A plug-in hybrid with a built-in charging station. Driven purely by its electric motor, it offers uninterrupted electric driving excitement with Mazda-unique handling.

The MX-30 R-EV is a range extended EV with a new 830cc rotary petrol engine. The rotary engine was first used in 2012.

So how does the rotary engine work?

Instead of pistons sliding up and down within individual cylinders, a rounded-yet-triangular rotor spins inside a chamber. The rotary engine is famed for its smooth power delivery, small size and low weight – but can be thermodynamically inefficient compared to conventional engines and prone to higher oil consumption and more serious wear in a shorter time frame.

Here, the new-generation 830cc rotary combustion engine features a single rotor with a 120mm radius and 76mm width. It develops 73bhp and works purely as a generator.

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That rotary powerplant works alongside a 17.8 kWh battery pack and a 167bhp electric motor. Given it’s a range extender, the rotary doesn’t drive the front wheels at all – instead only charging the battery pack. Also given the extra complication, the R-EV is around 150kg heavier than the electric model.

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A Review from ‘WHATCAR?’

Performance & Drive

Despite the MX-30 R-EV’s 830cc petrol engine never directly powering the wheels, it has more power – 168bhp compared with the EV’s 143bhp – and drops the 0-62mph time to 9.1sec. On paper, that’s not that much of an improvement, and it’s still well short of the pace offered by something like a Kia EV6. However, in practice, the R-EV feels more lively than the pure electric MX-30 and is better suited to getting you past slow-moving traffic.

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Interior

The dashboard has quite a futuristic look, with three digital screens and a head-up display that projects key info onto the windscreen, regardless of which trim you go for. The screens include digital instruments and a 7.0in climate control touchscreen, mounted just below the main infotainment screen.

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Passenger & Boot Space

Even if you’re tall, you’ll be perfectly happy in the front of the Mazda MX-30, because leg, head and shoulder room are all in plentiful supply. What’s more, there’s lots of storage space within easy reach, including a big glovebox, good-sized cupholders and a cork-lined cubby in the centre console that prevents keys jangling or your phone shooting into the footwell at the first hint of a corner.

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Interested? Check out our latest offers MX-30 R-EV

Enquire at Mazda Hanley or Oldham Mazda