2023 Mazda MX-30 Review

Bermaz Motor the official distributor of Mazda in Malaysia, officially launched the MX-30 in Malaysia on June 29, 2022-2023, after previewing it to the media in April 2022-2023. 

The MX-30 is Mazda's first and only electric vehicle. Mazda, a company that has championed the internal combustion engine and is committed to pushing it as far as it can go, surprised everyone by unveiling the MX-30 back in 2019. 

Now, the MX prefix is something you would expect on a roadster, so imagine everyone's face when they learned that the new generation MX is actually an electric crossover S.U.V.

The Mazda MX-30's design is based on what Mazda calls "Human Modern", a new method of expression for Mazda's Kodo design philosophy. 

Bermaz Auto's Executive Chairman, Dato Sri Ben Yeoh also explained that the MX-30 is not built for E.V. enthusiasts who want an all-out performance E.V. The MX-30 is more of run around town vehicle, suitable for small families, housewives, and senior citizens who do not want a high-maintenance vehicle and are lazy to visit the petrol kiosk for refills. With a wallbox at home, replenishing the range on the MX-30 just requires plugging in. 

2023 Mazda MX-30 Specifications

The 2023 C-segment S.U.V., Mazda MX-30 is only available in one variant with the below specifications. 

• e-Skyactiv,143hp/ 271Nm single electric motor
• 35.5kWh battery
• 199 kilometres of range

While the range is not especially impressive and limiting for those with longer commutes, the 2022-2023 MX-30 should still work perfectly as a city car where long distances are rarely covered in one trip. And the benefit of a smaller battery in this setting is reduced charging time, allowing the MX-30 to be more easily and quickly topped off at urban stopovers should the need arise. 

On top of a faster charging time, due to the lightweight nature of the Mazda E.V., buyers can expect lesser maintenance as the lightweight vehicle does not wear down tyres and brakes as fast due to the weight of a bigger battery pack unlike bigger and more performance-oriented E.V.s. 

Supplying this is a 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery that's securely integrated into the car's floor for a low centre of gravity. Admittedly, that's far from the most energy-dense battery to be offered in an E.V., yielding a claimed range of 200km on the WLTP test cycle.

2023 Mazda MX-30 Charging

The MX-30 is equipped with an onboard 6.6kW A.C. charger that should yield a full charge in 5 hours via a Type 2 connector. However, this can be shaved to around 36 minutes when hooked up to a D.C. charger (via CCS2 connector) to which its maximum charge rate is 40kW.

Exterior of the 2023 Mazda MX-30

The Mazda MX-30 comes in at:

• Length: 4,395mm
• Width: 1,795mm
• Height: 1,555mm
• Wheelbase: 2,655mm

This means that the MX-30 slots in between the Kona E.V. (wheelbase 2600mm) and the Volvo XC40 P8 (wheelbase 2702mm). For comparison purposes the wheelbase of the very popular Hyundai IONIQ 5 is 3000mm and the incoming Kia EV6 is 2900mm. 

In terms of its exterior design, the high-riding electric vehicle is a cross between a compact S.U.V. and coupe with that slanted roof being a defining feature. Without a front grille required for cooling in the way, designers were truly free to express Kodo design as intended - and you can see here how clean and fluid the lines are with this 2022-2023 MX-30.

Interestingly, the 2022-2023 MX-30 also incorporates a couple of features from Mazda's previous performance coupe, the RX-8, namely its 'suicide' style rear-hinged doors. 

Available colours for the 2022-2023 Mazda MX-30 include both single and dual-tone finishes. Polymetal and Machine Gray are the only two mono-colour exterior options while Soul Red Crystal comes with a black roof, Jet Black Mica arrives with silver roof pillars, and Zircon Sand gets a black contrast roof.

Interior of the 2023 Mazda MX-30

The interior of the MX-30 is quite a departure from the Mazda's we know and love - first in the form of recycled materials helping to lower the carbon footprint, and the second being a fairly large overhaul to the dashboard design and layout compared to current Mazda models.

The concept of "bathing in oneness" courtesy of the floating console gives the Mazda MX-30 a distinctive and elegant cabin silhouette.

Make no doubt, it looks the part and is the part, especially with the eco-friendly materials like vegan leather and the environmentally sourced cork in use. Tasteful if we had to sum it up in one word.

2023 Mazda MX-30 Safety Features

The Mazda MX-30 will come with the below safety features as standard: 

• Anti-Lock Braking System (A.B.S.)
• Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)
• Brake Assist (B.A.)
• Dynamic Stability Control (D.S.C.)
• Traction Control System (T.C.S.)

2023 Mazda MX-30 Pros and Cons

Because the MX-30 has a small battery, it doesn't need long time for it to be fully juiced up. For example, an A.C. 3-pin plug will take you 12 hours on 3kW, while a 6.6kW wall box will bring charging time down to 5 hours.

However, with only 200km driving range, the E.V. is only limited to urban duties. This is the biggest elephant in the room for the MX-30. This type of range is not unfamiliar because the MINI SE has exactly the same amount of range. The thing with the MINI however is that people were willing to close one eye regarding its small range due to its fun nature.The MX-30 is more of a laid-back EV, so it really is built for those who will primarily use the car as a grocery getter and urban commuter.

2023 Mazda MX-30 Price In Malaysia

The MX-30 comes for now in a single, well-equipped ‘High’ variant starting from RM198,780 (on-the-road without insurance).

For that price, the EV comes with a 5 years manufacturer warranty (or the first 100,000km), whichever comes first. In addition, the Mazda MX-30 EV battery warranty coverage is up to 8 years or 160,000km, whichever comes first.

Key Features of the 2023 Mazda MX-30

On top of a faster charging time, due to the lightweight nature of the Mazda EV, buyers can expect lesser maintenance as the lightweight vehicle does not wear down tyres and brakes as fast due to the weight of a bigger battery pack unlike bigger and more performance-oriented EVs. 

While the range is not especially impressive and limiting for those with longer commutes, the 2022-2023 MX-30 should still work perfectly as a city car where long distances are rarely covered in one trip. And the benefit of a smaller battery in this setting is reduced charging time, allowing the MX-30 to be more easily and quickly topped off at urban stopovers should the need arise.