Make the Crossover
By Ben Selby
The Mazda CX-30 is one of those urban crossovers that seem to do just about everything well.
Now with the introduction of the CX-30 SP25, Mazda has added to the range by giving the CX-30 some extra kudos both outside and under the skin.
At $45,990, the SP25 sits above the base 2.0L FWD GSX. However, the SP25 gets the spicier SKYACTIV-G 2.5L four-cylinder, usually found in the AWD Limited and Takami variants.
Power sits at 139kW and torque at 252Nm respectively. Both are sent to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission, and combined fuel consumption sits at 7.3L/100km.
The CX-30 is still one of the best looking urban crossovers in its class and the SP25 builds on this with black 18-inch alloys, black accents front and rear, tinted privacy glass, and black wing mirrors.
Cloth black seats with unique red stitching add a degree of flair to the interior, yet are also quite nice to sit in, too. All toggle switches and buttons are a delight to use and the 8.8-inch infotainment system is very intuitive. Equipment is decent with Sat Nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a whole host of active safety features coming as standard.
In the past, the SP25 nameplate signified Mazda performance, and while this CX-30 is relatively brisk enough, it’s happiest at a sedate cruise or commute below 3000rpm, which it manages very well indeed. The driving position is pretty spot on and visibility is good all around, too.
Mazda has a knack for giving their range the ability to handle well, and the CX-30 SP25 is no exception. Despite the 175mm ground clearance, you still feel hunkered down and planted.
Mazda’s G-Vectoring system distributes or dials back torque delivery depending on where it is needed most to give the smoothest drive possible.
To sum up, the SP25 gives even more reasons to seriously consider one of the best all-rounders in this vastly competitive segment.
