Mazda - a winter winner
The worst of the winter is hopefully behind us and the Mazda CX-5 that arrived back in January was able to take the worst of it in its stride.
Thanks to its clever allwheel-drive system a run to Perth in fairly heavy snow was stress free with the SUV providing bags of grip.
It was also tested on a return trip from the east coast when torrential rain struck on the M8 and again the Mazda CX-5 stayed firmly on course even through deep patches of water.
In good conditions the punchy 2.2 diesel with 175PS on tap makes overtaking easy and it cruises really well on motorway trips but is just as happy pottering about in town.
It reaches 62mph in just 8.8 seconds and is capable of giving some hot hatches a run for their money.
The slick manual gearbox is excellent and it has helped me achieve almost 50mpg in real world conditions.
It is also proving to be really practical with up to five people being able to travel in comfort and the large boot is another bonus.
Some 503 litres of space is normally available but drop the rear seats and that rises to 1,620 litres making a recent visit to Ikea almost a pleasure.
This Sport Nav model has all the kit you could want with heated leather-clad front seats that are power adjustable, seven-inch colour touchscreen which can also be operated from a rotary dial located behind the gearstick, a superb Bose sound system, and full air conditioning.
The cabin is very comfortable, offers extra storage space and has enough power sockets to keep everyone happy.
It may have arrived back in 2012 but some design tweaks in 2015 have helped the CX-5 to keep its good looks. The Kodo inspired design is still striking and the car gets lots of attention thanks to its bold front grille, muscular wheel arches, 19-inch gunmetal alloys, twin exhausts, rear spoiler and LED running lights and headlamps.
The SKYACTIV technology means the CX-5 feels more car like than other SUVs and it does not compromise Mazda’s deserved reputation for driving pleasure.
Thanks to its blend of economy, performance, plush interior and compliant ride, the CX-5 makes a great all-round family car especially when you factor in its safety equipment and four-wheel-drive grip.
It certainly meets all my motoring needs.