* MX-30.
Steve
Rogers drives a trio of Mazdas
Mazda has clipped £3,000 off the price of its one and only
electric car.
The MX-30 has been a slow seller and with mounting pressure
from emerging Chinese brands the company has brought its pricing more in line
with MG and BYD with the added bonus of a free home charger, so another £1000
saved.
Prices are now £27,995 to £32,395 for the three model range
with zero finance on a PCP deal. The rotary engined plug-in hybrid MX-30 also
gets a £3,000 reduction with a starting price of £31,495.
Mazda is banking on its reputation for reliability and
quality to steer more customers to its showrooms. The MX-30 has always been
trumpeted as a driver's car, its lightweight battery pack making it a more
dynamic drive than its rivals which it is, but customers are wary of its low
124 mile range.
Mazda's own data shows its customers daily commute is 26
miles and argues that this makes MX-30 the ideal second car. We will wait to
see if this big price cut does the trick.
Other headline news is an updated hybrid version of the
Mazda2 supermini.
This is a car that looks nothing like a Mazda2 because it is
a Toyota Yaris with a few tweaks to the front and rear styling, and a Mazda
badge of course.
Hitching up with Toyota makes sense because it saves Mazda
development costs and there is no better company than its Japanese rival when
it comes to hybrid power.
Economy and low emissions are the name of the game here with
the 1.5 litre petrol mated to a CVT gearbox capable of up to 74mpg and producing
87g/km to 98g/km depending on the car sitting on 15 or 16 inch wheels.
I topped 70mpg on a short drive and was impressed with the
pick up from the 114bhp engine that sprints to 62mph in 9.7 seconds.
Mazda is offering a four model line up with prices ranging
from £24,130 to £29,230.
Its own Mazda3 1.5 litre petrol has had a front end facelift
as well and is priced under the hybrid from £18,615. There are three power
options, 75, 90 and 115bhp. A good mid level option is the 90bhp Exclusive Line
for £20,365 which has a reasonable amount of bells and whistles.
And finally.... Was 1989, the year the Berlin wall came
crashing down, a memorable year for you?
Over in California I had a day to remember at the press
launch of the Mazda 323. We had an exclusive viewing, and a 10 minute drive, in
a new Mazda roadster. It was called Miata but we came to know it as the MX-5, a
simple but stunning reincarnation of the British open top two seaters of the
fifties and sixties with a particular no the little Lotus Elan.
It was an instant universal hit and quickly became the
world's best selling roadster. To date nearly 1.3 million have been built with
more than 135,000 coming to the UK. MX-5 is 35 this year, still a world beater
and likely to be the benchmark roadster until the end of its days.
To celebrate this landmark MX-5 has had a few birthday
presents in the shape of new LED headlight and tail light design, a larger
8.8in touchscreen, and a tech update to make it all function a little faster.
Two litre models are now fitted with an asymmetric limited slip differential to
give more stability when cornering.
MX-5 has turned into a legend yet it is not that quick, or
particularly comfortable, with a cabin that is a snug fit for driver and
passenger. But it corners as if on rails and that old school bark from the four
cylinder engine, 1.5 or 2-litre, harks back to the old days and is a great
feeling behind the wheel.
In a nutshell the MX-5 is to the road what the wartime
Spitfire was to the skies...loved and revered.
Fast Facts
MX-30 BEV Exclusive Line
£33,150
Range: 124 miles
Battery: 35.5kWh
Battery warranty 8 years/100,000 miles
143bhp
0-62mph 9.7secs; 87mph
Zero emissions
Insurance group 19
Boot: 350-1155 litres
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