• Interesting, cohesive interior design
• Quality materials and trims used
• Driving position is excellent

How is the quality and layout?

While Mazda has thankfully largely avoided going as radically in the direction of touchscreen controls as some electric cars – such as the Volkswagen ID range – have done, you’re not likely to mistake the interior of the MX-30 for anything else. It’s a distinctive and rather beautiful place to be, while avoiding being outlandish.

Everything you touch, with a couple of small exceptions, has been finished and trimmed to a very high standard, with thought employed to create a variety of tactile surfaces. The central storage areas are lined with textured cork to reflect Mazda’s corporate history working with that material, while the MX-30’s eco credentials are amplified by the fuzzy recycled bottle fabric covering much of the door panels.

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Infotainment and tech

Mazda couldn’t stay away from the screens entirely, however, and in fact there are three inside the MX-30 – including a slightly unnecessary panel entirely dedicated to the climate control system; Mazda’s regular climate button design would have easily fit, but perhaps wasn’t deemed modern enough.

Much better news is the Mazda infotainment system. This is displayed on the main central touchscreen, but can be easily manipulated via a rotary controller on the centre console – making it much simpler to use than most rival solutions. If you don’t like the simplicity of Mazda’s own software and interface, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fully available via your smartphone.

Comfort

• Really impressive for those up front…
• Less so for those in the back
• Quiet, refined drive system

Those up-front certainly get a better deal. The seats are firm yet supportive, with well-defined grippy bolsters that hold without being constricting. And while the roofline is low and the windows narrow, there is a plenty of shoulder room and – as it typical for a Mazda – the driving position is excellent. We rather like the floor-hinged accelerator pedal, too, which is unusual in an electric car and helps you smooth out the power delivery.

It’s less positive in the rear where that tapered, coupe-like roofline impinges on headroom, particularly for taller passengers, and legroom is very limited. It’s also dark back there thanks to the small windows – a fully glazed roof would help things no end, but the only sunroof available is a small one over the front seats.

You only get single-zone climate control – meaning no separate right and left settings for driver and passenger. But as with most electric cars, Mazda offers a smartphone app (MyMazda) that will allow you to pre-condition the interior while the car is plugged in to charge. This improves driving range and means your MX-30 will never be too hot or too cold in the morning.

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