A maximum five-star rating has been awarded to the fully electric Mazda MX-30 in the most recent tests by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). The vehicle scored an impressive 91% in the adult and 87% in the child occupancy categories. The former score is the highest result achieved in the adult occupant protection category of all vehicles that have been put through Euro NCAP’s 2020 tests; these are deemed to be more stringent over previous years.
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Alongside gaining full marks in the lateral impact tests, the MX-30 scored well in the Safety Assist category (73%) and the Vulnerable Road User (pedestrian safety) category with 68%. It also achieved the maximum number of points on offer in the crash test performance area, based around frontal and lateral impact for six and ten-year-old children.
The overall five-star rating is the latest in a series of such achievements for Mazda, commencing in 2017 with the CX-5. However, the MX-30 is the first Mazda that has gained such a rating following the stricter rating system that was introduced in 2020. New tests have been brought in, involving improved assessment of both post-crash protection and occupant protection as well as encouraging the newest advanced driver assistance active safety technology.
Three factors were highlighted to support these strong scores for the MX-30 and the achievement of this five-star rating; an extensive variety of i-Activsense safety technologies that assist in the identification of risk and reduction of the chance of injury or damage, strong levels of pedestrian production performance and the inclusion of the most recent Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture, including an impact absorbing lightweight bodyshell with high rigidity. Furthermore, in keeping with this rating, Mazda has also set out its Protective Safety Philosophy to strive for continued advancements in safety, including through its Skyactiv Technology, promoting safety whilst maintaining a fun experience in driving its vehicles.
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With this new glowing review, the MX-30 First Edition is currently available to order from £27,495, with the full range due in the UK in April 2021. The First Edition is currently available in Polymetal Grey Metallic or Ceramic Metallic single colours at no additional cost, or in three-tone Ceramic Metallic or three-tone Soul Red Crystal Metallic for an additional £950 and £1250, respectively. The latter choices contribute to a contrasting touch for the MX-30 with its metallic dark grey upper side panels and sleek black roof.
LED headlights and signature LED rear lights come as standard in this model, along with a satin D pillar trim. The interior, with its light grey cloth and stone leatherette with orange seat stitching, boasts an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats and chrome detailing. Mazda has additionally announced that customers that order an MX-30 First Edition before 31st March 2021 will be given a complimentary home charger wall box.
Regarding the company’s launch, Jeremy Thomson, Managing Director at Mazda Motors UK, enthused “our first all-electric Mazda heralds an exciting start to Mazda’s second century in business. With the First Edition MX-30 order book now open, customers in the UK can reserve a car for just £800 for delivery early in 2021 and the addition of free home charging installation further adds to the excellent value of this limited-edition model.
“A battery electric vehicle conceived and created with Mazda’s well-renowned focus on distinctive styling, innovative technology, driver-focused dynamics and class-leading interior quality, the MX-30 will be a stand out addition to the rapidly evolving EV marketplace.”
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The full MX-30 range will include three models: the SE-L Lux, Sport Lux and GT Sport Tech, with starting price points between £25,545 and £29,845 and additional costs for personalised adaptations. Each model comes equipped as standard with a reversing camera, 7″ colour touch screen air conditioning control panel, navigation and head-up display, LED headlights with daytime running light and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Intelligent Speed Assist. Standardised charging is additionally made simple with the inclusion of a Type 2 AC cable and socket to support 50 kW rapid charging, allowing 80% battery to be achieved in 36 minutes.
As perhaps expected with a fully electric vehicle, sustainability is also delivered with style in the materials used across the MX-30 range, with floating centre console trays, separated from the dashboard, made up of cork taken from the bark of trees without felling, as well as a door trim containing fibres taken from recycled plastic bottles.
This stylish nature continues to the exterior of the vehicle, where principles of Kodo design are clear to see. Set on 18″ metallic alloy wheels, colour ranges for the bodywork vary across the models with the simpler SE Lux offering five single-tone paint colours; Arctic White Solid, Ceramic Metallic, Polymetal Grey Metallic, Machine Grey Metallic and Jet Black Mica. The more premium models provide greater choice with the addition of the three-tone Ceramic Metallic or Soul Red Crystal, as with the First Edition.
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Through a framed glasshouse and freestyle doors, the spacious interior can be seen, with a choice of design again offered here for the more premium GT Sport Tech, with standard light grey cloth, or for an extra cost, dark grey interior with brown artificial leather.
Returning also to the theme of safety, Mazda has been clear to emphasise that the aforementioned freestyle doors, with the rear doors opening backwards to 80 degrees and the front doors opening forwards to 82 degrees, do not have a negative impact here, with reports stating “analysis of the deformed crush element from the offset frontal test indicated that the MX-30 structure did not pose a high risk to the occupants of a colliding vehicle in a frontal offset impact. In both the side barrier test – representing a collision by another vehicle, and the more severe side pole impact, protection of all critical body areas was good and the car scored maximum points for these two tests.”
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As expected, with the increasing price points, additional equipment is also included within the more premium models. The MX-30 Sport Lux brings lumbar support adjustment, keyless entry and power seats and the top range GT Sport Tech MX-30 adds a power and tilt sunroof, heated steering wheel, front wiper de-icer and a 12-speaker Bose surround sound. Naturally, in keeping with the performance demonstrated in the NCAP tests, safety is paramount across the new Mazda models, extended even further in the GT Sport Tech with the inclusion of additional safety technology alongside a 360-degree view monitor.
Finally, this continued emphasis on safety does not compromise the performance of the MX-30. Along with offering an intuitive touch to maintain the renowned Mazda ethos of ‘Jinbai Ittai – car and driver as one’, key powerful components are included, such as the electric G-Vectoring Control Plus (e-GVC Plus), to support chassis performance by utilising motor torque, optimising the front-rear load shift and promoting the vehicle’s stability.
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Moreover, the earlier described Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture specifically supports the sleek performance of the included e-Skyactive drivetrain. Indeed, smooth transitions are clearly an important focus of the new range, with the throttle pedal transferring seamlessly between delivery of linear power and regeneration and the braking system offering a subtle shift between hydraulic brake action and energy regeneration.
Here’s the Mazda MX-30 in its full safety crashing glory:
