Compare the2023 Mazda CX-30VS 2022 Ford EcoSport

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-30 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Ford EcoSport doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The CX-30 has standard Smart Brake Support, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The EcoSport doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

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 use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The EcoSport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CX-30’s lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

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 EcoSport 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.

The CX-30’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The EcoSport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-30 and the EcoSport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, 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 EcoSport:

	CX-30	EcoSport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	148	250
Neck Injury Risk	26.7%	36%
Neck Stress	216 lbs.	403 lbs.
Neck Compression	18 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	201/172 lbs.	495/441 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	179	325
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	33.5%	38%
Neck Stress	172 lbs.	200 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 EcoSport:

	CX-30	EcoSport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	275 lbs.	337 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	525 lbs.	685 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	178	215
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	37 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 3.6% to 5.7% less likely to roll over than the EcoSport.

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 EcoSport has not been fully tested, yet.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-30’s reliability 23 points higher than the EcoSport.

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 above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 25 more horsepower (191 vs. 166) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 149) than the EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 84 more horsepower (250 vs. 166) and 171 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 149) than the EcoSport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford EcoSport:

	CX-30	EcoSport
Zero to 60 MPH	7.8 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88.3 MPH	77 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-30 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the EcoSport (26 city/33 hwy vs. 23 city/29 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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-30 stops much shorter than the EcoSport:

	CX-30	EcoSport
70 to 0 MPH	177 feet	186 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-30 has larger tires than the EcoSport (215/65R16 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium has standard 18-inch wheels. The EcoSport’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

The Mazda CX-30’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Ford EcoSport only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-30 has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The EcoSport doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-30’s wheelbase is 5.2 inches longer than on the EcoSport (104.4 inches vs. 99.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-30 is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.8 inches wider in the rear than on the EcoSport.

The CX-30 Premium handles at .84 G’s, while the EcoSport Titanium pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-30 Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.9 seconds quicker than the EcoSport SE (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CX-30 has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the EcoSport (94.1 vs. 91.1).

The CX-30 has 3 inches more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the EcoSport.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-30’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The EcoSport’s swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/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 EcoSport 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 EcoSport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-30’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The EcoSport has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

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 EcoSport’s passenger windows don’t open or close 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 EcoSport 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 EcoSport’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The CX-30’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the EcoSport’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen. The CX-30’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the EcoSport’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the CX-30 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The EcoSport doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-30 Premium has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The EcoSport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the CX-30 Preferred/Carbon/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 EcoSport’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 EcoSport offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The EcoSport doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CX-30 and the EcoSport offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The EcoSport doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the CX-30 has a standard Radar Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The EcoSport doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mazda CX-30 offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The EcoSport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

The Mazda CX-30 outsold the Ford EcoSport by 81% during 2022.

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