Mazda Australia doesn't need the CX-50, it should build its own hardcore CX-5 SUV for adventure-hungry buyers!

Mazda’s new CX-50 rugged SUV might be relegated to the US market, but Mazda Australia has a way to get in on the action by building its own accessorised CX-5 to fill the gap.

Much like the Australian-specific BT-50 Thunder, which takes a number of off-road accessories to build a ute flagship, the local division of Mazda could do the same with the CX-5 to make its own ‘CX-50’.

Let’s begin with the similarities between the two.

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Both the CX-5 and CX-50 share the same underpinnings and platform, as well the same engines – namely a 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine or a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder unit.

The former produces 140kW/252Nm while the latter ups the ante to 170kW/420Nm, at least in the CX-5. Engine outputs in the CX-50 are yet to be divulged.

Both are also fitted with six-speed torque converter automatic transmissions.

The CX-50 is strictly an all-wheel-drive affair, but then again higher grades of the CX-5 are also offered with all-paw traction – complete with an off-road driving mode that makes journeys on unsealed roads a little easier to navigate.

Dimensionally, they are similar, but the CX-5 is shorter, narrower and has less ground clearance.

Now the differences.

Most obvious are the exterior changes, with the CX-50 wearing squared-off wheelarch protectors, a new grille, different bumpers, a matte bonnet decal and a unique roof rack.

While some of the styling components might not be easily transferable to the CX-5, Mazda Australia actually already offers some accessories that will go a long way in making the mid-size SUV more rugged.

From dealers, buyers can already option front and rear mud guards, weathershields, bonnet and headlight protectors, rubber floor mats and a cargo tray, bike/kayak holder, a roof rack kit, and a tow bar kit.

Crucially though, the CX-50 wears all-terrain tyres, which could be an easy enough fit for the CX-5 if Mazda want to do so.

The hypothetical ruggedised CX-5 could even be powered by a diesel engine – something the CX-50 lacks – as a 140kW/450Nm 2.2-litre twin-turbo-diesel engine is offered in the mid-size SUV range.

Interestingly, the 140kW/450Nm outputs are enough to match the Isuzu-sourced BT-50 ute, which uses the same 3.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder as the D-Max.

With all the ingredients in place, Mazda Australia could capitalise on the CX-50 hype with its own flagship CX-5, and it would make sense in their new 2022 line-up too.

The 2022 will split the CX-5 range into two camps – with the high-end grades sporting body-coloured wheelarch protectors for a more premium fit and finish, while and the lower-end grades will retain black-plastic body bits for a more rough and ready aesthetic.

Is it such a stretch to imagine an accessorised, Mazda Australia-built CX-5 to slot into the range?

Australians do love getting off the beaten path, and the market is head over heels for an SUV, so this could be the winning combination buyers have been waiting for.