Super TestCar reviews - Mazda - CX-5 - 5-dr wagonMazda modelsOverviewThe excellent Mazda CX-5 sets a new compact SUV benchmark27 Feb 2012 WHY are ‘compact’ SUVs generally so samey and inferior to drive compared to their small-car counterparts? Since the sassy CX-7 arrived in late 2006 Mazda alone seemed to have happily bucked that trend, creating one of the few enjoyable crossovers under $50,000. Now, though, its cheaper, shorter and more upright CX-5 successor has surfaced, with intent to ‘hit the SUV sweet spot’ according to Mazda – and that sounds an awful lot like a threat to bore us. But we needn’t have worried because once again Mazda has shown us how to do an SUV with style. GalleryClick to see larger images Model release date: 1 February 2012 to 1 January 2015 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelWHAT a brash and bold breath of fresh air the CX-7 was – and still is really – in what is generally a staid and conservative class. Larger, longer and more expensive than the vanilla Tribute (2001-2008) that it eventually replaced, the CX-7 was pitched as a high-performance SUV flagship, and came with plenty of go to match the head-turning show. Cribbed from the stealthy Mazda6 MPS AWD of the time, the drivetrain boasted a 175kW/350Nm 2.3-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, driving all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. Initially offered in base and Luxury guises, the only thing higher than the generous equipment levels was the fuel consumption – an issue that saw this otherwise sure-fire hit struggle at a time when petrol prices were sky-high. Minor equipment changes occurred during mid-’07, but it wasn’t until the Series II arrived in October ’09 that the CX-7 really broke through, thanks to a new base front-wheel-drive Classic powered by a variation of Mazda’s trusty 120kW/205Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit (mated to a five-speed auto) and a well-received 127kW/400Nm 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel – although its lack of an auto option hindered its market potential. |
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