Mazda has unveiled the all-new version of the CX-5 Crossover at the Los Angeles motor show.
The Mk2 model follows on from the original that when launched in 2012 debuted both the SkyActiv powertrain and chassis technology and the ‘Kodo – Soul of Motion’ design language that have both since been adopted across the Mazda range.
The CX-5 has since become Mazda’s best-seller in Europe, and the new version is evolved from its predecessor with no radical departures. Mazda says that the aim behind the design of the new car is to ‘share the pleasure of driving with everyone on board,’ giving equal priority to passenger comfort as driving prowess.
According to its creators the CX-5 delivers responsive performance that a driver will expect but also for passengers ‘a pleasant ride in a remarkably quiet and finely crafted cabin.’
The most notable aspect of the new CX-5’s exterior is the dominant grille, both in width and depth. The car as a whole is very slightly shorter than its predecessor, though on the same wheelbase, and sits lower to the road.
The production CX-5 will go on sale with the same three-way engine choice as the previous model, all SkyActiv units. Petrol options will range across 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre engines (though the 2.5 is, like its predecessor, unlikely to be sold in the UK) and there will also be a 2.2-litre diesel – power, performance and efficiency figures are yet to be released.
G-Vectoring control, a new chassis technology, is featured on the CX-5 – it monitors the steering and adjusts the engine torque depending on the load on each wheel in order to keep the body upright when cornering.
New technology debuting in the car will include a head-up display in the redesigned cockpit, while a powered tailgate will also be available.
The new CX-5 will go on sale first in Japan from February 2017 – UK sales are not expected to begin until the middle of the year.
