Mazda CX-30 vs Kia Sorento

What's the difference?

I’m glad we checked in on our old friend, the Mazda CX-30. Despite being a car with two wheels planted in the future, and two firmly planted in the past, it manages to hold the line against many of its newer rivals, both on the cheaper and higher-tech end of the spectrum.

What you see really is what you get with this Mazda; it’s lovely to drive, looks fantastic, and punches above its weight when it comes to cabin ambiance. While what’s under the bonnet might no longer be in vogue, driving this car again has only reinforced its standing as small SUV royalty.

The Kia Sorento GT-Line diesel has the space, the features and the looks. My son loves all of the amenities in the middle row and has enjoyed touching every single button he can in this SUV!

If you're after a seven-seater and want the luxury factor too, this is one to consider.

If you're desperate for both people and luggage stowage, the Carnival might be a better fit but my family of three really like what the GT-Line has on offer and it gets an 8.5 from us.

While the Haval Jolions of the world look ready to hit up the McDonald’s drive thru with their youthful flair, and cars like the Toyota Corolla Cross want to save money and dine at home with their conservative appearance, the Mazda CX-30 looks dressed to impress, as though it should be seen at the valet stand of your nearest Michelin-star restaurant.

A few years of age or not, the design of this car is still spectacular at this price, placing it right at the forefront of looks for the mainstream small SUV segment.

The delicate panel work, signature big grille, and large wheels at this Astina grade match nicely with the minimalist light fittings which themselves come complete with a soft-fade effect for the indicators.

It’s attention to detail like this which makes the CX-30 look like it belongs in a price-bracket above, and demands rivals pay attention.

The interior meets expectations, too, which is no small feat given some cars in this space prove it’s one thing to look great, and quite another to match it with a truly premium feel.

Mazda has done a fantastic job in the cabin which feels the part with an abundance of soft-touch materials, a dark, modern colour scheme, and an overall vibe which is ageing well even compared to more recently launched rivals.

I would go so far as to say, at the Astina grade the CX-30 feels more like it should be competing with Lexus, certainly punching above the mark, even at its mid-$40K price-point.

The Sorento has been beefed up to compete against its heavier-set rivals, like the Kluger and Everest. The chunky design works in this format because it's body is well proportioned and features lovely highlights like a full suite of LED lights and satin-metallic accents.

The black grille is wide-set and complements the tall nose, while the two-tone 20-inch alloy wheels gives it some cool cred.

Hop into the cabin and you can't mistake this as anything other than the top grade with an interior that looks well-made, featuring a nice mix of materials with the Nappa leather upholstery, black suede headliner and soft touchpoints throughout.

The dashboard sits a bit lower than expected and thus you don't feel like you're in a big monster when you drive. The dashboard is headlined by the beautiful curved panel that houses those dual 12.3-inch digital screens.

Everything about this SUV shouts 'look at me, aren't I gorgeous?'

It looks good and feels good, but is it practical? While the CX-30 is larger than its smaller CX-3 sibling, it still leaves space to be desired, especially compared to some other segment-bending small SUVs it competes with.

The front seat is not where the bad news starts though. It feels spacious enough inside for a couple, with large seats, plenty of space separating the front two occupants, and plenty of comfort on offer with padded armrests on both sides.

There are big bottle holders in the doors and in a flip-open bay in the console (wouldn’t want to interrupt this design… ), and there’s additional storage once you slide and flip open the armrest.

To keep things tidy, your USB and 12V power connections are also located in the console bay. No need for messy cables, and there’s a little divider, too.

On the downside here, there’s a chunk of dead space under the climate unit, which looks like it could be filled with a shelf or, better yet, wireless charger. As it is, it’s just a plastic panel with a small bay underneath which barely fits a phone.

Adjustability is great for the driver, with a reach- and tilt-adjustable steering wheel, and high belt-line offering a sporty hatch-like feel, which I instantly felt comfortable with.

The rear seat isn’t as impressive. While the fancy seat trim and soft-touch points mostly continue, some of the padding in the doors has been replaced with hard plastic, and there’s a raise in the floor to facilitate all-wheel drive on some variants which eats into the centre occupant’s foot space.

Behind my own seating position, my knees have a tiny amount of room, and so does my head, at 182cm tall. Technically, I fit, but it’s close, and feels it.

Rear occupants get a padded drop-down armrest with two bottle holders, an extra two surprisingly large ones in the doors, but no power outlets. There are two adjustable air vents on the back of the centre console.

The coupe-like design also has a cost when it comes to boot space. There’s 317-litres (VDA) of space available, although we could only fit the CarsGuide luggage set when the parcel shelf was removed.

The space is suitable for a couple on a weekend adventure, but a bit tight if you have more requirements, like a pram-age child, for example.

There is an under-floor space which houses a space-saver spare wheel and part of the Bose sound system.

The Sorento offers a cabin that is not short on space and up front you never feel like you're on top of your passengers, no matter who or what you're carrying.

However, the leg- and headroom is the best in the front and middle rows. The panoramic sunroof and stadium positioning of the seats of the middle row cuts into the headspace a little bit but a taller adult will still find comfort.

The legroom in the third row is more suited for kid-sized occupants but an adult could squeeze back there for a (very) short trip.

Individual storage and amenities throughout the car are excellent for the class. Front passengers get a drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders and a large middle console and glove box. There are also some handy storage nooks and a utility tray on the topside of the centre console for items like keys, wallet and your phone.

The electric front seats are super comfortable and have those lux heat and ventilation functions.

The middle row gets a skinny drink bottle holder in each door, two cupholders in a fold-down armrest and another cupholder in each door. These are the favourites for my son because they are easier to access for him.

On the back of the front seats you get map pockets and two netted device holders. There are also reading lights, directional air vents, retractable sun blinds and heated outboard seats.

Third rowers aren't forgotten either with two cupholders, two snack trays and directional air vents, as well as an electric fan controller and reading lights.

In terms of other storage, the back seat has a 60/40 split and the third row has 50/50 split. With the third row stowed, you get a decent 608L of storage capacity in the boot.

There is a small under-floor compartment where you can hide the cargo cover and the full-size spare wheel is located underneath the car. This grade also comes with a handsfree-powered tailgate.

The technology on a whole is up to date and easy to use, however, the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has a different layout ushered in as part of the update and it took a while to get used to. Kia has thankfully fixed the strange quirk of some higher model grades not having wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so that's now standard. This grade also gets built-in satellite navigation with map updates for 10 years.

The instrument cluster is semi-customisable and you get a head-up display too. I like that there are handy controls within easy reach of the driver, like the remote boot opening button. It's good on a school or sport run!

Charging options are really good throughout the car with each row getting two USB-C ports but the front also gets a wireless charging pad too. Both the middle and third rows get a 12-volt port, so basically charging will not be an issue in this car.

There are four grades available for the Sorento with a choice of a petrol or the diesel engine for each grade level.

On test this week is the top-spec GT-Line with the turbo-diesel engine.  This particular combination is priced at $68,590 before on road costs and sits more towards the middle of its rivals. The Hyundai Sante Fe Highlander slides in as most affordable at $66,500 and the petrol-powered Toyota Kluger Grande eclipses the Sorento at $75,650.

You would be right in expecting the flagship model to come jammed-packed with features and the GT-Line doesn't disappoint.

The luxury appointments include quilted Nappa leather upholstery, panoramic sunroof and heated rear outboard seats in the middle row.

The driver's seat features 14-way powered adjustments with lumbar support and extendable under-thigh bolster. The front passenger seat has 10-way powered adjustment with lumbar support and both seats feature heating and ventilation functions.

The top dog also gets a heated steering wheel, digital rearview mirror and a whole bunch of updated technology. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be connected via wire or wireless and the 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system has had its layout updated and exclusive to this grade is the 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

The family-friendly and practical features include keyless entry/ start, powered tailgate, remote start and remote parking function (key fob activated), retractable sun-blinds  (middle row), extendable sun visors and a full-size spare wheel.

There is a niggling thought though that if the people and storage stowage were the deciding factors, you might be better suited for the Kia Carnival which is more fit-for-purpose, more affordable (by a hair) and features a similar specs list.

This is where the Mazda is really showing its age. G25 variants are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which isn’t turbocharged, nor is it assisted at the wheels by electric motors in a hybrid arrangement.

It’s punchy enough to keep the pace with most of its turbo rivals, putting out 139kW/252Nm, and some will love the fact it’s paired with a traditional torque converter automatic instead of a rubbery continuously variable or glitchy dual-clutch set-up, but it’s certainly not for the eco-conscious.

Not only is it a relatively large displacement engine, but aside from a start-stop system there’s little to mitigate your emissions. In fact, this unit only complies with Euro 5 emissions regulations, well behind the pace today.

Our GT-Line on test has a the 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that produces a maximum power output of 148kW and 440Nm of torque. This combination ensures that you have plenty of grunt, even with a full boot load, but can feel sluggish off the mark. It's a beautiful cruiser once you're up to speed though.

The GT-Line is an AWD with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

You can select an additional three terrain modes, Snow, Mud or Sand and it has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg (750kg unbraked) for any adventure pursuits.

Some bad news, of course, comes at the fuel pump. The official claim for this relatively large engine is a bit bold, at 6.8L/100km on the ADR combined cycle, but if you’re using it for mainly urban duties as we did for this review I wouldn’t be surprised to see figures more in the region between 8.0 and 9.0L/100km.

As it stands, our car produced an average of 7.8L/100km, which is better than expected, but still painful in the era of hybrids and fuel-sipping turbos, especially when fuel is close to $2.00 a litre in most capital cities.

Mercifully, the lack of complexity from this engine does mean you can put bog-standard 91 RON unleaded in the tank.

You'd expect the  diesel engine to be relatively frugal for efficiency and the Sorento claims an official combined fuel cycle figure of 6.0L/100km and after mostly urban driving, my real-world usage came out at 7.9L which is very good.

Based on the official combined fuel cycle and the 67L fuel tank, you should see a driving range of 1116km, which makes the GT-Line diesel an excellent road-tripper.

The CX-30 is awesome to drive. In a sea of lacklustre small SUVs, it’s instantly easy to connect with this Mazda. Yes, the engine and transmission here aren’t the most recent additions to the landscape, but they are predictable, smooth, and easy to deal with.

In fact, one thing Mazda is particularly good at is making its entire range feel homogenous in terms of the drive experience, maintaining the great dynamics which the brand has become synonymous with.

The touchpoints continue to be fantastic on the move. The steering feels light and easy to turn at low speeds, but becomes purposeful and full of feel at higher speeds.

The direct feedback on offer from the rack and the firm springs up front give a great handle on what the front wheels are doing.

The overall feel is firm and reactive, ready for action, and while not everyone will love the hard edge to the suspension, it helps the car feel springy and agile in the corners.

You can feel the Mazda 3 DNA on full display when you’re driving this car in haste, and it’s a kind of dynamism which most rivals can’t match, even if the Mazda’s drivetrain is feeling a little low-tech.

You certainly don’t need to worry about the six-speed transmission, which is a smooth-shifting unit.

There’s no glitchy behaviour on hills or from a stop like you might get in a dual-clutch, or rubbery surging under acceleration often delivered by a CVT, just the feeling of the car riding each gear out, and shifting between clearly defined ratios.

Drivers of older vehicles especially will appreciate its instantly familiar feel.

Ergonomically, it’s pretty straightforward, with the one major downside being the dial set-up. We like physical controls rather than touch controls, but Mazda has taken this to the extreme by not making the main multimedia screen a touch unit.

Instead, you’re forced to negotiate with phone mirroring software using a rotary dial, which is at best clumsy, and at worst distracting.

It’s also a tad difficult to see over this car’s high beltline, making it hard to tell where the corners are, front and rear, and a common Mazda problem is the wing mirrors which seem to have a zoom factor on them. Why? It limits your view into the lanes next to you.

Thankfully the active safety suite spends most of its time in the background and unlike some more recent offerings in the small SUV space, not interfering with the excellent drive experience.

The lane keep software is light handed, and the driver monitoring tech is more basic, which is honestly all you should need.

Overall then, the CX-30 is predictable, familiar, and has a fantastic quality to its handling which fits the Mazda brand promise.

Aside from a few blemishes then, it’s one of the best cars to drive in the segment, just don’t expect it to feel as cutting-edge as it could.

The diesel GT-Line can initially feel sluggish when you're accelerating from a stand-still but once you get going, it is a lovely open roader. The Sorento feels well balanced in corners and has enough grunt to tackle hills without fighting to keep up your speed.

The steering feels nimble but not light and the on-road feeling is on the right side of heavy, meaning the car doesn't shift around, even in heavy winds on the highway.

Strangely, when you pull your foot off the accelerator there's a slump as the car slows down, similar to an EV when the regenerative braking kicks in, which takes a while to get used to.

Comfort is ensured by how quiet the cabin is and the driving experience on a long journey feels very refined because of it. Suspension feels cushioned and a smidge spongier than I like, but all my passengers rave about the ride comfort, so there's that.

Despite its 4815mm length and 1900mm width, the Sorento is surprisingly agile to park because of its superb 11.6m turning circle.  The super clear 360-degree view camera system, as well as the front, rear and side parking sensors means you shouldn't struggle parking it.

The Kia Sorento is well equipped with safety features.

Standard items include the biggies like forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, blind-spot view monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping aids, lane departure alert, driver attention monitoring, 360-degree view camera system, as well as, front, rear and side parking sensors.

It's also great to see items like blind-spot collision avoidance, reverse parking collision avoidance, safe exit assist, rear occupant alert, intelligent seat belt reminders (six seats), tyre-pressure monitoring, trailer stability assist and an SOS e-call button.

The traffic sign recognition tech is still an annoying feature as it continues to beep/ chime/ alert whenever there is a traffic sign and/or speed sign change. Good luck ignoring it when you hit a school zone too.

The Sorento has AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist and junction turning assist, which is operational from 5.0 - 85km/h but the car detection is only up to 75km/h, which is surprisingly low. It's usual to see that top figure sitting closer to 180km/h for car-to-car detection.

The Sorento achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2020 and features seven airbags but the curtain airbags do not cover the third row, which is disappointing for a seven-seater family car.

Families will be happy that there are a total of four ISOFIX child seat mounts (two in the middle row and two in the third row), as well as, five top-tether anchor points.

The middle row is wide enough to accommodate three child seats and there is plenty of room for front passengers when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed.

As with all Mazdas, the ownership proposition is pretty straightforward. There’s five years of warranty, five years of roadside assist, and five years of capped price servicing.

Service costs are pretty tame, too, with our front-drive G25 Astina working out to an average of $360 per year for the first five years.

You’ll need to visit a workshop once every 10,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.

The Sorento comes with a seven-year/unlimited km warranty, which is excellent for the class.

It also comes with a seven-year, or up to 105,000km capped-price servicing program and services average $541 per service, which is competitive.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.