[Charlie]

So the long wait is finally over, Ordered mid-January with home charger installed early Feb. I was advised of a June delivery at the time, and June 1st car was ready for delivery. I wanted the base SEL Lux spec as I preferred the manual seat-pull on the driver's seat, and also preferred the black cloth over the white fake leather on the Sport Lux. I also find keyless entry quite annoying and have had heated seats in cars previously and hardly used them, even in cold weather. Also I prefer the matt finish pillar trims on the Lux as I find the piano-black ones to suffer micro-swirl scratching really easily. The only thing I really missed from the higher spec trims was the privacy rear glass.

Some thoughts after a few days use:

1. Car arrived with about 50% range left. I plugged it into my Pod Point Solo 3 and the car initially said 7h 30m to fully charged!! Seriously, a 13 hour charge from 0-100%. Can't be right surely? I spoke to Pod-Point who dialled into the unit remotely and advised that it had been initially set up to deliver 10A rather than the normal 30A. This was reset remotely, and soon enough the charge meter on the car was saying 3h to 100%. That was more like it.

2. The car is just wonderful to drive. I took it out on a spirited run across a favourite bendy B road and it was everything I hoped for and more. Feelsome steering, neutral in bends with good turn-in etc and responsive acceleration oh and did I mention beautifully progressive braking. Bearing in mind that for the last 2 years I have been driving an RS Megane, I did not feel disappointed in the performance to be found in the MX-30. At normal road speeds the MX-30 has more than enough instant go to satisfy a keen driver I think many of the various reviews I've read on the subject do the car a disservice, describing it as "slow" or "sluggish". Perhaps, in comparison to the warp-speed capabilities of some EVs that is the case but, back in the real world, the MX-30 offers more than enough. Also, I wonder if reviewers have accelerated the car with the re-gen on its lowest/off setting, where the car is much more sprightly.

3. The fake engine noise was switched off on my car upon delivery. I turned it on to try it out, but quickly switched it off again and returned to serenity.

4. I managed to achieve probably the most perfect driving position I have ever had in any car.

5. Only one review I have ever seen (and I've read many!) mentions the screen washers. The engineering on them is fantastic - almost invisible operation.

6. The SEL Lux model does NOT have the boot-lid mounted lock button like on other models. I assume this ties in with the keyless entry system, or lack of in the base model.

7. Reviews always mention the lack of dedicated cable storage. I guess this is because they usually have a Bose-equipped car on test. If the Bose unit isn't there, then there is plenty of storage room for at least one of the cables under the boot mat.

8. The standard sound system is pretty excellent. Certainly better than the tinny Renault system I've had for 2 years. Very impressed with the level of EQ adjustment available too.

9. Even though, in my mind at least, the car is generally speaking a fairly standard SUV-type thing, it really does generate interest and kerb appeal. A few people stopped to ask about it. Pleasantly surprised.

10. Finally a note on the paddle regen shifts. I have seen reviews complain that the setting resets when starting the car. Personally I believe they don't quite get it! I find that I'm adjusting the regen constantly depending on road conditions. This isn't a system to be set and forgotten about, but a fully fledged part of driver involvement.

 

[Marcin]

I am awaiting for mazda mx 30 exclusive line which should arrive in October. What is your experience with mazda connected services (if you obviously use them)?

 

[Thebriggie]

Marcin, connected services are useful as follows

You can remotely check car status including tyre pressures, charging schedule etc

You can check car location

You can lock doors

Start and stop charging (if plugged in obviously)

Preheat remotely interior and defrost screen ( reduces range due to hv battery drain)

Call out assistance

Book service

The Mazda connect can be sent s/w updates via the esim (connect only not vehicle updates)

There are few more items but these are in my view the main ones

It is useful.

Alan

 

[Charlie]

I am awaiting for mazda mx 30 exclusive line which should arrive in October. What is your experience with mazda connected services (if you obviously use them)?

Hi Marcin, I've played around with the Mazda app a little but in honesty not had reason to use it much yet. My thoughts so far:

• It's useful to check the current charge level when the car is plugged in. Again, I've only done this at home so far but I imagine it's much more useful if you're at a public charger and, having gone for a coffee somewhere, you want to check the battery level before heading back to the car.
• Tyre pressures. Always useful to know, but on a brand new car I'm not expecting any surprises.
• Nice to be able to lock the car remotely. Choosing not to have keyless go means I have to fish in my pockets to lock the car. Phone in hand I often lock the car that way.

Roadside Assistance : Nice to see this is front and centre on the app also.
Navigation : Being able to send nav addresses etc direct to the car is great. We always check destinations in the house before setting off and then (the old-fashioned way) had to leave the postcode displayed on the phone when getting into the car. Now you can just ignore all that faff and the car is all set to go when you get in it.

Not much else to say at the moment. The app itself seems very slick, professional - just what you expect from Mazda tbh.

 

[Damien]

Charlie,
I completely agree with point number 10. It MX has pretty much a 5-speed virtual gearbox. Having my car for just 3 weeks now I am still learning and my challenge is to reduce the use of the brake pedal to an absolute minimum and use the regen feature to its maximum. I would admit that I seldom go beyond the default regen setting but I am continuously using the higher regens (I call them 2 and 1 on a 5 point scale - 3 being the default) and it really does make a difference to range and makes for a much more engaging and challenging drive. Always trying to eek out the extra .1 or .2 of a KWh/100km

 

[ReillyJ]

Charlie,
I completely agree with point number 10. It MX has pretty much a 5-speed virtual gearbox. Having my car for just 3 weeks now I am still learning and my challenge is to reduce the use of the brake pedal to an absolute minimum and use the regen feature to its maximum. I would admit that I seldom go beyond the default regen setting but I am continuously using the higher regens (I call them 2 and 1 on a 5 point scale - 3 being the default) and it really does make a difference to range and makes for a much more engaging and challenging drive. Always trying to eek out the extra .1 or .2 of a KWh/100km

Welcome @Damien! What's the most range you've gotten from your MX-30 so far?