If only there was a higher profile and consistent position for the company. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

I’ve long thought that Mazda would be a bigger factor in the overall auto market. Cox Automotive currently puts the OEM’s market share at 2.5% which, oddly enough ties it with BMW and puts it ahead of Mercedes (2.1%). Mazda, of course, isn’t in the higher end of the market, which explains why those two companies are where they are in the overall market.

But Mazda has an array of vehicles on offer, most of which are under $40,000, and several under $30,000, like the vehicle in question here, the CX-30, a subcompact crossover that puts it in a competitive space with vehicles like the Kia Seltos, Honda HR-V, and several others.

The “several others” is something notable because this is a highly crowded space. Which leads to another thing about Mazda, which is its comparatively small dealer body. Based on a Google search of Mazda and Honda dealerships in Michigan, Mazda has 17 and Honda 29—and Ford and Chevy are in triple digits.

So when you don’t drive past dealer lots with vehicles, or if you don’t see Mazdas parked in driveways in your neighborhood, odds are things like the CX-30 aren’t going to be on your shopping list if you’re considering a new set of wheels.

And then there is the issue of just what a Mazda is. Once it was the sporty alternative to the likes of Honda, Chevy and Ford, primarily based on the Miata (a.k.a., MX-5) as well as the enthusiast reviews of other models that cited their superb ride and handling. None of that is gone except for the sporty positioning in the market.

On the homepage of the Mazda site there’s this:

WHERE INTENTION MEETS INNOVATION

FOR THOSE WHO DO MORE THAN MOVE

We craft vehicles with the power to transform every drive into a meaningful experience. When you’re behind the wheel, you’ll feel how our design, craftsmanship and technology come together to bring you closer to your passions and your journeys.

Which sounds good, but I have no idea what it means.

I mean, I went to the grocery store in it and must confess I didn’t find it to be a “meaningful experience.”

I guess the copywriter must be a frustrated poet or something. The message doesn’t say what the vehicle is. (And doesn’t everyone “Do More Than Move”?)

No one at Mazda HQ asked, but were I positioning the CX-30 I would concentrate on things like this:

• Standout exterior styling. Yes, there are all of those other subcompact crossovers out there, many of which are simply cookie-cutter shapes. There is style and reach in the sheet metal of the CX-30.
• Segment-up interior materials. This is something that is increasingly important. Arguably this is something that Kia and Hyundai have drawn attention to and that not all OEMs are following. Mazda does a good job on paying attention to the various surfaces on the inside of the vehicle, not providing what seems to be a default in many cases (especially in this segment), seeming cubic yards of fake carbon fiber or piano black. There is artificial suede used to wrap sections of the instrument panel, but it looks luxe.
• Excellent drivability. The CX-30 has a 186-hp four-cylinder engine that provides fuel economy of 24/31/27 mpg city/highway/combined. It is mated to a six-speed automatic, which may seem a couple gears short (the Kia Seltos, for example, offers eight), but often in this segment it is a continuously variable transmission (CVT), so Mazda is still offering a step-gear arrangement. It has a “manual” mode and a “sport” mode for those so inclined but I suspect that they are something used by the kids who borrow the fob from their parents. All CX-30 models come with all-wheel drive (“i-Activ AWD”) and “G-Vectoring Control Plus” and “Off-Road Traction Assist.” Just know that it drives well.

Perhaps this goes to the point of the company doing a solid job in shaping sheet metal and making the mechanical aspects of the vehicle work so well, but I find the sore spot its infotainment interface. But it does offer wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, so once either is set up, there’s no need to look at the Mazda execution of that.

So now that you’re aware of the Mazda CX-30, perhaps you should give it a look if you’re in the market for a solid, stylish package.