Articles by Byron Mathioudakis

One of the most influential small SUVs of recent times is also one of the most underrated in Australia – the Nissan Qashqai e-Power. A plugless range-extender EV, this British designed, engineered and built crossover melds premium quality and practical sophistication with slick performance and low fuel consumption. Massive in Europe, the Qashqai deserves a much stronger following here.

Fifty years ago, on July 1, 1976, the worst new Holden up to that point was released, the HX series. And everything changed.Not coincidentally, it was also the date that all new internal combustion engine vehicles except those under 850cc in capacity or with liquid petroleum gas had to comply with stricter emissions standards known as Australian Design Rule 27A (ADR27A).This law proved to be a nightmare for parent company General Motors-Holden’s (GMH) Ltd.With fuel consumption up, power down and prices jumping to cover the extra technology necessary to meet the new regulations over the preceding HJ series, Holden’s engineers struggled to make its 1960s-era engines cope with the required updates in what was the country’s best-selling car line since the early 1950s.Critics and road testers alike savaged the HX as a result, accusing Holden of being cynical and out of touch, though it managed to hang on to the top spot for 1976.“Perhaps we would be better off with dirty engines and improved driveability,” quipped Wheels magazine editor Peter Robinson.Unfortunately for GMH, three unexpected things also happened right around that time that led to fundamental shifts in consumer tastes.Firstly, Japan was ready to launch its next phase of world-beating passenger cars that could easily meet ADR27A, headed by the original Honda Accord that almost single-handedly elevated that country’s entire industry overnight.Others followed in its footsteps, including the Mazda 323 and Datsun Skyline.Yet it was the shock success of the Chrysler Sigma, supplied by Mitsubishi, that became GMH's second big setback, shooting up the charts to a podium finish soon after its 1977 launch, and stayed there for half a decade.The Sigma lured many former and would-be Holden owners away in droves, particularly from the brand's waning Torana and Sunbird models it competed directly against, and even cannibalised Chrysler’s own Valiant in the process. Sigma was an automotive phenomenon that led directly to the iconic Australian-developed Magna later on.And last but not least, arch-rival Ford, which had been nipping at the Holden’s heels with the Falcon since the XB Falcon snatched number one for just one month in late 1973, had pulled out all stops in making the succeeding XC series demonstrably superior. GMH certainly wasn't expecting that.While the change from HJ to HX was little more than a fussier grille, revised instrumentation and several other, mostly minor, alterations, Ford expensively reengineered its engines to make them better than before, not worse. And it also redesigned the Falcon's nose, tail, back doors and dashboard, for a far-fresher look and feel.Plus, the XC launched the Fairmont GXL sports/luxury flagship. In the spirit of the legendary Falcon GTs, contemporary reviewers declared it as one of the greatest Australian-made family cars to date.In stark contrast to the basting the HX endured, XC sales flourished, with the Falcon becoming Australia’s best-selling car in 1977, period – an achievement it managed again from 1981 through to 1989, signalling the start of Ford Australia’s halcyon days.Half a century after the HX’s painful birth, perspective shows us a company grappling to deal fast enough with rapid change – something that Holden would pay the ultimate price for by 2020.Yet, to GMH’s credit, the more-comprehensively changed HZ series that followed in October, 1977, addressed most of the HX’s issues, whilst leap-frogging the Falcon in both sales as well as a driver’s car, thanks to chassis tweaks marketed to great effect using a tagline borrowed from Pontiac in the US called Radial Tuned Suspension.A stunning turnaround, it restored the Holden to the top spot for 1978, in time for the smaller, Opel-based VB Commodore to turn the market on its ear leading into the 1980s.A brief hiccup then largely due to ADR27A, a total of 110,669 HXs were built. And though the series has long lived in the shadow of the massively popular HQ/HJ models before it and the beloved HZ afterwards, 50 years later, its appeal is palpable. Who wouldn't have one?As a colourful piece of Australian motoring history, recognition is deserved. If nothing else, the garish Monaro LE two-door coupe runout edition remains one of the most 1970s things ever to happen in local motoring folklore!And it was the first Holden that actively attempted to minimise its emissions impact. That’s got to be worth celebrating. Happy 50 birthday, Holden HX!

The latest CX-5 may never have happened.Mazda has confirmed that the CX-60 was originally planned to replace, rather than support, the company’s best-selling medium-sized SUV as we know it, as part of the brand’s global move upmarket that resulted in a wide range of larger and more-expensive alternatives stretching up to the CX-90 flagship.The disappointing critical reception and subsequent disappointing global sales performance of the CX-60 since its March, 2022 world premiere, appear to have prompted a pivot back to CX-5 development soon after, resulting in today’s third-generation KM-series model.“I like to admit the fact that we had a variety of discussions on this model,” according to Mazda Motor Corporation CX-5 Program Manager, Koichiro Yamaguchi, speaking via an interpreter.“There was an idea to replace (CX-5) with the CX-60 as the new generation (CX-5), and there were also some opinions about continuing the CX-5 model. But the conclusion was very simple, because the current CX-5 just kept setting well among our customers.“So, after we came to this conclusion, we just had to develop this new-generation CX-5 model that fits our customers’ needs and wants. And that’s how we planned and engineered this vehicle.”The Australian sales data would certainly support the decision to evolve the CX-5 series.Volumes for the CX-60, CX-70, CX-80 and CX-90 are all down compared to the same time last year, by 1.4 per cent, 28 per cent, 30 per cent and 12.5 per cent respectively.In the CX-60’s case, this is despite the advent of a round of suspension improvements last year, designed to address criticisms over ride quality, as well as an entry-level four-cylinder petrol rear-drive Pure grade starting from $44,740 that’s within $5000 of the CX-5 base equivalent.Furthermore, Yamaguchi also disclosed that KM CX-5 development took just three years, which puts it commencing sometime after the CX-60’s global debut in early 2022.“It began three years ago,” he revealed.Not only does the latest CX-5’s late gestation explain the unusually long lifecycle of the outgoing KF series that launched in Australia in early 2017 (nearly doubling the original KE’s five-year time frame), it also explains the delay in getting the vital hybrid models to market, as they are not due to arrive here until 2028.And that's not even considering the naming convention that makes the KM an outlier with no easy fit between the US-market CX-50 and CX-60.Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi believes that global demand deemed it essential that the series continue and evolve, even in unison with the larger SUVs in the brand’s line-up.“The market voice from Australia and many other regions is that CX 5 is a core product, and a core value proposition for the customer, and that must be honoured,” he added.“And this is going back many years, before the CX-60 was even launched.”While walking away from Mazda’s premium aspirations, Bhindi is adamant the multi-SUV approach was always part of the company’s strategy.“There was a reason for (the CX-5 to stay on sale), because we also wanted what the large-platform (CX-60 and CX-70 two-row SUVs and CX-80 and CX-90 three-row SUVs) offer for Australia, but also globally,” he said.“And to do that, the CX-5 had to extend a little bit longer. So, we've got both the things that was on our wish list: to have a CX 5 ongoing, and the large platform (SUVs) that provide that step up from CX-5.“Because, in the previous line-up, after CX 5, where does the customer go?They would only have the (now-discontinued) CX-8 and CX-9. But they are three-row SUVs, and not everybody needs a three-row car.“What we have now is a CX-60 and a CX-70, if you want two-row cars and performance and different dynamics.”

The Mazda CX-5 Akera is flagship model grade in the newly redesigned and enlarged version of the Japanese brand’s global best seller.Priced from $54,990 before on-road costs, the Akera builds on the GT SP’s equipment stash of adaptive LED headlights, a 360-degree monitor with under-car view, leather trim, a powered front passenger seat, heated rear outboard seats, 12-speaker Bose audio, ambient lighting, glossier trim and 19-inch alloys with a 15.6-inch central touchscreen, panoramic sunroof, vented front seats, gesture-activated powered tailgate, personalised driver-settings memory, paddle shifters and more.Also standard are heated front seats, a powered driver’s seat with memory, a head-up display, heated windscreen, heated steering wheel, 10.25-inch instrumentation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smartphone charger, heated/folding exterior mirrors, a powered tailgate and unique 19-inch alloys.There is plenty of safety too, including advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane support systems, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.Under the bonnet is Mazda’s long-lived G25 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine. If you use regular petrol it makes 132kW of power and 242Nm of torque, but those numbers are bumped up by 6kW and 15Nm to 138kW and 257Nm respectively if using 95 RON-plus premium petrol.As with all CX-5s, drive is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time AWD system that, in Sport mode, distributes torque more evenly for more grip. There is also an Off-Road mode for gravel, sand or snow situations.The Akera’s combined average fuel consumption number is 7.4 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 173g/km. This engine is tuned to operate on 91 RON standard unleaded petrol.From 2028 the Mazda will gain its first strong hybrid, to better take on the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.

Mazda has confirmed that other electric vehicles (EV) are in the pipeline for Australia in the near future – and it could wear the CX-4e name.To arrive sometime from next year at the very earliest, one of the most important models will likely be a smaller SUV than the CX-6e mid-sized SUV that will launch in September or October of this year.Like that, as well as the 6e mid-sized liftback, it will be based on an existing Deepal model from Chinese partner, Changan, and will also be built there exclusively for export to the rest of the world.Which model that will be is the big question.Speculation is rife that the model in question will be derived from the Deepal S05 that is also slated for Australia before the end of this year.However, another contender could be an EV based upon the Changan Nevo Q05, which was confirmed for launch in right-hand-drive guise for the Thai and UK markets late last year as the Changan E06.This opens up the door for distribution here.According to Mazda Australia Managing Director, Vinesh Bhindi, a number of options are on the table for Australia within the joint venture the Japanese brand has with Changan.“We’re looking at potentially other products out of the partnership,” he told CarsGuide.“Size, powertrains etcetera, it’s too early for us to confirm. But we think there is more opportunity for more products from the Changan joint venture.”Released in China in 2024, the Deepal S05 is a smaller version of the slow-selling S07 mid-sized SUV – which is what the CX-6e is built upon – released in Australia last year.The Changan Nevo Q05/E06 is an EV about the size of a Kia EV3, and is been specifically designed for European consumer tastes.Either model would be ideal candidates for Australia – and both may end up here anyway.Whichever smaller electrified crossover from Changan/Deepal ends up here, they would give Mazda its biggest volume potential in the hotly competitive small and medium SUV EV markets.Not only would they take on big sellers that are also from China, including the BYD Atto 2 and Atto 3, Jaecoo J5 EV, Geely EX5 and MG S5, but also the Kia EV3 from South Korea and Skoda Elroq from Volkswagen Group’s Czechia arm.A smaller SUV EV from China would sit alongside the long-anticipated replacement for the long-in-the-tooth CX-3, which is in its 11 year on sale in Australia and counting.“We are working on a CX-3 replacement and there will be replacements for other small cars,” Bhindi added.“It’s a bit too early on when or what they will look like.“In terms of priority CX-5 was the major one, because globally it a big segment offering that we have.“The next one after that is delivering on the Mazda hybrid system (due in Australia from 2028 in the much-anticipated CX-5 hybrid) and it will be quite amazing when it arrives.“And after that there are the other partnership cars like battery EVs from our partnership with Changan,“But then, within that, there is a priority list of smaller cars and sedans and SUVs. But that will evolve within the coming years and there will be more transparency.”Lots of words, and hopefully to be followed by a lot more action.Watch this space.

The Mazda CX-5 GT SP is the sporty spice in the mid-sized SUV range from Japan, with racier trim to go with higher equipment levels, a bigger body, roomier interior and larger cargo area.Kicking off from $51,990 before on-road costs, the GT SP does not gain any more performance over its siblings, but it does include little luxuries like adaptive LED headlights, specific grade lighting, a 360-degree monitor with under-car view, leather trim, a powered front passenger seat, heated rear outboard seats, a 12-speaker Bose audio upgrade, ambient lighting, rear USB ports, glossier trim and 19-inch alloys.These come on top of items like dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a powered driver’s seat with memory, a head-up display, heated windscreen, heated steering wheel, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch instrumentation cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smartphone charger, heated/folding exterior mirrors, parking sensors all round, a powered tailgate and 19-inch alloys.The GT SP does not scrimp on safety either, with advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) including autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane support systems, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and more.Keep in mind that while the GT SP features the same G25 132kW/242Nm 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, those numbers rise to 138kW and 257Nm respectively with premium unleaded petrol.Drive is distributed to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time AWD system that, in Sport mode, distributes torque more evenly for more grip.As with all CX-5s with the G25 powertrain, the combined average fuel consumption figure is 7.4 litres per 100km, for a carbon-dioxide emissions rating of 173g/km on the ADR 81/02 cycle. The engine is tuned to operate on 91 RON standard unleaded petrol.From 2028 the Mazda will gain its first strong hybrid, to better take on the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and Nissan X-Trail e-Power.It is a shame that the old G35 2.5-litre turbo engine is not offered in the GT SP.

The Mazda CX-5 Touring is the mid-spec version of the third generation of the series, and presents a compelling premium value proposition that should prove popular with consumers.Priced from $47,490 before on-road costs, the Touring is well specified, with AWD, dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, artificial leather/suede trim, powered driver’s seat with memory, a head-up display, heated windscreen, rear-seat air vents, a reverse camera, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch instrumentation cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a smartphone charger, heated/folding exterior mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, keyless entry/start, a powered tailgate, heated steering wheel, roof rails and 19-inch alloys.It also comes with a long list of standard safety equipment, including advanced driver assist systems (ADAS) such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front and rear cross-traffic alert, lane support systems, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and more.Like all KM-series CX-5s, the Touring is larger, roomier and heavier, and so is fitted with Mazda’s G25 2.5-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, rather than the smaller G20 powertrain.It delivers 132kW of power and 242Nm of torque. It drives all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission and part-time AWD system.Want more performance? Try using the premium unleaded petrol pump next time you fill, since power rises to 138kW and torque to 257Nm.The Touring returns 7.4 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 173g/km, on the ADR 81/02 cycle, and can run on 91 RON standard unleaded petrol.A new hybrid model is coming from 2028 for those who demand lower fuel consumption.Along with the G20 engine, the G35 2.5-litre turbo-petrol and D22 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder units have been discontinued.

The Mazda CX-5 Evolve is the second least-expensive third-generation version of the KM-series mid-sized SUV.

The Mazda CX-5 Pure is the least expensive version of the third-generation mid-sized SUV from Japan.Kicking off from $39,990 before on-road costs, it is more than $3000 more expensive than the previous CX-5 Maxx front-wheel drive it replaces, but sweetens the deal with a larger and significantly roomier body, bigger engine, all-wheel drive (AWD), improved safety and more comfortable suspension.The Pure AWD comes standard with a 12.9-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch electronic instrumentation cluster, wired only Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse camera, cloth trim, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors and 17-inch alloy wheels with a space-saver spare wheel.On the safety front it features a host of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), front as well as rear cross-traffic alert, lane support systems, a blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise control and more.However, compared to the old CX-5 Maxx, the Pure loses a wireless phone charger, wireless connection for the Apple CarPlay/Android Auto system and a head-up display.The Pure swaps out the old Maxx’s G20 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and front-wheel drive for the larger G25 2.5-litre engine/AWD combination. That makes 132kW of power and 242Nm of torque, and drives all four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.If you put in premium petrol (95 RON or above), those outputs jump to 138kW and 257Nm respectively.Though it weighs at least 60kg more than the previous CX-5 AWD equivalent, the Pure boasts an identical ADR 81/02 combined average fuel consumption figure of 7.4 litres per 100km, for a carbon dioxide emissions rating of 173g/km. It can run on standard 91 RON unleaded petrol.Want better economy? You’ll have to wait, since a new-generation strong hybrid system is slated for the CX-5 from 2028. As with the rest of the KM-series range, the Pure offers no other powertrain options, meaning the D22 2.2-litre turbo-diesel and G35 turbo-petrol engine alternatives are no more.

Mazda is preparing a hybrid-led onslaught with a difference, starting with its most popular model in the world, the CX-5.The all-new, in-house-developed 2.5-litre SkyActiv-Z petrol-electric hybrid technology will be unveiled sometime later next year, ahead of an Australian launch in 2028, and will supplant the current, G25 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol/all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain, democratising the technology for the masses.Mazda has already signalled the high performance/low consumption dual capabilities of this Euro-7 emissions-meeting hybrid.This means it could potentially replace two powertrains that have already been retired in the new KM-series CX-5: the G35 2.5-litre turbo-petrol internal combustion engine (ICE) flagship, as well as the slow-selling D22 2.2-litre turbo-diesel that was dropped in 2023.But we now understand that the SkyActiv-Z’s thermal-efficiency and ultra-lean combustion breakthroughs suggest that it may not need to rely as much on heavy electrification tech like batteries, motors and inverters.It could end up being a lighter, simpler and more cost-effective solution to a traditional hybrid set-up like Toyota’s.This may allow for multiple versions and applications for the SkyActiv-Z tech, including one that could fill in for the discontinued G20 2.0-litre front-wheel drive powertrain in the 2028 CX-5 line-up as the series opener. That honour currently resides with the new G25 Pure AWD from $39,990 before on-road costs.According to Mazda Australia Managing Director Vinesh Bhindi the intention is to make the CX-5 hybrid as competitive as it can be in the market so there will be no limitations placed in terms of accessibility or reach.“We haven’t locked down any specifications on front-wheel or all-wheel drive,” he explained to CarsGuide.“But I can confirm that we will have a more broad offering, as opposed to limiting (hybrid) to either the mid or high series (grades).“We will have a broad offering of the hybrid technology.”Whether the SkyActiv-Z hybrids render the remaining G25 2.5-litre unit obsolete remains to be seen.Given this has been the mainstay engine of the earlier CX-5 generations since 2013 in Australia (accounting for nearly 60 per cent of total volume last year), it will likely enjoy a stay of execution for some time yet to come.This is despite the big four-cylinder petrol engine’s advancing years and comparatively high emissions and the potential penalties that Mazda Australia will face keeping it on sale here due to the increasingly-stringent New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).“But, alongside (the coming CX-5 hybrids), we think there will be a market for ICE for a long period yet,” Bhindi added. “Pure ICE.“And the way we're looking at it is, when you look at Mazda's portfolio of what we offer and will offer in the medium SUV segment, we will cater for the three categories of customers that I think will generally be available in the marketplace.“There will be a category that will say, ‘what's the most efficient?’ And that'll be battery electric vehicle (EV), and our CX-6e will be a very compelling option in the marketplace.“On the other side, we will have CX-5 ICE along with the hybrid, and then we also will have CX-60, which is offered in four powertrains – a 2.5L petrol, the inline six-cylinder diesel, inline six-cylinder petrol, and the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).”Bhindi believes offering a wide spectrum of choice gives Mazda the unique opportunity to tailor the sort of hybrids that will work best for the CX-5.“The reason why we have asked the program team to design something different to what's available in the marketplace with a hybrid,” he explained.“Because we have that broad coverage, and we want something that will be… special for Mazda customers, and that takes time and resources for the engineers to work out.”While Mazda Motor Corporation CX-5 Program Manager, Koichiro Yamaguchi, declined to divulge specific details about the hybrid, he did reiterate how on-brand it will be.“We want to make sure that our hybrid system delivers excellent performance elements, but we want to make sure that this is a very uniquely Mazda signature hybrid system that you will enjoy driving,” he told CarsGuide via an interpreter.“It should be a fun-to-drive hybrid.”With a back catalogue that includes the RX-8 rotary grand-touring sports car, wildly-successful second-generation (BL-series) 3/Axela small car and well-received CX-30 small SUV, the hybrid is in good hands with the 34-year Mazda veteran.“The SkyActiv-Z engine will match the technology of the gasoline engines… and at low revs-per-minute driving situations an electric system will strongly support this engine, and make sure that the fuel economy of this engine will satisfy customer expectations,” Yamaguchi-san said.“And we’re also pursuing Mazda’s unique signature driving fun, as that is something we are sticking to.”Asked if SkyActiv-Z will be a traditional series-parallel hybrid set-up like Toyota’s, more of a range-extender EV set-up as per the Nissan e-Power hybrid, or an in-between arrangement like Honda’s e:HEV, Yamaguchi said it will be its own thing.“Our system will be similar to none of those,” he revealed.“We are trying to get similar characteristics to the series-parallel system. But we are also aiming to offer a hybrid that has a driver-focused feeling, with an instant connection that is very good for the driver.”