Mazda MX-30 R-EV long-term test: report 4

The car Mazda MX-30 R-EV Makoto Run by Allan Muir, managing editor

Why we’re running it To see how much more usable this quirky small SUV is when it's a plug-in hybrid rather than a regular electric model

Needs to Be more than just an urban runabout, successfully combining the refinement and lower running costs of an electric car with the ability to tackle longer trips without hassle

Mileage 4445 List price £35,895 Target Price £34,193 Price as tested £37,895 Test economy 102.5mpg Official economy 282.5mpg

18 June 2024 – Anchors aweigh

It’s not often that electric-powered cars feel short on performance, but I do sometimes wish my plug-in hybrid Mazda MX-30 R-EV (which drives the wheels exclusively via its electric motor) packed a bit more punch. Don’t get me wrong: it’s nippy enough around town and can sit at 70mph on the motorway without a struggle. But getting up to motorway speeds seems to take a long time, even if you floor the accelerator pedal, and overtakes require much more space than I’d have needed in, say, my previous, fully electric Toyota bZ4X.

This has an effect on how I use the car’s regenerative braking system (which actively helps to slow the car down under deceleration while harvesting energy to help eke out range). 

As with many fully electric cars, selecting the highest level (using paddles behind the steering wheel) is helpful for controlling the car’s speed mainly via the accelerator pedal around town. However, at higher speeds the MX-30 R-EV feels quite sluggish in any of those settings, as though it’s dragging an anchor around. 

More so than in more powerful electric cars, I prefer to dial down the level of regenerative braking for out-of-town driving (when the car feels perkier) and use the regular brakes more often. This is because, unlike in some other plug-in hybrids and electric cars, the MX-30’s brakes are pleasingly smooth and progressive.

In fact, despite its modest performance, I’m finding the MX-30 really good to drive in general. True, it isn’t as agile as a Ford Puma, but its steering has a nice, natural feel, with a good sense of connection to the front wheels, and the car strikes a fine balance between body control and ride comfort. 

Over-the-shoulder visibility, however, is terrible. Around town, my view to the left is interrupted by the middle pillar, and the windows farther back are nothing more than tiny portholes through which I can barely see anything. Sometimes I find myself having to look two or three times, leaning forwards or backwards, before I’m confident that it’s safe to pull out. And there’s no point in looking over my right shoulder when changing lanes on the motorway. I’ve never been so grateful for effective door mirrors.

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