Mazda MX-30 M Hybrid pricing and specs

The 2021 Mazda MX-30 M Hybrid officially goes on sale tomorrow, April 1, priced from $33,990 plus on-road costs in a three-tier model range featuring the same mild-hybrid powertrain.

A battery-electric model will join the range later this year, and a range-extender plug-in hybrid powertrain with a small rotary engine is on the wish list for Australia, but yet to be confirmed.

Mazda Australia will heavily promote the MX-30 EV’s eco-friendly credentials when it arrives, but the importer will focus for the time being on the all-new 2021 Mazda MX-30 as an all-round package, rather than for its mild-hybrid set-up.

The three M Hybrid variants comprise the G20e Evolve at $33,990, the mid-spec G20e Touring at $36,490 and the flagship G20e Astina at $40,990, all plus on-road costs.  

Equivalent in size to the Mazda CX-30 small SUV, the MX-30 M Hybrid is powered by the same 2.0-litre SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder (114kW/200Nm) found in entry versions of the CX-30 and Mazda3, but mates the petrol engine with a mild-hybrid system.

It’s a similar system to the higher-tier ‘X20’ versions of the CX-30 and Mazda3, but these use a more sophisticated ACTIV-X engine, also displacing 2.0 litres (132kW/224Nm).

So the MX-30 powertrain is a hybrid in two ways, in its operation and in its pairing of older engine tech with the same lithium-ion battery and energy-recovery system from the flagship CX-30/Mazda3.

Featuring an idle-stop system, MX-30 M Hybrid consumes 91 RON unleaded petrol at the rate of 6.4L/100km in official combined-cycle testing.

The engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission, supplemented by electric power from the ‘Integrated Starter Generator’ which recovers braking energy and restarts the petrol engine as required.

Vinesh Bhindi, managing director of Mazda Australia, disputed that a mild-hybrid car is too little, too late in a market where Toyota’s sales domination is being driven increasingly by affordable series/parallel hybrids, which go a step further in using the electric motor to help propel the vehicle.

“Hybrid is not the only story for us in this vehicle,” said Bhindi.

“The story starts with: it’s an MX-30 that’s so unique in many elements, from styling, from the materials used, from the drivetrains. And that’s why we are planning to offer two, if not the third one [range-extender model] when it’s available, in terms of drivetrains.

“It’s not ‘the same or similar hybrid and guess what? It’s available in this car’. That’s not the way we’re looking at it.”

Bhindi expects the MX-30 to blaze its own trail, just like other Mazda models with ‘X’ in the name.

“The way we think about MX-30 is a little bit like what MX-5 did back in ’89; a bit like what RX-8 did in [2003]; MX-6 was in between. MX-30, from our point of view, is that sort of vehicle. It’s going to be very niche; it will attract a certain type of buyer who will come in and say: ‘I’m here for an MX-30’.”

Mazda Australia expects to sell around 200 units of the MX-30 a month, and the mild-hybrid (‘M Hybrid’) variants are projected to outsell the battery-electric models when those vehicles arrive in Australia later this year.

That’s a prediction at odds with Hyundai’s findings from sales of the Hyundai IONIQ model, the battery-electric versions accounting for 60 per cent of sales and outselling hybrid and plug-in hybrid models combined.

But many examples of the Hyundai IONIQ Electric are likely sold to government departments and private fleets, whereas Mazda has not been traditionally reliant on fleet sales.

When the electric version of the MX-30 arrives, Mazda intends to change its marketing tack, concentrating on the car’s all-electric powertrain instead.

“When the EV arrives in a few months’ time, then we can talk about the bits that make the EV the EV,” said Alastair Doak, marketing and product director at Mazda Australia.

“And also beyond that, Mazda’s interpretation of an EV powertrain, and how do you then make sure that that delivers ‘Jinba-Ittai’ [‘horse and rider as one’], ‘Zoom-Zoom’ ... all the Mazda thinking that people in Australia obviously like a lot.”

Standard features for the entry-level 2021 Mazda MX-30 M Hybrid G20e Evolve include auto fold-in powered exterior mirrors, auto-on LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, keyless starting, 8.8-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, eight-speaker audio with digital radio and Bluetooth, satellite navigation and dual-zone climate control.

It’s little wonder that Mazda expects this to be the volume-selling model in the M Hybrid range, snatching as much as 45 per cent of sales.

The second-tier MX-30 G20e Touring adds keyless entry, auto-dimming driver-side mirror, 10-way electrically-adjustable driver’s seat (with two-position memory function extending to mirror adjustment) and pure white ‘Maztex’ synthetic fabric seat upholstery.

Topping the range, the MX-30 G20e Astina adds heating for the exterior mirrors, a tilt/slide glass sunroof, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, brown Maztex seat upholstery, 360-degree camera monitoring, adaptive LED headlights and front parking sensors.

Safety features that are standard across the range comprise 10 airbags, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, auto high beam assist, active cruise control with Stop & Go function, rear parking sensors, reversing camera, rear cross traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), traffic sign recognition and tyre pressure monitoring.

ANCAP has today confirmed that the entire range qualifies for a maximum five-star rating after "demonstrating high levels of safety performance across the four key areas of assessment".

Mazda offers Evolve and Touring buyers a Vision Technology pack for $1500, incorporating the 360-degree camera, cruising and traffic support, front cross traffic alert and front parking sensors.

Other options include Polymetal Grey metallic and Machine Grey metallic for $495, and three different multi-tone colour schemes featuring black roof and grey pillars. These three are Ceramic metallic for $995, Soul Red ($1490) and Polymetal Grey metallic ($1490).

See our first drive review of the new Mazda MX-30 Hybrid here

How much does the 2021 Mazda MX-30 M Hybrid cost?
MX-30 M Hybrid G20e Evolve – $33,990
MX-30 M Hybrid G20e Touring – $36,490
MX-30 M Hybrid G20e Astina – $40,990