2022 Mazda CX-30 vs 2021 Lincoln Aviator

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator stood out by not mimicking its competitors' styles. Instead, it adopted the successful design language of the larger Navigator, resulting in a sharp-looking vehicle with crisp lines and chrome accents. The interior was equally impressive, offering a warm and comfortable cabin with soft-touch materials and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The piano button shifter and soothing chimes added to the luxurious feel. The Aviator came in various trims, each adding more features and luxury, with the Grand Touring trim offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain and massaging front seats.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30, on the other hand, resembled a downsized CX-5 with its upright grille and smooth fenders. It shared its platform with the Mazda3, making it a raised-up version of the Mazda3 hatchback. The cabin was comfortable and quiet, with solid-feeling buttons and doors. The interior design was one of the best in its class, featuring a blend of conventional and digital displays. However, the infotainment system had a steep learning curve, which detracted from its overall usability. The CX-30 came in multiple trims, with the Turbo Premium Plus model offering additional driver assistance features and a power rear liftgate.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine in its Standard, Reserve, and Black Label trims, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. This power was managed by a 10-speed automatic transmission, with options for rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). The Grand Touring and Grand Touring Black Label trims featured a plug-in hybrid configuration, boosting output to 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid powertrain provided brisk acceleration and a smooth power delivery, although the vehicle's heft resulted in noticeable body roll in corners. The Aviator's drive mode selector offered modes like "Excite" and "Conserve," making it well-suited for highways but less composed in city driving.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 came with a base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque. The upgraded 2.5-liter turbocharged engine in our test model delivered 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque on 87 octane fuel, and 250 hp and 320 lb-ft on 93 octane fuel. Power was routed to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged engine provided decent acceleration, especially in Sport mode, which altered throttle response and shift mapping. The CX-30's conventional shifter design and steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters added to its sporty feel. The vehicle had well-weighted steering and quick turn-in, but the suspension resulted in a rough ride over potholes and imperfections.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator offered 18.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, expandable to 41.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 77.7 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The power liftgate and hands-free power liftgate options added convenience. The second-row captain's chairs and digital control panel for seat, climate, and audio controls made the second row the place to be. However, the power-button door releases raised concerns about functionality if the battery died.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 provided up to 45.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 20.2 cubic feet with the seats in use. These figures were average for the subcompact SUV segment. The power rear liftgate was a helpful feature. The front seats had a sliding center console cover, which could get stuck under the seat when the rear seats were folded. The center console offered ample space for personal items, and the front doors had deep pockets for large water bottles. The rear seats provided solid headroom but might be tight for longer drives.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen running the intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system. The landscape format of the screen made for a natural layout, and the system was easy to use with a sensible menu layout. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were well-integrated, taking up the whole screen with large icons. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and an optional head-up display (HUD) with crisp graphics.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 had an elegant dash design with an infotainment screen nestled into the dash. The screen had no touch functionality and was controlled by a rotary dial/joystick in the center console. This setup, inspired by older luxury-car infotainment systems, was not user-friendly. Navigating out of Apple CarPlay was cumbersome, and operating it with a rotary dial was frustrating. Even after setting up presets, the system remained difficult to use.

The 2021 Lincoln Aviator came well-equipped with standard driver assistance features as part of the Lincoln Co-Pilot 360 package, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and front-and-rear parking sensors. The Co-Pilot 360 Plus package added reverse automatic braking, self-parking functionality, and adaptive cruise control. The Aviator earned top marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), including a Top Safety Pick accolade from the IIHS.

The 2022 Mazda CX-30 came with standard driver-assistance features such as forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing wipers, and adaptive cruise control. The Turbo Premium Plus model added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic-sign recognition, front-and-rear parking sensors, and reverse automatic emergency braking. The adaptive front headlights and 360-degree parking camera were helpful features. The CX-30 earned five out of five stars from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.