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Not content with dominating the passenger car segment with the Mazda3, the Japanese carmaker's new CX-5 compact SUV has been revealed ahead of its official unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show next month.
The new crossover wagon - set to arrive in Australia around mid-2012 - will be the first to bring the full range of fuel-efficient Skyactiv engines, the lighter and smarter automatic transmission and lightweight bodyshell technology to Australia.
The drivetrain lineup will include the new direct-injection variable-valve two-litre petrol engine and the 2.2-litre turbodiesel, which will be available in Australia with a six-speed manual and the new six-speed automatic.
Mazda Australia's Steve Maciver says the company has previously been restricted by the lack a diesel-auto models in its passenger-car and SUV range, but that CX-5 would change that.
"One considerable difference will be that we'll have a diesel/auto model, that will be a significant upside for us as well, we're excited about that," he says.
The company's new-generation petrol and diesel engine range boast between 15 and 20 per cent better fuel economy thanks to a 20 per cent reduction in internal engine friction, a fuel-saving stop-start system, regenerative braking, lightweight body construction and lower emissions - as low as 120g/km for the front-wheel drive turbodiesel model.
Mazda Australia is aiming to make the pricing "competitive" - which should mean a sub-$30,000 entry-level model - but with the availability of features like tyre pressure and lane departure warning systems, automatic headlights and dual-zone climate control.
"The CX-5 is similar in size to a Subaru Forester and VW Tiguan, bigger than a Mistubishi ASX, but smaller than a CX-7, but interior space will be similar to the CX-7," he says.
The Sports Utility Vehicle Market to the end of June totalled 93,189 vehicles - down 3.9 per cent or just over 4600 vehicles - but the compact segment (the largest of the SUV segments) was up 866 (or 1.5 per cent) to 57,780 sales.
Mazda's share of that with the CX-7 sits at 7.3 per cent - or 4236 vehicles - behind the market leader Subaru Forester, the Toyota RAV4, Nissan's X-Trail and Dualis and the Hyundai ix35.
"We're excited to get it - CX-7 has done well since the facelift in 2009 ... but we feel there's a lot more potential in the compact SUV market so we hope CX-5 will give us a lift," he says.
The new look for the Japanese breed was first seen on the Shinari and Minagi concept cars and gives the new CX-5 what Mazda calls "a prominent new front view with a bolder family face."
The CX-5 will sit alongside the updated Mazda3 on the company's Frankfurt stand, the model range which will include the SP20 Skyactiv, equipped with the new-generation engine and transmission - set for launch later this year in Australia.
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