Mazda has never been afraid to do things its own way, and the approach it has taken with its first all-electric car is no different. The MX-30 is therefore not quite what you might expect, but it’s an appealing proposition all the same.
Toy-car looks are wrapped around an unusually small battery pack – just 35.5kWh, giving an official range of 124 miles – because Mazda believes owners simply won’t need more (and increasing the size of the battery would mean unnecessary cost and weight).
The car is reasonably spacious inside, has an SUV-lite body that is very much on trend, and is trimmed in interesting materials that give the cabin a singularly cosy and likeable atmosphere.
It also includes distinctive rear-hinged back doors – a nod to the brand’s old rotary-powered RX-8 coupé – but we found them slightly impractical in day-to-day use.
Dynamically, the MX-30 also stands out – although only when you’re travelling with a bit of pace on an interesting road.
With 143bhp and 199lb ft, the electric motor didn’t blow our socks off in a straight line, but the weighting of the MX-30’s steering and the supple manner in which the suspension transfers weight while cornering are genuinely reminiscent of the MX-5 sports car. Around town, however, we found it a little plain.
Rapid charging at up to 50kW is possible so, if the limited range works for you, there is plenty to like about the unusual Mazda MX-30. And if it doesn’t, there’s always the rotary-engined, range-extended REV version. See? Mazda likes different – so do we.