And that’s before you start delving into the details. Once you do, you’ll find all sorts of neat touches such as the way the LED turn signal lights are meant to pulse like a heart-beat, or how the center arm rest console slides back and up as not to hyperextend the elbow when opening or closing, or how the lighting stalk defaults to “Auto” to prevent you from driving at night using just the daytime running lights.

For P 1.990-million, the CX-30 AWD Sport (this Machine Gray color costs P 16,800 extra) is well-featured. Not only do you get the 8.8-inch widescreen infotainment, but you also get leather seats with a powered driver seat (with memory), a moonroof, and a dual zone climate control with rear vents. As standard, there’s also adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, a 360-degree camera, blind spot monitoring, and even autonomous emergency braking for both front and back.

Everyday usability is one of the CX-30’s strong suits. Not only is it easy to get a comfortable driving position, but details such as the operation of the infotainment system can’t be matched by any other offering in the segment.

On the road, the CX-30 feels compact, wieldy, and agile with sharp steering and body roll that’s always kept in check. It doesn’t feel as pliant through rough patches of road as well as other crossovers, but it’s by far the one that gives the most smiles per mile. The non-independent rear suspension sometimes betrays it as it jounces through cracks when going mid-corner, but for the most part, it’s mechanically solid.

For all of the praises directed towards the CX-30’s design, its biggest miss has to be its interior packaging. Without a doubt, it’s great for single or newly-weds, but the limited rear seat space means it can’t fulfill the role of a family car as well as say, a similarly-priced compact SUV. The rear seats prioritize support over room, and this could be a problem for those trying to fit child seats—now made mandatory by the DOTr.

There are also a few niggles too like how the instrument cluster is a magnet for scratches, or how it developed numerous rattles which could only be solved by stuffing the affected areas with foam or old socks. The rear brakes also kept on emitting a squeal despite the pads being in good condition (as per our one and only dealer visit). These may be minor quips, but given that the rest of the CX-30 experience is considerably premium, they’re noticeable.

One thing often unmentioned is that Mazda only requires two dealer visits per year—every six months or every 10,000 kilometers whichever comes first. Plus, it’s all free—you don’t have to pay a single cent in periodic maintenance cost for the first five years. Not bad.