Which is the best subcompact SUV, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek or the 2024 Mazda CX-30? U.S. News picks the Mazda CX-30. See why they say the CX-30 is the best pick and why I say they missed the most crucial small SUV quality.
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Should you buy the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek or the 2024 Mazda CX-30? I will answer that question and provide a U.S. News ranking and analysis of both small SUVs.
U.S. News says, "The Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek are well-matched, so it's easy to see why buyers in the subcompact SUV segment might be interested in both."
Spoil alert: U.S. News picks the Mazda CX-30 over the Subaru Crosstrek. But I ask, is it the best? I would say the Crosstrek stands above the CX-30 in a critical area.
Keep reading to see why the Crosstrek is your best pick now and the area they missed, which is the most important small SUV quality for many shoppers. First, let's see what U.S. News says about ten key areas and the winner in each one.
Price: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"We'll kick off this head-to-head comparison with the first close call – the price of each vehicle. The Mazda CX-30's base MSRP is $24,995, while the Subaru Crosstrek starts at $25,195. That's a very small difference, but enough to give Mazda a lead off the bat."
Reliability: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
"The Subaru Crosstrek has a J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 83 out of 100. The Mazda CX-30 comes in just behind that with an 80. A J.D. Power reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average."
Seat Comfort: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
"Both of these subcompact crossovers seat five people across two rows. Standard features include cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, and a four-way manually adjustable front passenger seat. Subaru has an advantage here because while amenities in base models are about the same, the Crosstrek's second row is more spacious than the CX-30's. Both models have upgraded upholstery, a power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel."
The 2024 Crosstrek gets improved seats. I have sat and ridden in the new Crosstrek. The seats are vastly improved over the previous generation model, especially if you're taking a long road trip. Please read my full report here.
Cargo Space: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
"The Mazda CX-30 has more cargo space behind the second row, 20.2 cubic feet, compared to the Subaru Crosstrek's 19.9 cubic feet. However, the Crosstrek has more total cargo capacity than the CX-30. With the rear rows folded down, the Subaru has 54.7 cubic feet, and the Mazda provides 45.2 cubic feet. Therefore, the Subaru Crosstrek squeaks out the win here."
"It's worth noting that Mazda offers the CX-30 with a power liftgate, which is not available in the Crosstrek".
Interior Quality: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"The Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek boast solid cabins, but the Mazda holds an advantage here. Mazda is regularly lauded as a benchmark of cabin design and elegance for affordable vehicles. While Subaru's interiors are good, they're definitely more for function than fashion."
"The CX-30 and Crosstrek are great examples of their respective brands' approaches, but Mazda takes the win here for its near-luxury interior quality, premium materials, and attention to detail."
Interior Features: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"The Subaru Crosstrek features dual 7-inch touch screens for its infotainment system, which is intuitive but is dragged down by outdated graphics and software that sometimes lags. The Mazda CX-30 uses an 8.8-inch display controlled by a multifunction rotary knob that requires a short learning curve. We're giving the CX-30 a narrow win here because of its more modern infotainment system and a longer list of standard features."
Acceleration: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"The CX-30 comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 191 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It's available with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated for 227 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque with regular fuel or 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque with premium fuel. The latter is highly recommended for a much more exciting driving experience."
"The Crosstrek features a 2.0-liter flat-four with 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The optional engine still falls short of the CX-30's offerings, with 182 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque from a 2.5-liter flat-four."
"Both crossovers come standard with all-wheel drive, but with more powerful engines, the Mazda CX-30 bests the Subaru Crosstrek in terms of acceleration."
Fuel Economy: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
"Both of these crossovers return good fuel economy ratings for the segment, especially considering both come standard with all-wheel drive. However, Subaru's less-powerful engines pay off in terms of fuel economy."
"The base 2024 Crosstrek is EPA-rated at 27/34 mpg city/highway, and models with the optional 2.5-liter flat-four return 26/33 mpg city/highway. The base CX-30 is rated for an estimated 26/33 mpg city/highway with the base engine and 22/30 mpg city/highway with the available power plant."
Ride and Handling: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"The Mazda CX-30 and Subaru Crosstrek both feature standard all-wheel drive, composed handling, and well-weighted steering. However, as competent as the Crosstrek is in most driving conditions, the CX-30 is all that and more. This agile and athletic Mazda crossover is fun to drive without compromising ride quality, and it takes an easy win here."
Safety: 2024 Mazda CX-30
"With better crash test ratings and more standard and available safety tech, the Mazda CX-30 is better for safety than the Subaru Crosstrek, though both fare well overall."
"The 2024 Mazda CX-30 earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the organization's highest award, and top Good scores in four crash tests. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2024 CX-30 an overall safety rating of five out of five stars."
"In IIHS testing, the Subaru Crosstrek earned a Good rating in three crash tests and the second-highest rating of Acceptable in the updated side test. The NHTSA testing for the Subaru Crosstrek isn't complete, but the Crosstrek earned five out of five stars in the frontal and side tests."
The U.S. News Winner Is: 2024 Mazda CX-30
U.S. News says, "With wins in price, interior quality, interior features, acceleration, ride, and handling and safety, the Mazda CX-30 offers several key advantages over the Subaru Crosstrek, leading to an overall win in this comparison. That said, the Subaru Crosstrek beats the Mazda CX-30 in reliability, seat comfort, cargo space, and fuel economy."
MY TAKE
I would say there are five things essential for active subcompact SUV shoppers to know about the redesigned 2024 Subaru Crosstrek:
1. All Crosstrek trims come with X-Mode. X-Mode optimizes engine output and transmission ratio, increases all-wheel drive system engagement, and uses enhanced control of the VDC system to reduce individual wheel spin, providing optimal traction on low-friction surfaces.
2. Crosstrek Sport, Limited, and Wilderness models include dual-function X-Mode. They have a Deep Snow/Mud setting for severe weather and extreme all-terrain performance.
3. The Crosstrek now offers the rugged Wilderness trim level. For outdoor enthusiasts, this is the trim no other small SUV can compete against if you want to go off-road and get further away from civilization.
4. The Base, Premium, and Limited trim levels have 8.7 inches of ground clearance. The Wilderness trim has 9.3 inches of rock-clearing ground clearance. The Mazda CX-30 has 8.0 inches of clearance on all trims.
5. Crosstrek has a 10% stiffer chassis for improved dynamic performance and ride quality. A complete inner frame construction with more robust welding techniques and additional structural adhesive (26.2 feet to 88.5 feet) contributes to better body rigidity and less weight. Subaru says, "These updates will deliver improved dynamic performance, a smoother ride, and a quieter cabin."
So, you must answer this question: How will you use your new small SUV? If you want a city commuter and grocery hauler, choose the Mazda CX-30. It's an excellent choice for urban dwellers.
Another question you must answer is: What are you doing on the weekends? If you want a small SUV with excellent all-wheel-drive, all-weather, all-terrain capability, and the ability to get further off the grid, the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek is your vehicle.
BEFORE YOU GO, IT'S YOUR TURN
Which small SUV/crossover would you be more likely to buy? Please click the red Add New Comment link below to let us know.
Thanks for reading, everyone. I hope you enjoyed this Subaru Crosstrek vs. Mazda CX-30 story. See you tomorrow for my latest report.
You should check out" The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Review and Off-Road Tests
I am Denis Flierl, a top Torque News and Subaru reporter since 2012. I’ve invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role, working with every major car brand. I am an experienced Rocky Mountain Automotive Press member. You'll find my expert Subaru analysis here. Follow me on my The Dirty Subaru website, Dirty Subaru blog, X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.
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photo credit: Subaru, Mazda
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