The last decision depends on your personal preferences. 

2023 Mazda MX-30 vs. 2023 Kia Niro EV

The Kia Niro EV was launched a lot earlier in the market compared to the MX-30. The Niro EV has been in the market for a while and the Mazda MX-30 is a new entrant. The Kia Niro EV takes 9.1 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph which is more than the Mazda MX-30. The Kia Niro EV has one big advantage over the Mazda MX-30 which is the space in the cabin. It gets significantly more space in the cabin for the rear seat passengers. It also offers more space in the cargo area than the Mazda MX-30. The premium cabin design of the Mazda MX-30 looks appealing. The choice between these two depends on your personal preference.

The 2023 Mazda MX-30 comes with a simple and clean design language similar to other Mazda models which goes in its favor. It does not do anything unnecessary to differentiate itself from its gasoline-powered variants. Mazda has kept the same clean but premium feeling in the cabin of the Mazda MX-30 too. The front row of the cabin is quite spacious but the rear seats are cramped when you keep it against the rivals. However, Mazda goes a step ahead to add some extra features in the cabin limited to their first electric car. The performance of the Mazda MX-30 is nothing exciting and it gets the job done. However, Mazda nails the ride and handling department pretty well. But the biggest limitation comes in the form of the range which is 100 miles. If you drive mostly in the city and want a car that feels premium from the inside and offers an engaging drive, the 2023 Mazda MX-30 is a good choice.