No one wants a lackluster SUV, especially a subcompact one. Enter the all-new option from Buick, the 2024 Envista. Those who might have been looking at the CX-30 from Mazda might be interested to see what the Envista offers. The 2023 Mazda CX-30 and the 2024 Buick Envista have a lot in common. However, for a brand-new vehicle hitting the market, the Envista is slightly more affordable, has better fuel economy, and feels more spacious than the CX-30.

Is the 2023 Mazda CX-30 a reliable car?

As a brand-new SUV, the 2023 Mazda CX-30 is pretty reliable. Sometimes, you get unlucky with new cars, and issues pop up, but most should offer a carefree ownership experience over the first few years. Mazda’s CX-30 has been on the market since 2020, starting at $22,950 for the latest model year. A fully loaded variant will run you $35,400.

Enter the 2024 Buick Envista. The Envista is brand new, so new that you might not be able to find one yet. It starts at only $22,400, $500 less than the CX-30, and a fully loaded Envista is only $28,600 in its debut. Mazda has two engine options: a 2.5L four-cylinder with 191 horsepower or a 2.5L turbo four-cylinder with 250 horsepower. The Envista uses the same 137-horsepower three-cylinder engine across the board.

The 2023 CX-30 with the base engine gets 26 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, while the upgraded engine gets 22 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Though it has less horsepower, the Buick Envista fuel economy is better at 28 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

Is the Mazda CX-30 more spacious than the Buick Envista?

Even though the 2023 Mazda CX-30 is pretty spacious for a subcompact SUV, the 2024 Buick Envista has a little extra room in some areas. These include headroom, legroom, and hip room. Both small SUVs come up a bit short in cargo space.

Both small SUVs are low on cargo space, but the CX-30 actually has more room with both rows folded. Since most people won’t utilize that space very often, the cargo space with the second row up is better in the Envista SUV. The Mazda SUV also has a nice, wide opening, but the seats don’t fold totally flat. It makes the space slightly less useable, but again, most people don’t fold the second row flat on small SUVs very often.

Is the Mazda CX-30 fun to drive?

One area that the 2023 Mazda CX-30 gets right is its spirited ride and excellent handling. For such a small SUV, the CX-30 scoots around town and has fun driving dynamics for a daily driver. It has also been a class leader since it rolled off the production line. The 2024 Buick Envista is going for a different type of ride. In true Buick fashion, the Envista is comfortable and quiet inside. It uses moderately nice materials throughout the cabin and looks more expensive than it is.

The CX-30 comes with a three-year or 36,000-mile basic warranty for peace of mind. The powertrain is covered with a five-year, 60,000-mile warranty. Buick’s warranty coverage for the 2024 Envista is the same: three years, 36,000 miles, and five-year, 60,000 miles.

For its first year, the Buick Envista gets a lot right. If you are going for the same extra-small SUV like the Mazda CX-30, the Buick might be worth a test ride. If you are looking for that zippy ride only Mazda can provide, stick with that brand.