ONE of the key protagonists in the SUV segment – now the biggest sales chunk within the overall market – is the leading light for Mazda’s sales and the top-selling SUV in the Australian market.

There’s a reason for that. The CX-5 is a very good machine and the new-generation model has done nothing to detract from the appeal.

Now pursued with intent by Hyundai’s Tucson, Honda’s CR-V and Volkswagen’s Tiguan among a horde of revamped models, the CX-5 is claiming better refinement within the revamped interior and more safety gear within an expanded line-up.

We sampled the all-wheel-drive petrol-powered GT to see how it stacks up.