New Mazda CX-30 SUV prices and specs revealed

Mazda has revealed that the Mazda CX-30 will start at £22,895 when it goes on sale in January 2020. The brand’s newest SUV slots in between the existing CX-3 and CX-5 models, giving the Japanese brand a new vehicle to take on the Skoda Karoq and Ford Kuga, along with upmarket rivals like the forthcoming Alfa Romeo Tonale.

The SE-L trim kicks off the CX-30 range with alloy wheels, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, auto wipers and headlights, adaptive cruise control, DAB radio and smartphone mirroring. Stepping up to SE-L Lux costs £1,300 and is likely to be a popular spec as it adds a reversing camera, a powered tailgate, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and heated front seats.

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Sport Lux, costing from £25,295, looks sportier, with bigger alloys, privacy glass and black exterior trim. It also features adaptive LED headlights, and a panoramic sunroof if you choose the Skyactiv-X engine. GT Sport, from £27,095, adds an electric driver’s seat, a heated steering wheel, a head-up display, leather upholstery and a Bose sound system, while GT Sport Tech comes with a 360-degree camera and extra safety technology. It costs £27,995.

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The Mazda CX-30 sits on the same Skyactiv-Vehicle underpinnings developed for the Mazda3 family hatchback. Importantly, this means it will also get Mazda's innovative Skyactiv-X 2.0-litre petrol engine, with a unique design that's promised to give diesel-like running costs with the performance of a petrol engine. In normal driving, it's expected to result in a 20 to 30% improvement in fuel economy thanks to a particularly lean fuel-air ratio - you can expect up to 47.9mpg from the manual front-wheel-drive model. Four-wheel drive is also optional on this engine but it increases fuel consumption.

The compact SUV also gets the same 2.0-litre SkyActiv-G conventional petrol engine as the Mazda3, along with a 1.8-litre SkyActiv-D diesel that’s expected to join the range after launch. Its petrol engines also get mild-hybrid technology to boost fuel-efficiency and throttle response, and the Skyactiv-G engine gets cylinder deactivation technology to shut half the engine down under light throttle or when coasting. This engine manages up to 45.6mpg but is two seconds slower from 0-62mph than the Skyactiv-X engine, which takes 8.5 seconds.

Mazda says the SUV will stick to the latest iteration of its Kodo design language, with clean and flowing lines. The shots from Geneva shows the new model has a small rear window and low roofline, in a similar fashion to the Mazda3, along with circular rear lights. Measuring 4,395mm long and 1,795mm wide, the CX-30 is a similar size to the Peugeot 3008, while the Mazda CX-5 is longer at 4,550mm. Beneath the hatchback there's a 430-litre boot, making the 3008 more practical thanks to its 520 litres behind the rear seats. All models have a 1,300kg towing capacity.

There was some confusion over what the new CX-30 SUV would be named prior to the unveiling, one somewhat complicated by the fact Mazda already sells a coupe version of the CX-5 in China wearing the CX-4 badge. Mazda appeared to have avoided the confusion with the choice of CX-30.

If you can't wait until 2020, take a look at our reviews of the Mazda3 hatchback, along with the Mazda CX-3 and CX-5 SUVs.