Until now Mazda has not been a major player in the small SUV segment. Their unloved Ford Escape based Tribute never sold in any massive quantities. Now for the 2013 model year they have brought out the all new CX-5. Looking at the spec sheet it promises class leading fuel economy, and handling that competes with European SUVs at two to three times the price. Styling is fresh and unique without being strange. Mazda has been talking about their new “SKYACTIV” technology so much most people are sick of hearing about it. In reality it is a fairly simple idea. Rather than a quantum leap forward in vehicle design it represents the accumulation of a series of small tweaks not just in the engine but all over the CX-5. The chassis has been made of a strong but light weight steel alloy and consequently the CX-5 is one of the lightest SUVs on the road. The engine and transmission have also received numerous tweaks to improve fuel economy and performance. The CX-5 features many impressive talking points but the only thing that matters in the end is; will people buy it?
When you look inside the CX-5 the first thing you think is “this looks like all the other small SUVs”. It does, but on closer inspection one notices that the quality of interior materials is very high. The dash material is almost BMW like in its feel. There are no large panel gaps or fit and finish issues. The steering wheel feels great in your hand and has nice pieces on the bottom that resemble polished aluminum.
As far as interior features go the CX-5 has most of the normal small SUV equipment. Unfortunately Bluetooth is not standard but it is available. All models at the mid-level and up feature an easy to use touch screen display that also will upload all your contacts from your smart phone. You also have access to all of your music wirelessly right from the touch screen display, just with one simple sync procedure. Seats are comfortable to sit in and have a nice cloth trim. Moving to the back seats the story takes a turn for the worse. With the front seats in a position for an average adult the rear seats lack leg room. The is no way to slide the rear seat back like in some other SUVs. Mazda has a variety of split folding seat options from a standard 60/40 set up to a more exotic 40/20/40 arrangement with remote fold down (pull the handles in the rear and the seat folds down for you with almost zero effort). At the rear of the vehicle the CX-5 looks small. You are pleasantly surprised however when you open it and find that it has a roomy cargo area. Mazda a very cleverly used all the available space at the sides to maximize the usable cargo space. The rear hatch however does not open very wide and will be a great place to smash your head if you are over about 5″8.
On the road the Mazda CX-5 has a nice, solid well composed feel about it. The commercials for Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology would make you think the vehicle has a very powerful engine. In reality the 155 horsepower 4 cylinder is adequate but not particularly powerful. The stand out feature of the power train is Mazda’s wonderful freshly tweaked 6 speed transmission. Not only are the shifts incredibly quick, it will automatically match engine and road speeds, making for excellent control and smooth shifts.
Handling is good and almost car like in it nimbleness and feedback. With out question the CX-5 has the best overall handling of any SUV in its class. Ride quality is good, but not as compliant as many other small SUVs. Like most other SUVs these days the CX-5 has very limited off road ability, which is fine given that most of them will never see as much as a gravel road.
The bottom line: If its sportiness, value and fuel economy you are after buy the CX-5.
