I am looking to replace a 2018 Subaru Crosstrek, and have narrowed it down to 3 cars, the CX-30 Turbo, Mazda 3Turbo Hatch & Volvo XC40. It also a shared family car with my college age son. This is the car that is used for weekend activities and tasks, so it is the car that goes everywhere versus the other family cars.
CX-30 - feels bigger than the Mazda3 hatch. We both really like the style of the vehicle. Storage capacity is a bit lower than the Crosstrek, but not materially so. The car drove really well. It just wasn't exciting, similar to the Crosstrek. Ride quality was really poor, though. It felt very unsettled and I wonder if the bump stops were still installed or if the tires were overinflated. Should the ride quality be similar to the 3? Our salesman was surprised by our comment, but he wasn't present for the drive. I am also not sold on the entertainment system and the lack of a touch screen. Is it a good system once you get familiar with it? I use CarPlay all the time if that makes it more user friendly. (I have a Miata and that interface is horrible even with CarPlay. It works since is the fun PT, nice weather car)
Mazda3 Turbo - I wasn't expecting to drive it, but our salesman pulled it around when we were on the CX-30 test drive. It was a turbo sedan (not the hatch) and it was great. I liked everything about it, but the low ground clearance. It was engaging, quiet and nimble. Acceleration was strong, but still very composed. The ground clearance could be an issue since this would be the car that we take on dirt roads (lake) as well as construction sites.
XC40 - IMO, this car came across as the most upscale. My son preferred the Mazda interior design, but I thought Volvo was nicer & felt more substantial. Acceleration was smoother, but I like the Mazda braking feel better. The Volvo entertainment interface is really nice (I am use to it) and I like the fact you can customized your driving mode (change the steering to have a heavier weight). It was also more fun to drive than I was expecting given the ride quality and amount of body roll. Overall, I thought it was more comfortable than the Mazda3, but the Mazda3 was more entertaining to drive.
There is about a $10K gap in MSRP between the Volvo and the Mazdas, so it might not be an obvious pairing. The Volvo, however, leases better, so the monthly payment is likely to be $40-60 higher than a CX-30 turbo based on posted MF and residuals.
Of the 3, the XC40 felt most similar to a SUV and we already have a larger SUV in the family. As a result, we are leaning towards the CX-30 Turbo, provided the ride quality is similar to the Mazda3. The second choice would be the Mazda3 Hatch followed by the XC40. Hopefully, the entertainment system is not an issue. Has anyone else cross- shopped the CX-30 with the XC40?
CX-30 - feels bigger than the Mazda3 hatch. We both really like the style of the vehicle. Storage capacity is a bit lower than the Crosstrek, but not materially so. The car drove really well. It just wasn't exciting, similar to the Crosstrek. Ride quality was really poor, though. It felt very unsettled and I wonder if the bump stops were still installed or if the tires were overinflated. Should the ride quality be similar to the 3? Our salesman was surprised by our comment, but he wasn't present for the drive. I am also not sold on the entertainment system and the lack of a touch screen. Is it a good system once you get familiar with it? I use CarPlay all the time if that makes it more user friendly. (I have a Miata and that interface is horrible even with CarPlay. It works since is the fun PT, nice weather car)
Mazda3 Turbo - I wasn't expecting to drive it, but our salesman pulled it around when we were on the CX-30 test drive. It was a turbo sedan (not the hatch) and it was great. I liked everything about it, but the low ground clearance. It was engaging, quiet and nimble. Acceleration was strong, but still very composed. The ground clearance could be an issue since this would be the car that we take on dirt roads (lake) as well as construction sites.
XC40 - IMO, this car came across as the most upscale. My son preferred the Mazda interior design, but I thought Volvo was nicer & felt more substantial. Acceleration was smoother, but I like the Mazda braking feel better. The Volvo entertainment interface is really nice (I am use to it) and I like the fact you can customized your driving mode (change the steering to have a heavier weight). It was also more fun to drive than I was expecting given the ride quality and amount of body roll. Overall, I thought it was more comfortable than the Mazda3, but the Mazda3 was more entertaining to drive.
There is about a $10K gap in MSRP between the Volvo and the Mazdas, so it might not be an obvious pairing. The Volvo, however, leases better, so the monthly payment is likely to be $40-60 higher than a CX-30 turbo based on posted MF and residuals.
Of the 3, the XC40 felt most similar to a SUV and we already have a larger SUV in the family. As a result, we are leaning towards the CX-30 Turbo, provided the ride quality is similar to the Mazda3. The second choice would be the Mazda3 Hatch followed by the XC40. Hopefully, the entertainment system is not an issue. Has anyone else cross- shopped the CX-30 with the XC40?
