Mazda has been winning over by design and drive ever since the Mazda 6 was recrafted half a dozen years ago. More so with design and tech in recent years, with models like Mazda 3 and CX-30. Not surprisingly, but very happily for Mazda, these two cars were rivals in the World Car of The Year shortlist for 2020. The latter is now available in the UAE, and other GCC markets.

Stunning by design

Mazda CX-30 has sex appeal, even if you consider either sex as the likely consumer. The design impresses before it strikes the final blow-away inside. Well, the World Car of The Year award was won by the Kia Telluride but that doesn’t take away the design allure and feature finesse of the two Mazda models in the run. Watch the Kia Telluride review here if you would rather hear about a 7-seater SUV that packed plenty of desirable comfort features in its decent looking cabin. Keep on reading if you are more of an avant-garde man or woman.

Avant-garde is exactly what the Mazda CX-30 is all about – you will know what I am talking about when you look at the extended profile and longish proportions of the Mazda CX-30, crouching low like an elegant cat and yet with space within, for a stretched ride with legs stretched. With the CX-30, Mazda is entering a new market segment slotted between the CX-3 and the CX-5. After the all-new Mazda3, the Mazda CX-30 is the next model to wear Mazda’s next generation attire and bagged the Red Dot Award for design.

With dimensions reading 4395 x 1795 x 1540 mm, the CX-30 is 3 cm shorter than the Infiniti QX50, 12 cm longer than Mazda CX-3 but 15.5 cm shorter than the CX-5. It comes with 18” alloy wheels.  Combining the bold stance of an SUV with the sleek profile of a coupe, its styling is a sophisticated take of Mazda’s KODO design philosophy. The Mazda Vision Coupe concept model of 2017 embodied this more sophisticated, minimalistic design language: its elegantly restrained body form generating a delicate play of light and reflections that change over time to create styling with a natural, dynamic feel.

As the styling is so important to this car, here is another chapter of the story. The styling is defined by the new design expression ‘Charge and Release.’ Having its origins in the brushwork used in Japanese calligraphy, this style was developed to integrate the three key factors of the evolved Kodo design theme: Yohaku, the beauty of empty space; Sori, curves with poise and balance; and Utsuroi, the play of light and shade.

Sori can be seen in the arc of the shoulder running from the front wing to the rear wheel, exuding an energetic sense of speed. Utsuroi is an abstract reality that keeps changing – it can be seen on the sheet metal below the shoulder line, which reflects the surroundings like gently undulating metal sheets in the wind. So the reflections keep changing. By eschewing character lines in favour of this changing movement of surfaces, the Mazda CX-30 unites work of art with a sense of dynamism.

Interior comfort and design

Mazda CX-30’s cabin is shaped on Mazda’s human-centred design philosophy, and traditional Japanese architecture. A snug and condensed cockpit area is set for the driver, and a clean, airy open space around the front passenger.

Aimed to keep the car and driver as one in spirit, the design provides an ideal driving position for occupants of all sizes. The steering wheel’s 45mm tilt and 70mm telescopic range as well as front seat cushion tilt adjustment allow to explore and find the exact match in comfortable seating and engaged driving.

The best ever safety rating

The CX-30 was named the ‘safest car in the world’ to acknowledge its record-breaking score and five-star rating by Euro NCAP after performing strongly in all four test categories: Adult Occupant (with a record-breaking score of 99%), Child Occupant, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist. Three key factors add up to this exceptional achievement: the adoption of the latest Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture, which features a high-rigidity, impact-absorbing yet lightweight bodyshell; a wide range of advanced i-Activsense safety technologies that help drivers identify potential risks and reduce the chances of damage or injury; and high standards of pedestrian protection performance.

Making the drive easy

The CX-30 will be available in 2.0L SKYACTIV-G engine that produces a class-leading 153 hp at 6000 rpm and 200 Nm torque and 4000 rpm.

Utmost care has been placed on visibility during the drive. The thickness and shape of the A-pillars and C-Pillars have been optimised to reduce blind spots and optimise rear side vision respectively, while the rear door and quarter windows allow drivers to easily see vehicles approaching from the sides. Another impressive detail is how windscreen wipers constantly adjust their operating angle, allowing them to clean right up to the A-pillar to ensure visibility at the extremes. These wipers also disappear beneath the hood to allow for an unobstructed downward view out of the screen. Moreover, the washer nozzles are attached to the wiper arms instead of their usual placement below the windscreen line, so that their spray can be immediately wiped away, further lowering any interference with visibility.

Premium features such as Head Up Display on windscreen, an 8.8” centre display with Commander Control, advanced keyless entry, Blind Spot Monitoring, Adaptive Front light system & Rear cross traffic alert make driving easy. Technologies like G-Vectoring Control Plus distribute torque to different wheels differently so as to maintain the best balance and capability while negotiating curves. Two-tone black & blue interior and a wide expanse of sunroof overhead add to the score for expressive design while Apple CarPlay is integrated, keeping with the trends.

Galadari Motors brings the Mazda CX-30 to the UAE in eight colours including the Soul Red Crystal Metallic featured in these images. The well-specked model available is priced at AED 99,900. More about this interesting car when I bring you the road test review in the UAE.