Like Father, Like Son: New Mazda CX-5 Doesn't Chase Newness, But There Are Plenty of Changes

Talking about successful cars of traditional brands is not the most difficult task. If a reputable company "doesn't tie brooms", then with a probability of more than 50 percent the new product will repeat the design and technical solutions of the previous series, because only the Chinese manage to produce cars under one name that are not just fundamentally different, but also of different sizes, jumping from class to class. But with them, the wretched ones, it is clear - the young and impudent need to find their own identity.

But the Japanese Mazda, with its Skyactive platform, proven over 15 years of experience, should not experiment.

Mazda CX-5 third generation. Photo: Mazda

The main thing in creating the new CX-5 was not to go far or to the side from the world leader and main competitor in the C-class of urban crossovers - Toyota RAV4, while maintaining its own face, so attractive to the female half of car owners. Therefore, the design of the car is immediately and clearly recognizable. You need to look closely for a long time to find at least a few differences between the new and old body.

It seems that the new model has a smaller hood beak, and the rear of the car is more embossed and intricate. Well, if you look from the side, you won't see any difference at all.

Only an inquisitive eye will notice the length of the body that has grown to 4690 mm (by 11.5 centimeters), the height by two centimeters and the width by one and a half centimeters. And the dimensions have changed along with the wheelbase extended by 115 mm. This made it possible to increase the door openings, the space in the back row and the trunk volume by 60 liters at once - from 522 to 583. With the backs of the rear seats folded down, the gain in the rear compartment on the new car will already be 400 liters! So the cargo functionality of the CX-5 has clearly increased.

According to the passport data, the car has also gained weight - at least 1629 kg unladen versus 1558 kg for its predecessor. This is probably why the new CX-5 is slower.

It has the same familiar 2.5-liter engine and the familiar 6-speed automatic, but with different settings. The initial European modification is equipped with an e-Skyactive G 2.5 engine, which is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine, the power of which is reduced to 141 hp and 238 Nm of torque, and the compression ratio is 13: 1. In addition, there is the Mazda M Hybrid system, which is a "mild hybrid". It includes a 24-volt starter-generator, capable of producing up to 7 hp and 48 Nm, providing the main support when starting from a standstill. This electric motor is powered by a lithium-ion battery with a small capacity of only 0.22 kW h.

As a result of these innovations, the car's acceleration to a hundred has become slower and is 10.5 seconds for the front-wheel drive version and 10.9 seconds for the all-wheel drive. For the second-generation CX-5, these figures were 9 and 9.9 seconds.

As it turns out, the long-awaited revolutionary Skyactiv-Z petrol engine is still in development. It is not expected to be integrated into the Mazda CX-5 until 2027, and then only as part of a unique hybrid system created by the company's engineers.

But the innovations in the interior are obvious. Like Tesla and most Chinese cars, all the main physical buttons have gone into the virtual reality of the tablet. Many car owners, especially middle-aged and elderly people, categorically do not like this. But we must assume that the creators of the CX-5 were guided by the tastes and habits of a younger audience from the zoomer generation. So now you can adjust the climate control only after entering the media system menu and it is advisable to take off your gloves.

Otherwise, the new CX-5 is ready to offer buyers a very high level of comfort, if, of course, they choose a non-orphan package. Here you will have a panoramic roof, a projection display and a Bose audio system (twelve speakers instead of the basic eight), and built-in Google services, including navigation.

It drives normally. Quietly, calmly, predictably... After all, the main thing is not to torture the CX-5 with extreme modes, for which all these "women's" crossovers are not intended.

The price of the CX-5 in the European Union starts from 35 thousand euros. Whether the new model will get to Russia cheaper than the five million rubles that are asked for the second generation here is a big question, considering the growing extortionate recycling fee and customs duties. But in any case, it will find its fans.