Differences Between the Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-30
Photo: Mazda
The Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-30 are both five-seat, family-friendly vehicles from the same automaker. While they share some superficial similarities, they’re hardly twins. Here’s a look at their differences.
Learn More About Mazda: Check out the differences between Mazda CX-5 trim levels
Trim levels
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Both the CX-5 and the CX-30 offer seven trim levels. The CX-5 lets you choose between the Sport, Touring, Carbon Edition, Carbon Edition Turbo, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature trims.
The CX-30, on the other hand, offers the following trims: CX-30 2.5 S, Select, Preferred, Premium, 2.5 Turbo, 2.5 Turbo Premium, and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus.
Exterior colors
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The CX-5 and CX-30 both offer Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, Snowflake White Pearl Mica, Machine Gray Metallic, Polymetal Gray Metallic, Sonic Silver Metallic, and Jet Black Mica. Polymetal Gray is available on both models, but with some caveats — the CX-30 offers it on the Premium trim and above, while the CX-5 only offers it on the Carbon Edition trim. On top of that, the CX-5 offers Eternal Blue Mica, which you won’t find on the CX-30.
Styling
Photo: Mazda
When it comes to styling, the Mazda CX-30 looks a bit more bold than the CX-5. That’s because the CX-30 sports prominent black plastic cladding around its wheel arches. The CX-30 also sports a slightly more streamlined front fascia, as well as distinct S-shaped contours along the side of its body.
Spaciousness
When it comes to cargo space, the CX-5 offers significantly more room than the CX-30. Behind the second-row seats, the CX-5 offers 30.9 cubic feet of storage space. Fold down the back seats to open up 59.6 cubic feet of cargo room. In the CX-30, you’ll have 20.2 cubic feet with the seats up, and a maximum of 45.2 cubic feet of room with the seats folded flat.
The 2021 Mazda CX-30 starts at $22,050, while the 2021 Mazda CX-5 is $25,370 for a base-trim model with no frills.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.