Mazda CX-5 News

Mazda Australia is preparing to roll out a new flagship 170kW/420Nm 2.5-litre turbo-petrol-powered CX-5 mid-size SUV, if homologation documentation on the Australian Design Rule (ADR) website is anything to go by.Although Mazda Australia is yet to confirm an official release, PR boss Sonia Singh said: "If it was something that was made available, I'd love for us to explore it further and see whether it was something that Australian consumers were after."The turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine looks to be lifted directly from the CX-9 large SUV, where it produces identical power and torque outputs at 5000rpm and from 2000rpm respectively.Mazda's only turbo-petrol engine also made its way into the facelifted Mazda 6 sedan and wagon model earlier this year in May, but is reserved for only the top-spec grades.The CX-5 – Australia's most popular SUV – is also expected to adopt a similar variant line-up as the ADR documentation also details the carryover naturally aspirated 115kW 2.0-litre and 140kW 2.5-litre petrol engines, as well as the 140kW 2.2-litre turbo-diesel unit.As such, the turbo engine will likely be offered to customers buying GT and Akera grades as an option.Also expect to see the force-fed CX-5 equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, 19-inch wheels and a standard sunroof.The turbocharged CX-5 is also 100kg heavier at 1675kg tare compared to its free-breathing 2.5-litre sibling, but compensates by lifting maximum towing capacity by 200kg to 2000kg – the same as the diesel-powered model.Timing remains unclear, but Mazda Australia could launch the turbocharged CX-5 before the end of the year or early in 2019.

Australia’s favourite SUV, the Mazda CX-5, has been given a refresh with updates to its petrol and diesel engines, as well as minor improvements to specification in higher grades.

Holden recorded its lowest monthly market share yet last month, dipping to 4.9 per cent while it transitioned to its new model line-up, including the imported ZB Commodore and Equinox mid-size SUV.The Red Lion, a one-time market leader, claimed eighth position for the first time ever in last month’s VFACTS national sales rankings, trailing Mitsubishi, Ford, Honda and Nissan but just ahead of Volkswagen and Kia.Managing only 4689 units in February, Holden sales were down 18.1 per cent on the same month last year, despite the overall Australian new-vehicle market improving by 7.8 per cent to 95,999 vehicles – the second best February return yet following 2016’s 96,443 units.Holden product and brand communications senior manager Mark Flintoft said the brand had anticipated a slower start to the New Year, but expected to return to form soon.“It’s always our aim to sell more vehicles, and our current market share is not where we want it to be,” he said. “That said, February’s result is unnatural in that new Commodore is only just reaching dealerships, and while Equinox inquiry and test drives are growing, we are still establishing the nameplate.“We’re also waiting on the diesel Equinox which arrives at the end of the month. We’ve got our strongest product line-up ever with more in the pipeline, so we expect to bounce back quickly.”Holden sold only 737 Commodores during the month, representing less than half the total of February last year when 1566 examples of the locally built model were sold.It was also the second month in a row that Holden’s sales took a significant hit, with its January tally down 20 per cent, partly due to a lack of Commodore stock and a flood of ‘demonstrator’ Astras registered in dealerships in December. The newly-minted Equinox amassed just 364 sales last month, good enough for 11th in the evergreen mid-size-SUV segment that was again led by the Mazda CX-5 (2181). While light-commercial vehicles were booming in other showrooms, Colorado sales dipped about 20 per cent, to 1039 vehicles – around a quarter of the Toyota HiLux’s volume.Overall, Holden’s sales are down 19 per cent year-to-date – or 2500 units – while its market share sits at 5.6 per cent, which is well behind its full-year effort of 7.6 per cent in 2017.SUVs and light-commercial vehicles again drove the market last month, up 12.1 and 13.3 per cent respectively year-to-date, while passenger cars slid once more (down 0.7 per cent).Toyota took advantage of the thriving market conditions, increasing its sales by 12.1 per cent, to 18,281 units, which allowed it to again claim first place.Similarly, the HiLux utility was the most popular model in February, tallying 4426 sales – its best-ever return for the month and an improvement of more than 1000 units over last year – to outpace the Ford Ranger (3544) which assumed second place.Mazda totalled 9913 sales last month – down 0.1 per cent – to take second spot on the sales chart ahead of Hyundai which sold 8001 vehicles – up 14.3 per cent – for third position.Mitsubishi and Honda were two of the bolters in February, with the former increasing sales by 24 per cent to 7142 units and fourth spot, while the latter improved 55.3 per cent to 4962 vehicles and sixth place.Strong Ranger sales – up more than 20 per cent – and better performances from its SUVs helped Ford lift its sales by 6.9 per cent to 6059 units and fifth position.Nissan’s Navara utility – which was recently updated – and X-Trail mid-size SUV were central to the seventh-placed Japanese brand’s increased sales, up 9.9 per cent to 4863 vehicles.Volkswagen came within striking distance of Holden for the first time, finishing in ninth spot with 4671 sales. However, it was ahead of Kia (4664, up 11.7 per cent) and Subaru (3901, up four per cent).

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has handed the third-gen Kia Picanto a four-star safety rating, while the Mazda CX-5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet have been given top marks.

It’s official: Australians now buy more SUVs than passenger cars, or at least they did in February.

Mitsubishi's new Eclipse Cross model is expected to slot between the brand’s ASX and Outlander SUVs.

For the first time in over a year, Holden has enjoyed a positive year-on-year sales growth with its January 2017 tally hitting 7184 – a 5.3 per cent increase.

Mazda Australia would like for a turbocharged variant to the return to the Mazda6 line-up for the first time since 2004's MPS hero model.

Australia's love affair with one-tonne utes can't be denied, with the Toyota HiLux being crowned 2016's most popular model.

Australia's number one SUV will grow by one model and gain extra gear with next year’s update.