Mazda MX 30 EV - Uphill Battle

Overview
Mazda's first all-electric vehicle is the MX-30 SUV, which sports a stylish exterior and simplistic cabin, but fails to deliver adequate driving range. The sharp exterior design provides a coupe-like roofline and rear-hinged back doors similar to those found on the BMW i3 electric car. The EV Mazda SUV comes with a 30.0-kWh battery pack that's good for up to 100 miles of driving range; a 143-hp electric motor drives the front wheels and acceleration isn't nearly as perky as rival EVs such as the Chevrolet Bolt, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, or the Tesla Model 3, all of which offer more than twice the driving range of the Mazda. At first, the MX-30 will be offered for sale only in California before expanding to other states.

What's New for 2022?
Not only is the MX-30 an all-new model for Mazda, it marks the first time the Japanese automaker has experimented with an all-electric powertrain. It's similarly sized to the current CX-30 crossover, but borrows the MX nomenclature of the MX-5 Miata, which is a clue to that the MX-30 offers poised handling and a fun-t0-drive nature.
The MX-30 is offered in base and Premium Plus trims, but its prices are higher than mainstream rivals such as the Bolt and the Nissan Leaf. The Premium Plus model adds a lot of equipment, including active blind-spot assist, front cross-traffic alert, a 12-speaker Bose stereo system, a heated steering wheel, a 360-degree exterior camera system, and more.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The all-electric MX-30 comes with one 143-hp electric motor that drives the front wheels; all-wheel drive isn't available. However, we've also learned that there will be a plug-in-hybrid version that'll launch later and will pair an electric motor with a rotary gasoline engine, so perhaps all-wheel drive is still on the table. As its low horsepower rating suggests, the MX-30's acceleration isn't up to par with more powerful rivals and at our test track, it needed 8.7 seconds to reach 60 mph. The chassis is playful and steering is sharp, which is what we expect from a modern Mazda. That eager handling is what earns this SUV the MX in its name, a prefix which is shared only with the brand's MX-5 Miata sports car.