Our road test guru spends seven days with Mazda’s smallest SUV.

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Mazda CX-30 Takumi Auto 186

List price (BiK): £34,740 (32%) CO2: 138g/km Economy: 46.3mpg Test efficiency: 42.7mpg

Monday

Coming straight to the point, I’ve always liked the Mazda CX-30 ever since it was launched in 2019. Pert looks that avoid many of the clichés of small SUVs pretending to be off-roaders helped endear the CX-30 from the beginning, and I like the way it drives with a controlled ride, not much body lean, and some of the zing you find in the Mazda 3 and even the MX-5. So, a good week lies ahead.

Tuesday

There’s nothing new about this CX-30, which has arrived in 2.0 e-Skyactiv X form with 186hp and an automatic gearbox. It’s two-wheel drive rather than all-wheel drive, which helps keep emissions and economy on the more sensible side, but even then this CX-30 is not particularly worrying for company drivers looking for something enjoyable, practical and not too punishing on the financials.

Wednesday

After a couple of longer drives so far, mixed with the usual short-hop runs, the CX-30 is turning in decent economy that’s better than I dared hope. I was reckoning on low 30s, but it’s happily supping in the mid-40s. Happy days, and I’ve not even been molly-coddling the throttle pedal as the CX-30 is decently nippy – 0-62mph takes 8.6 seconds in this trim, which is bang on next to rivals.

Thursday

Unlike in some other Mazdas with this 186hp 2.0-litre engine, the CX-30 doesn’t feel like it has to be revved hard to access decent acceleration for overtaking. The six-speed automatic gearbox helps a good deal here, and it swaps ratios with barely any interruption or delay in forward motion. There is a little wind and road noise at higher speeds, but nothing you wouldn’t experience in a Ford Puma or Nissan Juke.

Friday

Friday evening is football training for my son and two of his ever-stretching mates are picked up en route. They all fit in the CX-30, though I can feel a pair of knees pressed up against the back of my seat, so I can deduct rear kneeroom in the Mazda is not quite as generous as in, say, a Volvo XC40. Fortunately, the boot has no such problems at holding all of their kit.

Saturday

A day trip into Edinburgh today with the family and the kids are happily ensconced in the back. While some may bristle at talk of SUVs in cities, the fact is they are well adapted to this sort of driving environment thanks to the raised driving position and good vision. On two occasions, these factors have helped me spot rogue pedestrians before it ever became an issue.

Sunday

I’ll put my hand up about confirmation bias with the CX-30. I already liked the model as one of my favourite small SUVs, so with a decently powerful engine, automatic gearbox and in high-specced Takumi trim, it was pushing against an open door. Even so, it’s been good to reacquaint myself with the car after three or four years and be reminded that not everything needs a tiny engine or EV power to work very well.