A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance,
petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.
2.0 Individual Edition Auto FWDPetrol6-Speed AutomaticCurrent
ZAR 651,500ex-showroom
⚡ 121 kW🔧 213 Nm⛽ 15.2 km/l
＋Add a 3rd car
At a Glance — Who Wins What
⚡PerformanceBlack Badge Cullinan
⛽Fuel EconomyCX-30
🛡SafetyBlack Badge Cullinan
📦PracticalityBlack Badge Cullinan
🔑OwnershipCX-30
Key Specs Side by Side
The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Maximum Power
441 kW @ 5250-5750 rpm
121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
900 Nm @ 1700-4000 rpm
213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Engine Size
6750 cc
1998 cc
Claimed Mileage
5.95 km/l
15.2 km/l
Ground Clearance
173 mm
175 mm
Boot / Load Bay
612 l
295 l
Airbags
8
7
Kerb Weight
2725 kg
1340 kg
Seating Capacity
-
-
Warranty
4 years; regional conditions apply
5 Years/Unlimited km
= leads in this spec
The Bottom Line
Black Badge Cullinan has a slight advantage, but CX-30 remains highly competitive.
Where They Actually Differ
Performance
Black Badge Cullinan
+51 pts
Efficiency
CX-30
+31 pts
Safety
Black Badge Cullinan
+16 pts
Practicality
Black Badge Cullinan
+20 pts
Ownership
CX-30
+11 pts
What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)
🏆 Overall Winner
Black Badge Cullinan
Strengths
More powerful engine output
Stronger safety package
More practical for daily use
Weak Spots
Lower fuel efficiency
Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to:Highway DrivingFamily Usage
CX-30
Strengths
Better fuel efficiency
Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
Less powerful engine setup
Less comprehensive safety features
Less practical in daily usage
Best suited to:Fuel Efficiency
Which One's Right for You?
Black Badge Cullinan
Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
Large families needing more practicality and usability
CX-30
Buyers looking for better fuel efficiency
Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind
Full Specs, Side by Side
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Model Introduced Year
2020
2021
Generation
Black Badge Cullinan Series II, the high-power alter ego of the current Cullinan SUV
First-generation DM-series Mazda CX-30 using seventh-generation Mazda architecture
Facelift History
Black Badge Cullinan debuted globally in 2019, was introduced in South Africa in 2020 and evolved into Black Badge Cullinan Series II in May 2024
South African editions received a focused technology and equipment update in 2024, including the 10.25-inch display and revised connectivity.
Facelift Launched Since
2024
2021
Facelift Version Ending
Current
Current
Body Style
Five-door performance-luxury SUV
SUV
Model Year
2026
2026
Production Status
active
Active
Segment
Full-size performance super-luxury SUV
Compact crossover
Vehicle Type
Internal-combustion sport utility vehicle
SUV
Tare Mass Kg
-
1340 kg
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Drivetrain Layout
All-wheel drive with front- and rear-steered axles
Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Transfer Case
ATC 13 transfer case
Not Applicable
Differential Lock
No lockable differential
Not Applicable
Paddle Shifters
No
Standard
Gearbox
8-speed ZF automatic
6-Speed Auto
Final Drive Ratio
2.81:1
4.095
Number of Gears
8
6
Transmission Type
8-speed ZF automatic
Automatic
Clutch Type
Torque converter
-
Drivetrain
All-wheel drive
FWD
4WD Engagement
Everywhere off-road capability engaged by one button
Not Applicable
4WD Hi Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Lo Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
4WD Selector
Everywhere button
Not Applicable
Automatic Shift Paddles
No
Standard
Front Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Gearbox Type
8-speed ZF automatic
Automatic
Low Range Ratio
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Low Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Axle Layout
All-wheel-drive power delivery with front- and rear-steered axles
4x2
Rear Differential Lock
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Transmission Speeds
8
6
Gear Shift Type
Satellite Aided automatic gear selection via column stalk with Low button
Automatic
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Claimed Mileage
5.95 km/l
15.2 km/l
City Mileage
5.10 km/l
-
Highway Mileage
8.08 km/l
-
Fuel Tank Capacity
90 l
51 l
Emission Standard
Euro 6e (B6e)
Euro stage IV
AdBlue Tank Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Auto Start Stop
Automatic start/stop: Yes
Standard
Average Fuel Consumption
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Claimed Fuel Consumption
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Fuel Efficiency
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Real-world Mileage
5.95 km/l
15.2 km/l
Charging Port Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Charging Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Consumption
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Combined Consumption L 100km
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Fuel Economy Combined
16.8 l/100km
6.6 l/100km
Fuel Tank Litres
90
51
Combined Driving Range
536-563 km (calculated from 90 L and 16.0-16.8 l/100 km WLTP)
Not Applicable
Electric Consumption
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Range Real World Highway
-
Not Applicable
Range Real World Mixed
-
Not Applicable
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Airbags
8
7
ABS
Four-channel Anti-lock Braking System
Standard
Electronic Stability Control
Dynamic Stability Control
Standard
Traction Control
Dynamic Traction Control
-
Hill Descent Control
Hill Descent Control
Not Available
Hill Start Assist
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Child Safety Lock
Rear child-safety locks
-
ISOFIX Mounts
ISOFIX child-seat mounts
Standard
Brake Assist
Dynamic Brake Control
Standard
Tyre Pressure Monitor
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
-
Engine Immobiliser
Engine immobiliser
Standard
Seatbelt Warning All Seats
Front seatbelt warning sensor
F
Front Parking Sensors
Park Distance Control, front and rear
Standard
AEB
Collision Warning with Brake Function; pedestrian/bike warning with brake function
Not Available
BA
Dynamic Brake Control
Standard
Curtain Airbags
Head Protection System
Standard
Driver Airbag
Driver airbag
Standard
EBD
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
Standard
Engine Immobiliser
Engine immobiliser
Standard
Hill Hold
Hill Start Assist
Standard
Passenger Airbag
Front-passenger airbag
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Seatbelt Pretensioners
Front and rear three-point pretensioning seatbelts; front force limiters
Standard
Side Airbags
Front side-impact airbags
Standard
TCS
Dynamic Traction Control
-
Knee Airbag
Active front knee protection
Standard
ABS EBD
Four-channel Anti-lock Braking System
Standard
Seatbelt Reminder
Front seatbelt warning sensor
F
Stability Control
Dynamic Stability Control
Standard
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Cruise Control
Dynamic Cruise Control; Active Cruise Control fitted to the referenced current vehicle
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Active Cruise Control
Not Available
Lane Keep Assist
Lane Departure Warning with Active Return
Not Available
Lane Departure Warning
Lane Departure Warning with Active Return
Not Available
Blind Spot Monitoring
Lane Change Warning with Blind Spot Detection
Standard
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
Standard
Parking Sensors
Park Distance Control, front and rear
Front & Rear
Rear View Camera
Rear View Camera
Standard
360 Degree Camera
Surround View Camera with 3D view
Not Available
Autonomous Emergency Braking
Collision Warning with Brake Function; pedestrian/bike warning with brake function
Not Available
Driver Fatigue Alert
Driver Attention Alert System
Not Available
Traffic Sign Recognition
Speed Limit Information
Not Available
Auto Highbeam
High-Beam Assistance
Not Available
Auto Wipers
Rain-sensing variable-speed windshield wipers
Standard
Rear Parking Sensors
Park Distance Control, front and rear
Not Available
Reverse Camera
Rear View Camera
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Active Cruise Control
Not Available
Park Assist
Park Assist and Reversing Assistant
-
Around View Monitor
Surround View Camera with 3D view
Not Available
Blind Spot Warning
Lane Change Warning with Blind Spot Detection
Standard
Forward Collision Warning
Collision Warning with Brake Function
-
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Seat Material
Leather, Duality Twill or Bespoke alternatives
Suede & Leatherette (Black & terracotta)
Heated Seats
Heated front seats; rear-seat heating available
Not Available
Ventilated Seats
Front and rear seat cooling available
Not Available
Ambient Lighting
Illuminated Fascia with glowing Black Badge infinity motif and vertical Cityscape pattern; up-lit Black Spirit of Ecstasy Clock Cabinet
Not Available
Steering Wheel Material
Heated full-leather multifunction Black Badge steering wheel
Standard
60 40 Split Seat
Electronically folding 2/3 and 1/3 rear bench
(60:40)
Driver Seat Adjustment
Heated, electronically adjustable front seat with memory
10-Way Power adjustable (Driver)
Passenger Seat Adjustment
Heated, electronically adjustable front seat with memory
10-Way Power adjustable (Driver)
Seat Trim
Technical Carbon and Placed Perforation available
Suede & Leatherette (Black & terracotta)
Front Shoulder Room
-
1412 mm
Rear Shoulder Room
-
1361 mm
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Climate Control
Automatic four-zone climate control
Dual-zone climate control
Power Windows
Front and rear power windows with one-touch up/down
Front
Keyless Entry
Comfort Access keyless entry
Smart
Push Button Start
Engine start button
Standard
Wireless Charging
Wireless smartphone charging
Standard
Sunroof
Panoramic glass roof available
Standard
Electric Tailgate
Power-operated two-part Clasp tailgate
Standard
Rain Sensing Wipers
Rain-sensing variable-speed windshield wipers
Standard
AC Type
Automatic four-zone climate control
Dual-zone climate control
Load Bed Length
-
Not Applicable
Load Bed Width
-
Not Applicable
Boot Space Seats Folded
-
1200 l
Loadbox Length Mm
-
Not Applicable
Loadbox Width Mm
-
Not Applicable
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Length
5355 mm
4395 mm
Width
2000 mm
1795 mm
Height
1835 mm
1540 mm
Wheelbase
3295 mm
2655 mm
Doors
5 doors
5 doors
Front Headroom
1064 mm
-
Payload Capacity
575 kg
597 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity
90 l
51 l
Kerb Weight
2725 kg
1340 kg
Towing Capacity
2700 kg
1200 kg
Rear Headroom
1026 mm
-
Front Legroom
1006 mm
1058 mm
Rear Legroom
1090 mm
921 mm
Ground Clearance (Default)
173 mm
175 mm
Ground Clearance (With Full Seating Load)
173 mm
-
Boot/Cargo Space
612 l
295 l
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
3300 kg
1937 kg
Seating Capacity
5 seats
5 seats
Number of Rows
2 rows
-
Minimum Turning Radius
6.6 m
5.7 m
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Engine
6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol
2-litre Naturally Aspirated Petrol
Cylinders
12
4
Valves
48
Not Officially Disclosed
Fuel System
Direct Injection
Not Officially Disclosed
Compression Ratio
10.0:1
13.0:1
Drive Type
AWD
FWD
Top Speed
250 km/h
196 km/h
Engine Code
N74B68A
Not Officially Disclosed
Cylinder Layout
V
Inline
Aspiration
Twin Turbocharged
Naturally Aspirated
Bore
89 mm
83.5 mm
Stroke
90.4 mm
91.2 mm
Drive Modes
Low
Sport
Valves per Cylinder
4
Not Officially Disclosed
Launch Control
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Engine Displacement
6750 cc
1998 cc
Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
6-Speed Automatic
0-100 km/h
5.2 sec
9.7 sec
Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Fuel Type
Petrol
Petrol
Maximum Power
441 kW @ 5250-5750 rpm
121 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque
900 Nm @ 1700-4000 rpm
213 Nm @ 4000 rpm
Motor Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Regenerative Braking
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Hybrid System
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Combined Torque
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Number of Motors
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Motor Location
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Quarter Mile
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Rev Limiter
Not Officially Disclosed
Not Officially Disclosed
Power-to-Weight Ratio
161.8 kW/tonne
90.3 kW/tonne
Torque-to-Weight Ratio
330.3 Nm/tonne
159 Nm/tonne
Usable Battery Capacity
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Type
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Battery Voltage
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Electric Range
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Power
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
AC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
DC Charging Time
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
Apple CarPlay
Apple CarPlay compatibility
Wireless
Android Auto
Android Auto compatibility
Standard
Bluetooth Connectivity
Bluetooth wireless technology
Standard
Number of Speakers
16
12
Digital Instrument Cluster
SPIRIT digital instrument interface
Not Available
Infotainment System
SPIRIT infotainment operated by touch, controller and voice commands
Standard
Infotainment Screen
10.25-inch Central Information Display with touchscreen and SPIRIT
10.25-inch
Touchscreen
10.25-inch Central Information Display with touchscreen and SPIRIT
10.25-inch
USB Ports
USB Type-C ports
2
Spec
Black Badge Cullinan
CX-30
LED Headlamps
Rolls-Royce LED headlights
Standard
Daytime Running Lamps
Vertical daytime-running-light treatment
Standard
Fog Lamps
Front fog lamps
-
Roof Rails
No; vehicle not approved for roof loads
-
Headlights
Rolls-Royce LED headlights
Standard
Panoramic Sunroof
Panoramic glass roof available
Standard
Exterior Colour Options
Bespoke exterior colours available; colour may extend to lower body surfaces, sill, valances and lower front bumper
Arctic White, Ceramic White, Deep Crystal Blue, Jet Black, Machine Grey, Polymetal Grey, Snowflake Pearl White, Platinum Quartz and Soul Red Crystal are shown by Mazda South Africa.
Performance
Black Badge Cullinan +51
Efficiency
CX-30 +31
Safety
Black Badge Cullinan +16
Practicality
Black Badge Cullinan +20
Ownership
CX-30 +11
Moderate difference between the models.
Why this scoreView full breakdown
Overall Winner
Black Badge Cullinan
Performance
100/100
Efficiency
28/100
Safety
99/100
Practicality
75/100
Ownership
44/100
CX-30
Performance
49/100
Efficiency
59/100
Safety
83/100
Practicality
55/100
Ownership
55/100
So, Which One Should You Buy?
🏆Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan
wins with 74 pts
vs 60 pts for CX-30
In structured scoring, Black Badge Cullinan emerges as the stronger overall package. However, CX-30 may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.
Other Comparisons Worth Checking
See how similar cars go head-to-head — you might find a better fit than you expected.
On our scoring the Black Badge Cullinan edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.
Efficiency scores: Black Badge Cullinan 28 vs CX-30 59. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.
Safety scores: Black Badge Cullinan 99, CX-30 83. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.
Long-term ownership scores: Black Badge Cullinan 44, CX-30 55. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.
Practicality scores: Black Badge Cullinan 75, CX-30 55. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.
Performance scores: Black Badge Cullinan 100, CX-30 49. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.
Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.
Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.
Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Black Badge Cullinan edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.
The Black Badge Cullinan scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.
In Depth — Breaking It All Down
The comparison between Black Badge Cullinan and CX-30 in South Africa
evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.
Performance: Black Badge Cullinan scores 100 vs 49.
Efficiency: Black Badge Cullinan scores 28 vs 59.
Safety: Black Badge Cullinan scores 99 vs 83.
Practicality: Black Badge Cullinan scores 75 vs 55.
Ownership: Black Badge Cullinan scores 44 vs 55.
Final structured scoring gives Black Badge Cullinan
the advantage in this comparison.
Compare
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