The article was originally produced on April 30, 2012, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Mazda CX5

The next time a cheetah-like face appears in the rearview mirror, it could be the new Mazda CX-5 behind it.

With models such as Tribute and CX-7, Mazda has tried to be part of the market fight for SUV customers, but has not really succeeded. The brand has now reloaded the cannon with new ammunition in the form of the all-new CX-5 and entered the battlefield again. This time it looks better and maybe Mazda has an opportunity to seriously get to the front line after all. 

The CX-5 is intended to compete in the compact SUV segment where we find the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Ford Kuga as two major competitors. When Mazda describes its models compared to its competitors, they are always diligent in using expressions such as "class-leading", "first in its segment" etc. Something that can feel a bit inflated as in some cases it is on a fine line what makes them to it and that their way of counting can feel fuzzy at times. 

CS Life received an invitation to the international test drive of the CX-5 in Vienna, a sunny Vienna in beautiful spring ferries with blooming rapeseed fields and green trees. Outside the airport construction, about twenty CX-5s were perfectly lined up in different colors, even before arrival the sights were set on the more powerful diesel with 175 horses and four-wheel drive and automatic transmission. What is completely new with the CX-5 and revolutionary is Mazda's new SkyActiv technology, a technology based on more efficient engines, smarter powertrains and lighter engine and chassis construction. Everything to reduce consumption but make the car more efficient without being boring. The range of engines for the CX-5 will be two petrol and two diesel variants. On the inside there are a 160 and a 165 horsepower and the diesel engines can be had with either 150 or 175 horsepower as previously mentioned. All the different engines can be had with a manual or automatic transmission and some of the engine versions can be had with either front-wheel or four-wheel drive. If you choose the 150 horsepower diesel with manual gearbox and front wheel drive, this combination falls under the environmental car requirements. Emissions come down to a low 119 grams of CO2/km and consumption 4.5 l/100 km, which can be seen as very good. For the company car market, either the 150 horse with automatic transmission and four-wheel drive or the same combination with the stronger 175 horse diesel is tipped to be a bestseller. Hence the choice for CS Life and the stronger diesel. 

With a really flashy blue metallic colour, it's hard to miss this splash of color among the yellow rapeseed fields and green meadows. The CX-5 is really good looking when you look at it. With Mazda's new design language Kodo, the CX-5 is the first to set a new mark on future Mazda models. The word Kodo stands for Soul of Motion and should express power and functionality. During the presentation, Mazda's design manager … Maeda explains how the front has great similarities to a cheetah, and after sketches of the car's front and a cheetah's facial image, one cannot but agree. The sides also have line play that should resemble a cheetah or runner taut as a spring on its way out of the starting blocks. Other models that have been shown, but only as concepts with the new Kodo theme, are Shinari and Minagi, which became the CX-5, and Takeri, which will be the new Mazda 6, which will be shown at the Paris motor show in the fall.

Even the interior has been done in a functional way but with a sporty mindset, all buttons are easily accessible and have clear symbols. In the center of the instrument panel sits a 5.8-inch touchscreen with the latest Tom Tom navigation software installed. Updates are managed from Tom Tom's website via SD card, onto which you upload the updated information. And what feels completely new is that the navigation shows the speed of the car, of course nothing new for anyone who has used external navis, but new for a fixed-mounted navi. Practical because you can see how big the car's speedometer is, in this case plus four, five km/h. What strikes you when you're lying there on the Austrian highway at around 140 km/h is how quiet the CX-5 is, very quiet even. No road noise despite the 19 inch tires that are on, hardly any wine noise despite the enlarged rear view mirrors which are mounted far out to increase visibility down the sides to the front. The diesel engine doesn't make much noise either, a discovery that makes long journeys even more sophisticated. What is also new with the CX-5 as most of it is new and not reused parts from previous models and which add to the long-distance comfort are the seats. It's easy to find a driving position that doesn't tire you, you sit quite upright because the car is built at a height. The dynamic steering is also a pleasant feature, the faster you drive the stiffer the steering, comfortable in town and stable on the highway.

The overall impression of the Mazda CX-5 is beyond expectations and with a price that starts just over 200,000 kroner, many hungry SUV buyers will and should probably take an extra look at this car, with a towing weight of up to two tons, one and other horse and boat owners get thirsty too. Anyone thinking of a forest trip with their CX-5 should probably think again, the CX-5 certainly has four-wheel drive, but it is probably most suitable for simpler situations such as gravel and snowy country roads.

+ Quiet and comfortable. High permissible towing weight.

- The terrain features are limited despite their identity.