New Mazda CX-30 Turbo 2021 goes official as hot Hyundai Kona, Volkswagen T-Roc rival

Say hello to the most powerful Mazda CX-30 to date, the 2.5 Turbo that uses a 186kW/434Nm engine to blow away the Hyundai Kona and Volkswagen T-Roc.

However, the hot CX-30 is off the table for Australia as it is currently available only in left-hand drive.

The recently-revealed turbocharged Mazda3 is also built exclusively in left-hand drive for the US market in Mexico, with the CX-30 2.5 Turbo also sourced from the same facility.

Australian CX-30s are now sourced from Japan after a production switch from Thailand this year due to “production efficiencies”, according to Mazda.

However, a Mazda Australia spokesperson said the brand's local division will reassess if right-hand-drive production of the CX-30 2.5 Turbo were made available. 

The same 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine is also slotted under the bonnet of the CX-5 and CX-9 SUVs, producing 170kW/420Nm in Australian cars.

Of note, the maximum 186kW/434Nm figure is only achievable on higher-grade 93 octane, with 87 octane dropping outputs in line to Australian figures.

Drive is sent to all four wheels in the CX-30 2.5 Turbo through a six-speed automatic transmission, but a zero-to-100km/h acceleration time is yet to be revealed.

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From the outside, the CX-30 2.5 Turbo differentiates itself from its naturally aspirated counterparts thanks to new-look 18-inch wheels finished in black aluminium, larger diameter exhaust outlets, ‘Turbo’ badging and gloss-black door mirrors.

Inside, equipment such as an 8.8-inch multimedia screen, 12-speaker Bose sound system and soft-touch materials carry over from high-end CX-30 grades.

Also standard on the CX-30 2.5 Turbo is Mazda’s suite of i-Activsense safety features including rear cross-traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, surround-view monitor, traffic sign recognition and head-up display.

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