Mazda has its way of blending its sports car DNA with whatever breed of vehicle it manufactures. The same goes with the Mazda CX-5. Its design – the chassis, the steering, the interior decoration will attract enthusiasts and sport car lovers who, somehow needs to get a crossover for some reason.
The Hiroshima-based company does not earn much from selling SUVs or crossovers, but still makes decent all-rounder vehicles. The CX-5 is another fine example of Mazda’s less popular cars are still great ones. It comes with an 184 HP 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine. It is not a beefy one but is still more powerful than the economy class of crossovers.
The 2016 edition received few minor upgrades. This is mostly because the previous edition was already a great one, and Mazda did not want to mess with that. They added some more interior design, LED lamps for the head, tail and the fog lamps. In a glance, the new edition will not look any different that the predecessor. That’s a good thing since the older version itself was a good looking one.
With a 2.5-liter four-cylinder direct injection engine, the CX-5 makes from 0 to 60 in about 7.7 seconds. That is not the acceleration of any high-performanceSUV but is still way ahead of most of the mid-range cars. The Skyactiv engine, the high-tech electronic controls, and the lightweight chassis makes the CX-5 a very agile vehicle.
With some more tuning, the CX-5 outperforms most family CUVs. Jumping from the Eco to Sport+ settings make the car a bit more aggressive. It still handles with the same grace and poise, though. The safety features are also abundant in the vehicle, and with some more cash, one can get some more optional assist tech. There is adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, automatic high-beam control, lane-departure warning, collision-mitigating braking and more. The Smart City Brake Support is a low-speed auto braking system which makes it easier to navigate through heavy traffic.
Mazda CX-5 Specifications :-
• Vehicle Type: Standard Sports Utility Vehicles 2WD
• Curb Weight: 3212 pounds
• Passenger capacity: 5
• Passenger door: 4
• Wheelbase: 106.3 inches
• Length overall: 178.7 inches
• Width max: 72.4 inches
• Height overall: 65.7 inches
• Ground Clearance: 8.5 inches
• Engine Type: Inline-4
• Engine displacement: 2 liters
• Power @ RPM: 155 @ 6000
• Torque @ RPM: 150 @ 4000
• Fuel System: Direct Injection
• Transmission: 6 Speed Manual
• Fuel Tank Capacity: 14.8 gallon
• Fuel Economy: 26 mpg (city) 35 mpg (highway) 29 mpg (combined)
• Drivetrain: Front wheel drive
Detail Reviews:-
• The 2016 Mazda CX-5 is a very well balanced vehicle with that resides right between high-performance SUVs and economic crossovers for family trips and commuting. Therefore, it will appeal to a large set of people.
• The 24 miles per gallon for cities and 30 miles per gallon for highways is not the best fuel efficiency but is a great number for its price and the performance it offers.
• The easy switching between sports and eco mode makes the car even more versatile. With all the different safety and assist features, the CX-5 truly offers more than that it is asked for.
• The sports mode could have done a bit better. It may be a bit aggressive for some. Also, when idle, the engine is a bit grainy.
Bottom-line
Hands down, the best compact SUV or Crossover in the market is the 2016 Mazda CX-5. With all the features, balanced specification and the price tag, the CX-5 is a sporty vehicle that can both go off the road and be used for daily commuting.
