Car mazda

by holger preiss 01.03.2021, 17:56

The mazda MX-30 has a rather unusual appearance compared to other electric cars.

(photo: holger preiss)

The e-cars are also about the fact that they correspond to what the customer knows from the combustion ones. This includes not least the range. Mazda takes a somewhat different approach with the MX-30. Whether it works, wanted ntv.De find out in the field test.

After the electric car boom was already proclaimed in germany, the number of applications for subsidies has dropped significantly this year. In november of last year, 28 new cars were sold.965 buyers benefited from the lavish environmental bonus offered by the federal government and car manufacturers; in december, the figure was as high as 43.671. Sobering news in january: a mere 16.316 applications for e-car subsidies were received by the federal office of economics and export control (BAFA). And this despite the fact that not only the purchase but also the subsequent operation of the vehicles is subsidized by the state.

Mazda has long struggled with e-mobility. In this respect, the MX-30 is already quite an interesting way to handle.

(photo: holger preiss)

Whether this is a sign that the shift in traffic is still being viewed with considerable skepticism or whether it is simply because customers have not yet found the right vehicle cannot be determined at this point. But ntv.De can present another e-car that is preparing to electrify the potential clientele with its very own approach. We are talking about the mazda MX-30. That electric car that the japanese never really wanted to build. In fact, the individualists among the car manufacturers had long struggled with an electric car.

An exceptional e-mobile

Whether it was the general pressure or the constant desire to be different remains to be seen. The fact is that mazda’s MX-30 is already quite an unusual e-mobile. It starts with the design, the mazda "human modern" names. What is meant here is an "uncompromising simplicity". While the user of the MX-30 may still see this in the really beautiful straightforwardness, this already stops when the rear passengers get into the car. They have to squeeze through a rather narrow entrance to the back seat, because the mazda opens the entrance through a portal door, which is technically much smaller than a gate that opens in the direction of travel.

The portal doors of the mazda MX-30 look extremely good, but they are not practical in all respects.

(photo: holger preiss)

But also here it must be said that the opening of the doors looks totally stylish and becomes a real eye-catcher for passers-by. The passenger, on the other hand, not only has a hard time with the entrance and exit, but the MX-30 also offers very limited space for knees and feet in the second row. While the former butt up against the front seat, the latter cannot be slid under the seat. The high-voltage battery between the axles with its 35.5 kWh is too high.

Now, a high-voltage battery always sounds like a lot of power and also suggests a decent range. The connoisseur, however, will already be scratching his head apprehensively at the capacity specification, because he knows that this is a manageable distance. And he’s right: Mazda specifies a range of 200 kilometers according to WLTP. In fact, under real-life conditions, there are about 165. Of course, weather conditions play a role here, as does the way you drive. Whereby the first point was more decisive in the test. When the temperature drops well below zero degrees Celsius, a battery is no longer willing to play to its full potential. Moreover, it is more burdened by air conditioning, heated seats and steering wheel. Ergo, such a battery, like many people, likes the spring and summer more.

AC/DC rides in the mazda MX-30

The engine of the mazda MX-30 is located under the hood. 366 liters of storage space are available behind the tailgate.

(photo: holger preiss)

It’s a shame that most car buyers can’t choose when they take which car out of the garage. In addition, the environment is to be saved all year round with the help of the E-mobile. The mazda, like most of the other e-cars on offer, can be charged with alternating current (AC, plug type 2) as well as with direct current (DC) fast chargers using the CCS standard. In this respect, the japanese can "fill up" with electricity at almost any charging station. there, when the battery is near the end, it takes about one hour and 45 minutes to reach 100 percent charge. At the AC charging station it takes more than four hours, and those who, like the author, use electricity from the enbw are also fined for presumed long-term parking at the public charging station. In this respect, the mazda MX-30 is a car for people who mainly drive short and medium distances and who are sure to have a charging station at point A and B that does not set any time limits or pushes the power into the battery with a lot of power.

Once you get away from these mundane problems, the driver of an MX-30 is not only driving a car with an extraordinary exterior, but also one that is quite sporty. The electric car is powered by a 145 hp electric motor that generates a maximum torque of 271 newton meters. And since they are pressed onto the front wheels with the first pedal movement, the japanese can already scratch wildly with the rubber over the asphalt.

the interior of the mazda MX-30 has been upgraded with recycled materials and cork.

(photo: holger preiss)

In any case, 100 km/h is reached in 9.7 seconds and the top speed is given by mazda as 140 km/h. In the test, the MX-30 even reached a speed of 163 km/h. But for the sake of optimizing consumption and conserving the battery, it’s better not to experience this permanently. If you drive at a moderate speed, you will be rewarded with a consumption of around 19 kwh over 100 kilometers. If you want to control the amount of recuperation, i.e. the return of rolling and braking energy to the battery, you can use the paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

With all senses

If the driver is detached from the disdainful consumption stories, he experiences the ride in a mazda MX-30 not only in an extraordinary ambience with a seemingly floating center console or with a cup holder with a cover made of cork. It also benefits from extremely good handling in all situations, not least thanks to the advanced driving dynamics control system G-vectoring control (GVC). For a sporty car like the MX-30, rolling comfort is also absolutely in order. the front suspension is a macpherson strut design with lower triangular control arms and the rear is a twist-beam axle. By implementing the same measures as on the mazda3 and mazda CX-30, the rolling characteristics and suspension comfort are almost identical. Of course, the measures for active safety are also identical. The MX-30 also has an emergency braking or lane departure warning system and a blind spot warning system.

The seats in the mazda MX-30 are fine, but in the second row it is quite cramped for travelers.

(photo: holger preiss)

And there’s something else that sets the stromer apart from the competition and links it to conventional combustion engines: the sound. Mazda has made sure that a higher torque is acknowledged with a corresponding sound. It’s hardly noticeable, it’s part of driving a car and it’s not annoying for a second. In the end, the Stromer is still quieter than an internal combustion engine. unfortunately it is not really cheaper. For who is interested in the MX-30, would have to pay without subsidy 34.490 euros ready. Less the environmental bonus of 9570 euro, there are still 24.920 euro. Otherwise, as with all e-cars, there remain the front- and back-end trade-offs that have to be made in terms of mobility.

Conclusion: the mazda MX-30 is currently one of the most exceptional electric cars on the german market. This is not only due to its portal doors and the fancy interior, but also due to the battery power and the possibility of two charging methods AC and DC. In addition, a balanced and, if desired, sometimes sporty driving behavior. It is also a fact that you stand out with a mazda MX-30. Mind you positive.