I am thinking of buying a CX30 and my wife and I recently had a test drive at Mazda North in Danvers ,MA, I took along with me a list of the Consumer Reports criticisms :-
- Suspension jumpy over bumps
- Infotainment system
- Interior cramped & claustrophobic
- Slight bump in each gear on moderate acceleration
- Lane keeping is poor
- Adaptive cruise control unreliable
- Poor acceleration from zero
- Cheap head liner, sun visors, door pockets
- Short side mirrors & angle of windshield pillars = claustrophobia
- Center console impinges on right knee ( driver’s)
- Thick rear pillars make for po or visibility when reversing
- Low door with narco no row opening makes getting in & out difficult.
- Parking brake is automatic on but needs turning off before driving away.
- Noisy engine wheezy & raspy at low revs
A long and formidable list, indeed. I should mention that my recent cars have been Subaru Wagons, and I now own a 10 year old Prius and a year old Mazda CX5. We test drove the CX30 over a variety of roads. My wife is 5'2" and I am 5'9". Of the criticisms I agree with the following (We didn't test #5 and 6):-
#2, but driving the CX5 the learning curve has improved.
Maybe I can see some agreeing with #3. Yes, the CX5 is much more airy, but the interior is NOT cramped and the alignment of the front and side windows give the XC30 a sports car feel. Securer and closed in, not claustrophobic.
#1 you feel the bumps and frost heaves (a lot of them around here!) but I wouldn't call it "jumpy".
#4, #7, #10, #11, #12, #14 stuck my wife and me as totally inaccurate. What is Consumer Report comparing the CX30 to, we wonder! It accelerated smoothly: it's not at all sluggish as its 0-60 time testifies. Gear shifts are smooth. The engine note is pleasant. There was a good 2" of space between our right knees and the center console. I am 83 years old and my wife isn't much younger - - and we both have arthritis: yet getting in and out of the car was no problem whatsoever.
#8 Maybe, compared to the better materials on the CX5 ,but with all the extras I want in the Premium AWD my top of the line CX5 is roughly $7,000 more. All materials are fine for the price.
I am a car enthusiast (have owned English sports cars, a Volvo P1800, and an old Bentley) and I think the glowing reviews of the specialist motoring press on line are much closer to the mark.