Focus on detail and drive makes CX-5 a winner
Mazda keeps finding a way to satisfy enthusiasts such as myself.
More importantly, it does so without alienating the vast majority of consumers who place more emphasis on boring issues like value, reliability, resale and style.
The small Japanese company has endowed the new 2017 CX-5 with a combination of rewarding driving dynamics and all that other stuff.
The development team responsible for the secondgeneration CX-5, identified no fewer than 698 areas in need of improvement.
They were obviously a highly critical (or obsessive compulsive) bunch, as the outgoing CX-5 was no slouch.
It was one of my favourite utility vehicles. Such attention to details has become a hallmark of this small company, used to doing more with less.
The design is derivative, but remains distinct, and clearly identified as a Mazda, with sharp creases, especially at the front.
The a-pillars are set back 35 mm compared to the outgoing model, accentuating the long hood and prominent nose, while providing the driver with better visibility to the front quarters.
The new CX-5 is longer, wider and lower. The wheelbase is shorter and the track wide — but none of these dimensions differ by more than a centimetre compared to the outgoing model.
Interior measurements have shrunken a similar amount, but rear-seat legroom has gone up slightly and the rear seatbacks recline to a greater degree.
Occupants of the 40-20-40 split, reclining rear seats on higher trim levels will find the outboard seats heated and access to a pair of fast-charge (2.1-amp) USB charging ports.
They, and parents using child seats, will appreciate rear doors that open to almost 90 degrees, for easier access than most vehicles of any type.
The cargo floor is now flat, where there was a hump where the second row seats folded in the old model. But this has meant a 5.5-cm higher floor and a slight cut in volume.
The chassis is 15 per cent stiffer and this has been combined with numerous noisereduction efforts to yield a very quiet cabin. Both wind and road noise have been dramatically reduced, without resorting to active noise-cancellation systems.
Rather than disguise errant sounds that have made their way into the interior, Mazda chose to eliminate them. The
floor pan design has been revised and a felt-lined wind-directing tray used beneath.
The wipers are tucked out of the way of the wind in front of the thick acoustic glass windshield, acoustic glass is also used for the side windows and new seals for both windows and doors have been specifically engineered to cut noise, as have the carpets, cargo area surfaces and the new headliner.
One of my favourite technical advances — LED headlights — are standard across the entire model range. If you regularly drive at night, especially in poorly lit areas, these alone could make the difference in your choice of vehicle.
Drivers in our freeze/thaw east coast winter conditions will appreciate the windshield wiper de-icer system
The upgraded interior is especially visible on the GT trim level with its two-tone leather and double stitching. The 18-cm touchscreen atop the centre of the instrument panel has greater resolution and the HUD (head up display) that comes with the technology package, casts information on the windshield, allowing the driver to monitor a variety of conditions without taking his or her eyes from the road
As I said at the outset, Mazda’s appeal to those of us who enjoy driving, rather than being driven. More than any other utility vehicle anywhere near this size, and price, the CX-5 is riddled with small, sometimes simple engineering touches that combine to make the sum greater than the individual parts.
The ride is supple yet should you come upon an off-ramp going a bit quicker than you thought, the CX-5 responds to the helm with unexpected quickness and accuracy.
The nicely sorted suspension doesn’t let it lean unto the door handles or otherwise cause white knuckle moments. Mazda engineers get kudos for accomplishing this without sacrificing ride quality.
The shock absorbers and bushings have been softened
for a more compliance, but the class-leading handling for which this vehicle is known, has not diminished.
The normally-aspirated engine does not have to wait for boost from a turbo to build, it responds to throttle inputs immediately and linearly. There is ample, if not impressive power.
The second generation, 2018 Mazda CX-5 continues to offer class-leading driving dynamics. It has also been bumped up a step or two on the refinement ladder.
It is smoother, quieter and boasts a significantly upgraded interior and a raft of new features.