Compare the2023 Hyundai TucsonVS 2023 Mazda CX-30

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson \’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-30 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Tucson has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Tucson has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Only the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Both the Tucson and the CX-30 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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

	Tucson	CX-30
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	172 lbs.
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	85 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	380/386 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, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Mazda CX-30:

	Tucson	CX-30
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	73
Chest Movement	1 inches	1 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	197
Spine Acceleration	59 G’s	60 G’s

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

Warranty

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-30’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-30. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-30 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CX-30’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-30.

There are over 52 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Tucson’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Tucson has a 150-amp alternator. The CX-30’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Tucson’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-30 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Tucson has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-30 (14.3 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Tucson higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-30 (5 to 7). This means the Tucson produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-30 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Hyundai Tucson, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-30.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tucson’s brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-30:

	Tucson	CX-30
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.6 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	10.4 inches
Opt Rear Rotors		11.9 inches

The Tucson stops shorter than the CX-30:

	Tucson	CX-30
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	147 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the CX-30 (235/65R17 vs. 215/65R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tucson has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the CX-30 2.5 S. The Tucson’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Turbo/Premium.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Tucson has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-30 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Tucson has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-30’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Tucson has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Tucson flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-30’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the CX-30 (108.5 inches vs. 104.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CX-30.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the CX-30 Premium pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-30 Premium (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 27.9 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

Chassis

The front grille of the Tucson uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-30 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Tucson has 14.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-30 (108.2 vs. 94.1).

The Tucson has 2 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 5 inches more rear legroom, .7 inches more rear hip room and 2.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-30.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The CX-30’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-30 with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 20.2 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-30 with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 45.2 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The CX-30 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Tucson has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The CX-30 has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-30 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Tucson and the CX-30 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-30 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-30 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Tucson has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the CX-30 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Both the Tucson and the CX-30 offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the CX-30.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The CX-30 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The CX-30 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Tucson is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Hyundai Tucson, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mazda CX-30 isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tucson third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The CX-30 isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Mazda CX-30 by over three to one during 2022.

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