Over 3.5 million units sold in ten years; 30 percent of the Italian home market in Hiroshima. The investments have resulted in an even more comfortable car with lower emissions
It’s been 10 years since the debut of the Mazda CX-5 on the market, a decade in which it managed to become the best-selling car of the Hiroshima house, with 3.6 million units registered, of which over 500,000 in Italy alone and the 30% of the brand’s global sales. For the tenth anniversary Mazda has therefore decided to unveil the innovations that distinguish its compact SUV, in the updated “Model Year 2022” version, which has become even more essential and elegant, in line with the philosophy of the Japanese brand.
We tested it along the roads south of Barcelona, passing through Sitges, going as far as Calafell and arriving at the village of Castellet, testing the engines and testing the driver assistance systems, enjoying the comfort and silence of a car that focuses on simplicity in the most virtuous sense of the word.
The engines
The first thing to clarify is that for the CX-5 Mazda has decided to keep the diesel and petrol engines, without introducing electrification elements: a considered choice, taking into account that diesel today still accounts for 80% of sales in Italy and that in the compact SUV segment, as pointed out by the house, 58% of preferences still go to traditional engines. However, the CX-5 ensures circulation at least until 1 October 2030 thanks to the Euro 6D homologation, and Mazda in the pipeline has several innovations on the subject of electrification, including the Mazda 2 hybrid developed together with Toyota and the CX-60, which will arrive on the Italian market shortly as a plug-in hybrid.
Returning to the CX-5, in Italy it is available in two diesel and two petrol engines with SkyActiv-G technology. The petrol engines are a 165 horsepower 2.0 with 6-speed automatic or manual gearbox and a 194 HP 2.5 with automatic gearbox only. On the diesel front, space for the 2.2-liter 150 or 184 hp with automatic transmission. Those who love off-road vehicles can choose the 194 petrol version with the “smart” i-Activ AWD all-wheel drive, which supports the Off-Road mode and makes driving even more engaging without sacrificing comfort.
Three new productions
The other novelty of the Model of the Year 2022 are the three new trim levels that are added to Exceed and Business and which are distinguished by colors and finishes. Newground focuses on contrasting colors and uses metallic details such as the lower molding of the silver bodywork, the bright green touches on the grille and the black mirrors, Homura is more sporty and dynamic, with grille and glossy black details, while Signature, the top of the range , features a single-color bodywork and nappa leather interior with real wood trim on the dashboard and doors. The colors are 10, with the novelty of Zircon Sand, the new metallic sand color.
The design, the interior and the road test
The renewed design makes the CX-5 even more minimalist and increases its dynamism: more pronounced bumper, grille with 3D motif and more outlined front and rear LED lights. The interiors are essential and elegant, the ergonomic seats even more comfortable and, combined with the suspension, able to absorb shocks and vibrations, as we had the opportunity to test aboard the 165 horsepower 2.0 petrol version with automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
The journey from Barcelona to Calafell was comfortable and quiet, thanks to a soundproofed cockpit that keeps the driver and passenger in a cocoon even on the motorway and at high speeds. The infotainment system revolves around the 10.2-inch display that stands out on the cantilevered dashboard and relies on an accurate and efficient integrated navigator. To appreciate the choice of avoiding touch controls to avoid distracting the driver.
The Adas package offers cruise control and autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping system (which has been activated a couple of times on the motorway, decisively returning the car to its lane), camera that reveals pedestrians or other vehicles reducing the speed in the event of a risk of impact and “smart” LED headlights that control the distribution of light. The rear cameras are very useful for maneuvers and parking, also thanks to the width of the display that clearly shows any obstacles and distances.
On the driving mode front, the aforementioned Off Road is added to the petrol models with all-wheel drive, Normal and Sport, all regulated by the new Mi-Drive selector, a small lever placed near the gearbox that allows you to switch easily from one to another. other. To mention a few “gems” inserted to improve the livability of the car: the tray for wireless charging of the smartphone and the even larger and partially waterproof trunk.
Mazda CX-5, prices
The Mazda CX-5 2022 price list starts at 34,200 euros in Business version with 165 HP petrol engine and goes up to 48,700 euros for the Signature version, top of the range, with 194 HP petrol engine, automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive.
