FORECOURT
MAZDA CX-5 Mazda has tweaked its popular CX-5 SUV, so Ted Welford headed to the Scottish Highlands to put it to the test. Under the bonnet
THE KNOWLEDGE Mazda CX-5 2.2D 184PS AWD GT Sport Auto Price (as tested): £39,965 Engine: 2.2-litre turbo diesel Power: 181bhp Torque: 445Nm Max speed: 129mph O-60mph: 9.4 seconds MPG (combined): 42.8 Emissions: 173g/km CO2
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The 2.2-litre turbo diesel pumps out 181bhp and 445Nm of torque.
WHAT IS IT? Launched a decade ago, the CX-5 remains Mazda’s largest vehicle of this type in the UK (for the time being at least) and continues to make up around a quarter of the Japanese firm’s registrations here in Britain. Now the manufacturer is introducing an updated version. WHAT’S NEW? Key styling changes include new LED lights at the front and rear. There are also two new options – a more rugged-looking Newground model alongside the stealthier Sport Black version. Mazda has made small tweaks to the dynamics, too, plus it now has adjustable driving modes exclusively on petrol cars paired with an automatic gearbox. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The engine choice remains identical to before, with a choice of 2.0-litre petrol, 2.5-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel. Unlike plenty of rivals, there’s still no electrified option. We got a chance to drive all engines, but spent the majority of the time in the diesel, with our test car using the more powerful 181bhp unit (a 148bhp version is also offered), which was paired to a six-speed automatic gearbox and came with all-wheel-drive. It can take the CX-5 to 60mph in 9.4 seconds and head on to a top speed of 129mph. It’s not the most efficient, though, with Mazda claiming just 42.8mpg and 173g/km CO2 emissions. The frontwheel-drive version with a manual gearbox will be noticeably more efficient. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? Twisty Scottish Highlands passes wouldn’t be the first choice of road to test a family SUV on, and many in this class would soon show themselves up if you tried to put your foot down. Not the CX-5, though. If you want a fun SUV to drive, this Mazda is where you should put your money. It feels nimble and agile, while the well-weighted steering makes such a refreshing change from the ultra-lightweight setups that many crossovers feature. This diesel, with its healthy 445Nm of torque, also suits the CX-5 brilliantly, although it does have the usual gruffness that cars powered this way tend to. When you want to settle things down a bit, though, its outstanding cruising refinement really shines through. One of the few complaints is that the ride can be overly unsettled over potholes, but it’s largely impressively comfortable.
