Mazda CX-5

The Mazda CX-5 is a compact crossover that’s available in three variants, the CX-5 Sport FWD, the CX-5 Sport AWD, and the top spec variant CX-5 Turbo AWD model. Built around Mazda’s KODO design language, the CX-5 presents a distinct style with clean and flowing bodylines. This styling trait is carried over inside the CX-5. It offers ample space and comfort with quality materials and high-tech features. The CX-5 Sport FWD is powered by a 2.0-liter engine while the CX-5 Sport AWD has a 2.5-liter engine. Only the top spec CX-5 Sport AWD gets a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine. All powerplants come with Mazda’s Skyactiv-Drive 6-Speed Automatic transmission with Sport Mode.

History

The Mazda CX-5 is a compact crossover SUV produced by Mazda from 2012 for the 2013 model year lineup. It is Mazda's first car to feature the Kodo design language, as first demonstrated on the Shinari concept car in August 2010. The platform is used in the Mazda3 and Mazda6, and is also the first vehicle to feature the company's full suite of Skyactiv technologies, using a rigid and lightweight platform combined with a range of engines and transmissions to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The Skyactiv engine and transmission were first shown in the 2012 Mazda3.

Launch

Now on its second generation, the Mazda CX-5 was launched on November of 2016. The powerplant options were between a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter turbo diesel engine. In 2022, Mazda Philippines opted to remove the turbo-diesel option from the lineup and replace it with a 2.5-liter turbo gasoline engine from the CX-9. In addition, Mazda also gave the CX-5 a slight refresh with a new designed bumper, headlight, grille, and taillights. The revamped G-Vectoring Control Plus feature is now standard on all variants. The price for the Mazda CX-5 starts at ₱1,890,000 for the Mazda CX-5 Sport 2.0 FWD and ₱2,380,000 for the top spec Mazda CX-5 Turbo AWD.

Variant and Price

The 2022 Mazda CX-5 price in the Philippines starts at ₱1,890,000. The lowest price is the  Mazda CX-5 Sport SkyActiv-G 2.0 FWD, ranging all the way up to the  Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv-G 2.5 Turbo AWD priced at  ₱2,380,000.

Style-wise, the Mazda CX-5exterior adopts the KODO: Soul of Motion design language where breathing life into the car is at the heart of its design philosophy. The slogan for the development of the CX-5’s design is "Refined toughness," strongly reflecting how a modern crossover should look like.

The Mazda CX-5 is available in the following colors, soul red, grey metal shadow, snowflake white pearl and grey.

In terms of Mazda CX-5exterior features, all CX-5 variants come standard with LED headlamps with adaptive front-lighting, auto levelling, auto high beams, and auto on/off. All three variants also get rain-sensing wipers, power-folding side mirrors, and dual exhaust tips. They also get a power liftgate, but only the CX-5 Sport AWD and the CX-5 Turbo AWD come equipped with an electric glass sunroof.

Wheels

As for the wheels, the CX-5 Sport AWD and the CX-5 Turbo AWD gets a set of 19-inch alloy wheels. The CX-5 Sport FWD gets a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

Tyres

The Mazda CX-5 has a number of different wheel and tyre options. The Sport and Touring trims come with 17-inch wheels that fit P225/65R17 tires. The Carbon Edition, Carbon Edition Turbo, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature trims have a 19-inch wheel that fits a 225/55R19 tire

Standard interior features on the CX-5 Sport FWD and Sport AWD variants are leather seats with orange stitching.

Seat

The driver’s seat has a 10-way power adjust with dual memory while the front passenger seat gets a 6-way power adjust. The rear seats offer a 40:20:40 split fold down mechanism with center armrest, cup holders and two USB ports. The seats of the top spec CX-5 Turbo AWD variant comes in red Nappa leather for that premium feel.

Dashboard

On the dashboard, Mazda provides the Mazda CX-5 with a 7-inch LCD screen panel that will be equipped with various displays regarding the condition of the car when used. Other interior features for the CX-5 include an automatic dual-zone climate control system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, a push-to-start button, a digital gauge cluster, among others.

Space&practicality

The passenger capacity of the Mazda CX 5 is five people. While in the passenger cabin, the Mazda CX-5 carries the Karakuri Seating System design which will provide extra comfort for its passengers. To wrap each seat, Mazda also provides the Mazda CX-5 with a quality leather layer that will provide a high level of comfort for the driver and passenger. Overall, the cabin space is more than adequate with 490 liters of space behind the rear seats and can be doubled once the second row seats is folded.

Boot

While the rear seats can be folded so that the trunk can be wider and more spacious, making it suitable for those who like to carry a lot of things when traveling. The width of the trunk on the Mazda CX 5 can accommodate as much as 403L of goods.

Safety features

The Mazda CX-5 incorporates numerous modern safety features for the occupants such as, dual front airbags and side curtain airbags, seatbelt warning lamp, ISOFIX and child lock protection.

Standard passive safety features include Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)  and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). For active safety features, Mazda’s i-Stop technology comes as standard for all variants. The CX-5 Sport variants gets Mazda’s I-Activsense consisting of Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The I-Activsense on the top spec CX-5 Turbo AWD comes with more features such as Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Keep Assist, Smart City Brake Support: Front & Rear, Smart Brake Support and Driver Attention Alert.

Comfort features

In the comfort sector, the Mazda CX-5 specification has been equipped with Dual-zone Climate Control Air-Conditioning which will provide a cool atmosphere in the cabin. Then, the Mazda CX-5 has also been equipped with Front and Rear Electric Windows features that will help passengers enjoy the surrounding scenery from inside the car. As a complement to the Mazda CX-5 specifications on comfort features, Mazda has also equipped this new car with Cruise Control technology which will make it easier for drivers to know the state of their car while traveling.

Infotainment features

Coming as standard on all CX-5 variants is an 8" Touchscreen LCD Display with Mazda Connect. This features MP3, Auxiliary input, USB, and Bluetooth which also has support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. What’s great is that it also comes with a BOSE 10-speaker audio system to keep the occupants entertained during their journey.

Engine

Depending on the variant, the Mazda CX-5 comes with three engines. The CX-5 Sport FWD has a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline engine while the CX-5 Sport AWD comes with a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated gasoline engine. The Top spec variant CX-5 Turbo AWD has a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine.

Transmission

All engines come with one transmission option, a SkyActiv-Drive 6-speed automatic with Sport mode.

Riding&control

CX-5 has a relatively stiff suspension, which makes ride comfort one of its weaker points. It's not uncomfortable, but it fidgets more on a motorway and is more jarring over sharp-edged bumps than the wafty. That’s especially true if you upgrade to one of the higher trims that come with the larger 19in alloy wheels and lower-profile tyres. For the best ride comfort, we'd advise sticking to entry-level SE-L trim, which includes 17in alloys. Alternatively, the Honda CR-V and Peugeot 5008 are better still, settling better on a motorway and soaking up bumps more effectively.

Thanks to its stiffer suspension setup, the CX-5 is better at controlling body lean and has more grip through corners than the softer C5 Aircross. The steering is much quicker than you might expect in a car of this size and takes some getting used to. Once you're familiar with it, it’s accurate, naturally weighted and gives you ample feedback to make placing the car easy.

Fuel consumption

In addition to the very powerful engine, the Mazda CX-5 specification in the engine sector also uses Electronically Controlled Direct Injection technology which will make fuel consumption more efficient.

The Mazda CX-5 is suited for buyers who needs a compact crossover that’s very attractive, not too small or too big, nimble and most importantly, fun to drive. Despite having only three variants to choose from, it’s the deciding part that gets tricky. This is because each variant comes fully loaded with a proper powerplant and bevy of features. It all boils down to how much power and traction is needed by the buyer as there’s the normally aspirated 2.0-liter engine with front wheel drive (FWD), the 2.5-liter normally aspirated engine with all-wheel drive (AWD), or the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine with all-wheel drive (AWD).