The rotary returns! Mazda MX 30 R-EV review

Mazda revives the rotary engine to serve as an energy generator in the MX-30 plug-in hybrid. The original Mazda MX-30 utilised a smaller battery than many of its peers to keep weight down and provide buyers with a 'right-sized' approach to electric vehicles according to its maker. Now, the Japanese company is adding a plug-in hybrid version of the quirky crossover and reviving the rotary engine - something Mazda is famed for using in the past - to act as a range extender.
Read our full review here: www.completeca...
#mazda #mazdamx30 #mx30rotary #mazdarotary

[@rosemariebredahl9519]

Sounds good for people who don't drive > 50 miles/d weekdays, but want to go on weekend outings (& know an emergency evacuation is possible) without worrying about range. 👍

[@colI6817]

Its great that Mazda fly motoring journalists to far off places to review their vehicles but when you go into a Mazda dealer, the salesman won't get off their chairs to assist customers.

[@CompletecarIe]

Where did you experience that dealer?

[@someotherdude]

I assure you that however bad that experience was, it was better than how the VW dealers treat people. I have experience with 3 VW dealers in Connecticut. Terrible- and that figured into me dumping my VW diesel TDI.

[@BigPapaHomer]

​@@someotherdude I have never enjoyed a VW dealership. Ditched my tdi and got a lexus

[@rosemariebredahl9519]

Depends on your dealership. Take names and complain (customer feedback) in writing.

[@eDENTECHNOCYBERHUB]

YOUR BIGGEST KENYAN FAN, SUBSCRIBER, LIKER, COMMENTER RIGHT HERE, AS USUAL, 01/11/2023

[@CompletecarIe]

Thank you!!

[@pandabat2000]

Bit of video corruption at 6:01 if you want to look at fixing/re-uploading

[@andygreyriderGRN]

I have the Exclusive-line 2023 CX-5 Mild Hybrid and would love a MX-30 R-EV but they are so damn expensive. They are out of my budget. The Mazda sales people are arseholes too. They didn't even supply floor mats and weren't interested in selling me any. They made is very difficult so there's no floor mats, the floors can just get soiled, marked, scrawped and stained from new until I exchange it in 30 months' time. I thought Renault were bad but they are almost saintly compared to this rabble in the UK! Video crashed at 6 minutes after you were rambling about range. I am a disabled driver and it is all about the ergonomics and access. I cannot steer, propel and carry a charging lead in a manual wheelchair, there is never enough space in a charging bay and the charging point may as well be on top of a skyscraper building! We are barred by access due to ramps and obstacles able-bodied folks take for granted.

[@aj_art8058]

So if its turned off cold, will the engine flood? Even as a range extender I wonder how Mazda has handled the previous issues the rx8 and 7 faced. From what I read it will idle at a constant rpm, will this cause carbon build up? I love rotaries but I'm just curious if this is something the average person needs to worry about, along with regular oil top ups.

[@likesrush]

I wish he mentioned how expensive they are and when they'll be available in the US.

[@alecmally5433]

Not coming to the USA

[@alecmally5433]

As its now mid 2024, any news or hints about 2025 model upgrades/facelifts? The original car is sooooo 2020....

[@zdzislawmeglicki2262]

Will it still work when the temperature drops to -30°C (-22°F) in the morning after it has been exposed to the elements all night as you've had nowhere else to park it?

[@CompletecarIe]

It has been through all of the usual extreme weather testing that the rest of its cars have to go through and pass.

[@zdzislawmeglicki2262]

@@CompletecarIe Japan, Korea, British Isles, California, Italy, Germany, southern Scandinavia, they all enjoy remarkably benign climate, with real cold almost completely absent-which is why they've been soundly defeated every time they invaded Russia. But much of North America routinely experiences terrible cold, quite like Siberia. -30°C does happen here, almost every year. The difference is, it seldom stays for long. Usually it's gone after a week. But it's long enough to kill batteries and shrubbery that's not accustomed to it.

[@ashb8572]

Does the engine only run when the battery runs low? So if kept charged up daily would the engine remain off permanently

[@mikeh2850]

From what I understand yes, it will only turn on as needed. I read somewhere that if you don't need the engine to come on to charge the battery, the car will actually notify you that it has been a year or something since the engine was used and you need to let it use up the old gas before it goes bad.

[@rotaryperfection]

In normal mode, the engine stays off because the car is trying to use all the charged electrical energy stored in the battery. When this runs out, the generator turns on to supply energy back to the battery to keep you going. If you use Hold mode, the engine turns on immediately so you can save what ever battery power you have for later. Saving battery power comes in handy if you live a very mountainous region because you'll want some battery reserve on long road trips to keep the generator from working to hard to power the car up a grade with no battery reserve. For that reason, my 2014 chevy volt had a Mountain Mode and this kept the battery at 50% at all times. Not aure if the Mazda has this feature.

[@CompletecarIe]

This is correct

[@mikeh2850]

I didn't know this existed until last month, and the Internet says it is being discontinued in the US😅 looks like a great car. Too bad they weren't more widely available

[@CompletecarIe]

It was discontinued after only a very short time as the electric version's range was so short. This could be an alternative to that, but it doesn't seem like it will be offered there.

[@rotaryperfection]

​@CompletecarIe Yea the short range of the all electric version gave the car a bad rap in the US with poor sales to go along with that bad rap so Mazda didn't want to waste time trying to convinece new people to buy this version. I hate that it's not coming because this car performs exactly like a 1st gen Chevy Volt and that car saved me so much money in fuel plus I still had the range extender for long trips. Edit: To add Hold Mode also comes in handy for mountain ranges. On vehicles like this, the last thing you want is the battery to be emply before hitting a long steep grade. This causes the engine to race pretty hard to supply enough energy to the battery to power the car up the hill. If the engine generator cant supply enough power to keeo up with the grage demands, the car will go into reduced power mode. My Volt had what's called Mountain mode and what this did was keep the battery at 50% at all times so if you're on a long road trip and hit a grade, youd have more than enough battery reserve to make it to the top without running out of battery. The genrator would then auto fill the battery back to 50% for the next grade.

[@MarkManville]

This particular model (R-EV, with rotary range extender) was never offered in US at all, and the MX-30 w/o range extender was only offered in California. I am hoping the rumored CX-5 EV coming for 2025 will be the introduction of this range extender in the US, but who knows. The CX-5 is *definitely* a better fit than the MX-30 for the US market, size-wise. Frankly I'd rather have a Miata EV (also coming) than this, speaking as a US resident

[@Kev27RS]

@@MarkManvilleA Miata EV? That won’t happen! Not even in a parallel universe…

[@MManv84]

@@Kev27RS Dude, Mazda has said their ENTIRE lineup will be electrified by 2030, and there are lots of signs Miata will go to at least hybrid in 2026. You could have searched to find out this is their plan in less time than it took to type that comment to insist it never will

[@keithireland6627]

Great review thankyou. Lexus ux has done4.9 l/km over 130000 km with range of 750 km. I can't find anything better as of now.

[@CompletecarIe]

Thanks for sharing, they're some very respectable figures.

[@sigma_six]

Mazda is on the right track... gas powered electric generators reduce engine size, use fuel more efficiently, i.e. smaller motor tuned to run at narrower RPM range... eliminating transmission (300lbs) and/or 80KWh+ of battery weight (1000lbs) is cheaper, more cost effective manufacture, using proven technology, drivers can access existing gas/service infrastructure, less disruptive to economy extend gas mileage by 50-100% = less dependency on imported fuel... but hey, what do I know...

[@someotherdude]

They are erratic at best. The MX-30 EV was a terrible effort, and withdrawing the R-ev from the North American market leaves me disgusted. I waited for years for this car, with strong interest in buying one. North America fairly demands hybrids in addition to EVs, this would have been a great contender.

[@CompletecarIe]

It really seems like Mazda messed up with this car in the US.

[@CompletecarIe]

You're totally right, but sadly a lot of car buyers will look at this car, see the battery size and driving range and dismiss is right away. The setup here with the range extender actually makes a lot of sense on many levels.

[@golfy808]

Your comment about the "daily" range is exactly what mazda in invisaged for the original mx30... 100mile range then charge overnight

[@CompletecarIe]

Pity more people don't think that way

[@christiang-berg8490]

Thanks so much for this, really interesting review of this car 😊 Do you have a feeling for how long this car would go on electric only before you _have_ to charge or start the rotary engine? 🙂

[@CompletecarIe]

Thank you. It always depends on the situation and driving style, but I expect that you would comfortably get 48 kilometres with average use.

[@mikeh2850]

7 liters per 100km isn't good? That's about 40mpg! That's twice as good as all the vehicles I've owned. I'd say that's great fuel economy

[@CompletecarIe]

It's not bad, but by today's standard it's not that impressive. Especially for a car such as this.

[@IncoG8]

My soon to be 26 year old Honda Civic 1.4 iS from 1998 has real life fuel economy around 6.8 l/100km. 7 liters is a TERRIBLY bad number for a 2024 model hybrid.

[@rotaryperfection]

​@@IncoG8Are you seriously comparing a light compact to a modern SUV with nearly twice the weight plus more aero drag? That's like me comparing a 1gen Miata's fuel economy to a modern Ford Escape suv and saying that the Fords economy isn't good enough. Well I owned a 2014 Chevy Volt and it operated exactly the same as this Mazda MX-30rev but the Chevy only got 35mpg on the genrator and that car was built off the small chevy cruze platform. This larger and heavier Mazda gets better fuel ecomony than my old Volt did so I'm actually impressed with the efficiency numbers.

[@IncoG8]

@@rotaryperfection American's have crazy low expectations, about fuel consumption. We expect way better here in Europe, because gas prices are four times more expensive. So yeah, i'm comparing the Mazda to a light compact, built TWENTY SIX years ago! But with your name, you are obv. not being very objective.

[@rotaryperfection]

@IncoG8 You're not compaing apples to apples. It's as simple as that. Try adding 1,500lbs and more aero drag to that old Civic and report back your economy? You wont come close to the acceleration and economy of this newer tech. This also has nothing to do with it being a mazda, so nice try.

[@myothurazaw]

I just expect this car to offer the same level of fuel economy as Nissan Qashqai epower offers as both cars work pretty much the same way except for the fact the mazada has a larger battery. Surprisingly, its fuel economy is lower? Why? Is rotary engine less efficient than the engien in the Nissan?

[@redjohn20001]

Day to day it has all the electric range I need for local motoring and for the big trips it burns petrol. This would suit me fine but the size of car is of no use to me. They should have put this drive train in a Mazda 3 or medium size crossover vehicle. I have the standard range MG 4, and I need the 200 summer miles range it has as a pure EV, to do the local and trips out I do and to cover the lower winter range. But 40 miles electric and longer range petrol may just be the answer.

[@m0d.]

This is probably Mazda's masterstroke on the tech. this is likely their testbed before rolling it out to the other models.

[@CompletecarIe]

We'd hope so.

[@CompletecarIe]

If this had slightly more battery range it would be even better.

[@alansmith934]

Range 680 km What happens if you re-fill the petrol tank then what range?

[@CompletecarIe]

Using only the petrol tank, it'll do 595 kilometres.

[@whocares264]

correct , the rex takes away hassle and worry and saves time and money and the battery lasts longer, i just wish they had put the noisy wankle in the back where you would not hear it.

[@Mexxx65]

Isn't Mazda allowing youtube car reviews to film the rotary engine under the bonnet....

[@CompletecarIe]

That's news to us if that's the case. We weren't told anything like that

[@whocares264]

needs 100 mile electric range engine should be in the boot (back) should be rear wheel drive perfect

[@NeeshraHermes]

did Mazda create BMW I3 lol. i like this car.

[@CompletecarIe]

They sure did. In certain situations this makes a lot of sense.

[@whocares264]

@@CompletecarIe in all situations the bmw i3 rex makes a lot of sense

[@kerryjones1508]

Something a bit different. A lot of people just wont understand the appeal of this car. You probably have to have a bit if an engineering background and be interested in the technology. The rest will be satisfied with renting a chinese EV.

[@CompletecarIe]

You're right, a lot of people might just look at the range figure or battery size and instantly dismiss it.

[@carstenhansen5757]

Too bad the charger engine is so thirsty. Too thirsty. Max speed is too low. Can't open back doors, without opening front doors. It's strange as I've been so close to considering a Mazda at several points, but there is always a deal breaker. They make some crazy decisions, sometimes.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

So you alluded to the fact that the motor only produces electricity, which I take to mean that it doesn't produce usable heat for the cabin. If that is the case, like the i3 REX it too will fail.

[@deansmits006]

It doesn't have anything to do with HVAC. Want he only referring to the drivetrain?

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

​@@deansmits006well if the engine heat isn't used to heat the cabin it is waisting half it's energy and drastically reducing it's winter range.

[@Dudeman9339]

R. Arrrr. Not UHR. Jeez.

[@CompletecarIe]

LOL

[@JunkerOnDrums]

Thanks - but no thanks :D

[@CompletecarIe]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@ThomasFlemingOriginal]

Such a shame that it's so inefficient.

[@nguyennorbi7963]

It looks like something that is cheap to maintain

[@chickendumpling242]

Like the review mentioned, you really should try not use the rotary at all, it is there as a back up

[@Kanazawa1997]

The purpose of this car is just for mainly city commute, and occasionally long distance travel the rotary range extender for backup.

[@CompletecarIe]

Depends on how and where you use it.

[@someotherdude]

It's not a great execution of a great concept. There have been a lot of head scratchers; like developing and then discontinuing the Chevy Volt.

[@SurvivorIce]

Backdoors design ís bad. It ruin the car.

[@CompletecarIe]

They’re not very practical, as with the BMW i3. But they’re also a nod to the RX-8’s rear doors.

[@takuan650]

Can the rear passengers open the back doors independently without having to open the front doors first? If not, then this car is just a bad joke.

[@CompletecarIe]

No, the front doors must be opened first.

[@katiecannon8186]

@@CompletecarIe Well, that’s just silly. Too bad, for an SUV, which I’m sick & tired of, this is a good looking vehicle.

[@wiehangrobbelaar7605]

​@@katiecannon8186, I guess the idea was that you should think of it as a two door coupe, but with easier access to the rear seats. When rear passengers of a coupe needs to access their seats, the driver or front passenger needs to get out as well. I also think it is a tip of the hat to the last Mazda with a rotary engine... the RX8, which had similar rear doors. There is much about car design that will only make sense if you know the history of that specific brand. I think that if you are a Mazda fan, and your daily commute is short, and you only do long distance occasionally, this could make sense, if the purchase price is not ridiculous. Sadly, we do not get this car where I reside, as I love a coupe-shaped design (I mostly commute solo) and the lack of practicality does not affect me much. I can choose design over function/practicality.

[@Mr11ESSE111]

When you think that Mazda cannot produce something stupid& pointless they actually produce it like this junk here with shitty range,max speed and relative high price!! I think that Rolls Royce and Bentley will have higher sale numbers then Mazda with this junk

[@CompletecarIe]

Ouch