Mazda MX-30 review

Prices start from £31,250 - whether you go EV or R-EV - in base-spec trim. Which doesn’t help in any way when deciding which one to go for.

Sounds expensive, but the similarly ranged Fiat 500 is a couple of grand less, the Mini Electric just over a grand more. The Honda e is a £37k car these days.

If you’re after an electric SUV specifically, the MG ZS EV comes closest on price (it's around a grand cheaper at time of writing), with everything else from the Jeep Avenger to the Hyundai Kona Electric starting from upwards of £35k.

What's the kit like?

There are three levels, with the base-spec Prime-Line model equipped with radar cruise control, most of the active safety tech you’d want, a reversing camera and the biggest touchscreens Mazda offers.

Next up is the mid-spec Exclusive-Line trim from £33,150, which brings fancier 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, heated and power-folding door mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and keyless entry.

The top-spec Makoto trim is a similar leap up at £35,550 (the R-EV is £36k, for some reason), but it adds adaptive LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera, sunroof, a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 12-speaker Bose sound system and various additional safety gizmos.

Standard colour is white; grey, ceramic and black are £550; anything else is £1,500 upwards.

What's the best spec?

Exclusive-Line is probably the best of the bunch: for not a lot extra cash you get some additional luxuries which you’ll surely appreciate. Given the limited mileage of the EV, it’s hard to look past the R-EV as the easiest of the pair to live with.

If you’re set on fully electric, we’d seriously suggest looking at any of the Kia Niro EV, Jeep Avenger, Hyundai Kona Electric, Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, Peugeot e-2008, and Vauxhall Mokka-e, to name but a few. All similarly small SUVs but you'll get far better range for not much extra investment.