Mazda CX-5 2014 News

The popular Mazda CX-5 SUV has been given improved ride and handling characteristics with updated dampers, bushes and stabilisers, kitted it out with some new features -- including extra safety tech -- plus a few fresh colours.The mid-spec CX-5 Maxx Sport scores a Safety Pack option comprising auto-dimming rearview mirror, blind spot monitoring and the 'city braking' system that can automatically bring you to a complete stop at speeds up to 30km/h.The top-spec Akera model now gets the system as a standard feature, plus (along with Grand Touring models) six-way memory setting for both front seats.Two new blues -- Blue Reflex Mica and Deep Crystal Blue Mica -- join the wardrobbe, all automatic variants get a new straight-shift gear lever, and from Maxx Sport up, alloy wheels get an updated silver finish.Prices have risen slightly on the Grand Touring (up $400) and Akera (up $800) but other models remain unchanged.Mazda CX-5 updated range                                                                               2.0L petrol FWD Maxx man $27,880 (unchanged)2.0L petrol FWD Maxx auto $29,880 (unchanged)2.0L petrol FWD Maxx Sport auto $33,620 (unchanged)2.0L petrol FWD Maxx Sport auto with Safety Pack $35,110 (new)2.5L petrol AWD Maxx auto $32,880 (unchanged)2.5L petrol AWD Maxx Sport auto $36,620 (unchanged)2.5L petrol AWD Maxx Sport auto with Safety Pack $38,110 (new)2.2L diesel AWD Maxx Sport auto $39,470 (unchanged)2.2L diesel AWD Maxx Sport auto with Safety Pack $40,960 (new)2.5L petrol AWD Grand Touring auto $44,180 (+$400)2.2L diesel AWD Grand Touring auto $47,030 (+$400)2.5L petrol AWD Akera auto $46,570 (+$800)2.2L diesel AWD Akera auto $49,420 (+$800)

The unofficial annual face-off between Australian and Russian motoring journos has just taken place in Australia for the first time. And the change of location emphasised the differences between the two teams' training. The Russians sharpen their skills in the ice and snow and the Aussies hone theirs on tarmac and gravel. Russia took the trophy last year on their frozen home turf -- possibly because of our limited experience ice racing. THE CAR Mazda's mighty little roadster is a logical weapon of choice, largely because it offers the purest form of driving. In its favour are relatively light weight, rear wheel drive, conventional six speed manual transmission, sporty dynamics, adequate power that rewards driving skill as opposed to a heavy right foot. Mazda sponsors the event in that they supply the cars. This year a row of roofless roadsters presented themselves at the venue complete with roll bars, competition brake pads and racing seats with five point harnesses. Apart from that, they were bog standard MX-5s. Now you might think 118kW is a trifling amount of power to play with but we found out pretty quickly that it's all you need to get going really fast. Too fast in some cases. THE CONTEST This year, Australia won after a four discipline contest based outside Canberra that included motorkhana, skid pan, hill climb and rally. HILL CLIMB First discipline was the hill climb, a 700 metre circuit with a narrow ribbon of old tarmac threading its way across the side of a hill and into a valley below. No problem for the Mazda here and some of the times were respectable, not anywhere near as fast as "real" hill climb drivers but.... well, respectable. From the driver's seat the experience was thrilling and totally absorbing because if you make a mistake, you're off into the dongah. Tick one. MOTORKHANA Next was the motorkhana between randomly spaced flags out of one imaginary "garage", returning to another imaginary "garage" adjacent in a far under 20 seconds as possible. It was a contest in 100ths of a second so any stumble was heavily punished by the stopwatch stress levels on the redline but still an interesting challenge. SKIDPAN It was all about a delicate touch rather than bold throttle application and lurid tail-out drifting. Those who kept it all in check and didn't lose the front or rear ends achieved the best times. Challenging in the extreme. RALLY Then the main event -- the rally section in the Canberra forest on a 7km section of the national capital's rally course. Remember these were standard MX-5s on low profile road tyres with the roof off. Not a problem for the tough little roadster thanks to its rigid chassis, big brakes and sharp dynamic responses. Some of the times achieved were truly incredible for essentially a road car. That the MX-5s came through unscathed mechanically is testament to their toughness and near perfect balance of power and handling. There was absolutely no time when any more than the 118kW/188Nm output from the 2.0-litre engine was needed. The car was a handy weapon in all four disciplines thanks to its pedigree. UNEQUIVOCAL We now know unequivocally why the MX-5 is such a popular choice for enthusiasts who want a real driving experience. MAZDA MX-5 CHALLENGE FINAL RESULTS Overall Gravel Rally Motorkhana Hill Climb Skid Pan Teams  

As the world’s best-selling sports-car, the Mazda MX-5 is a favourite among weekend warriors who like to test their mettle on a race track. So what happens when you drive one on a Friday in a contrived competition among 26 motoring hacks from around the world? Well, 22 from Australia and four from Russia. Countrymen from these two old foes got together on home turf -- the nation’s capital, no less -- after the Australians were beaten two years in a row on northern hemisphere ice. First in Sweden then in Russia. To level the playing field the Russians came to Canberra last week to test their skills on dirt, and to get a taste of what it’s like to wrangle a car when the steering wheel is on the ‘wrong’ side of the cockpit. In the full spirit of the role reversal, the Russians also got to sample what it’s like to drive fast while jet-lagged. The day’s events were due to start just as their bodies would be telling them to go to sleep. In their dreams the Russians may have had visions of the vast Australian desert, or majestic beaches.  What they were greeted with was a group of friendly bearded fellows from the MG Car Club (which helped run the event), who cheerily told the assembled throng the first race of the day was in a car park around some flags positioned barely wide enough to fit a Mazda MX-5 through. It was like running a marathon around a barbecue. After that and a couple of other exercises (racing against the clock on a skidpan, and a few laps of a perilously narrow course on the side of a hill) it was time for the main event: a 6km section of a national championship rally stage in the middle of dense forest. It’s at this point the day took a serious turn (pun intended). Having sampled the course at slow speed, and noted with some interest the narrow dirt road’s close proximity to trees and cliff faces, I began to wonder if this was a good idea after all. How worried? When we got back to the regrouping point I made sure I told a couple of close colleagues how to divide my worldly possessions should the worst happen. I am not making this up. The fear was reasonably well founded. We were driving cars that had no special preparations other than a racing seat, a harness, and a rollbar that seemed to be there for show. For starters, most drivers’ heads were taller than the protection it might offer in a rollover, and it would be little to no help in a side impact against a gum tree. Or a cliff face. The cars also had no underbody protection, and no rally tyres. Mazda figured it would be cheaper to bring a truckload of spares rather than reboot every car with heavy-duty rubber. The company also calculated it would be cheaper to replace the bent bits afterwards, rather than add armour to the underside of every vehicle. And so, one by one, the cars came back with buckled rims and grazed bumpers. Some cars returned with two wheels in the shape of a capital D. Some were lucky enough to come back only with a layer of dust over them. But more importantly all cars (and drivers) came back mostly in one piece -- against the odds, and many of our private expectations. Or should that be fear? Apart from a lot of dirt behind my teeth, I came away from the experience with a new respect for the off-road ability, durability, balance and poise of the Mazda MX-5, and the gravel-grabbing ability of Bridgestone road tyres. I never want to come back to life as a tyre. There was also a renewed respect for our comrades representing global superpower Russia, who adapted brilliantly well in trying conditions. The Australians may have yielded an overdue victory but one of the Russian young guns was equal second-fastest over the perilous course, out of 26 motor noters -- 22 of which were from Australia. In other words, Australians may have outnumbered them but the Russians outpaced most of the locals. Round four anyone, somewhere near the equator perhaps? That way we’re only half as jet-lagged as each other -- and both drowning in humidity. On second thoughts… This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling  

It's easy to get into, the cabin is spacious, well-equipped and comfortable - the driver is well accommodated for as well, with most things falling easily to hand. A runaway best seller thank to its convenient size and the Mazda badge. "It's a good car, but not great. And the CR-V is a better package for its price,'' Paul Gover said at the COTY judging. The steering wheel has key controls and there's good connectivity - the touchscreen satnav infotainment screen is easy to see but it's quirky map-rotation habits were disappointing. The rear passengers will notice the lack of rear vents in summer. A rear seat 12-volt outlet wouldn't go astray either, but apart from those two issues the rear seat occupants have good leg, foot and headroom. The ride is tending towards firm but doesn't cause complaints, the payoff coming in good body control and composed road manners in the bends - the Mazda3 on stilts analogy is apt. Steady pace can be maintained by the petrol engine but it's no fireball - the genuine manual change mode of the six-speed auto makes better use of the reasonable flexibility on offer by the little four-pot. Alternatively, you can wring its neck, but that's going to take the fuel economy north of the nine litres per 100km that was returned during our stint. The little Mazda has what it takes to re-define one side of the compact SUV segment, the on-road runners. In front-wheel drive guise it's not set-up for dirt work, but the CX-5 FWD is smooth, quiet and comfortable, but it's not perfect. No rear vents is an oversight, the satnav quirk was annoying and the diesel AWD promises to be the drivetrain of choice (and worth the $5500) if you want a decent amount of grunt under your right foot. Mazda CX-5 Maxx FWD petrol auto Price: from $29,880 Engine: 2.0 litre16-valve direct-injection DOHC four cylinder with i-Stop Transmission: six-speed automatic, front wheel drive Power: 114kW @ 6000rpm Torque: 200Nm @ 4000rpm Fuel use/emissions: 6.4 l/100km, tank 56 litres 91RON; 201g/km Brakes/safety systems: Driver and front passenger airbags, front seat side/thorax, curtain airbags, stability control (Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control), rear camera, tyre pressure warning Dimensions: Length 4540mm, width 1840mm, height 1710mm, wheelbase 2700mm, cargo volume 403 litres, weight 1475kg Wheels/tyres: 17in steel wheels Win $5,000 in our People's Choice competition.  

The Mazda CX-5 was named ‘most beautiful car’ in the SUV, Van and All-Wheel Drive category -- ahead of the Audi A6 and Q3. About 200,000 people in Europe participated in the poll, which saw the Japanese brand’s CX-5 compact SUV take the 17.8 per cent majority against its German competition. “The CX-5’s win at the AUTO BILD 2012 European Design Awards is significant for Mazda. Europe has a strong reputation for being a global design leader and for the Mazda CX-5 to receive this level of recognition across several European markets and to beat established European competitors really speaks volumes for the company’s design direction,” Mazda Australia spokesman Steve Maciver says. “It’s clear that the Kodo: Soul of Motion design language really resonates with customers and when combined with Skyactiv technology, the CX-5 has demonstrated that it has the ability to grow the Mazda brand both here in Australia and also in other key markets such as Europe.” The CX-5 is the first production model to showcase Mazda’s Kodo design ethos, which Mazda says “combines motion with the beauty and power of nature”. The contemporary aesthetic of the CX-5 has contributed to its success in Australia, with over 8000 sold here since its March launch. This is the second time the company has won an Auto Bild title – in 2009 the Mazda3 was labelled ‘most attractive new car’ in the Small and Compact category.

Major European vehicle safety organisation Euro NCAP, has highlighted the all-new Mazda CX-5, already rated as one of the best performers in its safety tests, for being at the forefront of its drive to equip all models with life-saving autonomous emergency braking (AEB). The system is not yet available here on the CX-5.  The European New Car Assessment Program organises crash-tests and provides fleets, company car drivers and private motorists with an independent assessment of the safety performance of some of the most popular cars sold in Europe. Now the organisation has called on motor manufacturers to fit AEB as standard on all cars and says that from 2014 it will include the technology in its crash test program star rating.  Mazda's AEB system that takes over braking control if necessary, is called `Smart City Brake Support' and CX-5 is one of the few models on sale in the UK that has the potentially life-saving technology fitted as standard across the range. Typically available on more expensive luxury cars, real world performance data suggests AEB systems can reduce accidents by up to 27 per cent, according to Euro NCAP.  

It's an unprecedented roller coaster genre that is brushing off economic downturns, rising fuel prices and threats of high interest rates. But be aware what you're buying because the question here isn't about the genre's popularity, but the definition of an SUV.  For more than buying a socially acceptable, family focused, versatile and - in some cases - even chic compliment to a suburban concrete driveway that wears a trendy acronym, we're buying station wagons.  My father had a station wagon as did many of my friends in the 1970s and 1980s. The only way they became trendy was to occy-strap a surfboard to the roof. Or hang it out the retracted tailgate window.  But they're not trendy anymore and that's why manufacturers have decided to market them as SUVs. It's been 40 years since Subaru's L-Series wagon powered all four wheels onto the Australian market, arguably the first snowball in what has become an SUV avalanche. That was a station wagon. Today, its replacement is the Forester which is an SUV. Roy Morgan communications director Norman Morris, in analysing one of his company's recent reports on new-car buyer intentions, notes that sales of SUVs is continuing to strengthen at the expense of the medium-sized, large car and sports car segments. "SUVs are seen as flexible and versatile rivals to traditional sedans,'' Mr Morris said. "Plus, there's so many models for the buyer to choose. "In relative terms, cars are now very cheap. As long as this continues, and interest rates remain low, we see new cars as being a very popular choice over the next four years at least.''  In the three months to April 1, SUV sales as a whole rose 23.4 per cent as the Australian passenger-car segment barely moved with a rise of 0.4 per cent. Little wonder that most carmakers have an entrant in the SUV arena and, showing that the craze is unlikely to dim, even Lamborghini and Bentley have announced they will make an SUV.  Many SUV's have two-wheel drive, so destroying whatever off-road potential the bodyshape may indicate. More proof that if you own an SUV, you're really just like your father (or grandfather) when it comes to vehicle choice is the fact that car makers have used SUVs to replace their station wagon lineup. Ford now has the Territory and has axed its Falcon wagon; Toyota's Camry wagon has been replaced with the Kluger and RAV4; Mitsubishi's Magna wagon is now the Outlander and so on. Cleverly, car makers find that people want all the macho, adventurous romance that are promised by the physical presence - and big wheels - of an SUV, without any of the costs. Buyers want to sit up high so see over all the other traffic, and it's only after leaving the showroom that they become aware that almost 50 per cent of the other traffic is the same height. The more recent crop of SUVs have become a bit lower to the ground as buyers complain about the previous high-risers having an uncomfortable bodyroll through corners. Engines have become smaller to combat high fuel use.  The result is the small-SUV segment that rocketed 48 per cent this year compared with the same three-month period in 2011. It was bolstered by newcomers such as the Skoda Yeti, Mazda CX-5, Jeep Compass and Subaru XV. It was good news in the medium-SUV sector which rose 20.3 per cent with 25,895 sales in the three months to April 1, pushed by Mazda's outgoing CX-7 sell-off and incoming CX-5.  There was also renewed interest in the Holden Captiva 5 (up 190.4 per cent), Kia Sportage (up 49.2%), Land Rover Defender (up 118.8%), Nissan X-Trail (up 66.8%), Mitsubishi ASX (up 57.8%) and the CX-5 which has sold 1509 units in a bit over four weeks.  Mazda predicts that its new CX-5 - which is says should settle at about 1000 sales a month - will divide buyers with its front-wheel drive models grabbing 35 per cent of the share and all-wheel drive models taking the balance of 65 per cent.  Mazda's project engineer for the CX-5 SUV - and before that, the bigger CX-9 wagon - says SUVs are here to stay. "There may be a change to a cross-over style that isn't so high, but SUVs are here for a long while yet,'' Hideaki Tanaka said.  

Just as Subaru launched its new all-wheel drive XV featuring a two-litre petrol engine with CVT and a thrifty fuel economy figure of 7L/100km that beats even the opposition's two-wheel-drive models, Mazda released its economy figures for the upcoming diesel CX-5 competitor. The CX-5 will arrive in showrooms in March with a choice of two-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines, but Mazda has so far only released its economy figures for the SKYACTIV-D diesel which comes in with 5.7L/100km. Subaru does not have a diesel variant. The new Mazda sub-compact SUV is the first to feature the full range of the company's new SKYACTIV engine, drive and transmission technology. The diesel models will all feature all-wheel drive and SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission.  Mazda Australia national marketing manager Alastair Doak says there has been "demand for a diesel-automatic combination, particularly in the SUV segment". Company spokesman Steve Maciver predicts the diesel model will "grab a larger share of the mix than we've seen on our passenger range previously". "We're not in a position yet to share any further details on petrol fuel economy or on pricing," he says. "What I can say is that we expect the CX-5 line-up to offer great value across the range and present a very appealing proposition for anyone in the market for an SUV."

Powered by a new 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel engine, it delivers fuel economy of 5.7/100km. It also the first diesel to be offered by Mazda with an automatic.  As well as best in class economy, the new engine produces a class-leading 420Nm of torque and 129kW of power.  The all-wheel drive CX-5 is the first Mazda to feature the full range of the company's new SKYACTIV Technology. "We've been keen to add a diesel engine with an automatic transmission to our range for quite some time. The development of the CX-5 and our new SKYACTIV Technology has given us this opportunity and, quite frankly, we can't wait to get it here," Mazda's Alastair Doak said.  "There's certainly demand for a diesel automatic combination, particularly in the SUV segment and with the right powertrain combinations, plus all-new technology and design we're confident that CX-5 has the goods to become one of Australia's most popular SUVs."

Christmas cheer goes out the car window when it comes to grabbing that elusive vacant shopping centre position. More than two-thirds of drivers (70 per cent) say another motorist has stolen a car park while they were waiting for it, according to an RACQ Insurance survey. It is so frequent, one in 20 drivers say it happens to them more than half the time they go shopping. RACQ Insurance spokesman Mike Sopinski said the holiday shopping rush created "an astonishingly high number of drivers who admit to inconsiderate and even illegal behaviour in their attempts to grab a shopping centre car park". "It's all part of the stress that snowballs at this time of year with last-minute shopping, noisy kids in the back, increased competition for the available car park spots in large shopping centres; it all adds up to frustrated motorists," he said.  "I went to the shops last Saturday and had to do a dozen laps of the carpark just to find a spot. When you finally find a spot and someone steals it these sorts of things raise the frustration levels of motorists and lead to car park rage." Worse than stealing car park spaces is the number of drivers who damage other vehicles and don't leave a note. The research reveals almost one-third (29 per cent) have had their car damaged while parked in the past 12 months and the offender did not leave contact details. One-in-five drivers said they would think twice about leaving their contact details if they damaged a vehicle in a car park and no one saw them. "That's a pretty malicious thing to do," Mr Sopinski said. Females are more likely to leave contact details (94 per cent) if they damaged a parked vehicle and no one saw them as opposed to males (86 per cent). Honesty levels improve with driving experience as 93 per cent of drivers over 30 would consider leaving their details, compared with 86 per cent under 30. "It could be worse at Christmas time because time constraints may influence motorists. All they want to do is get in and get out ASAP."  Males have problems safely navigating car parks with nine per cent admitting they collided with another vehicle in a car park over the past 12-months, compared with four per cent of female drivers. "I think males operate cars with greater confidence levels which may not translate into actual driving ability," Mr Sopinski said. Damage to parked cars accounted for about 15 per cent of all RACQ Insurance car insurance claims last year, with repairs costing an average of $1655. "It can be quite a substantial cost, depending on the model of car," Mr Sopinski said. Almost one in five (19 per cent) suffered scratches to their car from shopping trolleys, 11 per cent copped dents, and 15 per cent had scratches from car doors being opened on their car while 10 per cent copped dents.