2026 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Aire Edition Review

This week I bring you the first-ever 2026 Mazda CX-30 Turbo Aire Edition. It slots just underneath the lineup's top trim and is also available as the CX-30 2.5 S Aire Edition which lacks the turbo engine. This marks the sixth model year for the fun-to-drive subcompact SUV which arrived all the way back in 2020.

Exterior 

My test vehicle wears Ceramic Metallic and rides on 18-inch black metallic aluminum alloy wheels. Both Aire Editions feature gloss black exterior badges, black roof rails and side mirrors.

Other exterior features include a matte black finish grille, LED headlights, taillights and daytime running lights, black power remote side mirrors and the Turbo lineup's larger dual exhaust. The Turbo Aire is also one of three CX-30 trims with an adaptive front-lighting system and rear signature illumination.

Performance 

The CX-30 Turbo models deliver a dynamic driving experience thanks to a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. You get two sets of specs depending on what fuel you use. Regular nets 227-horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Premium gives you the best performance, bumping those numbers to 250-horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque. The CX-30 lineup comes standard with all-wheel drive.

Interior  

I'm certainly a fan of the Mazda CX-30's unsurprisingly refined and near-luxury cabin.  Aire Edition models feature an exclusive white leatherette-trimmed interior.

The Turbo Aire is further distinguished with synthetic gray suede-like seats inserts that match the interior trim and gray stitching. (The non-turbo edition features cloth gray inserts). Love that Mazda's also used the material on the multi-tiered dash. Overall, the light-colored driver-centric cabin has a spacious feel to it. I can also report that Mazda's ditched the all-glossy black center console that was in the 2024 model I reviewed. Now, the use of glossy black is far more minimal.

The 8-way power driver's seat is supportive and cushiony.  The front seats and steering wheel are heated.  Above the steering wheel,  a 7-inch center digital driver display is flanked by analog dials.  An available 10.25-inch touchscreen color display is stationed atop the center dash area. As I've said before I'm not a huge fan of Mazda's infotainment system as a whole, finding it cumbersome to operate via multimedia controller. But it does offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with Alexa Built-In and HD Radio. A 12-speaker Bose sound system custom engineered for the CX-30 delivers great sound quality, with aluminum speakers that look sharp too.

The center stack is home to traditional climate controls. On the center console you find a leather gear-shift knob, drive mode select, auto brake hold, electronic parking brake and the multimedia controller. A wireless charger is hard to access as its located in the center console bin.

In the back seats, comfortable 60/40 one-touch fold-down split seats deliver on legroom, but not so much with headroom. It's limited by stadium seating and the SUVs overall design. Also, a high middle seat floorboard could pose issues for a 5th passenger. Back seat passengers enjoy a nice, cushiony drop-down center console and rear A/C vents.

You'll get 20.2 cubic feet of cargo space and 45.2 cubic feet with the rear seats down.  

Turbo Aire features also include a power liftgate, power moonroof,  dual-zone climate,  carpeted floor mats, rain-sensing wipers, 2 USB-C ports, and three-level heated front seats.

Ride and Drive

As I noted in 2024, the CX-30 delivers interesting driving dynamics. Even though its based on the Mazda3 sedan, at times it feels more truck-like than car-like. I attribute that to its eight inches of ground clearance coupled with a high hood. The ride and drive are both certainly enjoyable. It's a firmer ride in the city and smoother one on the highway. Mazda's also improved the CX-30's ride comfort for 2026 by adopting a brake Limited Slip Differential as well as updated dampers.

All-wheel drive and Mazda's G-Vectoring Control give the CX-30 impressive handling, though it's not as sporty as the Mazda3 sedan or hatchback.  

Safety 

The 2026 CX-30 is equipped with Mazda's latest i-Active Safety features. They include Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Smart Brake Support, High Beam Control, and Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Rear Seat Alert, Vehicle Exit Warning, Driver Attention Alert, and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert. Rear Seat Alert is also standard. Mazda Connected Services is complimentary for one year. 

The Turbo Aire is also equipped with a 360-Degree Monitor, Active Driving Display with Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR), front and rear parking sensors, Smart Brake Support Reverse and Smart Brake Support Rear Crossing.

Options and What You'll Pay 

Options include illuminated door sill trim plates ($575), cargo cover ($165), and the premium paint ($595), bringing the total MSRP to $37,240. This is slightly below the 2026 Mazda3 2.5T sedan as similarly equipped, which tops out just over $39K.

Verdict   

I like the addition of the Turbo Aire to the lineup. It's exclusive interior provides a stark contrast to the other Turbo model's dark interior.  All-in-all, the CX-30's sophisticated style, upscale interior and exceptional driving dynamics continue to serve it well.