How A 0.01 Second Difference Resulted in One of the Mazda CX-30's Little Known Trademark Features

One of the more intriguing, but often unmentioned detail in the Mazda CX-30’s design has to do with its turn signal lights. Just as Mazda focused their attention on something as small as car keys, wipers, and doors—starting with their newest model, they’ve done so as well with the blinkers.

LEDs are becoming the norm on modern cars, simply because of their visibility benefits. Unlike halogen bulbs that gradually increase in brightness when turned on and gradually lose brightness when turned off, LEDs instantly emit light when an electrical current is applied, and reach its peak brightness almost instantaneously. Furthermore, they instantly go out when turned off.

Unfortunately, Mazda sees this “0 or 1” operation as something cold—not fitting with their cars which are supposed to be emotional and evocative. With that, they decided early on in the CX-30’s development that they wanted signal lights that flashed and disappeared like a heartbeat—inspired largely by their very own instrument cluster. This gives it a sense of warm and a sense of life, according to the carmaker.

Working with all the necessary laws and regulations worldwide, their designers and engineers worked with supplier Stanley Electric to make this a reality. The resulting CX-30 signal lights turn on instantaneously like regular LEDs, but gradually dim 0.01 seconds after reaching peak brightness. This gives it a “lingering” effect, resulting in the heartbeat effect that Mazda wanted.

Aside from serving an aesthetic role in the CX-30, these dimming signal lights or heartbeat signal lights are also supposed to make it easier for people looking from the outside to understand the CX-30 driver’s intentions. This, in turn, eases the driver’s tension.

Have you noticed this remarkable little detail in the CX-30? You can see the difference for yourself in this short video below.

Mazda is Giving Its Entire Line-Up the 100th Anniversary Treatment

With Mazda celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, everyone was waiting as to what special edition model the carmaker would come out with. Well, we know that right now. And in a (pleasant but unexpected plot twist), the entire line-up is getting the treatment.

Available for pre-orders now in Japan, but to be rolled out globally (the photos reflect left-hand drive models, actually), the 100th Anniversary Special Edition series encompasses the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6, CX-3, CX-30, CX-5, CX-8, MX-5, and MX-5 RF.

It’s purely an aesthetics package that hark back to Mazda’s first passenger car, the R360 Coupe. With that, it adopts a two-tone interior color scheme in white and burgundy. Moreover, it has various components such as the headrests, floor mats, key fob, wheel center caps, and special exterior emblems all emblazoned with the special 100th Anniversary logo. The sole color is the Snow Flake White Pearl.

In Japan, the 100th Anniversary Special Edition Mazda2, Mazda3, and CX-3 go on sale first with a target date of June, followed by the CX-30, CX-5, CX-8, MX-5, and MX-5 RF in July, and finally the Mazda6 in September.

With Mazda already confirming global availability of these models, it’s highly likely that Philippine distributor Bermaz Auto Philippines would be bringing in a handful as well. That said, it’s likely they’ll concentrate on the likes of the MX-5 and MX-5 RF, though enthusiasts will surely like to see them give the 100th anniversary treatment to more mainstream models.

Mazda Puts KODO Design to Work Even in Their Car Keys

When was the last time you heard a car company talk in detail about their car keys? With the exception perhaps of premium carmakers such as Aston Martin, Pagani, or BMW (with their Display Key), most of the time, they’re simply off the shelf components with little regard to its design.

As early as mid-2016 though, Mazda began to realize the changing role of car keys in modern cars. Before keys fobs were all about function than form—it was all about pressing buttons that locked or unlocked the doors. Thus, it was ergonomically sound to have large, clear buttons on the key’s surface, sometimes to the detriment of branding or logos.

However, as car keys moved away from physical operation, Mazda designers opted to re-examine the humble car key. As owners pick their keys up and put them in their pocket (or bag), the carmaker realized that it’s the first form of contact a driver would have with their car. Given this intimacy, it’s imperative that the car key must feel special. Their solution is to give it a KODO design.

First up, they separated the key’s functions and branding. Since physical operation is highly unlikely in this day and age, Mazda moved it over to the side. This emphasizes the Mazda branding front and center on the key’s surface. In early stages of the design, there were plans to make it asymmetrical, but stability, they thought, was also important so they settled for a symmetrical design.

Then, the texture of the key surface itself is thick, emphasizing their new premium positioning. Even the surrounding area is made of a genuine metal frame (the area around the key ring, actually) while the rest of the “metallic decoration” is made of plastic because it hides the keyless radio wave antenna.

A fun fact is that in their new-generation products such as the Mazda3 and CX-30, designers purposely hid the key hole not just to cut aesthetic clutter, but they did it do reduce wind noise as much as possible. They key hole is now found when you pull the driver’s door lever, and the emergency key is found at the back of the key fob. When using this emergency key, Mazda continued with its human-centered design taking into account the necessary space so that the emergency key can be turned without being burdened with pulling the door lever.

Moreover, while it’s not uncommon to have accessories such as key cases or covers, Mazda’s accessories team was excited to know that the key shell could be removed. A year into the key’s development, they came up with a “selective key shell” that allowed owners to swap key shells making it more personal.

At first, the accessories team looked at materials such as wood or leather that match the interior colors or trims, but settled (for now) for key shells that echo the exterior colors because they perfectly symbolize the KODO design.

Mazda went into painstaking detail to make sure that the key shells match the car’s colors perfectly. With that, they ended up painting the key shell the same way as the car with Soul Red Crystal and Machine Gray Metallic painted in three layers as well!

Of course, the selective key shells aren’t cheap. For “simpler” colors such as Snowflake White and Polymetal Gray, it costs 16,500 yen (P 7,756~) while the Soul Red Crystal and Machine Gray ones cost 19,800 yen (P 9,308~). Regardless, Mazda says it’s a genuine expression of their design aesthetic, and admittedly, a left-field way of accessorizing a car.

Mazda Just Won Its 9th Red Dot Design Award

Mazda won its eighth and ninth Red Dot Design award in the KODO design era with the CX-30 and MX-30 SUV. It joins the all-new Mazda3, MX-5 RF, MX-5, CX-3, Mazda2, Mazda6, and previous generation Mazda3 in gaining recognition at the annual design awards.

Founded in 1955, Red Dot is one of the world’s largest design competitions. The product design winners, selected this year in 48 categories including cars & motorcycles, have earned the right to use the Red Dot symbol, an international seal of excellence.

“The winners of the Red Dot Award have proved that they have created excellent products worthy of winning an award,” says professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot. “The products won over the jury not only through their aesthetics, but also thanks to their incomparable functionality. With their designs, the award winners are setting new standards in their industry.”

The Mazda CX-30 is the second production model created with the latest evolution of the KODO design philosophy—artful design, rooted in traditional Japanese aesthetics. The honing of every element according to the ‘less is more’ principle has resulted in clean, beautiful surfaces on the CX-30 and brought an entirely original look to the compact crossover SUV segment.

Meanwhile, though retaining the beautiful, hand-crafted forms of KODO design, the styling of the Mazda MX-30 represents an exploration of a more modern aesthetic which focuses on the futuristic values and lifestyles that are beginning to emerge.

The Mazda CX-30 Will Let You Walk Away from This Kind of Crash

If you think no one could walk away from this gnarly crash, think again. You can, if you’re in a 2020 Mazda CX-30. Mazda’s next-generation sub-compact crossover was just awarded with a 2020 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This adds yet another safety-related accolade for the CX-30 after it scored a near-perfect adult protection score at the Euro NCAP.

To qualify for the 2020 Top Safety Pick award, the CX-30 earned good ratings in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations, including the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint tests. It also needed advanced or superior ratings for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, as well as an acceptable or good headlight rating.

Mazda’s i-Activsense is an umbrella term covering a series of advanced safety technologies which make use of detection devices such as milliwave radars and cameras. They include active safety technologies that support safer driving by helping the driver to recognize potential hazards, and pre-crash safety technologies which help to avert collisions or reduce their severity in situations where they cannot be avoided.

Mazda’s i-Activsense advanced safety technologies include Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Brake Support with Collision Warning, Smart Brake Support, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning System with Lane-Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, High Beam Control, Adaptive Front-Lighting System, and Traffic Sign Recognition.

These features as standard on the Philippine-spec CX-30 AWD Sport and AWD Signature.

The CX-30 missed out on the organization’s highest accolade, the Top Safety Pick+ due to its headlights. Oddly enough, the IIHS gave the curve-adaptive headlights on the CX-30—the Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH) a “poor” rating due to its excessive glare.

Regardless, it joins the CX-9 as a Top Safety Pick. Meanwhile, 2020 Mazda3, Mazda6, and even selected models of the CX-3, and CX-5 were awarded with a Top Safety Pick+ rating earlier in the year. The IIHS noted Mazda as a standout, earning more Top Safety Pick+ awards than any other automaker this year.

Two Mazdas and a Kia are the 3 Finalists for the 2020 World Car of the Year

The countdown to the 2020 World Car of the Year continues with the announcement of the Top Three Finalists in the world, and in a rather surprising twist: two come from the same brand.

A jury of 86 international automotive journalists selected the finalists based on their evaluation of each eligible vehicle as part of their professional work. The ballots, cast by secret, were tabulated by KPMG.

The Top Three Finalists are (in alphabetical order) are:

• Kia Telluride
• Mazda CX-30
• Mazda3

These three vehicles managed to beat the other finalists including the Mercedes-Benz CLA, Land Rover Evoque, and the Volkswagen Golf. Late last year, Mazda shocked the world being the only Japanese brand in the 29 shortlisted eligible entries.

The other finalists announced also are:

World Urban Car of the Year

• Kia Soul EV
• Mini Electric
• Volkswagen T-Cross

World Luxury Car

• Mercedes Benz EQC
• Porsche 911
• Porsche Taycan

World Performance Car

• Porsche 718 Spyder/Cayman GT4
• Porsche 911
• Porsche Taycan

World Car Design of the Year

• Mazda3
• Peugeot 208
• Porsche Taycan

The Road to the World Car Awards will end with a grand finale awards ceremony at the New York International Auto Show in April.

2020 Kia Seltos 2.0 SX vs 2020 Mazda CX-30 2.0 Pro

Subcompact crossovers are all the rage these days, and remarkably, it’s a segment that seems to find never ending niches. One of the most visible signs of this segmentation at work is through price—with subcompact crossovers costing anywhere from less than a million pesos to several million pesos. But what happens when segments meet—like the union in a Venn diagram? Things are bound to get interesting.

When Kia introduced the Seltos locally, they sought to compete in both low- and high-end segments using just one basic vehicle. It’s an interesting approach to say the least, and one that puts their new subcompact crossover somewhere between the deluge of Chinese brands (for the lower variants), and plusher offerings (for the highest variant), like this one, the Mazda CX-30. In Mazda’s case, they’ve opted to forego going affordable, and instead, opted to set their sights on the higher-end market. Their opposing market strategy is why the top-trim P 1.505-million Kia Seltos 2.0 SX can actually go against the P 1.490-million Mazda CX-30 Pro. The question is, which subcompact crossover ends up on top.

Exterior

To be fair, both of these crossovers are easy on the eye. Representative of their respective brand’s newest design language, they fit right into any chic or cosmopolitan setting. In short, you won’t be embarrassed if people see you alighting from either one at the country club. What is unique though is how Kia and Mazda approached their design.

On one hand, there’s this Starbright Yellow Kia Seltos—bold, brash, and maybe for the older set, on the verge of being over styled. Peter Schreyer and his team worked to give it a younger, K-pop generation persona, and this is immediately seen in the two-tone roof, LED lights that reach the front grille, and roof rails which look more ornamental than functional. It’s fitting for the Black Pink generation—and this is clearly one lady that doesn’t go out of the house without looking all glammed up.

On the other, there’s the Mazda CX-30. Compared to the Seltos, this one’s more for Ginza high fashion than Gangnam Street fashion. It’s refined, elegant, and even in its iconic new shade, Polymetal Gray, quite understated. Surprisingly though, it turns heads as much as the Kia. If the Seltos were Black Pink, the CX-30 would be Catriona Gray during No Make Up Monday. And while its inner beauty radiates, Mazda’s decision to put in bulb-type DRLs when the rest of the lighting package is composed of LEDs, is odd.

Winner: TIE

Interior

While exterior look is down to personal preference—do you prefer your women glammed up or dressed down—when it comes to the interior, there’s no doubting that the CX-30 takes the commanding lead here. Kia might have done well to add some character to the Seltos’s cabin, but it’s let down by its hard, scratchy plastics. Moreover, the sheer amount of blank button covers is a constant reminder that even in this 2.0 SX spec, lots of features didn’t make it locally. Meanwhile, designed to compete with more premium market choices, the CX-30, even in this basic Pro trim outshines the Kia. It loses all the tasty chrome and high-gloss bits; but poke around, and all that soft-touch goodness is still around. Even the steering wheel, finished in urethane, and the seats, covered in fabric are all well-made. Bonus points too for the refreshing two-tone black and blue treatment and the rear center armrest which isn’t present in the Seltos.

Winner: Mazda CX-30

Space and Practicality

As tall-riding hatchbacks go (that’s what crossovers are basically), these two are expected to give a certain level of utility to their owner. With that in mind, the Seltos turns the tables on the CX-30. It’s far and away the roomier of two, especially when it comes to the backseats. The lower belt line too make it feel less claustrophobic while improving visibility at the three-quarters rear. Oh, and the fact that the rear seats offer adjustable inclination makes the Seltos much more apt for family use. Now, if they would only redesign the rear speaker grilles as not to chafe the knee, that would make it perfect.

Conversely, the CX-30 is decided more personal. Upfront, there’s absolutely no problem. The dashboard gives off a snug, cockpit-like feel for the driver (which is always good), but at there’s a severe lack of knee room at the back (which is always bad). Moreover, with the rear seats up, the cargo space measures at 317 liters—smaller than even the Mazda3 (the Seltos stands at 433 liters). This brings up a frequently used adage when it comes to Mazdas: where did all that wheelbase go? Nonetheless, the CX-30, at least has a cargo cover which the Seltos doesn’t have. Oh, and it wins too when it comes to ergonomics and driver comfort.

Winner: Kia Seltos 

 Performance

The mechanical ingredients of the Seltos and the CX-30 are remarkably the same: a normally-aspirated 2.0-liter motor mated to an automatic transmission driving the front wheels. They differ greatly though in their execution.

The target, for Kia, it seems is the middle ground—people who’re really unsure of whether they want performance or economy. As a result, it’s a crossover that does a bit of both. With 149-horsepower and 179 Nm of torque at its disposal, its 2.0-liter reads as underpowered on paper. Still, it makes the most out of it with its trick IVT transmission. Basically, a CVT with a built-in shift logic, it makes the Seltos feel responsive be it city or highway speeds. Moreover, it’s quite economical at 9 km/L at 15 km/h, and 14.28 km/L at 36 km/h.

By comparison, the CX-30 goes straight for the enthusiastic set. While the CX-30 is already great to drive, thanks to the Pro’s smaller wheels, there’s less rotating mass for the 155-horsepower, 200 Nm of torque engine to overcome. In short, among the three available variants, this by far, is the most agile one. Steering is great, but believe it or not, the Mazda doesn’t feel as quick on its feet at low or moderate speeds. The ride’s decidedly firmer too. Moreover, the Kia’s perceived floatiness isn’t such a bad thing, specially to the “regular” crossover. At speed, the tables are turned, and the CX-30 comes alive. Not only is it more obedient, but it’s the one that turns any grimace into a smile. Plus, on the highway, it’s way quieter than the Seltos. As fun as it is though, its vaunted Skyactiv-G engine merely matches Seltos’s fuel economy in the city, registering the same 9 km/L (average 15 km/h); it does, however, perform better at higher speeds: 15.87 km/L (average 36 km/h).

Winner: TIE

Value for Money

This is actually the most interesting part. With just a P 15,000 price gap, favoring the CX-30, it’s quite amazing to see how the top-trim Selos 2.0 SX somewhat matches the base CX-30 Pro in major features. Drivetrain aside, both have LED headlights, smart keyless entry with push-button start/stop, automatic headlights, and a fairly advanced infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Both also offer the same level of safety equipment—6 SRS airbags, ABS with EBD, stability control, and a rear backup camera. The Seltos lodges a punch with LED DRLs, larger wheels, leather steering wheel, part-leatherette seats, lit-vanity mirrors, cruise control, and automatic climate control. Meanwhile, the CX-30 counterpunches (albeit not as convincingly) with rain-sensing wipers, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, a rear center armrest, and a rear cargo cover. Overall, it’s a win-some-lose-some scenario. The CX-30’s superior fit and finish aside, if everything were based on spec, the Seltos ekes out a win.

Winner: Kia Seltos

Verdict

With the continued sub-segmentation of the sub-compact crossover segment, in the end, it’s the buyer that ends up spoilt for choices. You can’t go wrong with either the Kia Seltos or the Mazda CX-30—both are worthy of your consideration, and both offer their own respective strengths in an increasingly crowded field. The Seltos is for those who’re mind over heart. It’s the more practical of the two, with slightly better fuel economy, larger interior room, and a nudge better equipment level. On the other hand, the CX-30 is for those who’re seeking an emotional, rather than rational choice. It’s not exactly the most practical in terms of interior room or cargo size, but it makes up for it with its stellar on-road character and unparalleled refinement.

After all’s said and done though, it’s the Seltos that wins here. As an enthusiast, it’s easy to pick the CX-30 not just because it looks beautifully elegant, but because it’s also well-crafted as well. However, it’s the Seltos that appeals to larger demographic—those who want practically just as much as style; comfort just as much as sportiness. Mazda put up a good fight there, and the results would have been different if they just added a bit more in terms of equipment level. As it stands though, because it successfully treads the middle ground well, it’s the Kia that wins here.

Winner: Kia Seltos

2020 Kia Seltos 2.0 SX vs 2020 Mazda CX-30 Pro
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Ownership	2020 Kia Seltos 2.0 SX	2020 Mazda CX-30 Pro
Year Introduced	2019	2019
Vehicle Classification	Sub-compact Crossover	Sub-compact Crossover
The Basics
Body Type	5-door SUV	5-door SUV
Seating	5	5
Engine / Drive	F/F	F/F
Under the Hood
Displacement (liters)	2.0	2.0
Aspiration	Normally Aspirated	Normally Aspirated
Fuel Delivery	EFI	Direct Injection
Layout / # of Cylinders	I4	I4
BHP @ rpm	149 @ 6,200	155 @ 6,000
Nm @ rpm	179 @ 4,500	200 @ 4,000
Fuel / Min. Octane	Gasoline / 91~	Gasoline / 91~
Transmission	CVT	6AT
Cruise Control	Yes	No
Fuel Economy @ Ave. Speed	9 km/L @ 15 km/h, 14.28 km/L @ 36 km/h	9 km/L @ 15 km/h, 15.87 km/L @ 36 km/h
Dimensions and Weights
Length (mm)	4,370	4,395
Width (mm)	1,800	1,795
Height (mm)	1,615	1,540
Wheelbase (mm)	2,630	2,655
Curb Weight (kg)	1,295	1,380
Suspension and Tires
Front Suspension	Independent, MacPherson Strut	Independent, MacPherson Strut
Rear Suspension	Torsion Beam Axle	Torsion Beam Axle
Front Brakes	Vented Disc	Vented Disc
Rear Brakes	Disc	Disc
Tires	Kumho Ecsta HS51 215/55 R 17 V (f & r)	Yokohama BluEarth-GT AE51 215/65 R 16 H (f & r)
Wheels	Alloy	Alloy
Safety Features
Airbags	6	6
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)	Yes	Yes
Traction / Stability Control	Yes	Yes
Front Seatbelt	3-pt ELR with pre-tensioner x 2	3-pt ELR with pre-tensioner x 2
Rear Seatbelt	3-pt ELR x 3	3-pt ELR x 3
Traction / Stability Control	Yes	Yes
ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor	Yes	Yes
Parking Sensors	Rear, with Camera	No, with Rear Camera
Other Safety Features	Hill Start Assist Hill Descent Control	Hill Start Assist
Exterior Features
Headlights	LED	LED
Fog Lamps	Yes, LED	Yes, Headlamp Integrated
Auto Lights	Yes	Yes
Rain-sensing Wipers	No	Yes
Interior Features
Steering Wheel Adjust	Tilt/Telescopic	Tilt/Telescopic
Steering Wheel Material	Leather	Urethane
Seating Adjustment (driver)	6-way, Manual	6-way, Manual
Seating Adjustment (front passenger)	4-way, Manual	4-way, Manual
Seating Surface	Fabric/Leatherette	Fabric
Folding Rear Seat	Yes, 60/40	Yes, 60/40
On-Board Computer	Yes	Yes
Convenience Features
Power Steering	Yes	Yes
Power Door Locks	Yes	Yes
Power Windows	Yes	Yes
Power Mirrors	Yes	Yes, with Fold
Climate Control	Auto	Manual
Proximity Key	Yes	Yes
Audio System	Stereo USB Bluetooth Apple CarPlay Android Auto	Stereo USB Bluetooth Apple CarPlay Android Auto
# of Speakers	6	8
Steering Controls	Yes	Yes