Mazda CX-30 Hatchback

2.0 e-Skyactiv X MHEV Exclusive-Line 5dr Auto [2025]

We get the dilemma. Your head tells you that you need to lease a small family hatchback, but your heart tells you that you should lease an SUV.

There is good news, as the Mazda CX-30 effectively lets you have both.

SUVs are no longer just gas-guzzling Chelsea Tractors built for rough terrain but will never actually see the countryside. The popularity of them has exploded in recent years, and they now come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

The sort of middle-ground is where a conventional car and an SUV meet – called the ‘crossover’.

While the term has expanded beyond its original meaning in recent years, it still nicely explains the CX-30. It is too big to be a family hatchback, too small to be considered a true SUV, but it’s a happy middle ground between the two.

The CX-30 is based on the Mazda 3, which is a mid-sized hatchback perfect for families that want something smart without breaking the bank.

It is one of the smallest SUVs you can lease, and although it's 10cm taller than the Mazda 3, it's actually 7cm shorter.

But is it worth leasing?

That is what we’re aiming to find out here.