Compare the2022 Mazda CX-30VS 2022 Ford Bronco Sport

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Mazda CX-30 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The CX-30 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Rear Smart Brake Support that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CX-30 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Bronco Sport only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the CX-30 and the Bronco Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Ford Bronco Sport:

	CX-30	Bronco Sport
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	29 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33.5%	37%
Neck Stress	172 lbs.	177 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the Ford Bronco Sport:

	CX-30	Bronco Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	80
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	525 lbs.	689 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	178	255
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	35 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the CX-30 is 1.9% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the Bronco Sport.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-30’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Bronco Sport’s camshafts. If the Bronco Sport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda 12th in reliability, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 16th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (186 vs. 181) than the Bronco Sport’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 43 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 277) than the Bronco Sport Badlands’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford Bronco Sport turbo 3 cyl.:

	CX-30	Bronco Sport
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	9.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	16.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.3 MPH	80.8 MPH

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-30 stops much shorter than the Bronco Sport:

	CX-30	Bronco Sport
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bronco Sport’s optional 60 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 Premium handles at .84 G’s, while the Bronco Sport Outer Banks pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-30 Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Bronco Sport Outer Banks (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Bronco Sport’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-30 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Bronco Sport Base/Big Bend (8 vs. 7.8 inches), allowing the CX-30 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The CX-30 is 8.5 inches shorter in height than the Bronco Sport, making the CX-30 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

For excellent aerodynamics, the CX-30 has standard flush composite headlights. The Bronco Sport has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-30 Premium has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a memory system.

The CX-30 Premium has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-30’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Bronco Sport’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

The CX-30 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Bronco Sport doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

The CX-30’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Bronco Sport’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-30’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Bronco Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Bronco Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The CX-30 Premium’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

When the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Bronco Sport’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The CX-30’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Bronco Sport offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the CX-30 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CX-30 will cost $470 less than the Bronco Sport over a five-year period.

The CX-30 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CX-30 will retain 49.65% to 50.57% of its original price after five years, while the Bronco Sport only retains 45.57% to 47.3%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-30 will be $5029 to $5539 less than for the Ford Bronco Sport.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Mazda CX-30 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-30 outsold the Ford Bronco Sport by over seven to one during 2020.