MAZDA wowed us when it launched the petrol CX-5 last month, offering up a chic, well-equipped and good value compact SUV that made an excellent follow-up to the bigger CX-7 that preceded it.

Now the Japanese brand has launched the diesel version, powered by a brand new 2.2-litre unit from its much-hyped SkyActiv family. With a thumping and class-leading 129kW of power and 420Nm of torque, we expected big things, but could it deliver?