Compare the2025 Mazda CX-30VS 2025 Honda HR-V

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

Safety

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/11/23

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 HR-V doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

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 HR-V only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The CX-30 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the HR-V’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-30 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Smart Braking Support - Rear Crossing on the Turbo Premium Plus automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Honda charges extra for Cross Traffic Monitor on the HR-V, and only on the Sport/EX-L and the HR-V’s Cross Traffic Monitor does not include automatic braking.

Both the CX-30 and the HR-V 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 and driver alert monitors.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

Engine

The CX-30’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 33 more horsepower (191 vs. 158) and 48 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 138) than the HR-V’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-30’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 92 more horsepower (250 vs. 158) and 182 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 138) than the HR-V’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mazda CX-30 4 cyl. is faster than the Honda HR-V:

	CX-30	HR-V
Zero to 30 MPH	3.2 sec	4.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.7 sec	11.1 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.2 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	16.7 sec	18.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	88 MPH	81 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-30
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/33 hwy
HR-V
	FWD	2.0 4-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 4-cyl.	25 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 HR-V doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	CX-30	HR-V
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	147 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

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 HR-V doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The CX-30 2.5 S Premium handles at .84 G’s, while the HR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-30 2.5 S Premium executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the HR-V EX-L AWD (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-30’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the HR-V’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.1 feet). The CX-30’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the HR-V Sport’s (34.8 feet vs. 37 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-30 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the HR-V LX/EX-L (8 vs. 7 inches), allowing the CX-30 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-30’s minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the HR-V Sport (8 vs. 7.3 inches).

Chassis

The CX-30 is 6.8 inches shorter than the HR-V, making the CX-30 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The CX-30 has .6 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 5.8 inches more rear hip room than the HR-V.

Cargo Capacity

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 HR-V doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

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 HR-V 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 HR-V doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 HR-V’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the HR-V Sport/EX-L’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The CX-30 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The HR-V’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-30’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the HR-V’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 HR-V 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 HR-V’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 HR-V offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-30 Turbo Premium’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The HR-V doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CX-30 Select/Preferred/Carbon/Premium has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The HR-V doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the CX-30 and the HR-V 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 HR-V doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to the Honda HR-V, the Mazda CX-30 eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-30 and the Honda HR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance.