Surprising Power and Handling of the 2021 Mazda CX-30 GT TURBO

TLDR; The 2021 Mazda CX-30 GT TURBO surprises with its handling and power, while the interior impresses with its comfortable seats and user-friendly infotainment. The exterior differences, such as larger exhaust tips and black wheels, set the turbo model apart.

🚗 Power and Handling

The Mazda CX-30 GT TURBO impresses with its 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque from a 2.5 liter turbo four-cylinder engine.

The torque vectoring in sport mode enhances the handling, making it feel fantastic on winter roads and sharp corners.

The car handles surprisingly well, even compared to the Mazda 3.

The G-Vectoring Plus system in the CX-30 TURBO sends more power to the back, improving its handling.

It's noted that the car's handling might be better than the RDX with super handling all-wheel drive due to its lower center of gravity.

The TURBO model's power and handling make it a strong contender in its class, especially for those looking for a fun driving experience.

👎 Dislikes

There are some minor dislikes about the CX-30 TURBO, including the parking brake behavior and the difficulty of opening doors when the car is running.

The visors, trunk space, and Sirius XM Tune Mix functionality are also mentioned as areas for improvement.

The heated steering wheel and seats took longer than expected to warm up, but once they did, they provided good heat.

Additionally, it's noted that the car lacks front radar for parking in Canada.

👀 Exterior Differences

The CX-30 TURBO stands out with larger exhaust tips, black wheels, and black mirror caps.

These differences, along with the turbo badge and unique color options, set the TURBO model apart from the non-turbo version and other vehicles in its class.

📺 Box Test and Interior

In the box test, the CX-30 TURBO fit 10 boxes, making it more spacious than the Mazda 3 hatch.

The interior features comfortable seats, a user-friendly infotainment system, and a well-organized layout.

The white seat combination with the exterior color is praised, along with the practical cup holders and phone tray.

💰 Price and Overall Impression

The fully loaded CX-30 GT TURBO is priced at $36,250 Canadian. Despite some minor dislikes and the unconventional exterior design, the car is highly praised for its driving experience, comfortable interior, and overall fun factor.

It's considered a top choice in the sub-compact crossover segment.