CX-5 turns the corner

CX-5: IMPROVEMENTS MAY BE HIDING UNDER THE SKIN, BUT THEY MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE

Back to back drives showed what a big difference the new enhancements make.

Mazda have launched an entirely new version of the CX-5 crossover SUV and new technology features high on the list of improvements.

Although resting unseen beneath the skin it is these changes that move the model forward the most. It also adopts the first of the Skyactiv-vehicle dynamics vehicle motion control technologies; G-Vectoring Control. This system uses the vehicle’s software to control body roll and pitch to improve ride and handling. Most significantly it monitors steering inputs and torque, reducing the latter fractionally upon detecting a turn-in. Naturally this shifts weight to the front wheels, imperceptibly for the driver, improving the steering response.

Certainly when driving the new version and the old back to back at the Gerotek testing facility outside of Pretoria, the new derivative felt substantially sharper and more comfortable, even when taking the respective mileages on the vehicles into account.

Other technologies, depending on derivative, include Adaptive LED Headlights which offer glare-free high beam, wide-range low beam and highway mode.

Glare-free high beam recognises leading and oncoming cars, and turns off selected LEDs to avoid dazzling other drivers. When driving at speeds below 40km/h, the wide-range low beam expands distribution of light to increase driver’s visibility. Highway mode functions at speeds over 95km/h, increasing the distance low beam can illuminate the road behind a leading car, by controlling the axis of light.

The Lane Departure Warning System detects line marking on the road surface and warns the driver of unintentional lane departures. When the lane change is accompanied by turn signal operation or acceleration, the system recognises the manouevre as intentional and does not sound an alarm.

The functionality of the Lane Departure Warning which creates an audible alert when the vehicle is about to stray from current lane is further enhanced by LKA which adds a slight amount of torque to steer the vehicle back into the lane at speeds over 65km/h.

The Smart City Brake Support system is a safety feature that helps prevent or reduce low speed impacts. The system monitors the vehicle in front to assess the possibility of a collision at forward speeds of 4-80km/h.

If the system detects a high risk of impact, it then issues visual and audible warnings and primes the brakes for a faster response should the driver brake.

Driver Attention Alert is designed to reduce accidents caused by inattentiveness due to driver fatigue. The system is activated at speeds above 65 km/h and begins to “learn” the driver’s habits, watching inputs and the vehicle’s movements in the early stages before fatigue is a factor. Later, if