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Mazda Australia has confirmed the MX-30 will be offered locally in 2021 with both the all-electric and mild-hybrid variants.

 

Originally revealed at the Tokyo motor show in 2019, MX-30 is Mazda's first mass-production electric model.

 

The petrol-engined mild-hybrid variant is set to beat the EV to local showrooms. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine which produces 114kW and 200Nm. It’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels.

 

Mazda’s M Hybrid 48V mild-hybrid set-up features an integrated starter-generator and small lithium-ion battery that can feed up to 6kW into the powertrain when under load. The system also includes brake-energy recuperation and also assists the stop-start process. Mazda says the combined consumption figure is 6.4L/100km.

  

The EV model uses a 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack to feed a 107kW/271Nm electric motor mounted on the front axle. According to the WLTP cycle, the MX-30 has a driving range of up to 200km. It’s well below the 449km offered by the Kona Electric.

 

Owners can replenish the battery in around three hours using the onboard 6.6kW AC charger. With a 50kW DC fast charger, 80 per cent capacity can be reached in 36 minutes.

 

Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC), which uses the powertrain to improve chassis performance, has evolved into e-GVC Plus for the MX-30, the system leverages the torque characteristics of the electric motor to optimise the front-rear load shift under an even wider range of driving situations.

 

Dimensionally, the MX-30 comes in at 4395mm long, 1795mm wide and 1570mm high with a 2655mm wheelbase. So it’s close to the CX-30.

 

The MX-30 revives the suicide doors not seen on a Mazda since the demise of the RX-8. The brand claims the doors use custom-designed hinges that allow the front doors to open to 82 degrees and rear doors to open to 80 degrees, which not only makes entering and exiting the car easier but also provides easier access for strollers and wheelchairs.

 

On the inside, there’s a floating console, a new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, and new materials including a breathing fibre made from recycled PET bottles and cork left over from the production of cork bottle stoppers.

 

The MX-30 range will launch locally in 2021, specifications and pricing will be announced closer to the launch date.