Compare the2023 Mazda MX-30VS 2023 Chevrolet Bolt

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mazda MX-30 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda MX-30 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Chevrolet Bolt doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The MX-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 Bolt doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

The MX-30 has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Bolt’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the MX-30 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Bolt.

The MX-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 Bolt doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the MX-30 and the Bolt have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available 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 Mazda MX-30 is safer than the Chevrolet Bolt:

	MX-30	Bolt
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	123	250
Neck Injury Risk	22%	24%
Neck Stress	238 lbs.	239 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	17 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	440
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	62 lbs.	76 lbs.

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

Warranty

The MX-30’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Bolt’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Chevrolet is ranked 20th.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	MX-30	Bolt
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	10.9 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	10.4 inches

The MX-30 stops much shorter than the Bolt:

	MX-30	Bolt
70 to 0 MPH	166 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MX-30 has standard 18-inch wheels. Only 17-inch wheels are available on the Bolt.

Suspension and Handling

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the MX-30’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Bolt (104.4 inches vs. 102.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the MX-30 is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Bolt.

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The MX-30 has 3.4 inches more front hip room and .9 inches more front shoulder room than the Bolt.

Cargo Capacity

The MX-30 has a much larger cargo volume than the Bolt with its rear seat up (21 vs. 16.6 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the MX-30, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Bolt doesn’t offer a memory system.

The MX-30 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Bolt doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The MX-30’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Bolt’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

The MX-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 Bolt’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

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

When the MX-30 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 Bolt’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The MX-30’s standard 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 Bolt offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The MX-30 has a 115-volt a/c outlet, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Bolt doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.