MAZDA CX-30

Small SUV has won many friends during its time on our fleet, but the Japanese model isn't perfect

- Paul Adam

THE farewell to a long-term test car is always bittersweet, but perhaps none more so than saying goodbye to my Mazda CX-30. For nearly a year, this small SUV has served as my dependable companion, seeing me through a few thousand miles and giving a deep dive into the realities of daily life with a car that truly punches above its weight.

It’s a vehicle that certainly sparks some debate: is it a small SUV or simply an elevated hatchback? And how does Mazda - a non-premium brand - still manage to deliver more sophistication than most manufacturers?

Our CX-30 arrived last November in Homura spec with optional Soul Red Crystal metallic paint, and the immediate reaction was unanimously positive: Mazda had once again nailed the aesthetic brief. Unlike many rivals in the compact SUV segment, the CX-30 is genuinely handsome, avoiding overly aggressive creases in favour of flowing body lines and that distinctive, if divisive, plastic cladding. However, this visual appeal is more than skin-deep, because the true measure of the Mazda's quality is revealed once you get behind the steering wheel.