Based on our year with one, here are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a Mazda CX-30.

It's astonishing how quickly a year passes. Our once-shiny and brand-new long-term 2020 Mazda CX-30 is swiftly approaching the conclusion of its tenure at MotorTrend. As we prepare to return our Mazda CX-30 to Mazda for its second life as a pre-owned vehicle, we thought we'd go through our favourite and least favourite parts of the attractive Mazda subcompact SUV.

The Mazda CX-30 has the following features that we like:

It's easy to use.

Mazda's famed "Zoom Zoom" motto has been retired, but the CX-30's handling reflects that mentality. It has rapid, well-balanced, and finely weighted handling. Even sporty. It's nice on the appropriate road, but it may be a pain on highways.

Outside is nice, but inside is more nicer.

It must be difficult to build a subcompact SUV, because so many of them end up betraying their econocar roots. But not the CX-30. Its attractive external sheetmetal is only surpassed by its interior, which is among the best available from a non-luxury brand in the market.

Outstanding Dealer Experience

We've also been pampered by the great dealership experience, which surpassed the care and quality of certain luxury automakers. So far, our one service visit has been quick, efficient, and painless. We particularly like the well-designed showroom and waiting area.

What We Don't Like About Our CX-30: The Ride Is Firm

Although a firm ride typically improves cornering performance, it detracts significantly from the CX-30's on-road comfort. Our Mazda is stiffly sprung, which makes it unpleasant over large bumps and jittery on uneven terrain.

squishy brakes

One of our major gripes with the CX-30 is its brakes. Their motion has a mushy, imprecise quality about it. This makes it difficult to be smooth on the brakes, resulting in a lot of head toss for passengers.

Unrefined Drivetrain

Unfortunately, the CX-30's engine isn't much better either. The base 186-hp, 186-lb-ft 2.5-liter normally aspirated I-4 lacks the low-end oomph found in most turbocharged competitors. The Mazda's outmoded six-speed automatic transmission doesn't help matters either, since it's designed for efficiency and is sluggish to react, making passing manoeuvres an unpleasant test of your planning abilities.

Mazda does, however, offer a more powerful (and more costly) 2.5-liter turbocharged I-4 with 226 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque for the 2021 model year, and while we prefer this engine, it's still mated to the same six-speed automated as our vehicle.

Inside, it's a little claustrophobic.

Before buying the CX-30 for the MotorTrend garage, we knew it was small on the inside, but we were startled to find it claustrophobic as well. Because of the attractive sheetmetal, the window sill line is high, making it impossible for most people to look out of. We say "most" because, luckily, the driver's seat is height adjustable. Those in the passenger seats, on the other hand, are not so fortunate. Shorter front passengers have experienced difficulty seeing clearly above the dashboard, while those in the back have reported a bunker-like atmosphere.

The infotainment system is rather complex.

Although we appreciate that our CX-30's entertainment system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, we still find it cumbersome and difficult to operate, especially when driving. The problems are usually caused by features that are hidden in menus, with a twist-knob controller being the only means to navigate the system. That means that what would be a simple twist of a dial or push of a button in most other vehicles is a multistep process in the CX-30.

Assume you wish to tune your FM radio to a station that isn't among your favourites. To begin, push down on the controller, then twist it two clicks to the right, press down again, and then manually twist it between radio stations before pressing down to choose the appropriate one.

Assume you want to change from FM to SiriusXM satellite radio. To begin, rotate the knob to choose Change Source, then press down. Then you navigate to Sirius and press down once again. To change the Sirius station, push down a third time, scroll down three times, touch down once more, navigate through the station list, and lastly click down one more to pick.