Mazda CX-5 2020 detailed! "More powerful sound" for Toyota RAV4 rival as international changes revealed

The Mazda CX-5 has just been updated for 2020 in international markets, giving Australian buyers their first glimpse at what they can expect from one of the country's most popular vehicles in the new year.

While Mazda in Australia is yet to detail their own updates to the CX-5, it is understood a 2020 model will be revealed in full early next year. 

For now, though, we look to the USA, where chief among the changes there is a power boost for the turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine, with torque lifted from 420Nm to 444Nm, though power remains unchanged at 170kW. It is not known, however, whether this is a local tweak or something that will carry to international markets. 

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What could arrive, though, is Mazda's new Engine Harmonics Enhancer, which it says "tunes to the engine with a much more refined and powerful sound”. A sporty-sounding SUV, then - what’s not to like?

The brand is also promising “a more peaceful ride” courtesy of refined noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, and, less noticeably, a new font used throughout the vehicle.

In less happy news, however, Mazda is reporting price rises in the USA, with CX-5 costs increasing anywhere between (approx) $300 and $1500, depending on the trim level. 

Also all-new for 2020 is the introduction of Mazda's Off-Road Traction Assist. The brand says that, when the wheels lose traction, the system will automatically reduce engine torque and increase braking on the wheels that have lost grip. The system essentially shifts its power delivery to the wheels that are still in contact with the road surface, helping to pull you out of trouble.

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Cars fitted with the Skyactiv 2.5-litre engine (still 140kW and 252Nm) get a new Cylinder Deactivation System display - beamed onto the central screen - which tracks the fuel use of the engine. 

Safety equipment for 2020 includes smart cruise control with stop and go, AEB with day and night pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, auto high beams and rain-sensing wipers, while G-Vectoring Control Plus and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert round out the standard safety kit.

While Australian specifications are still being finalised, in the USA we know that entry-level cars get a keyless entry, a leather-wrapped wheel, a four-speaker stereo, LED headlights, 17-inch alloys and push-button start. 

Stepping up the range unlocks bigger alloys, a better stereo, leather trim, heated front and rear seats, a moonroof and a head-up display.