Pricing and Ownership Costs

It makes sense that most car shoppers start their search with a budget. The CX-30 shines in this attribute with a starting MSRP of $25,975. That’s hundreds below that of the Corolla Cross ($26,335) and notably less than the Kona’s ($27,000) and the HR-V’s ($28,000) lowest base pricing.

Beyond what you pay upfront, there are of course expenses connected with owning and operating a car. Using a five-year projection based on 15,000 miles of driving annually, Edmunds estimated that the average CX-30 owner will pay $0.49 per mile, adding up to $36,810 for those five years. In contrast, the HR-V and Kona cost $0.52 per mile to keep on the road, or $38,896 and $39,285 per five years, respectively. Looking at individual cost categories, the Mazda has lower projected depreciation, financing expenses, taxes, and fees than the Honda or Hyundai. The Corolla Cross just edges out the CX-30, with an average cost per mile of $0.48 ($36,006 over five years). That said, the CX-30 still has lower depreciation, financing expenses, taxes, fees, and insurance premiums.

Powertrain

All four models use non-turbocharged four-cylinder engines. But while the HR-V, Kona, and Corolla Cross have 2.0-liter powerplants, the CX-30’s is 2.5 liters – and that 25% additional displacement translates into higher output. The Mazda produces 186 horsepower and 186 lb.-ft. of torque, more than the Kona (147 hp/132 lb.-ft.), HR-V (158 hp/138 lb.-ft.), and Corolla Cross (169 hp/151 lb.-ft.). In addition, the 2026 Mazda CX-30 is the only vehicle in this comparison that has a conventional six-speed automatic transmission: all of the others use a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Reviews

Owner feedback for the Mazda CX-30 on Edmunds is strong. It has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, compared to 3.4 for the Corolla Cross and 3.8 for the Kona. The HR-V comes out slightly ahead with 4.3. While all four models earn a “Recommended” badge from Consumer Reports (CR), the CX-30 has an overall score of 72 out of 100, ahead of the HR-V (71) and Kona (64). CR gave the Corolla Cross a score of 73.

Features

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts provide critical safety support in modern vehicles. This equipment is standard across all trims of the CX-30 and Kona but is notably absent on the entry-level editions of the HR-V and Corolla Cross. At the same time, only the CX-30 and Kona include vehicle exit warning (which alerts occupants if a vehicle or cyclist is approaching from behind when a door is about to be opened). Mazda also offers a more immersive audio system with an eight-speaker setup, while the HR-V has only four speakers. The Corolla Cross and Kona also fall behind in the sound category with six speakers each.