Compare the2023 Mazda CX-30VS 2023 Volvo XC40

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics
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 XC40 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-30. But it costs extra on the XC40.

Both the CX-30 and the XC40 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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, around view monitors 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 Volvo XC40:

	CX-30	XC40
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	148	200
Neck Injury Risk	26.7%	30%
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	25 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	201/172 lbs.	361/380 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	179	343
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	380/386 lbs.	397/411 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 Volvo XC40:

	CX-30	XC40
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	78
Hip Force	275 lbs.	320 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	525 lbs.	755 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	178	237
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	33 G’s

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-30 is safer than the XC40:

	CX-30	XC40
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	89	129
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.87 in	1.46 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.54 in	1.65 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	759 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	144	387
Neck Tension	89 lbs.	268 lbs.
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.94 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	245 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.71 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	379 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-30 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The XC40 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-30 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 2 times as many Mazda dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-30’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 76 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Volvo.

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 Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Volvo is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Volvo is ranked 14th.

Engine

The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (250 vs. 247) and 62 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 258) than the XC40 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-30 gets better mileage than the XC40:

			MPG
CX-30
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
XC40
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/30 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-30 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The XC40 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda CX-30 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The XC40 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-30 stops shorter than the XC40:

	CX-30	XC40
70 to 0 MPH	177 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 Premium handles at .83 G’s, while the XC40 B5 Plus AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-30 Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the XC40 B5 Plus AWD (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the XC40’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda CX-30 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 450 pounds less than the Volvo XC40.

Passenger Space

The CX-30 has .8 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the XC40.

Ergonomics

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 XC40 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CX-30 has standard extendable sun visors. The XC40 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Recommendations

The Mazda CX-30 outsold the Volvo XC40 by almost three to one during 2022.