Mazda CX-5 to come from Minagi

Its Minagi concept is one vehicle that wasn’t on the cards and yet is now centre stage at the Melbourne show as the future CX-5 SUV.

Its appearance marks only the second time the precursor to the production CX-5 has ever been shown – affirmation of the importance of the Australian market to Mazda – and precedes its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The CX-5 will be the first production vehicle to incorporate Mazda’s new design theme, "Kodo: Soul of Motion" first seen on the Mazda Shinari concept sedan.

It is pertinent the Shinari will be the second surprise at the show. This design study of a four-door, four-seater sedan could be the inspiration for the next Mazda6, but Mazda believes it is more likely to be the benchmark of styling cues. New Mazdas will, for example, inherit the Shinari’s open grille design. But Minagi and Shinari don’t represent all Mazda’s surprises at this show.

Mazda Australia says it will be one of the biggest and most forward-looking reveals in Mazda’s history. The Melbourne show will also be the international debut of Mazda’s next BT-50 ute and though many people have seen its styling as a dual-cab version, the show will be the first time in the world that the Freestyle variant will be shown.

The Freestyle has two conventional doors plus two smaller rear-hinged doors to access two back seats. The door function is similar to the Mazda RX-8. Mazda claims rear-seat comfort "has been taken to levels never seen before in the Freestyle Cab". The seat cushions are 50mm longer for better thigh support, and more stable fitting of child seats.

The seatback height has been increased by 128mm. The rear-seat cushions can be removed to offer more cargo room. Cargo space has also been boosted by the longer, wider and higher rear tub that now has a volume of 1453 litres, up 226 litres on the current model.

The coming BT-50 will have a new range of diesel engines. There is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder and a 3.2-litre five-cylinder that boasts a class-leading 470Nm. The BT-50, which will be launched later this year, will also have a best-in-class tow capacity of 3.35 tonnes.