Mazda CX-30 review - Reliability & safety

The Mazda CX-30 managed to set a new benchmark by achieving the highest score ever from Euro NCAP on its way to earning a full five-star safety rating. Mazda buyers seem to be impressed with their cars, and while the brand has dropped a few spaces in the Driver Power owner satisfaction survey in the last few years, it still performs well, coming seventh place in 2024.

Mazda CX-30 reliability

Despite Mazda owners rating the brand highly in terms of overall satisfaction, reliability is just middle-of-the-road, with around a quarter of Mazda owners reporting an issue with their car in the first year of ownership. Rival Suzuki absolutely trumps the competition with just 8.9% of owners reporting an issue in the first year, while Ford – maker of the best-selling Puma small SUV – still has a more impressive reliability record, with just 20.8% of its owners reporting an issue in the first year.

Safety

The Mazda CX-30 achieved an impressive five-star rating when tested by Euro NCAP, scoring an excellent 99% safety rating for adult occupant protection - the highest score ever achieved by any car tested. It also scored well for child occupant protection, with 86% overall, plus it received 77% in the safety assist category.

Standard fit accident-prevention kit includes lane keeping assist and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) capable of detecting pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers, along with a system to warn the driver to take regular breaks on long trips.

While most safety kit is standard, the Takumi trim also includes some extra features, including a system to help prevent bumps while reversing out a parking space or driveway. Cruising and Traffic Support (CTS) is also fitted, operating the accelerator, brakes and steering in slow-moving traffic to help take the tedium out of the experience.