2022 Mazda 3 vs Mazda CX-30

What's the difference?

If you’re having trouble finding stock of a small SUV or even a hatchback in 2022, I’d strongly recommend you look at a sedan.

The majority of buyers will engage in puzzling mental gymnastics to convince themselves they need to pay more for a trendy small SUV.

Yet, it'll have a smaller boot than the Mazda3 sedan you see here. Yes, this car and other attractive small sedans sit, ignored on dealer lots.

You don’t have to wait six months for it. You don’t have to pay more for less, and you might see why being lower to the ground means better driving dynamics.

For this review, we’re specifically looking at the mid-grade Mazda3 G25 Evolve SP, sitting above the base G20 Pure and packing the larger of three engine options.

Is it the sweet spot in the Mazda3 range? Does it have the right ingredients to lure you from a small SUV or out-of-stock hatch? Let’s take a look.

Small SUVs are all the rage, and Mazda has no shortage of options for prospective buyers.

While other brands delineate quite clearly between their SUV models though, it seems like Mazda has a fair amount of overlap.

The CX-30 we’re looking at here is a size up from the CX-3 but sits alongside the similarly-sized new MX-30 and below the CX-5 mid-sizer.

Confused? Me too. Through a combination of great looks, appealing specs, and engaging driving dynamics, though, Mazda has found at least some success with every single one of its SUVs.

The question we’re setting out to answer with this review, though, is whether you should consider the Pure, the CX-30’s most basic variant. Does it offer enough to justify this car’s upmarket vibe? Read on to find out.