The 2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo will run $6,600 more than an equivalent non-turbo CX-30 with all-wheel drive, starting at a rich (for something this size) $31,000. That price difference reflects the comparison of AWD-to-AWD CX-30s, because Mazda will only sell you a CX-30 2.5 Turbo with all-wheel drive. Factor in the even cheaper front-drive non-turbo CX-30, which starts at only $23,000, and the price gap between the least-expensive non-turbo CX-30 and the least-expensive CX-30 2.5 Turbo swells to $8,000.
Don’t choke on your discount shopper’s card quite yet! While Mazda’s naming convention for the CX-30 2.5 Turbo largely mirrors that of the non-turbo CX-30, with Standard and Premium trims, there are big equipment differences between them. Up front, of course, is the extra power the Turbo has: 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on premium gas (227 hp and 310 lb-ft on regular), compared to the 186 horses and 186 lb-ft of the regular CX-30’s 2.5-liter engine. Then there is stuff like heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a sunroof, an eight-speaker audio system, 18-inch wheels, and blind-spot monitoring. Like other CX-30s, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure warning is standard.
That alchemy of features places the entry-level CX-30 2.5 Turbo model somewhere between the $25,000 CX-30 Select and the $27,400 CX-30 Preferred in terms of equipment, dulling the price gap between it and the cheapest non-turbo models. Step up to the CX-30 2.5 Turbo Premium ($33,400), and you’ll get a similar batch of goodies to non-turbo Premium models (which start at $29,650 with front-wheel drive and $31,050 with AWD), including a 12-speaker Bose audio system, heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, leather seats, power liftgate, head-up display, navigation, and adaptive LED headlights and LED taillights.
Exclusive to the CX-30 2.5 Turbo is a Premium Plus trim level, which starts at $35,000 and piles on luxury goods such as Traffic Jam Assist (a sub-40-mph self-steering, braking, and acceleration feature similar to Tesla’s Autopilot), a 360-degree parking camera, and automated emergency braking for reverse.
Even though the CX-30 2.5 Turbo’s pricing pushes into entry-luxury territory, the small Mazda comports itself well enough without the turbocharged engine to seem sufficiently luxurious. We figure that with a massive injection of power, that sense should grow enough to make the price tag feel at least somewhat worth it. If not, Mazda will happily sell you its turbocharged engine in the similarly sized Mazda 3 hatchback (also with all-wheel drive!) for $31,845 or the slightly larger CX-5 at $33,160.
2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo Pricing
- CX-30 2.5 Turbo Standard: $31,000
- CX-30 2.5 Turbo Premium: $33,400
- CX-30 2.5 Turbo Premium Select: $35,000
