Skip to content
News

Safe bets pay off: Mazda CX-5 review

Replacing such an important car is a big moment, and Mazda can be forgiven for taking few risks.

8 min read
Share
Mazda CX-5

The CX-5 is Mazda’s cash cow. It is by far its most popular model, with more than 100,000 sold in the UK alone since launch.

Replacing such an important car is a big moment, and Mazda can be forgiven for taking few risks with this third-generation model.

On the surface, it follows the same recipe as the previous two generations of CX-5. Its styling is an evolution of Mazda’s Kodo design language that debuted with the first CX-5, while the sole powertrain option is a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder, with a mild hybrid system.

The complete lack of an electric or full hybrid powertrain is sure to raise eyebrows among company car drivers, as all models are subject to a benefit-in-kind (BiK) rate of 37%, but Mazda says the decision to keep the CX-5 petrol-only reflects its multi-solution approach, where it electrifies in-line with market demand, not ahead of it.

Near-hybrid efficiency, petrol simplicity

While the fleet market has been adopting electric and hybrid cars for a while now, often driven by the taxation benefits, some are either unable to. Others simply prefer the familiarity of petrol.

The CX-5 does not penalise you for sticking with the dinosaur juice. Its 2.5-litre engine produces just 141PS, but it is responsive, due to the absence of a turbocharger. It provides effortless, gentle acceleration.

Curiously, the engine in the latest car is less powerful than both the 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre units found in the outgoing car.

DLS02067

This low state of tune also enables it to return impressive efficiency despite the engine’s largest-in-class size. MPG figures in the 40s are accessible without needing to drive like a nervous nun, bringing it within spitting distance of cars with smaller engines and fully-fledged hybrid systems.

The mild hybrid system fitted to the CX-5 is seamlessly integrated and easy to forget about. It works mainly to provide additional torque during acceleration, supply power to electrical equipment and as a starter motor.

The system’s role as a starter motor means restarts are quick, eliminating the delay at junctions and traffic lights that plagued earlier start/stop systems.

All models now come with a six-speed automatic gearbox, which is smooth and is keen to select the highest gear possible to maximise efficiency. In a car with a smaller engine, this would make for a strained experience, but the torque of the 2.5-litre allows good progress to be made without requiring a downshift. The gearbox is quick enough to respond when power is needed, but it lacks the sharpness of a dual-clutch unit.

Some competitors opt for a dual-clutch, but fleet managers are likely to commend Mazda’s decision to stick with a conventional automatic, which encourages relaxed driving and comes without the potential long-term reliability woes of a more complex gearbox.

It is this simplicity that makes the CX-5 an attractive proposition for fleets that intend to keep the car far beyond its six-year warranty. Its low state of tune naturally-aspirated configuration mean it should prove reliable and easy to maintain.

On the road

Mazda has developed a reputation for building cars that are good to drive, and the latest CX-5 is no exception. The steering is intuitive and linear, while the suspension strikes a good balance between comfort and the ability to go around a corner without leaving your face pressed against the side window.

It is certainly no Porsche, but it offers a far more pleasurable driving experience than the typical customer in this segment demands.

DLF04046

Models with the 17-inch wheels have a slightly more supple ride than those with the 19s, but the difference should not be a dealbreaker. Mazda has resisted the urge to offer 20-inch wheels on the CX-5, leaving the slightly-too-small looking 19s as the biggest option, trading kerb-appeal for kerbing-resistance, a better ride and higher tolerance for potholes.

On paper, the most radical change in the driving experience is the move to brake-by-wire, which removes the physical connection between pedal and caliper. That being said, the system is so well judged that few will notice the difference. The pedal is firm and responsive, which inspires confidence. Unlike earlier cars with brake-by-wire, it is easy to modulate and coming to a smooth stop is no problem.

Despite the headline power figure being lower than some rivals, it is more than enough for easy overtakes on the motorway. Unless worked hard, it stays quiet, contributing to a relaxed experience.

If the car is going to be used primarily for long trips, the lumbar support found on all models from Centre-Line and up are a worthwhile upgrade, as the backrest is otherwise quite flat and can become uncomfortable after a while.

The advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) are well-calibrated and lack the frustration-factor found in many cars. The only exceptions to this are the speed limit warning, which has to be irritating by law, but is easily disabled with the press of a button next to the driver’s door, and Proactive Driver Assist (PDA), which provides a similar experience to giving a second brake pedal to a particularly irritating back-seat driver.

PDA brakes for you, to ensure you maintain motorway following distance even in town, but can thankfully be turned off permanently with a few taps.

Overall, the CX-5 provides a driving experience that is easy, pleasant and reasonably refined.

Here comes the screen

The interior is where Mazda has made the biggest change for the latest CX-5. It was one of the final brands to resist the giant-touchscreen-takeover, but has finally capitulated. Depending on model, the screen is either 12.9 or 15.6 inches, but is responsible for the lion’s share of the car’s functions either way.

DLS01352

While it is far from the worst offender, Mazda has compromised ease of use with the move.

Pleasingly, the controls for cabin temperature, fan speed and audio volume always appear at the bottom of the screen, but adjusting them still requires a brief look away from the road, compared with physical controls which can be operated by feel.

That being said, the ability to use the touchscreen while the car is moving is a welcome change from previous Mazda models, which locked that functionality out in favour of a rotary dial.

The touchscreen itself is responsive and features Google Built-In, meaning Google Maps can be used without a phone connected. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are wireless in all but the entry-level model.

Usability falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. Some of the menus, such as the one for the ADAS systems, would be easier to navigate if they were a simple list, instead of a series of buttons scattered across an image of the car, but the system is generally intuitive.

All models now use a digital instrument cluster, which is clear and easy to read, but does not provide the same level of customisability as systems such as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.

Mod-cons

DLF02131

Despite being cheaper than the model it replaces, the entry-level Prime-Line is no penalty box. It offers front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights.

All CX-5s feature a reversing camera, but Exclusive-Line and Homura models get a fancier camera system with 360-degree views. The system can be activated quickly on the move via a button on the steering wheel, which proves extremely useful when navigating tight gaps or narrow lanes.

Moving up the range also adds a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, heating on all but the middle rear seat and a Bose sound system, which is a significant improvement on the system in the standard car.

The interior feels well screwed-together in all models, but feels decidedly posher when specified in one of the two-tone options.

Verdict

The Mazda CX-5 is a safe bet for the cautious fleet. Its petrol engine is unlikely to win it a place on the choice lists of the most sustainability-focused operators, but for those who are keen to stick with petrol, or those with car schemes that are not subject to BiK, it is a really compelling choice, and car drivers are likely to be comfortable spending long periods of time in.

DLS01465

Mazda has proven yet again that SUV drivers need not put up with a lacklustre driving experience, and that there is another choice for those who refuse to follow the pack.

At £31,550, it is priced higher than the latest crop of Chinese cars, but lower than rivals from other legacy brands, making it especially attractive to fleets with long replacement cycles, who may not want to take a chance on an unknown brand.

As well as rivals from China, the CX-5 now has to compete for sales with the larger, more premium CX-60, which does offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, at £46,945, that car represents a much larger upfront investment than a CX-5, although this is arguably offset by its lower BiK rate of 10% and improved economy.

Overall, the latest CX-5 is not a radical car, but rather a well-considered upgrade to a hugely popular model.

Related