#GIMSSWISS: Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Crossovers? Mazda Slots CX30 Crossover Between Cx3 And CX5

Since its introduction in 2010, Mazda’s Kodo — Soul of Motion design has been a driving force in enhancing the brand’s global value, and Mazda has now made this philosophy deeper and more sophisticated to raise car design to the level of fine art. The goal for this evolution of Kodo design is to express a new form of elegance inspired by and rooted in Japanese esthetics. The Mazda Vision Coupe concept model introduced in 2017 embodied this design language through finely honed, minimalist styling: its elegantly restrained body form generated a delicate play of light and reflections that change over time to create styling with a natural, dynamic feel.

Sharing the same concept, CX-30 was developed to create an entirely new design for a compact crossover SUV. Based on the ‘Sleek & Bold’ design concept, its proportions combine the toughness of an SUV with a supple, flowing beauty that transcends the category. Body surfaces provide rich, unlimited impressions that change from moment to moment. And the highly refined cabin is marked by the fusion of a comfortably snug feel and an airy, spacious atmosphere, enabling all occupants to enjoy a feeling of connection as well as relaxing comfort. Every single aspect of the design enhances CX-30’s impressive personality, stimulating customers’ sensibilities each and every time they look at or touch the car.


 

Exterior design

With ‘Sleek & Bold’ as its design concept, CX-30’s styling simultaneously realizes two contradictory elements: the flowing beauty of a coupe and the bold toughness of an SUV.

• The lower body features arresting black cladding to create the sleekly flowing proportions of a coupe. At the same time, the cladding provides an impression of stability and power worthy of an SUV.
• Styling is controlled by a new design language ‘Charge and Release.’ This language was derived from the brushwork used in Japanese calligraphy and developed to integrate the three key factors of the evolved Kodo design theme, namely Yohaku, the beauty of empty space; Soricurves with poise and balance; and Utsuroi, the play of light and shade. In particular, Soriis clearly embodied in the arc of the shoulder running from the front fender to the rear wheel, giving a sense of speed and vitality. Body surfaces beneath the shoulder line reflect the surroundings in an S shape that changes as the car moves, in a fascinating statement of Utsuroi. These expressions of body form finally come together in a single undulation at the rear where they diffuse. By eschewing character lines in favor of the movement of surfaces, CX-30 achieves styling with both the beauty of a work of art and a powerful sense of dynamism.
• Rear fenders stand proud from the inward-tapering rear cabin and the liftgate has a correspondingly narrowed arch shape. In combination, this creates an alluring and sensuously powerful rear end with a wide, dynamic stance like a sports car.
• Front styling conveys a refined, yet bold personality. Mazda’s signature wing takes on a sharper and deeper form that combines with the solid, sculpted contours of the front bumper to achieve a face strongly suggestive of forward motion. The size and pattern of the radiator grille’s triangular motif are tightly controlled to show rich variations according to the viewing angle and how light falls upon it.
• Headlamps and rear combination lamps are both elegantly sleek and supremely functional, featuring an LED arrangement that emphasizes the lamps’ elaborate cylindrical shape to point up their artistic beauty while delivering a distinctive mechanical impression. The LED turn signals have a new, distinctive light-up pattern that starts at full power and then gradually ramps down, giving a powerful impression of a pulsating, living creature.
• Nine body colors are offered, including Soul Red Crystal, Machine Gray, and Polymetal Gray developed for the new Mazda3.

Interior design

Design of CX-30’s cabin is based on Mazda’s human-centered design philosophy and traditional Japanese architecture with its use of Maor empty space.

The basic structure revolves around two areas with contrasting characteristics: a snug and condensed cockpit area for the driver, and a clean, airy open space around the front passenger. In accordance with the ‘Sleek & Bold’ overall design concept, CX-30’s interior achieves both flowing elegance and beauty, allied with the bold, do-everything attitude of an SUV. In addition, great attention was paid to every detail from choice of materials to improved fit and finish, to create a genuinely refined, top-quality interior space.

• The cockpit is symmetrical and firmly centered on the driver, with all three meters in the meter cluster and the center display correctly angled towards the driving position, giving the driver an enhanced sense of unity with the vehicle and even easier operation.
• A secondary, wing-shaped hood is fitted to the upper area of the dashboard. Running horizontally from the top of the meter hood to the end of the door trim on the passenger side, it generates an airy atmosphere that gives the cockpit an expansive feel, as well as adding to the front passenger’s feeling of relaxation, comfort and security. Stitching on the edge of the hood is one more expression of CX-30’s refined interior quality.
• The wide floor console groups the shift lever, cup holders and commander control forward in a ‘control area’ close to the driver for convenient operation, while the gently curved knee rests and arm rest behind create a warm, contrasting atmosphere.
• The shift panel has an evolved version of Mazda’s ‘two-layer molding’ technology originally developed for the new Mazda3. Light striking the deep smoke-gray panel reveals a metallic pattern engraved in the base layer to accentuate CX-30’s atmosphere of fine detailing and advanced character.
• Two distinctive interior color schemes are offered to match owner lifestyles and preferences. The option with Dark Brown accents accords with chic, mature tastes; the Dark Blue-accented variation appeals to a modern, intellectual sensibility.
  The Dark Brown scheme is available in Black or Pure White genuine leather, and the perforations in the Black leather upholstery option reveal a brown interior liner to further enhance the refined atmosphere.
  The Dark Blue scheme features fabric or leatherette upholstery, both offered in Greige or Black.

Exterior and interior dimensions

• The CX-30 boasts a spacious cabin and a generous luggage compartment that combine with its excellent maneuverability in urban environments and ease of entrance and exit to make it versatile and easy to use.
• There is generous distance between the front seats, allowing for a spacious console layout and a generous center armrest.
• Rear-seats are also spacious and feature a wide center armrest and door armrests that enable a comfortable, relaxing seating posture.
• There is plenty of legroom for rear-seat passengers and a low floor and high ceiling make the rear seats comfortable even for taller passengers.
• A spacious cabin and generous distances between seats make it easy for people in the front to turn and face people in the rear. At the same time, rear occupants can easily see front occupants’ faces in profile. The result is an interior space that encourages communication between all occupants.

Comparison of dimensions (European specification models)

Note: All values for CX-30 are tentative.

Luggage space

• A generous luggage compartment with a large opening is easy to use in any situation.
• Luggage capacity is a generous 430 liters*, enough to simultaneously accommodate a large, global-standard baby buggy and a carry-on bag. The liftgate opening is 1,020mm wide, while the height of the lip is a relatively low 731mm, making it easier to load and unload heavy or bulky cargo.

*Includes sub-trunk; measured in-house by Mazda
Note: All values are for European specification models and may vary by market.

• The luggage compartment offers a clean, refined appearance with a spacious feel, thanks to the adoption of non-woven fabric on the side trim and a simple wall structure.
• A power liftgate allows one-touch opening and closing. The gears and housing of its damper unit are made of resin, realizing quiet operation.

Entry and exit

• The model features plenty of ground clearance and a hip-point height that makes it easy to get into and out of the car.
• The shape of the seat cushions and B-pillars were optimized in light of how people move during entry and exit to enable even heavily built rear passengers to get in and out in a smooth fashion.

Driving position

• Telescopic steering offers 70mm of travel for precise control over the driving position. In addition, front seat cushion tilt adjustment is included as standard equipment to help prevent the occupant’s thighs floating above the cushion (seat angle too low) or placing undue pressure on the thighs (seat angle too high). As such, it offers firm support that keeps the pelvis in an upright position to maintain the ideal seating posture Mazda aims for.
• The position of the gear shift lever, commander control and cupholders on the floor console is optimized for operating stability, ease and comfort.

Human-Machine Interface (HMI)

• The Active Driving Display, meters and center display were all redesigned to present information in a simple fashion, while the fonts used were unified to create a pleasing and consistent look.
• CX-30 adopts an 8.8-inch wide-screen center display. Offering simplified operation that requires only the use of the commander control, it also features a new intuitive guidance system that makes the commander control easier to operate.

Visibility and field of view

• The driver’s seating position is set high to provide a clear field of view and let the driver focus on the road ahead.
• Thickness and shape of the A-pillar were optimized to minimize its obstruction angle and associated blind spots. Every detail of the pillar shape was carefully thought out after research into what degree of neck and eye movement would not burden the driver. As a result, the design significantly reduces blind spots ahead of the car, providing the driver with a continuous view of pedestrians or potential obstacles to the right or left while maintaining a natural driving posture.
• The C-pillar is small, providing good rearward visibility through the quarter window, offering easy confirmation of other vehicles or objects to the rear when changing lanes or entering a parking lot.
• The control system for windshield wiper operating speed was carefully engineered to both improve overall wiper performance and constantly adjust the operating angle of the wipers in fine increments, allowing cleaning right up to the A-pillar to greatly expand visibility near the A-pillar on the driver’s side. The wipers are housed beneath the hood to help provide a clear downward view out of the windshield. In addition, the washer nozzles are attached to the wiper arms so their spray can be wiped away immediately after application and not interfere with visibility. These measures combine to give the driver a clearer view and to quickly maintain clear visibility in wet weather.

Audio system

• Mazda carried out comprehensive new studies into how sounds are transmitted through a car’s cabin. This led to locating the bass speakers in the corners where low frequency sound is better reproduced, resulting in a more clearly audible lower register. Midrange and high-frequency speakers were positioned on the left and right sail garnish and upper sections of the door trim where the sound is transmitted directly towards the occupant’s ears, unmuddied by reflected sounds. This more powerfully and naturally locates the sound’s origin, enhancing both depth and clarity.
• The standard audio system features a 3-way, 8-speaker configuration with 3L woofers mounted at the sides of the cowl, 2.5cm tweeters on the left and right sail garnishes and 8cm squawkers on the upper section of the front and rear door trim. The 12-speaker Bose® system includes an 8cm center speaker, a pair of rear satellite speakers and a subwoofer. The system is custom tuned to provide more powerful bass and the enhanced audio quality expected of the Bose® brand.

Effortless Joyful Driving:
Mazda’s Jinba-ittai performance evolved yet further to deliver more freedom and more driving pleasure

‘Ultimate Jinba-ittai’ — the feeling that the vehicle is an extension of the driver’s body, precisely controlled without conscious thought — is Mazda’s goal. And to achieve it, Mazda has introduced Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture, a set of new-generation structural technologies. Adoption of these technologies, the latest fruits of Mazda’s further evolved human-centric development concept, allows CX-30 to open up a fresh dimension of driving pleasure.

In addition, the latest Skyactiv engine lineup including the newly developed Skyactiv-X delivers exhilarating performance, while the precisely coordinated control of i-Activ AWD and G-Vectoring Control (GVC) provides a pleasant and confidence-inspiring driving experience, along with enhanced fuel economy and environmental friendliness. Furthermore, the cabin achieves high quality quietness through painstakingly developed NVH performance based on thoroughgoing studies of human sensory characteristics. CX-30 offers the driver the utmost freedom to control the car at will, and at the same time provides all occupants a pleasant and comfortable ride.

Powertrain

• The latest Skyactiv-G 2.0 gasoline engine delivers enhanced driving performance, fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness. It adopts a cylinder deactivation system that shuts down cylinders 1 and 4 in light-load situations such as constant-speed cruising. This contributes to greatly reduced pumping loss and lowered mechanical resistance.
• The Skyactiv-D 1.8 diesel engine is retained in the powertrain lineup. It provides smooth yet robust performance combined with a fine balance of fuel economy, quietness andlow emissions.
• The new Skyactiv-X engine features Mazda’s innovative Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SPCCI) combustion to bring compression ignition to a gasoline engine. As a result, it features both the superior initial response and powerful torque of diesel engines, as well as the linear response to even sudden driver inputs and the smooth revving up to the higher rpms typical of a gasoline engine.
• The Skyactiv-G 2.0 and Skyactiv-X engines are equipped with Mazda’s M Hybrid system for both greater gains in fuel economy, and higher levels of driving pleasure and real-world environmental friendliness.

i-ACTIV AWD

• Thanks to a newly developed control system and new technologies to reduce friction, i-Activ AWD delivers a refined and stable ride in any situation and real-world fuel economy almost as good as a front-wheel drive vehicle.
• In advancing the dynamic performance of the CX-30, the team worked to always preserve grip in all four tires regardless of the road surface conditions. In addition to always being ready to handle rain, snow or other slippery conditions, it preserves extra amounts of solid grip at all times, which contributes to smooth accelerating, breaking or cornering on dry roads. The balance of grip between front and rear tires is constantly controlled to maintain smooth, stable AWD driving at all times.
• Furthermore, Mazda’s advanced i-Activ AWD works in harmony with G-Vectoring Control (GVC) to control the distribution of torque between front and rear wheels in accordance with the driver’s steering and acceleration inputs and the grip condition of all wheels in order to deliver a faithful response with that little bit of extra vehicle control to spare, regardless of the driving scene.
• To enhance real-world fuel economy, the new system adopts a rubber damper inside the power take-off unit, which greatly reduces fluctuations in input torque sent to the rear-wheel drive unit.
• A new design for the rear differential stores oil in the upper part and supplies just the necessary amount where and when required. In addition to the adoption of ball bearings and the use of low-viscosity oil, this design further reduces mechanical loss.
• A new setting applies slight difference in the deceleration ratio between the power take-off and rear differential. Not only does this maintain the same response in torque distribution, but it also increases the precision of the AWD-control unit, with a significant reduction in overall mechanical loss.

G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus)

• Aswith the all-new Mazda3, CX-30 adopts G-Vectoring Control Plus (GVC Plus). In addition to the smooth and efficient vehicle behavior delivered by G-Vectoring Control (GVC), GVC Plus adds direct yaw moment control via the brakes, which contributes to enhanced stability of vehicle posture. When cornering, GVC Plus lightly applies brake force to the outer wheels as the steering wheel is returned to the center position. This provides a recovery moment that restores the vehicle to straight-line running and achieves greater stability. As a result, the car better handles emergency avoidance maneuvers and offers more confidence-inspiring control in various situations, including lane changes at high speed and driving on slippery surfaces such as snowy roads.

New-generation structural technologies: Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture

• The seats adopt a basic structure designed to maintain the natural S-shaped curve of the spine. The seat cushion and lower seatback support the thighs, lower pelvis and upper pelvis to keep the pelvis in an upright position. Meanwhile, the upper seatback supports the rib cage’s center of gravity. This design enables the driver to stabilize his or her head in a natural fashion by shifting the pelvis and spine to maintain balance without any conscious effort.
• The body further evolves Mazda’s straight framework and continuous ring structure concept. New front-to-back connections complement the existing vertical and lateral connections of the previous body to form multi-directional ring structures. This increases rigidity while reducing lag in the transmission of energy, which helps maximize the function of the dampers and tires. By concentrating energy input from the road surface in specifically chosen locations and adopting a damping structure that helps absorb it, vibration that causes noise is reduced without increasing vehicle weight.
• The suspension system (MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam setup at the rear) is based on the concept of smoothing the transmission of forces to the sprung mass over time. A new spherical shape adopted for the internal structure of the bushings combines with new suspension geometry to realize lag-free transmission and linear action.

Excellent NVH performance

• As a result of Mazda’s human research studies, development focused on three characteristics of sound that directly impact cabin occupants. These are volume, changes in pitch and tone over time, and the direction from which sounds originate. Suppressing noise generation and reducing its volume, while also controlling the fluctuations and directionality of sounds, are all aimed at going beyond a ‘quiet’ cabin environment to instead create a ‘high-quality quietness’ that is satisfying to all cabin occupants.
• To improve the basic insulation qualities key to reducing NVH, CX-30 adopts a “two-wall” structure with space between the body and the carpeting. Considering the carpet and the body panel as two separate walls, and then designing them to match the characteristics of the carpet fibers improves sound insulation without increasing weight. The number of holes in the carpeting was also reduced wherever possible to significantly enhance sound insulation.
• Measures to deal with road noise focused on minimizing noise and vibration, and on controlling noise generated by changes in the road surface so it reaches occupants’ ears in a linear fashion. Sound-absorption added to the headliner and floor mats effectively suppresses high-frequency noise, while tires with optimized vertical yield and increased rigidity at possible entry points help prevent the transmission of unwanted vibrations to the cabin. Lag-free transmission of permissible sounds and vibrations helps create a reassuring and comfortable cabin environment.