Compare the2024 Honda CR-VVS 2023 Mazda CX-30

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 CR-V 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.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-30’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the CR-V’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-30 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the CR-V and the CX-30 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CR-V its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 30 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The CX-30 is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-30.

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

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 CR-V’s reliability 18 points higher than the CX-30.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

The CR-V Hybrid’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (204 vs. 191) and 61 lbs.-ft. more torque (247 vs. 186) than the CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the CR-V Hybrid is faster than the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl.:

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

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CR-V’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 (not available Hybrid). The CX-30 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The CR-V has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-30 (14 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The CR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-30 (5 to 7). This means the CR-V produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-30 every 15,000 miles.

The CR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-30 doesn’t offer a CVT.

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

The CR-V stops shorter than the CX-30:

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the CX-30 (235/60R18 vs. 215/65R16).

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

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V 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 CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V 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 CR-V’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the CX-30 (106.3 inches vs. 104.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CR-V is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CX-30.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-30 Premium pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L 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).

The front grille of the CR-V 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.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CX-30 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V has 11.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-30 (106 vs. 94.1).

The CR-V has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 4.7 inches more rear legroom and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-30.

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

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-30 with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 20.2 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-30 with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 45.2 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The CX-30 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CR-V Sport Touring’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under 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.

The CR-V has a 1000 lbs. towing capacity. The CX-30 has no towing capacity.

The CR-V uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CX-30 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The CR-V EX-L’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.

On a hot day the CR-V’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance with the keyless remote or at the outside door handle. 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 CR-V 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.

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

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

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “5Best Trucks/10Best” for 2023 and 3 more times in the last 22 years. The CX-30 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The CX-30 has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Mazda CX-30 by almost five to one during 2022.