road test
Mazda CX-5 Newground 2.0 Skyactiv-G 2WD manual
Last of the gunslingers Mark Bursa
I
n the headlong scramble for position in the electric car
market, one brand is notable not quite by its absence, but certainly with its apparent reluctance to commit to an electrified future.
Mazda is still a firm believer in the power of the internal combustion engine – and while it has produced an EV in the quirky MX-30, the main focus remains on petrol and diesel. The CX-5 SUV is established as Mazda’s leading seller in the UK, accounting for around 25% of sales. Now in its third generation, the 2022 model represents a substantial facelift, with some new powertrains and variants joining the range. The shift toward SUVs seems unstoppable – Mazda still offers a very competent upper-medium sector saloon and estate range in the Mazda6, but the CX-5 has long overtaken the 6 in terms of sales. Indeed, since the launch of the first Mazda CX-5 in 2012, more than 70,000 have been sold in the UK. Whether SUVs represent acceptable private hire vehicles is still open for debate – they don’t look like taxis, but in terms of practicality, the CX5 ticks plenty of boxes. There’s plenty of rear seat
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legroom and headroom, a good-sized 522-litre boot, a high standard of finish, decent fuel economy and, importantly, keen pricing. The 2022 facelift includes revised front and rear bumper designs, new headlight and taillight clusters and a more three-dimensional grille design. The wing trim no longer heads into the lamp cluster. The range now spans 20 models in five trim levels: SE-L, Newground, Sport, Sport Black and GT Sport, each of which has subtle styling differentiation – especially so on the Newground, Sport Black and GT Sport levels, including colour co-ordinated interior and exterior trim. The CX-5 range starts at £28,145 for the 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G petrol 165PS SE-L. As an alternative, a 150PS Skyactiv-D diesel is available. The 165PS Skyactiv-G engine is new, and is the only option on the Newground trim level, which is perhaps the most disinctive, and the car featured
in our photographs. All SE-L and Newground models are front-wheel drive models. Newground features front and rear silver underguard trims matched to silver lower body side skirts, black door mirrors and 19in black diamond cut alloy wheels. It has subtle lime green accents on the grille and inside on the air vent trims and seat piping. Newground also has an exclusive paint colour, called Zircon Sand Metallic. With manual transmission, as featured here, the CX-5 Newground costs £29,175. Automatic transmission takes that up to £30,775. The biggest seller is expected to be the Sport model, which also has the 165ps Skyactiv-G petrol or a choice of diesels with 150PS and 184PS output. The higher-powered diesel has a choice of front or all-wheel drive, and only comes with an automatic gearbox. The other new trim level is Sport Black – again, a 2WD/165PS petrol combination, but with a sportier look including gloss black detailing and subtle red accents within the grille and stitching. Above that sits GT Sport, with the addition of more powerful petrol engines and all-wheel drive – topping the price list at £39,435. The interior is particularly well-finished,
APRIL 2021
