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We drove a $40,000 Mazda CX-5 Turbo to see if it's the perfect compact SUV. Here's the verdict.
We drove a $40,000 Mazda CX-5 Turbo to see if it's the perfect compact SUV. Here's the verdict.
May 5, 2019, 17:48 IST
Here it is! The 2019 Mazda CX-5.
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Aesthetically, the CX-5 carries over for the 2019 model year effectively unchanged.
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The crossover retains its striking and stylish looks, punctuated by the large Mazda corporate front grille and angular headlights.
Unlike the front end, the rear of the CX-5 is rounded with short overhangs.
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The CX-5 is 179.1 inches long with an adequate 7.5 inches of ground clearance.
Our tester came with these attractive 19-inch wheels.
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Inside, our Signature trim CX-5 sports a plush interior similar to the one that wowed us last year. Cabin ergonomics remain stellar while the material quality is nearly of the luxury-car standard.
I found the CX-5's Nappa leather-trimmed driver's seat to be comfortable and well-bolstered. Although my fiancé struggled to find a comfortable seating position in the front passenger seat.
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In front of the driver is a central digital-information display flanked by a pair of analog gauges. The digital display is engineered to mimic a traditional analog gauge.
Our test car also came with a head-up display.
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Atop the CX-5's dash is a 7-inch touchscreen display running the Mazda Connect infotainment system.
The system remains, for the most part, unchanged from the last car we tested. Its menu layout is still fairly basic and straightforward. Unfortunately, that means the touchscreen is still slow to respond, and its user interface is confounding at times to use.
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Fortunately, the system is more responsive if you use the rotary controller on the center console.
Mazda added Apple CarPlay capability to the system's bag of tricks. It's an absolute game changer. It effectively allows you to bypass Mazda's infotainment system.
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For example, our test car's built-in navigation system worked well enough.
But Apple CarPlay gives you access to Google Maps, which is a superior system in pretty much every regard.
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The 7-inch screen is also the primary display for the CX-5's advanced camera system.
The rear cabin is plenty roomy for two full-size adults while the middle seat is more suited for children.
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The rear seat's fold-down center armrest is home to a pair of cupholders and to the controls for the seat heaters.
Open the shallow storage compartment and you'll find a pair of USB plugs.
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Rear legroom in the CX-5 feels tighter than many of its rivals. This is despite of the fact that, on paper, its 39.6 inches of legroom is actually one of the most generous in the segment.
The CX-5 is available with an optional sunroof. However, unlike many of its rivals, the Mazda is not available with a large panoramic glass roof.
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Overall, the cabin of our test car was fairly quiet and refined, although we did detect a bit more road noise than many of its contemporaries. Despite this, the CX-5 has come a long way, as old variants of the car had one of the louder cabins in the segment.
Open the power rear liftgate and ...
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... you'll find 30.9 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the rear seats, and the cargo capacity increases to 59.6 cubic feet. As a result, the CX-5's cargo-carrying ability lags behind that of the Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester.
Underneath the cargo floor is the car's spare tire.
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The CX-5 comes standard with safety systems such as dynamic stability control, hill-launch assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and smart city brake support. Our tester came with optional extras such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist.
Under the hood, the Mazda CX-5 comes standard with a 2.5-liter 187-horsepower naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Our top-spec test car had the upgraded 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that can produce up to 250 horsepower using premium-grade fuel. Power output is reduced to 227 horsepower if you use regular gas.
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All CX-5s come with a six-speed automatic transmission. In our test car, it sent power to all four wheels.