2022 Mazda MX-30 – A Decade Late, 100 Miles Short?
By Edward A. Sanchez – Aug. 24, 2021
It’s no secret that Mazda has dragged its feet regarding electrification, first doubling down on diesel before the VW emissions scandal, and later touting the virtues of its Skyactiv technology. Although the company has claimed at various times it has one of the highest fleet average fuel economy figures in the U.S., it has also stubbornly resisted the move toward electrification, taking all sorts of seemingly Goldbergian approaches to squeeze every last iota of efficiency from internal combustion before waving the white flag. If the MX-30 is Mazda’s proverbial “white flag” capitulating to the reality of EVs, it’s a pretty feeble effort, if we’re to be honest.
Mazda has just officially announced price and specifications for the U.S.-model MX-30. The EV crossover-ish hatch will start at $34,645, including $1,175 destination. The higher-trim Premium Plus model totals $37,655 including destination. Since Mazda has sold zero EVs up to this point, the MX-30 will be eligible for whatever tax credits are available.
While I always feel somewhat sheepish as an armchair-quarterback blogger throwing stones at major corporations, and criticizing their multi-million-dollar efforts, I have to be honest here. The MX-30 is a big disappointment. In full disclosure, I have not yet seen it in person, nor driven it. But objectively, the specifications are disappointing in the context of today’s EV market. There’s simply no way around it.
The MX-30’s looks are either average or refreshing, depending on your viewpoint. The disappointing range, however, is not up for debate.
It is coming to market in 2021 with one of the lowest ranges of any EV on the market. Just a 100-mile EPA range. Shorter even than the Mini Cooper SE, which gets a 110-mile rating, as well as a lower starting price.
In terms of its styling, it’s non-offensively handsome, in a mildly quirky way. But it’s certainly not a head-turner, nor is it as attractive as some of Mazda’s more recent efforts, such as the CX-5 crossover and soon-to-be defunct Mazda6 sedan, in my opinion. That said, style is subjective, and one of the other editors at The Watt Car finds the MX-30’s lines quite refreshing.
The motor has an output of 143 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque. Not horrible, but far from amazing. However, keep in mind this is pulling a curb weight of about 3,700 pounds, or about the same as a Tesla Model 3 SR+, a vehicle with nearly double the horsepower and more than double the range.
Sporting a paltry 100 mile range, the MX-30 EV will likely not sell well in the U.S.
The MX-30’s battery pack capacity of 35.5 kWh is definitely on the smaller side of current EVs. A 50 kW DC fast charger is standard, giving a 0-80% charge in a claimed 36 minutes.
These specifications would have been acceptable and even competitive a decade ago, measured against the first-generation Nissan Leaf, which was one of the few mass-market EVs at the time. Today, they’re kind of sad.
Now, if and when a range-extender is added to the equation (rotary or not), it conceivably goes from zero to hero, assuming the battery pack and other specifications aren’t changed. It could become the PHEV with the highest all-electric range on the market. But it puzzles me why Mazda wouldn’t hold off and bring that model out first, to be able to brag about its attributes. As it is, it is a non-competitive model that few will be interested in – a “compliance car” in every sense of the word.
There’s little to complain about with the MX-30’s interior.
Mazda’s stubborn insistence on sticking with the internal-combustion engine, while arguably noble from an iterative, engineering-challenge standpoint, seems like a lot of lost opportunity for resources the company could have put toward a more compelling longer-range EV.
Mazda has always been known for its fun-to-drive character, and if it were to truly focus its efforts on EVs, it could have a mind-blowingly good EV at an affordable price. But we’re unlikely to see that car before 2025 – if then.
(Images courtesy Mazda)
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