Mazda MX-30 R-EV long-term test: report 6
This well-priced small SUV is our reigning Plug-in Hybrid of the Year, but what's it like to live with? We're running one to find out...
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 5244 List price £35,895 Target Price £34,193 Price as tested £37,895 Test economy 63.7mpg Official economy 282.5mpg
7 August 2024 – A feeling of déjà vu
A decade or so ago, when the ground-breaking electric BMW i3 was new, I lived with a range-extender (REX) version for a year. Like my current Mazda MX-30 R-EV, it had an electric motor that powered the wheels, plus a tiny petrol engine to generate electricity on the move.
Well, that was the idea. The two-cylinder engine couldn’t actually produce enough power to boost the battery’s state of charge, so the car tended to severely cap its top speed if I let the battery level get too low. As a result, out-of-town journeys were barely any easier than if I’d had a fully electric i3, and the REX was dropped long before its cheaper-to-run sibling.
Fortunately, the MX-30 R-EV doesn’t have that problem. Its petrol engine has no trouble topping up the battery, and the car feels the same to drive regardless of the state of charge. What’s more, the MX-30 has a much larger fuel tank than the i3 REX, giving it a decent combined range of around 360 miles. In that regard, the MX-30 R-EV is a success, with longer journeys being free of drama.
The range-extender configuration isn’t the only similarity between the two cars. Both have short, rear-hinged rear doors that require the front doors to be opened first to allow access to the back seats. I remember talking about how impractical the i3’s doors were, but I was more tolerant of them back then than I am now; the MX-30’s frustrate me most of the time. Even putting my backpack into the back before I get behind the wheel is awkward, because the gap between the door aperture and the seatback is relatively narrow. And unlike on the other side, the electrically adjustable driver’s seat can’t be moved forwards quickly to free up more space.
Mazda can hardly claim those rear doors help to make the car more compact, either, because the MX-30 is longer than other small SUVs such as the Ford Puma (which is far more practical) and Lexus LBX, and significantly longer than the i3. Perhaps surprisingly, the MX-30 is slightly lower than the i3, with a coupé-like profile. From memory, getting in or out of the very upright i3’s front seats was slightly easier, although this is hardly a problem in the MX-30.
Both cars have interesting interiors with unusual materials and a robust feel, plus rotary infotainment controllers between the front seats that are equally easy to operate on the move. The MX-30 has more modern controls for the air-con and ancillary functions, though, with a touchscreen plus some physical switches down the sides.
Normally I’d be celebrating the presence of any physical controls, but in this case the set-up is a bit of a mixed bag. The up/down controls for the temperature and fan speed, for example, are almost identical in layout to the duplicates nearby on the touchscreen, but they’re slightly smaller and lower down, so they’re almost less user-friendly than the on-screen ones.
Despite its flaws, I loved my i3, and the MX-30 seems to be going the same way. What I haven’t decided yet is whether its considerable charm is outweighed by the compromises it asks you to make for the sake of its rakish looks.
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