10 Things: 2023 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus
I spent a day in the Mazda CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus, here are 10 things I think you should know...
Thanks to Mazda, I was able to spend a week in the top-of-the-line 2023 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus. Here are the 10 things I think you should know.
The Turbo Premium Plus is the top-of-the-line for the CX-30
And it feels like it! Starting at $35K, this car has essentially everything you would expect from a luxury competitor, including real leather, a premium sound system, radar cruise control with traffic jam assist, LED headlights and taillights, 18” gloss black wheels, heated seats, heated steering wheel, a color heads up display, 360-degree parking cameras and sensors, and more. This does not feel like a budget car at all.
The Soul Red paint with white leather felt extremely lux
If you haven’t seen Mazda’s Soul Red paint in person you have to check it out. I don’t know how they do it but it’s one of the most striking shades of red I’ve ever seen. I will turn my head for any Soul Red Mazda of any year…and you don’t really see too many folks go for this color. When combined with the white leather on this car, it felt like a rare combo that you might expect to see in a Mercedes or Audi. Really added a nice flair!
The 8.8” center media screen has super nice graphics
I’ve said it before in my Mazda reviews - the graphics on the media screens they use are very high quality and in line with what you would get on a luxury car. One of my followers commented that the screen seemed small. Perhaps it’s all of the black border surrounding it. It feels like a good size to me, but I’m sure it will grow in the next generation a bit.
The dashboard display can probably be more modern
Despite having a built-in 7” digital display (which comes standard on all Mazda CX-30 trims), I think the dashboard can be a bit more exciting now that many companies are offering fully digital dashes. That said, I also worry about those digital systems having glitches in the future so I can appreciate some old-school gauges…I just wish it looked a bit more exciting or had more animation to up the cool factor.
All of the interior materials feel high end
One thing Mazda does really well is its interior finishes. Everything felt really premium from the leather to the metals and worked together nicely. Definitely on par with what you might get in a Lexus for quite a discount (especially on the $22K base model).
The MPG is average - if that matters
For those opting for the 250 horsepower/320 pound-feet of torque turbo model, I’m not sure how much attention is being paid to MPG. This car gets 22 city and 30 highway, which is decent for a gas-powered crossover that’s meant to be sporty. But with tempting hybrid offerings from the competition, I wonder how many people value the fun of the turbo engine over efficiency. That said, there’s something about the feeling and sound of a gas-powered turbo engine that is hard to beat.
This car is beautifully designed
I really like the design language on the CX-30 - there’s an artful approach to the body lines that makes it feel high-end. I don’t see a ton of CX-30’s on the road (compared to Mazda CX-5, for example) so it’s a smart way to get a good value on a car that comes across as more expensive than it is.
The Bose Centerpoint surround sound system was next level
I’m pretty particular when it comes to upgraded sound systems in cars (and Mazda’s base sound system is already one of the best in the business). But this car's upgraded 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint system really took things to the next level. It was super impressive and felt higher-end than what people might expect from a Mazda.
Traffic jam assist was cool
The traffic jam assist on this car fills a hole in Mazda’s self-driving tech (which has largely lacked a lane-centering assist, although it has always had a system that will pull you back into your lane after you’ve unintentionally left it). At low speeds, the traffic jam assist will help the car drive itself. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a nice touch at this price point. That said, the radar cruise control and blind spot monitoring on this car are great.
Rear legroom can be tight depending on your passengers
When a tall person has the front seats all the way back, it does become a bit cramped for a similarly tall person to sit behind them. It’s doable if both people compromise a bit, but you’ll want to opt for a larger car if you have tall friends and family.