New Mazda CX-5 2019 Full Review and Test Drive

New Mazda CX-5 2019 Full Review and Test Drive.
It’s a new crossover from we think the most habitually underappreciated mainstream brand in all of car-dom - Mazda. The CX-5 is their pop at a medium-sized crossover, a rival for the Seat Ateca, Volkswagen Tiguan and BMW X1 among others.
It sits on the same basic platform as the five-year-old car it replaces. The wheelbase is the same, but it’s 10mm longer, 35mm lower and much sharper-looking thanks to squintier head- and taillights, a longer bonnet and wider grille. No doubt the new CX-5 is a properly good-looking thing. Certainly more so than anything else in this class.
Mazda’s naturally-aspirated petrol and turbodiesel engines, variously available with front- or all-wheel drive and six-speed manual or automatic transmissions, are carried over pretty much wholesale from the old car, and inside Mazda has opted for a tablet-style infotainment-screen setup as seen on what feels like every ‘premium’ car launched in the last 12 months.
There isn’t much more space in there (a few litres more bootspace, we’re told), but we’re promised it’s a much quieter place to sit. It’s not like Mazda’s ignored the dynamics for which it’s famed, but for the CX-5 their focus was very much on all-round refinement, which is why the big-selling diesel has, among other things, a “Natural Sound Smoother” to reduce noise and vibration at idle
We’ve had quick goes with every engine on offer in the new CX-5 - both versions of the 2.2-litre diesel as well as the 2.0-litre, naturally-aspirated petrol. All pre-production, not that they felt it - a few bits of interior trim excepted.
The 2.5-litre petrol that does the business in the US isn’t coming to the UK, but you shouldn’t care because predictably it’s those diesels that are going to win Europe, bad PR notwithstanding. Mazda reckons it’s the less powerful one that will sell in greater numbers. It has 148bhp and 280lb ft, is available with front- or all-wheel drive, and either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. They claim 56mpg and 132g/km for the likely best-seller - a front-wheel drive manual.
The more powerful of the two engines has an extra 25bhp and 30lb ft, but while you still get a choice of gearboxes, you’re forced into AWD, adding cost and affecting fuel economy and emissions. There’s not much between them, so we’d stick with the small one. With a manual, because Mazda do good ones (the auto’s good too, admittedly). You only feel the difference between the two engines right at the very top of the rev range, and you’re never going to take them there, so what does it matter?
The petrol isn’t worth bothering with. Even though the relative lack of weight over the front wheels make it the most fun to drive, it’s in dire need of a bit more mid-range grunt. Or, ahem, a turbocharger…
Not that the diesels are bad to drive. Far from it, in fact. They’re just a bit heavier over the nose. Besides, prospective owners are hardly going to be driving these things everywhere on their doorhandles. All CX-5s get something called G-Vectoring Control, which rather than vectoring torque across the axle, takes a little bit of torque away from the front wheels when you turn in. This shifts weight forward over the front axle. As you accelerate through and out of the bend said torque is restored, shifting weight backwards to aid stability. Mazda’s also mucked about with the steering, suspension, (optional) AWD and upped chassis rigidity by 15 per cent.
And sure enough, considering its stature, the CX-5 handles very well. Good steering - nicely and consistently weighted - commendable body-control, decent ride-quality, loads of grip…it’s right up there with the Seat Ateca and Ford Kuga, fighting for best-in-class honours.
The old CX-5 didn’t have a massively impressive interior. Sure it was spacious, comfortable and easy enough to get your head around, but material quality was lacking and the design was a bit too conservative.
Things have improved for the new one. It’s about as spacious as it was before (not a problem, there’s plenty), but the 7in infotainment screen that protrudes from the top of the dash, aluminium-look air vents and trim strip across basically its entire width make the whole thing feel much more modern.
Because we only drove pre-prods, some of the interior materials weren’t quite up to spec - but Mazda promises us when production begins for real, everything will feel like it should. Which, going by the recently-facelifted Mazda 6, should be quite good, if not entirely Germanic.
Stuffed with equipment, though. Trim levels haven’t been announced yet, but all will get nav and a crystal-clear HUD is standard from mid-range up. In all it’s a nice place to be - comfy seats, very quiet and there’s plenty of storage space. Mazda tells us the glove box was specifically designed to accommodate a 10in tablet.
#SDADan

[@gregoryderwon3133]

how come this one still has de older version rims ? from what i see it looks like you have the grand Touring Trim and those have the Newer 19 ich Rims. do you know why ?

[@nammn7149]

The best review so far on tube for cx5, it’s a thing of beauty. Big Tks for mazda for making it.and I’m glad that I have purchased it in China.

[@SDADanCars]

Thanks also for watching my videos. Really appreciate the feedback. 👍

[@johnnytampocao7671]

Some people are just STUPID criticizing this beautiful car and looking for a TURBO? Is this guy not watching other review that the 2.5 l turbo has been around for almost a year now but of course no manufacturer will introduce a turbo in every model as there's still many if not most buyer prefer a turbo, I myself I prefer a naturally aspirated engine.

[@dimitris21anast88]

Amigo German cars smash this shithole...like your self

[@retardaviation5179]

Great video bro thanks

[@SDADanCars]

Thanks also for watching my videos 👍🙏

[@dimitarkarametulov1414]

Is this a Skyactiv G motor?

[@desislavvalchev6755]

Interesting, but you have to drive outside the City to tell us about the consumption. I can tell you for 2,5 l. it is like 7,5 combined, for 2l it is 7,3 and it is if you dont drive like crazy. Of course if it is 4x4 than the car will be with 200 kg. more, so you would have 1 more liter away. I know the car in Europe is without a turbo and I dont think that you need it when you have 194 hp, but if you have 165 hp you will struggle a bit (if you are fast driving person). The problem with the car for me is, that I dont like leather seats, but I like to have leather on doors and at the back of the front seats and when you want to buy the car with a Cloth material, than you have it on your doors and at the back of the front seats and they will be rly dirty, the same problem is with the most European cars, but the Japanese were not like that, now they do the same mistake. The boot is not bad, but not the best in class, you can put all the staff away out of there and you are going to have it deeper, till the metal (if you dont buy it with sub buffer), even if you do it like that, you dont have the Cloth material over the metal, like in Tiguan, so from Mazda they have to think about that. Its a great car anyway, I have ordered one with 194 hp, after I tested it and will handle it, even if there are some negatives, they are going to be manageable. Better would be if they had sky-active X engine, but if it is like 5000 euros more, than there is no point of that ether.

[@SDADanCars]

Yes you are right . I will try to do soon another test ,Thanks for info and feedback. 👌🙏👍

[@bogard290]

Great car,but the fuel consumption is the biggest problem.

[@SDADanCars]

👍🙂Thanks for feedback 🙏

[@geonaum263]

Briliant motor Danemarca. Bravo .consum 10 l normal.

[@SDADanCars]

👍🙏

[@fredphann]

The door was not closed, bro.

[@SDADanCars]

👍👌

[@SDADanCars]

Yes my mistake

[@dimitris21anast88]

No turbo car?? Prehistoric👎👎👎