CX-5 Evolves Further

The Mazda CX-5 competes in a segment filled to the brim with vehicles like the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and VW Tiguan. But does this Mazda have something its competitors don’t? Charles Thompson did some digging.

- Charles Thompson

You might not see that many of their vehicles on South African roads right now, but the Japanese manufacturer Mazda was one of only two car companies that managed to improve its sales last year. And in the current economic climate that says a lot. 

The company’s medium-sized SUV, the CX-5, played a big role in that success. It occupies 10% of the market for medium SUVs and was the first of the new-generation Mazdas to be designed according to the Kodo philosophy – a design language with which Mazda tries to convey a sporty, athletic “soul of motion” in its vehicles.

The CX-5 was also the first Mazda to get its new SKYACTIV engines, boasting much more power for a lot less fuel and emissions than older engines.

The CX-5 has since taken more than 90 awards worldwide and is the sharpest arrow in the quiver of Mazda’s recent success.

Under the hood 

The 2017 model is an upgraded version of the previous CX-5. The engines – a 2- and 2.5-litre petrol and a 2.2-litre turbodiesel – are therefore the same as before. A new engine-gearbox combination has been added, however, namely a 2-litre auto in the Dynamic series.

All three engines have been upgraded to deliver better performance than their predecessors. Mazda’s SKYACTIVE engines in the CX-5 were already very efficient, but all three now boast a compression ratio of 14:1. Compare that to the 2-litre petrol Toyota RAV4 (a comparatively old engine in this class) with its 10:1 ratio and the 2.2 diesel with 15.7:1 and you’ll see the Mazda’s ratios are pretty impressive. In fact, the diesel’s compression ratio is the best in class worldwide.