Mazda CX-5 review and buyer's guide

 

If you want one of the best driving, most luxurious and surprisingly capable five-seat SUVs in the market, don’t blow your cash-load on an elitist rip-off…

 
 
 

The Mazda CX-5 is super-refined, drives beautifully and even has a dash of performance making it a highly appealing medium SUV for most families.

Shopping for a CX-5 is a balance between features you need and what you want to spend, because Mazda’s pricing is up there and you’re not getting a car that isn’t worth it.

You can download the CX-5 digital brochure here >>

If you need more on other medium SUVs you’re likely to be looking at, they are:

the new Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson,

the all-wheel drive Subaru Forester,

the ubiquitous Toyota RAV4,

the Mitsubishi Outlander or possibly the smaller Eclipse Cross (avail. in plug-in hybrid) and

possibly the also-AWD Subaru Outback.

All of these are good cars in their own right. It’s up to you to find the one which suits you best. Let’s crack on with that makes CX-5 so good.

The engines are excellent, their interiors are better as good as a Mercedes, the build quality is higher than anything the Germans can manage and the pricing doesn’t give you headspin.

The evergreen styling that Mazda committed CX-5 to years ago remains contemporary and makes the level of practicality a welcome surprise to anybody who might be inclined to think it’s all about form and not function. But actually, CX-5 is more-or-less the embodiment of what a midsize SUV needs to be and do in the typical car buyer’s daily life.

It needs to be capable, relatively economical, very reliable, and not look like some completely out-of-place ugly duckling while also being able to carry the kids and their stuff to and from various commitments. Then it needs to be comfortable due to the nature of spending every single day in it, often for hours on end. Generally speaking, both parents need to be able to drive it confidently, too.

If you do need everything up-sized, to match your income, the amount of food the kids demand you shop for, and the trips to the beach etc you’re planning, then you’re probably about to join the over 23,000 others who bought a CX-5 in 2023. If you’re raising three kids all in that child restraint era (infancy to 7yo), consider the CX-9 or possibly a Kia Carnival if you need ample room for prams, additional adults, bikes, bags en masse etc. Or perhaps a Subaru Outback if you want to stick to a slightly smaller platform with the necessary five seats.

So let’s talk about why the Mazda CX-5 makes sense forsaking (nearly) all others.

 

FEATURES & PRICING

The CX-5 is the perfect case in point for affordable luxury, where it’s far and away comfortable, civilised and special enough that the majority of normal people would climb in and find it alluring, if not excellent. There’s nothing about the top-spec Akera at $48-50k which a rational human being would find inferior or unacceptable in terms of quality or polish.

CX-5 is $7000 more than the smaller CX-3 at $38k, and dimensionally it’s the same story, so you’re actually getting substantially more vehicle for your money, which justifies the price premium. Growing families will be far better suited to a CX-5 than anything in the small SUV class - which explains not just why the CX-5 is so popular, but why medium SUVs are booming in Australia.

CX-5 has a 2700mm wheelbase, hence the superior leg room over a smaller SUV, which is ideal for anybody close or over 6-feet tall. But, if you’re a driver - someone who is interested in how a vehicle drives and behaves, then CX-5 comes in at 1682kg (kerb) before adding kids, bags, the shopping or any holiday gear - and there’s a powertrain to suit you enthusiastic nerve. For that engine, you’re going to start your budgeting at about $57,000 driveaway, for the GT variant.

CX-5 Maxx looks gaunt beside Akera, but gets good standard kit.

CX-5 Maxx looks gaunt beside Akera, but gets good standard kit.

CX-5 Maxx - petrol, naturally aspirated, petrol FWD auto $41,000

Standard features:

  • Adaptive radar cruise control + autonomous emergency braking (urban, up to 30km/h) forward & reverse

  • Rear parking sensors + reversing camera + blind spot monitoring + rear cross-traffic alert

  • Apple CarPlay/Android Auto + seven-inch infotainment screen + DAB+ digital radio

  • 16-inch alloys, tyre pressure monitoring

  • 2.5-litre petrol engine (AWD only, +$5000 over FWD, N/A petrol)

 
cx5 touring.JPG

CX-5 Maxx Sport - petrol AWD $45,000

Added features:

  • 17-inch charcoal alloys + satnav + dual-zone climate control

  • 2.2-litre diesel (AWD only) - additional 156kg kerb weight (1715kg) choosing diesel over over N/A petrol

 
CX-5 GT: the best all-round compromise on price/features.

CX-5 GT: the best all-round compromise on price/features.

CX-5 Touring - petrol, naturally aspirated $49,000

Added features:

  • Front parking sensors (in addition to rear)

  • Heads-up display (windscreen) + traffic speed sign recognition +

  • Synthetic suede seats + heated door mirrors

 

CX-5 GT - petrol, naturally aspirated, AWD: $47,700 | add $2500 for turbo: $50,200 | diesel AWD: $53,500

Added features:

  • Sunroof + power tailgate + adaptive front-lighting system (swivels based on steering input)

  • 19-inch polished charcoal alloys (up from 17-inch) + 55mm profile tyres (up from 65mm) - increased ride height from 193mm to 200mm

  • Heated front seats (now leather) with power adjustment (plus driver lumbar)

  • Premium BOSE® audio w/ 10 speakers

  • Additional 41kg kerb weight (1756kg) over N/A petrol choosing diesel

 

CX-5 Akera - petrol, naturally aspirated, AWD: $55,000

  • Adaptive LED headlights + LCD driver dash cluster screen + frameless rearview mirror

  • Heated rear outer seats + heated steering wheel + Nappa leather seats + ventilated (cooled) front seats

  • 360-degree camera system

  • LED boot lighting

  • +30Nm of torque w diesel over turbo-petrol + variable geometry turbo w diesel (incl. all diesel variants)

You get then elect the ‘G35GT version which gives you the 2.5-turbo engine with AWD for $57,900

Or you can step back in price slightly with the G25 Akera for $57,600 but with the G25 (non-turbo engine) which gets:

  • ‘Dark Russet’ Nappa leather seats

  • 360° camera

  • Heated steering wheel

And finally if you want the ultimate iteration, there’s the G35 Akera at $60,200 to have the 2.5L turbo petrol engine with 170kW.

 

DRIVING

If you need a more budget-conscious CX-5, the Maxx, Maxx Sport and Touring are going to be as far north as you’ll want to go in price. That is the main drawback with CX-5, it does lots of great things, but it does get expensive the further up you go, comparatively, with others in this segment.

But what you do sacrifice, or miss out on, it must be said, is the joy of punting the 2.5 turbo engine along any kind of twisty road.

CX-5 is definitely one of the best-equipped five-seat SUVs on sale, even today

The ultimate amount of cabin space is not going to change, getting the non-turbo CX-5 variants - they will be quite okay for daily running around. But they don’t go nearly as well as the G35 powertrain on GT and Akera.

CX-5 has the longest wheelbase of the main competitors at exactly 2.7m, which makes it quite commodious inside (because wheelbase generally dictates cabin space). In fact, the rear wheels almost look like they’re right under the rear bumper, such do they feel like they sit quite toward the rear corners of the car. This makes it slot nicely into most carparks with relative ease.

In traffic, the CX-5 isn’t just quick off the line for an SUV, it’s punchy full-stop. Freeway on-ramps, where you have a chance of giving the throttle a good squeeze, are actually quite fun when you feel it kick down, snarl and shoot you up to ambient speed with everybody else.

There are moments when you put your foot down gently to assertively and simply overtake some errant slug in the far-right lane, and you need to round them up quickly before getting stuck behind them in a tunnel or something. You can actually drive the CX-5 with some conviction.

Against the 2.4L petrol engine in the Kia Sportage the CX-5 is a nose in front on refinement, but it’s line-ball against the 1.6 turbo in the Hyundai Tuscon which also gives the CX-5 a jab to the ribs with the seven-speed dual-clutch. There are moments where the CX-5 wants to keep revving in the same gear when you want it to settle down, which you don’t get with the DCT. Know your transmission here >>

The Tuscon makes its power lower in the rev range than both the Mazda and the Kia, but they’re all pretty close on power-to-weight here - although the CX-5 wins overall on 83kW/t against the 82 in Sportage and 80 in Tuscon respectively. The Sportage 2.2 diesel is ideal if you’re a regional or rural buyer with a need for 1900kg of towing capacity (although I caution against putting that sort of weight behind a 1700kg vehicle).

Mazda’s hybrid CX-5 is years away, so your only option in this regard is the Toyota RAV4 which you can study here >> But CX-5 is a much nicer vehicle to drive, it rides better, it turns corners better, the brakes are better and the 2.5-turbo brains a RAV4 under acceleration.

 

Pro

  • 2.5-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder is reliable and delivers good performance

  • Back seats are far from just add-on derriere parking bays

  • Tyre pressure monitoring standard across the range

  • Proper 1.8 tonne braked towing capacity + 11m turning circle

  • Finally Mazda catches up with the world and includes Apple CarPlay & Android Auto standard

  • Five-star ANCAP safety rating; strong crash performance

  • Decent boot space at 442L (rear seats up)

  • Nappa leather (Akera) is downright sexy

  • MZD Connect and rotary dial - once you adapt and overcome the learning curve, becomes good to use while driving by minimising eye-search and finger reaching.

Con

  • MZD Connect and rotary dial: fiddly and distracting to use while driving

  • Pricey. CX-5, like its bigger sister CX-9, is dear in every model grade

  • Tolerating a space saver spare wheel at 80km/h in that moment you have a flat is not luxurious

  • 360 degree monitor needs work, obscures vehicle’s corners (the most important bit of visual information you need when reversing)

  • Five model grades is too many; four at most

  • Diesel engine not available with FWD: only AWD from second-tier Maxx Sport up

  • I-stop stop/start ignition is annoying on two levels: 1. It’s standard; 2. it defaults to on every time you start the car afresh

 
 

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Just fill in this form. No more car dealership rip-offs. Greater transparency. Less stress.

 
 

ENGINE

Mazda calls its engines ‘SkyActiv’, which is just a sub-brand that means they’ve put a lot of engineering development work into making them good.

There are three choices of engine, all of which are petrol, because Mazda no longer offers the 2.2-litre diesel.

Mercedes-Benz GLE: 75.7kW/t. Mazda CX-9: 90.2 kW/t.

There’s a 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder which is naturally aspirated, offering reasonable power of 115kW @ 6000rpm and torque 200Nm @ 4000rpm which is good enough for those shopping in the budget aisle for a front-wheel drive only CX-5 with a good boot, great safety and adequate performance.

But if you need an on-demand AWD, you’ll be getting the 2.5-litre four-cylinder SkyActiv powerplant in the Maxx Sport (second tier) and that’s quite good, without being particularly exciting to drive. That’s a 21 per cent increase in power (140kW at , meaning if you like to get up to speed somewhat quickly, or you want extra grunt to overtake, or you simply have lots of stuff constantly filling up the boot, you go places with the kids routinely etc. this is probably the ideal engine.

The 2.5 is good in the sense that it has also proven pretty reliable in-service with minimal problems (if any). But if you want potent performance, choose the turbocharged 2.5 version available in the GT and Akera, and makes 170kW at 500 revs.

All engines run on regular 91 octane petrol.

If you want to know what it is that makes Mazda’s motors sparkle, here it is:

“Conventional internal combustion engines are only able to harness around 30% of fuel’s potential energy. By pushing the limits of internal combustion, Mazda has developed the SKYACTIV family of engines which can deliver much greater fuel efficiency than conventional engines.

Simply put, SKYACTIV engines can compress the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders to an extraordinary degree, squeezing far more energy from every drop of fuel.
With their compression ratio of 14:1, unparalleled among mass production engines…

resulting in 15 percent increases in fuel efficiency and torque (for second-generation SkyActiv-G engine).

What you might appreciate about Mazda publishing information about its engines is it instils confidence in the product, both for you in the brand, and the brand in itself and its products.

A brand which hides and weasels its way around technical problems suggests they probably haven’t properly baked their R&D, at least it does to me. At the very least it’s what they’re not saying that raises eyebrows.

Happily, Mazda continues, talking not just the good, but also the “challenges” they faced. Namely, using such a high compression ratio of 14.0:1 means dealing with knocking - the premature combustion of the air-fuel mixture caused by high compression and temperature - which is more likely to occur at “top dead centre” of the combustion chamber the higher the compression ratio.

Cylinder deactivation will also see two cylinders shut down during low-load requirements such as high-gear freeway driving to save fuel. This idea has been around for some time, and in mid-2019 Mazda did issue a recall for the software managing that process, but I understand it was a precautionary measure, not a reactionary one.

As a menial fuel-saving measure, it beats the hateful top-start systems for refinement and saving premature wear on ignition batteries.

You can read about the petrol engine in greater insomnia-curing detail on Mazda’s website >>

 

TRANSMISSION

It’s also easy to decide on how to have your CX-5 served because you’re not choosing from a list of different types and configurations of transmission because there’s one.

CX5Oct2018-ThomasWielecki-042.JPG

You get a typical six-speed cyclical sports-auto transmission which doesn’t do anything poorly in its duties.

Mazda has chosen to make a really smooth-shifting, intuitive transmission.; It’s helpful that Mazda doesn’t make you deliberate further when you change FWD to AWD, or engine, or even when you pick the top-shelf model. It’s the same transmission.

Other brands could learn something here. Bamboozling consumers with engines, gearboxes and drivetrains is exhausting. Keep it simple. Good gearbox anyway.

What is noticeably unrefined is Mazda’s i-Stop engine stop/start system which, like virtually every other system of its kind, jolts the car upon restart at the lights or when turning out of an intersection. It does activate pretty quickly, which is good, but it spoils the whole experience in what is an otherwise nice engine and drivetrain to use. And, while you can turn it off, it defaults to on every single time you start the car from scratch.

In the CX-9 however, it’s almost seamless. You barely notice it.

 

Safety

Once again the ANCAP rating system proves confusing for ordinary people to understand, but remains important for you to be aware of.

The 2019-rated Subaru Forester scores 94% for adult occupant protection, the important test that simulates being in an actual crash. This was despite Forester being an incrementally better performer against the 2017-rated CX-5 which scored 95% under slightly less strict protocols.

ANCAP has been encouraging people to get into the safest vehicle they can afford, while also using a three-year rolling period in which to shop for new cars. Technically then, the CX-5 wouldn’t fit into that period, yet to the consumer, looks like the safer vehicle against the newer, safer Forester.

See CX-5’s technical report here >>

And get Forester’s technical report here >>

Either way, both vehicles are inherently some of the safest vehicles on the road which punters can buy, so don’t sweat it too much.

Some points to consider on CX-5 include the blind-spot detection system which picks up vehicles well out of the danger zone one would normally associate with being too close to merge, change lanes or whatever. About 1.5 vehicle lengths in front of the car behind is a pretty safe margin, but the CX-5 seems to beep at about 2-2.5 car lengths which is a bit excessive.

According to ANCAP’s report, the “The standard-fit autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system performed well in tests of its effectiveness at highway speeds, with all collisions avoided or mitigated".

Except that statement is misleading and makes you think all is perfect, when in fact it’s not. At 45km/h the AEB system managed to reduce the vehicle’s speed to 16km/h as it detected a child pedestrian stepping out from behind parked cars on the right-hand side.

The dummy was still hit doing 16km/h and certainly, the AEB system mitigated the crash to be less severe by reducing speed significantly, which is a warning to anybody thinking they can buy all the collision avoidance features and switch off behind the wheel. The Forester in the same test passed without hitting the dummy.

 

MAIN COMPETITORS

The point of a CX-9 also applies with the CX-5 regarding a time long, long ago when luxury and mass-market cars were polar opposites.

Luxury was an unattainable palace on the hill where kings and queens gazed out across the sodden farmlands as the poor lived in squalor, ploughing the fields, trying to make ends meet. Mazda and Kia have slain the uber-comfortable German Hochadel, whom seem to have fallen asleep while eating on the throne.

Here is the good and bad about each of CX-5’s main competitors for the quin-occupant SUV contest:

Toyota RAV4 Edge: from $52,333 before on-road costs:

The all-rounder which leans slightly toward rough, and less rouge. Good luck seeing delivery within 12 months.

I like the cut of the RAV’s jib, offering petrol-only or hybrid powertrains for the primary use of most school-run SUVs: the school run, followed by the work commute. Taller than Tuscon, Sportage and CX-5, bigger wheelbase (2.69m) and therefore more cabin space than the rest bar Jeep, power-to-weight of 91.0kW/t is third behind Jeep and CX-5, but no diesel option shows any significant demanding towing is not in its portfolio - best leave that to the Tuscon, Sportage, CX-5 or Mitsubishi Outlander.

Unfortunately, RAV4 is woefully out of stock everywhere and Toyota Australia can’t even promise delivery timeframes. DNS.

 

Hyundai Tuscon Highlander: from $50,619 driveaway:

Possibly the best value mid-size SUV in this distinguished company, depending on where you sit on the luxury scale.

The Hyundai/Kia 2.0L diesel is unbelievably good for light towing up to two tonnes (just watch the towball download limit). Most of the diesel’s power is available at 2750rpm, offering superb long-distance fuel economy quoted at 6.4L/100km on the combined laboratory bench test cycle. Decent fuel tank at 62L, good payload and full-size spare wheel beats RAV4 Edge, however the Toyota comes with a knee airbag and the Hyundai does not.

Highlander does give you all the safety gear, from adaptive cruise to auto emergency braking etc., 245/45R19 tyres are slightly wider than 235/55R19s on the RAV4 Edge offering better lateral grip on-road. Excellent customer service.

 

Kia Sportage GT-Line: $54,990 driveaway:

Not quite as smooth as the CX-5 in petrol form, but the diesel is sublime.

Kia’s 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel is a masterpiece in urban environments, especially compared with the 1.6 turbo-petrol with dual-clutch transmission.

Diesel comes with lockable all-wheel-drive, 1900kg towing capacity (1.6 petrol - 1500kg). On the road it’s really well sorted out, dynamically, it’s well damped and agile when you’re on the move without feeling bulky and cumbersome.

It’s a fair old hike uphill to Sportage GT Line, compared with its more affordable sub-variants, but you get trimmings: 19-inch alloys (with matching spare), proxy key, flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle-shift, front powered seats, bi-xenon lights, LED foglamps, powered tailgate, wireless phone charging, all the collision avoidance gear (incl adaptive cruise) and auto parking.

A strong on-road all-rounder with lots to offer, excellent customer service and loads of standard equipment.

 

Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: from $47,966 driveaway:

Go almost anywhere, take plenty with you.

Undoubtedly the most soft-roading SUV without spending up to get a low-range gearbox, locking differentials and talking about breakover angles. X-Mode, combined with Subaru’s renowned symmetrical all-wheel drive is excellent for light to moderate conditions like wet compacted sand, dirt and gravel tracks, traipsing up and down slippery slopes and heading up to the snow without chains (but definitely with an air compressor) aboard.

Best ride height: 220mm and superb ergonomics between driver and EyeSight safety suite; 498L boot space, although a wide compartment, can’t match RAV4 for sheer boot space at 580L.

A full-size spare treats your safety with greater importance, which is always nice, and so too is the Subaru CVT. If you’re the regular camping type who likes to bugger off every second weekend, Forester is a hot contender. Now with hybrid option in 2020.

 

Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed: from $52,000 driveaway:

Respectable in almost every sense, except where aesthetics are concerned. That face. Still

But, if you can remember that you never have to see yourself driving it, and you want practicality in spades, the only seven-seater in this group is the Outlander.

If you can’t stomach (nor afford) to push $60k for a lumbering seven-seat SUV like Santa Fe, Sorento, CX-9 or you’re having kid #4 where a Kia Carnival is more appropriate, then Outlander Exceed with an occasional-use third row is a clever choice.

You get a 2.2L direct-injection diesel, six-speed CVT auto with paddle-shift, good equipment levels including entertainment and safety” adaptive cruise, auto emergency braking and the rest, plus a pretty good boot space at 477L (third row down). There’s also a petrol option if you’re more of a city dweller which will save you $3000. PHEV plug-in hybrid option is on its way.

 
CHEROKEE156.JPG

DON’T BUY:

Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: from $50,000-$54,400k before on-road costs:

Dead sexy, understandably desirable, but don’t do this to yourself.

Jeep and its parent company Fiat Chrysler Australia are infamous for making up every excuse in the book for not treating customers with the basic decency expected for stray dogs. Having said that, Jeep does have a solid reputation for off-road capability and the Trailhawk gets tough off-road suspension, a mechanically lockable rear differential with low-range gearset, and a terrain management system with rock-climbing mode, two hyper-masculine tow hooks up-front, plus a wading depth of 480mm (with extra water sealing).

And the 3.2L Pentastar V6 offers a heady 200kW and 315Nm of torque which Jeep claims will haul up to 2.2 tonnes. Shame about the properly shit customer service you’ll receive (on the balance of probability) when something goes ping. Expensive servicing costs and park brake derived from early portable barbecues and shopping trolleys is stereotypically American. If only they could get their act together commercially because what Jeep stands for is great, and a Trailhawk is cool. Just, no.

 

German prestige

The gravitational pull of the big German Wurstküche is hard to look past, an Audi draws your eye like cocaine on a size 8 derriere. But it’s a slippery slope into the toothed sandworm’s jaws when it comes to value for money.

Audi Q5:
from $73,000 to $114,000 before ORC

  • Diesel 2.0L: 140kW / 400Nm (power-to-weight: 69.5 kW/t)
    3.0 diesel 210kW / 620Nm /
    petrol: 185kW / 370Nm

  • Boot space: 550L / 1550L

  • Length: 4.66m Wheelbase: 2.8m

  • Towing capacity (braked): 2000kg

  • Lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, cyclist alert all standard

  • Forward/reverse autonomous emergency braking

  • Tri-zone climate (in a five-seater)

  • Fuel: premium 95RON or higher (petrol 45 TFSI)

  • 360-degree camera (optional) $884

  • Cargo rails $350

  • Panoramic sunroof $2400

  • Metallic+pearl paint $1530

  • Heated, folding door mirrors; electric front seats w memory (comfort package $2500)

  • Heads-up display (tecknik package $2500 incl paddle shift, 8.3in display)

  • 8 speaker stereo: (Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System, 19 speakers optional)

 

Mazda CX-5 Akera:
$60k driveaway

  • Diesel: 140kW / 252Nm | turbo-petrol: 140kW / 450Nm (power-to-weight: 98.8 kW/t)

  • Boot space: 442L / 1342L

  • Length: 4.55m Wheelbase: 2.7m

  • Towing capacity (braked): 2000kg

  • Lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, cyclist alert all standard

  • Forward/reverse autonomous emergency braking

  • Dual-zone climate for five-seater

  • 360-degree camera

  • Fuel: 91RON unleaded

  • Metallic+pearl paint $495

  • Heated (and cooled) seats front driver & passenger, heated steering wheel

  • Heads-up display

  • Sunroof

  • Heated, folding door mirrors; electric front seats w memory

  • Auto, adaptive LED headlights

  • 10 speaker Bose stereo

 

DRAWBACKS

The MZD Connect and rotary dial might be fiddly and distracting to use while driving, for some. But once you adapt to it, it can actually reduce your temptation to take your eyes off the road by having to get your finger on the right spot on some laggy touchscreen.

CX-5 is a bit dear topping out at $60K. Like its bigger sister the CX-9, it’s pricey in every model grade, but at least you’re more-or-less getting what you pay for.

Tolerating a space saver spare wheel at 80km/h in that moment you have a flat is not luxurious.

The 360 degree monitor needs work because it obscures vehicle’s corners (the most important bit of visual information you need when reversing).

One could argue five model grades is too many; four at most would suffice considering they’ve dropped the 2.2 diesel engine now. It’s only AWD from second-tier Maxx Sport up and with only the 2-litre or 2.5 atmo/turbo to choose from.

The I-stop stop/start ignition is annoying on two levels: 1. It’s standard; 2. it defaults to on every time you start the car afresh.

 

CONCLUSION

The Mazda CX-5 does so many things right it’s hard to justify to any rational human being why “luxury” brands get to keep such categorisation.

It puts the comforts of modern motoring within conceivable reach of mere mortals like you, without having to be given the run-around by brands seemingly disconnected with reality.

CX-5 certainly puts style and plushness before ruggedness and dirt-road prowess, but for the majority of the car-buying public, that’s exactly what you need - and the sales results prove that.

It isn’t perfect, and certainly things like the 360-degree camera and the space-saver spare need rethinking, but if you want to tow more than most and do it from the leather-wrapped grace of a top-spec Akera, you should do that. But if it’s kids and budget first, grab yourself a Touring or maybe GT if you can step up to that level cash-wise.

But that’s what Mazda has done very well here - even if you can’t reach a Touring or GT in affordability terms - the base models still pack plenty of bang-for-your-buck.

Either way, you’re getting a brand with historically good customer support at the dealership level too, and Mazda definitely takes pride (not arrogance) in its products as far as I’m aware.

And when it’s all said and done, at least you can stand back and think happily, “Yeah, it is better-looking than the RAV4, and I didn’t have to spend Audi money”. So that’s nice.

 

MORE ON MAZDA CX-5

Why you should buy a CX-5 right now

The Mazda CX-5 is getting on a bit, which is evident by the consistent updates and relentless price increases over the last couple of years.

This is a pretty clear sign that the current generation that started life in 2015, is due for renewal, most likely in 2024. Check out the recent Cars to Buy Before Christmas 2023 List >>

Mazda has made many attempts to keep the rather lovely-looking CX-5 shape looking fresh and for the most part it's worked. But eight years is a long product lifecycle and there's plenty of interesting innovation going on at Mazda which is promising for the next chapter in their midsize SUV.

Outgoing CX-5 will be in runout for the next three to six months, and the last AutoExpert inventory check found an abundance of stock scattered across the states. We’re talking about 90 in Queensland, 38 in NSW and over 180 in Victoria as of mid-November. But the nature of CX-5 is that its popularity will see stock gobbled up quickly.

By the end of 2023, don’t be surprised if Mazda totals 30,000 CX-5 sales; it’s currently on 19,000 in a solid third place behind Mitsubishi Outlander on 20,000 units, and Toyota RAV4 with 25,000.

What’s impressive about this CX-5 platform is that it’s been so enduring. It’s quite unusual for a platform to last over 10 years while also remaining increasingly popular over that time. CX-5 came about as SUVs were increasing at the demise of the large and medium sedan. But the way aging models generally become tired and run out of ways to make the product interesting and appealing, Mazda managed to do the opposite with CX-5 - it just kept getting better.

They kept refreshing the CX-5 in a way that not only kept the sparkle, but made it shine brighter. Mazda added graphite and charcoal alloys, they did an SP version which added a drop of gangster into the CX-5 coffee, they gave it the turbocharging treatment. And there was a bunch of desirable features available in mid-range models that made it good value to go up the range without maxing out the credit card by going for the top-spec Akera.

And then there’s the paint palette. Soul Crystal Red was an inspired premium paint that makes notionally prestige vehicles from premium brands look like poverty packs. You can visibly see flecks of gold; it sparkles in certain lighting situations, and together with those graphite alloys, the whole car pops in both the marketing material and in real life. It’s the kind of paint you expect to see on six-figure hot rod showcars.

In fact, Mazda developed a new painting technique using this colour, which reduced carbon emissions by 17 per cent and organic compounds by nearly 80 per cent, and they developed a new robot for painting it.

Mazda has dropped the 2.2-litre diesel powertrain option from the CX-5 for 2024, which means however many units are out there in dealerships right now are probably the last ones. CX-5 diesel is an excellent option for towing >>

This engine, it’s not unfair to suggest, is to Mazda what the song I Was Only 19 by Redgum is to Vietnam veterans when they drive past the Puckapunyal Army Base - a fitting tribute with an emotional kick in the guts. See, although this engine had som oil dilution problems in its early life, Mazda got them fixed as I understand it, and it has remained a completely uncelebrated powertrain.

It is gutsy with 140kW of peak power available nice and low in the rev range, at around 2000 RPM. Not only does it have a notional braked towing capacity of 2000kg (with 150kg download on the towball) and the stability of AWD, it’ll return fuel economy of 5.7 litres per 100km, which is 22 per cent better than the petrol equivalent.

But don’t think for a moment that Mazda’s getting rid of this engine because it’s not interested in diesel engines… See the recent Mazda CX-60 review >> for more on luxury, grunty diesel SUVs.

It’s because of sales that overwhelmingly prefer the petrol versions (either the turbocharged 2.5 or atmo) to the diesel. Weirdly, it’s been a complete mirror-reversed situation of the 2.2-diesel sales Hyundai and Kia have experienced with Santa Fe and Sorento over the years, where it has been the dominant engine choice for its seven-seat SUVs over the old 3.5L V6 petrol.

So anyway, CX-5 sales have been outrageously successful in petrol form. Since this platform arrived in 2012, it’s sold over 275,000 units over 12 years, according to data supplied by Mazda Australia. That’s an average of 22,900 units every year. But only 4 per cent have been diesels, and it makes commercial sense to drop that powertrain option when you’re only selling one diesel to 1000 petrol versions. This is due to the cost the carmaker incurs getting that vehicle’s parts inventory on-shore, the cost to the dealer holding it, and the loss of value on that vehicle as it sits there not selling.

But if you can get your hands on one of the 60-odd units Mazda sells per month, before they’re gone completely, it’s an underappreciated powertrain that is smooth, full of low-down grunt and frugal.

 

INNOVATION ADDS APPEAL

When a brand makes a product people want, it succeeds, generally speaking. What Mazda has done over the last 10 years is turn their cars from being just another mainstream, reliable but bland Japanese mass-produced consumer item into something aspirational.

What’s made the CX-5 so breathtakingly appealing as a modern family transport is that they decided, long ago, that sitting around waiting for the world to buy their boring cars wasn’t going to be a viable commercial option. So they chose instead to innovate in the complete opposite way that Honda was not. In much the same way Hyundai and Kia have done the same.

Mazda chose to make their interiors truly stunning places to sit in, for their pricetag. These were mainstream, ordinary, family vehicles that felt like they were one or two steps removed from being a Mercedes. The CX-5 was one of their two primary affordable-luxury lures they used to reel in customers from the likes of Nissan, Honda, Ford and the bland factory we know and love as Toyota. CX-9 was the other beckoning finger, dancing slowly in the moonlight.

Even today, you look at the front of a CX-5 Akera and it still gets you in the amygdala. As a thing to look at every day, it has lines and shapes that even sketch artists at Alfa Romeo would agree have a timeless quality to them. It’s a very good-looking SUV, and that description is supposed to be an oxymoron.

The fact you can cram well over 400 litres of stuff in the boot, there’s excellent legroom courtesy of a 2.7-metre wheelbase, and the cockpit layout which is surprisingly ergonomic, all adds to the huge appeal of this vehicle.

Just the leather seats alone are so beautifully finished, either in white, black or walnut colour depending on the variant you get. The seat itself feels uncanny in the way it hugs without stifling you. The supple upper door trims, the soft-touch dash leather, the plush but not impractically over-the-top carpets are all at a high standard for a five-figure SUV.

They added just the right amount of techy features like heads-up display, adaptive cruise control, speed sign detection and powered seats, without overtly pushing weird things like Subaru did with driver monitoring where a red dot stares at you and accuses you of taking your eyes off the road just because you look 45 degrees out your side window.

CX-5 has Mazda’s MZD Connect infotainment system which, despite being criticised in the beginning as some awkward refusal to adopt touchscreens, turned out to be something of a prophetic vision now that carmakers are slowly trying to roll back their obsession with forcing all button-related functions into the LCD screens. Mazda’s system actually improves hand-eye coordination because you can navigate the screen’s various icons without actually having to star at the screen or randomly stab the screen with your finger.

Mazda’s rotary dial cycles through the various icons quickly and in a linear fashion that is simple to the driver who is already dealing with a potentially hazardous or demanding environment outside the vehicle. The dial provides haptic feedback, so you can feel tiny notches as you rotate it, and this tells your brain you’re X-many increments away from the menu or feature you wish to select.

Much like a video game, once you get it down, it becomes second nature and a wonderfully low-bandwidth system to use, perfect for the modern driving demands of most family car buyers. You might even say Mazda chose to keep touchscreens just beyond arms reach of the driver, encouraging you to perform simple tasks, or organise the vehicle before setting off, and reduce the temptation for drivers to allow themselves to be distracted. If you don’t buy the chocolate, you can’t gorge on it.

 

HOW MAZDA MADE LUXURY MAINSTREAM

The fact Mazda turned its most mass-produced vehicle into a premium product is a bit like what JBL did for affordable miniature music speakers, or what Blackberry did to the mobile phone.

Mazda put into a $30,000-50,000 five-seat SUV features that people 15 or 20 years ago would’ve only associated with the specialist, premium brands. They put Bose speakers - lots of them - including an amplifier, into a car designed for soccer mums. They picked up the tired old trope of wood interior trim being only for Jaguars and put it on their higher-end managerial dad-mobile. Subaru reckons they’re the family adventure car brand, except in a hot-climate Australia they only put ventilated/cooled seats into the latest Outback just two years ago - Mazda did it with the CX-5 back in 2017.

The CX-5 not only blazed a path for other rival brands to follow or die in terms of offering better quality to ordinary consumers, it tore down the conventions established by the German prestige sideshow. Premium cars were expensive because they had all the toys, and they drove beautifully, and they were supremely comfortable, and they became caged animals when you put your foot down to have a proper go at the corners.

Now, even though the CX-5 has nothing on anything like an M3 or AMG Merc, the point is that 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-banger was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. A healthy surge of boost would hurl you down a freeway on-ramp or help you gallop your way around vehicle when overtaking, or you could simply power out of a slow mountain road corner with relative ease.

The naturally aspirated 2.5 was okay, but stuck to the quite-comfortable side of the ledger, which was all it was ever expected to do as the more affordable model grades appealed to the more mundane family transport runaround duties. But this is the broad appeal of CX-5 - it could do everything.

You had the poverty pack for fleets and low-incomed tight-budget buyers, you had the alternate torque diesel, and you had the aspirational, within-reach luxury option at the top of the tree.

In an era when carmakers have stripped consumers of choice, especially in powertrains where you pay more for heavier variants with the same powertrain, or where they’ve done the opposite and completely overwhelmed them with too many variants and a bedazzling array of features, Mazda managed to pat their head and rub their belly.

While Subaru lost its rally-borne excitement to Toyota, where Ford and Holden crumbled and failed to sell water in the desert (midsize SUVs in Australia), and as Nissan got embroiled in a quality decline at the same time as Honda struggled to recover post-GFC and gave up trying to innovate, Mazda doubled-down. Their main competition has been Toyota, Hyunda and Kia, with Mitsubishi playing the thorn-in-side role.

 

WHAT MAZDA GOT WRONG ABOUT CX-5

At the risk of sounding like a Mazda suck-piece, there really wasn’t much Mazda stuffed up with the CX-5, but it certainly wasn’t perfect. So let’s air that laundry so you can trust you’re making a wise purchasing decision here.

Firstly, the lack of a full-size spare wheel and tyre is a let down particularly in the Australian market where cities are at great distances and regional tyre shops are often closed on weekends, after hours, or sometimes just don’t stock the rubber for a city SUV on 19-inch rubber.

There are three reasons a carmaker uses a space-saver spare. One is cost: they’re cheaper. Second is space: they’re smaller. Third is weight: they’re lighter.

Having said that, the consolation is that the majority of owners are metro-dwellers anyway. But that doesn’t help you when the boot is fully loaded coming back from holiday and it’s pouring with rain on the freeway and you have to get home in the dark running on a skinny temporary spare. Murphy’s Law works like this: If you’re going to get a flat, it’ll be in these adverse, potentially treacherous conditions when you have to fit the space-saver. And it’s under the boot floor, beneath tents, clothing, toys and the cooking gear.

This brings us to the next primary problem with CX-5, the on-demand all-wheel drive system. It’s reactionary, meaning the computer needs to detect wheelspin before diverting drive to the rear wheels to assist the fronts. This also means that your AWD CX-5 predominantly runs in front-wheel drive anyway, even though you paid extra to have AWD.

In Mazda’s defense here, an on-demand AWD system required fewer parts and is less complex than, say, a permanent AWD drivetrain like in a Subaru or like the active AWD system in a Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson. Further to the CX-5 compliment however is this: in a suburban, city environment, where the roads are sealed and you’re mostly taking off from the lights gently, you don’t really need AWD anyway. And those full-time AWDs require more costly maintenance over time.

So even if you do like to venture off the sealed roads and onto some good quality gravel tracks over school holidays, you’ll still get use out of your on-demand AWD CX-5, but it will be much better suited to your more regular Monday-to-Friday office commute, which is most likely going to be your 90-percent usage case.

And the third thing Mazda might’ve done differently in a different dimension is the whole cylinder deactivation and ignition stop-start system they had a crack at, called i-stop. Sure, the system got much more refined as they improved it through model updates over the years, but it saved bugger all fuel and only served to add additional wear to the starter battery, while simultaneously ruining the otherwise sublime driving experience.

One more thing they probably could’ve left on the cutting room floor was the so-called lockable AWD function. They tried to copy Kia Sportage by making it possible to keep the AWD system engaged. It was only introduced on higher-spec versions, but it was also pretty redundant because nobody really buys a CX-5 because they’re a member of the blue singlet brigade and have any intention of taking their family Mazda SUV onto the beach or up gnarly dirt tracks.

CX-5 buyers are the exact opposite of that. They want civility and sophistication, not lifting wheels and redirecting tractive effort. They’d prefer a chilled centre console or a fold-out laptop table in the back seats, or even a Mazda-branded umbrella would go down a treat. Thicker carpets? It didn’t make sense. But anyway, it happened.

With the all-new CX-5 still a bit of a mystery in terms of its official arrival, the greatest likelihood is 2024. Recently price increases on the CX-5 this year are a good indicator that the 12-year-old platform is well and truly overdue for replacement (at least compared with the industry norm).

Getting yourself one of the CX-5s in stock right now is going to be the best way to kerb any further price increases that are a high possibility over the Christmas period into the new year. Carmakers like to offer discounts before Christmas to incentivise you before putting regular prices up again while everybody’s distracted by fireworks and getting sunburnt.

The Mazda CX-5 has been a brilliant vehicle not only for kicking the car industry into offering better quality and nicer vehicles to own and drive, it’s also been a high value family transport for consumers who need that little bit of spice in their otherwise exhausting and stressful life. Having a comfy place to plonk one’s arse is half that battle won, which Mazda CX-5 handles with panache and dignity.


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