Something that really gets my car juices flowing is a slick gear change.
We are in an age when the manual gearbox is going out of fashion. Just about every car I drive is automatic but changing gears is proper driving isn’t it?
Accelerating hard through a six speed box, getting the revs and clutch balance right is great for an adrenalin rush. A good gearbox has to be a given and not every car manufacturer was up to scratch in the days when manuals were the norm. No naming and shaming today but there is one company that is always head and shoulders above the rest.
Mazda does a lot of things right and crafting the perfect gearbox is one of them. I have been driving their cars for more than 40 years and they were always geared up for a fun drive.
So there was a smile on my face when CX-30 turned up with a six speed manual to play with and it did not let me down, smooth as silk and an absolute joy. My wife wasn’t too pleased, she’s an automatic convert.
What are we to make of CX-30? It’s a car with a clash of identity, an SUV version of the Mazda3, a bit taller with bits of body armour around the wheel arches and sills to give it a masculine look, yet it doesn’t look like a boxy SUV. It is more rounded, the perfect shape for a crossover between the two styles and all the better for it. This is a good looking car.
It is also a car which can be driven without spending 10 minutes learning how to select functions from the endless menus on a huge touchscreen. That is a kind way of saying CX-30 is starting to feel its age compared to the ultra modern, switch free layouts in the current crop of cars from China although Mazda has gone down that route with the new electric 6.
At least this is still a stress free zone for the driver who is faced with three crystal clear dials backed up by an equally clear head up display while adjusting the heating controls with clearly marked switches.
There is a touchscreen, a modest 10.25 inches by today’s Chinese standards, with options chosen using a rotary switch between the front seats, much safer than taking your eyes off the road dabbing a screen. Honestly, this is the easiest and safest modern system of any car I have driven.
The tech has been updated but there is a glitch in the system somewhere because the speed limit alert told me the limit in my 20mph village is 80mph!
Build and trim quality are impressive. Mazda set out to promote its cars into the premium league and has nailed it. Specification from entry Prime-Line is strong with a full pack of driver safety aids including my favourite rear emergency braking. Push the boat out for Takumi and the list includes adaptive LED lights, wireless charging, Bose sound system, surround camera, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.
Mazda prides itself on building cars with a sporting edge and CX30 handles like a good old hot hatch. The payoff is a firmer ride but you can’t have everything.
The biggest change to the model is a new engine, and a controversial one at that. The lacklustre 2-litre petrol was ditched for a 2.5 litre, a big leap when rivals are going for small turbocharged hybrid engines. This has solved the lack of grunt in the mid-range without compromising economy which is good for middle to high forties, or more than 50mpg on longer runs.
If this isn’t enough the 184bhp 2-litre Skyactiv X is quicker but you would have to be satisfied with the lower Exclusive spec to match the 2.5 litre Takumi price.
Would I have a CX-30 over a Maz3? Probably not, the hatch is two grand cheaper, looks even better and has a bit more cabin space.
Favourite feature. The manual gearbox, of course.
Fast Facts
CX-30 Takumi
£32,780 (starts £27,280)
2.5 litre petrol; 138bhp
0-62mph 9.7secs; 121mph
47.1mpg combined
135g/km. 1st VED £595
Boot: 422-1398 litres
Insurance group 17
Warranty: 6 years
