First Drive: 2022 Mazda MX-30

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VANCOUVER, B.C. — Range, range, range. Just as location, location, location is the restaurateur’s mantra, range is the critical number in the electric vehicle equation. Every consumer survey regarding reasons to buy an EV, that I have seen in the last couple of years, rank range as the number one concern/selling feature.

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So, when an all-new EV comes to market with a full-charge range less than half of the comparably priced competition, it begs the question: what were they thinking? Mazda has been facing that line of scrutiny ever since the MX-30 went on sale in other markets last year, and now is facing the same grilling by Canadian automotive journalists with its arrival here. Well, at least in British Columbia and Quebec, which are the two places that will offer the front-wheel-drive MX-30 for sale initially , based on EV adoption rates and government rebate programs available in those provinces.

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Mazda Canada officials trotted out the expected logic on a sub-200 km range — “the average Canadian drives 40 kilometres a day”; “a bigger range would increase the price substantially” — but it still is the headline on this launch (and as proof, one I just spent 200 words on).

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However, and it’s a big however, there is more logic, this more compelling than the previous points, to the MX-30 design. And that is the plan to convert this vehicle to a Plug-in Hybrid with the addition of a small fuel tank and a gas-powered rotary engine range extender. True, the MX-30 PHEV, which is expected here later next year, will have a smaller battery pack, but even so promises to be a fantastic little car. And thanks to the gas engine, without any associated range anxiety.

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I say ‘fantastic little car’ with confidence, as after driving the MX-30 for a few hours all over Metro Vancouver, I was more than impressed by Mazda’s inaugural foray into the electric vehicle world. It is a very enjoyable car to drive, staying true to Mazda’s ‘Zoom-Zoom’ ethos, has a great cabin feel and a long list of standard features. I drove the GT model — starting at $47,150 compared to the base GS’s $42,150 — and it is the only sub-$50,000 EV that comes even close on the fun-to-drive scale to the Mini SE, which by coincidence also has a sub-200 km range. And that’s a huge compliment.

Power output from the MX-30’s 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (supplied by Panasonic, incidentally) is 143 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque. The 35.5 kWh battery can be charged from 20 per cent to 80 per cent in 36 minutes using a Level 3 DC fast charger, and within two hours and 50 minutes using a Level 2 charger.

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The MX-30 is very much the EV-version of the gas-powered CX-30, sharing the a majority of the chassis frame and suspension parts, and with an interior cabin space almost identical to the CX-30. The MX-30 is 136 kilograms heavier than the CX-30, but its centre of gravity is a substantial 2.1 inches lower, which translates to excellent handling characteristics. While much of the drive route was urban driving, I did have a few minutes of some spirited driving on some twisty country roads on the edge of the metropolis, and the car stuck to the road and the firm, but not heavy steering provided very good feedback through the sport steering wheel. The MX-30 is also stiffer than the CX-30 — with low-rolling resistance tires that are 15 per cent stiffer and a body that is a whopping 45 per cent stiffer — and that translates to barely any body roll, further aiding the sure-footedness of the compact car.

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If you’re in a mood to go down a tech- and graph-laden rabbit hole, the MX-30’s e-GVC (for G vectoring control) should keep you busy for a few hours. The Coles Notes version is that it uses the electric motor to control the increase of torque while in a corner and transfers the load back to the rear wheels more efficiently than a gas-powered vehicle can achieve. Not sure I have the kind of nuanced ‘car feel’ to sense that, but I can say cornering felt crisp and in control, even at some good speeds.

Braking is always an interesting aspect of an EV, and regenerative braking, which harvests energy to recharge the battery pack, is approached differently by almost every automaker. Mazda puts its own unique spin on the concept, not by utilizing paddle shifters to set the modes, but with a five-stage setting with the default drive mode in the middle of the range. Meaning it has some regen to it. There are two ‘upshift’ modes from that base setting that take regen off, and two ‘downshift’ modes that add regen pressure. All these settings also have a direct effect on the accelerator pedal position: when the regen is set high, the further you push down on the pedal. And vice versa. And the brake pedal itself is somewhat unique for a car in this class as it is fly-by-wire and utilizes a mix of regen and friction braking.

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What the MX-30 doesn’t offer is one-pedal driving. As someone who drives EVs more than gas-powered vehicles, this is one feature that when not available always disappoints me. Another aspect of the MX-30 I’m not a fan of is the ‘piped-in’ torque sound to provide an audible ‘engine’ sound in the cabin. I understand why automaker’s do this, as surveys show drivers equate engine sound with performance, but at least provide an ‘off’ button. The MX-30 has no such mute button.

New-to-Mazda features that are most welcome revolve around safety. The MX-30 is the first Mazda to offer front traffic alert for cross traffic and blind spot assist.

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Then there’s the cork. Yes, cork. Did you know that Mazda started out in business as a cork manufacturer, more than a century ago? I certainly didn’t. Paying homage to that heritage, cabin designers utilized cork on the floating centre console and on the front door inside handles. It’s a nice tactile material and looks cool, but the jury is out on how it will hold up over time. As to the cabin design, it’s great. Nice and clean dash and control features; loved the shifter on that centre console; and the 7.5-inch display screen is perfectly scaled for the size of the dash. And kudos to Mazda for including an installed Navigation system, rather than expect me to plug in my phone and use google maps or some such app.

There are rear seats back there, and while the rear-hinged rear doors do provide good access, it’s fairly tight back there. Fold them down though and the cargo space is quite respectable for a compact.

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All considered, this is a very solid city car. Europeans certainly think so, as more than 10,000 have been sold since it went on sale last year. But Canadian tastes — and expectations — aren’t the same as those on the Continent.

Which brings us full circle and to one final point on the MX-30’s range. It’s good to remind oneself that this is Mazda’s first attempt at a production EV and is built on the CX-30’s platform, not a bespoke EV architecture. That will come, according to Mazda, in 2025, and be scalable for all size of vehicles.

As a first attempt, the MX-30 is a winner. And it’s just going to get better.