Mazda CX-5 GSX 2012 new car review
It's lithe, agile and fast, and sitting in front of the fire blocking the heat from everyone else.
The ads for Mazda’s new CX-5 on the telly relate it to some kind of big cat. This implies that it has cat-like features like being lithe, agile and fast, and sitting in front of the fire blocking the heat from everyone else.
- Fantastic handling and it comes in 4WD like a proper SUV if you purchase the model up
- Plenty of kit
- Engine sounds coarse when worked hard
On the road
The ads don’t lie. I’m trying to think of another SUV that I felt handled quite so much like a car. I can’t. The lateral grip is confidence-inspiring and the brakes are strong. It’s just let down by a lack of real urge to rocket you out of the corners. When you do put your foot down there is modest acceleration but it’s accompanied by a wholly unsatisfying engine noise which makes me want to accelerate like I actually don’t want to get where I’m going.
However, this new two-litre, four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC petrol engine is one of Mazda’s Skyactiv ones which is far more frugal than its predecessors. Skyactiv is a number of features implemented not only in the engine but the whole car.
Within the engine, there is a high compression ratio that gives 15% more torque (despite running on 91 octane) while using 15% less fuel using sequential valve timing and a custom exhaust system. There is also a lighter body frame, a brake system that stores power and a trick six-speed gearbox that’s like a cross between a conventional manual and a CVT. This gearbox gives better acceleration from a standstill but reduces fuel use by 7% over a conventional automatic.
To assist further with the fuel economy the CX-5 features Mazda’s i-stop which cuts the engine when you stop the car, for example, at traffic lights, then starts it again when you lift your foot off the brake. The system worked flawlessly and would save money for drivers who spend a lot of time in town or rush hour traffic.
Inside and out
The exterior styling looks great in colour but loses it a little in the dark metallic grey of our test car. There are some nice curves, particularly the interplay between the front headlights and the front wheel arches, and over the rear wheel arches. The large front grille is a little too see-through for my liking.
At the back, the styling is a bit boring compared to the sides and front. You get a reversing camera which displays on the 5.8-inch dashboard screen but, oddly, no parking sensors.
The interior is well thought out. The boot contains a couple of useful recesses either side of the spare wheel cover which were good for holding items that liked to slide around. The spare wheel cover seems a little high, but the fact it’s flush with the tailgate aperture makes for getting heavy things in and out with ease.
There are two useful inclusions, though. The first is the integrated boot blind which hooks to the tailgate, and the second is that the rear seats split 40/20/40 for added flexibility. The rear seats fold fairly flat, too.
Legroom for rear passengers is adequate, and in the front you get sports seats and a relatively commanding driving position. Satellite navigation is supplied as standard on this model and is controlled using the touch screen in the centre of the dash. This screen also managed the stereo, Bluetooth phone connections and general car settings.
Six airbags, dynamic stability control, traction control, ABS and other electronics help enhance the handling and safety.
Overall
It’s hard to fault the CX-5. You have to start being picky. I definitely don’t like the engine sound, but is there anything else? Not really.
It’s very practical – particularly with the 40/20/40 split seat, sizeable boot and integrated luggage blind. Despite being a petrol engine SUV, the fuel economy was good – less than 7l/100km. It even looks good (best in blue in my opinion).
Note: This was reviewed as a new vehicle.
Image gallery
Also consider
Richard Edwards 
Kyle Cassidy 