2022 Mazda CX-30 vs Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

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.

Let's get this out of the way early: Mazda's new CX-5 isn't actually all that new.

Instead, the brand has given its popular SUV a little nip and tuck to keep it fresh in the face of the stiff competition that prowls the mid-size segment in Australia.

But has it done enough to stay relevant in Australia's biggest new-car segment? Let's find out, shall we?