Mazda Reviews

Aussies love SUVs. That’s why three landed on the 2012 Carsguide’s Car of the Year finals – the Kia Sorento, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5 tested here.A bigger boot and better value for money ranked the CR-V higher but the CX-5 is still a strong contender in the compact SUV segment with plenty of goodies and that well loved Mazda badge.VALUEPrices start from $27,880 for the base model Maxx with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine driving through the front wheels and jumps up to $46,630 for the top spec Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring with a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel mated to four wheel drive.All CX-5 variants have keyless entry, a reversing camera and a push-start button. The top of the range gets a luxury kit that includes 19 inch alloy wheels, two subwoofers, nine speaker stereo, one amplifier, park assist, Bi-Xenon headlamps and daytime running lights.The Maxx Sport is the middle of the range and comes in both front wheel drive ($33,620) and four wheel drive petrol ($36,120) or diesel ($39,470) variants.The Maxx Sport petrol 4WD tested here has MP3, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, six speaker stereo, dual climate control, cruise control, steering wheel controls, reversing camera, colour display and multi function control touch screen, SATNAV, hill holder and rain sensors.DESIGNThe outside has a large grille, attractive 17 inch alloy wheels (top spec gets 19 inch), body colour bumpers, front fog lamps, a chrome tip exhaust, and a rear roof mounted spoiler.The exterior design theme has been christened by Mazda as “Kodo” meaning “Soul of Motion.” Specifically, the styling is inspired by the movements of a cheetah through a powerful, sturdy and agile look. However, our test vehicle was likened to a “sturdy wombat” by onlookers due to the flat nose and round rear.On the inside there’s a pleasant contrast between the dark seat upholstery and dashboard and the white upper roof area. We particularly liked the attractive leather steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake, however in this variant the dark seat material isn’t leather - only found in the top spec Grand Touring. The seats are comfortable and there’s room in the back to fit two adults comfortably but the middle seat is a bit cramped due to the engine tunnel.TECHNOLOGYFor those looking for greater fuel efficiency the 2.2-litre diesel engine is a good choice. It may not compare to premium brands such as Volvo, BMW and Mercedes but for this class the sound of the diesel engine is smooth. The diesel variant has 420 Newton metres of torque compared to the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Skyactiv petrol’s 198 Newton metres, which translates to much better performance. Official specs show towing capacity is the same for both at 1800kg.We tested the petrol mated to all four wheels. The official combined fuel economy is 6.9L/100Km and urban is 8.2L/100km (on test we got 9.5L/100km). The six speed sports auto transmission is well matched to the car and you can choose between front wheel drive and four wheel drive. The six speed manual is only available in the base model Maxx.SAFETYAcross the model range safety features include six airbags, electronic brake force distribution and ABS technology. The Maxx Sport also gets brake assist, reversing camera, dynamic stability control, traction control, fog lamps, engine immobiliser, light sensitive automatic headlamps and hill holder.DRIVINGMaking yourself comfortable in the CX-5 is easy, with a height adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel. The driver’s position is high up on the road and provides a good panoramic front view.In fact, the overall view is stand-out. The front visibility is clear due to the thin pillars and rear visibility is helped by the wide side mirrors, large rear vision mirror and reversing camera.The petrol engine is a bit noisier than expected which was a bit disappointing. However, what the CX-5 lacks in insulation it makes up for in road handling. The firm steering provides great control around corners and the smooth suspension allows the car to glide over most bumps without the shaking that poor suspension can bring.To help reduce your fuel consumption Mazda incorporates Skyactiv technology including start stop technology. It turns the engine off while the car is stopped at the lights or in traffic to save on fuel and thus lower your emissions. We were impressed by its smooth transition from stop to start. But if you find the feature a distraction, there’s a ‘i-Stop’ button to turn it off.VERDICTIt’s unsurprising the CX-5 made it onto the 2012 Carsguide Top 10 COTY contest; it has plenty of variants to choose from (diesel, petrol, FWD, 4WD), provides a comfortable driving experience and has the features most compact SUV buyers are looking for (reversing camera, SATNAV, touchscreen). So if you’re in the market for a compact SUV, put the CX-5 on the “look” at list.Mazda CX-5 Maxx SportPrice: from $36,120Warranty: 3 yearsEngine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol, 113kW/198NmTransmission: 6-speed auto, FWDThirst: 6.9L/100Km, CO2 160g/km

It seems that Mazda can do no wrong in Australia these days. It ‘arranged’ just the right weather for the media launch of the latest version of its latest CX-5 SUV – the rain was hissing down in south-east Queensland, creating floods, closing roads and generally causing mayhem.The seeming contradiction in our opening par is created by the fact that all-wheel-drive vehicles handle the above mentioned conditions better than those in which only two wheels are connected to the engine.So while the Mazda PR people were profuse in their apologies for the bad weather, they actually did themselves a favour by letting us experience the added grip and the greater margin of safety a CX-5 with AWD provides.As well as the new engine option, the rest of the Mazda CX-5 range has received upgrades. The Mail function enables SMS, MMS and emails to be viewed on a larger, 5.8-inch, touchscreen. Messages are spoken by an automated voice when you’re using a Bluetooth connected to a smartphone. The address book now holds up to 1000 contacts enabling calls to be made by using voice commands.Changes in the latest Mazda CX-5 aren’t restricted to mechanical ones. The top of the line model previously known as the Grand Touring with a technical package has been renamed the CX-5 Akera.The event wasn’t intended to showcase the benefits of taming slippery roads, but to introduce another engine to the Mazda CX-5 range. As well as the existing 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder unit, the CX-5 is now available with a 2.5-litre petrol that produces 138 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque. Well up on the 114 kW and 200 Nm of the engines smaller 2.0-litre brother.Also on the smile-inducing front is the extra cost of that extra 500 cubic centimetres - just 500 dollars. A real bargain, indeed it’s hard to see many people opting for the small saving from the smaller powerplant. Indeed, saving $500 today may result in a loss of more than $500 when it comes to resale time.Note, however, that changes to the engine’s computer on the 2.0-litre have been made to improve its feel and responsiveness. We haven’t yet tested these upgraded engines and may change our minds about criticisms we made when we test drove these engines midway through 2012.So good is the technology in Mazda’s SkyActiv 2.5-litre engine that they not only provide the greatest power and torque in the hotly contested medium SUV class in Australia, but also have the lowest official fuel consumption.The 2.5-litre petrol engine (and the 2.2-litre diesel, not tested here) are only sold in all-wheel-drive versions of the Mazda CX-5. Whereas the 2.0 petrol unit comes only with two-wheel-drive, the front wheels.We are pleased to see that the red and blue paint colours have been given stronger shades. This makes a pleasant change from the seemingly endless array of silver, grey and black cars from most car makers that are currently on our roads.Torque is the main feature drivers want from an engine and the 25 per cent increase in the 2.5 over the 2.0 shows up in excellent driveability. Even on the slippery roads we encountered all day we were able to push the engine hard at times and the extra grunt brought smiles to our faces on many occasions.Though we pushed the Mazdas hard on the slippery and potentially dangerous roads at no time did we find the electronic safety systems coming into play to rescue us from stupid driving. In other words standard setup of the suspension was so good that no assistance was required.

Medium is now something of a misnomer when the conversation turns to the Mazda 6.

You don’t buy a Mazda 3 to stand out. They crowd most Aussie parking lots and dominate city traffic. The Mazda 3 has been Australia’s top-selling car for two years running.

Contrary to a popular maxim, size matters. Especially if you're Japanese. Having deemed the petrol engine of their wildly popular CX-5 incapable of providing satisfaction, Mazda made it bigger. In Europe, they'd blow a small engine by means of a turbo charger, but Japanese car makers are averse to forcing induction on all but their go fast cars.So, a year after its introduction, the CX-5 gets a heftier donk, one to bridge the gap between the still entry level 2.0-litre petrol model and the formidable but more expensive diesels. The new unit won't win you any bragging contests, but it does add further substance to an upstanding range.There have been wars less keenly contested than the compact SUV market. To feed your seemly insatiable appetite for hatchbacks with an elevated driving position, the choice has doubled in the last decade. Cars formerly synonymous with the segment such as Honda's CR-V and Toyota's RAV4 are barely competitive.Much of the CX-5's perceived value flows from the vast success of the nation's number one car, the small Mazda3, a phenomenon that it does not come near equalling elsewhere. The smaller petrol engine remains on entry and seconds tier variants, the new one coming in on the CX-5 Maxx 2.5L starting at $32,880. The new petrol range topping Akera is $45,770.Standard kit levels rise incrementally through the all-wheel-drive Maxx Sport and Grand Touring to the Akera which cops Blind Spot Monitoring, High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning system and leather upholstery.Enhancing the sense this is a premature midlife upgrade to fight off the RAV4, Bluetooth across all models has been upgraded and now features replay, shuffle and folder switching capabilities. The mail function enables SMS, MMS and email to show up on the quite small touchscreen monitor with messages read out via Bluetooth connected smartphones.The address book holds up to 1000 contacts that can be called by voice command. Some new colours too. Well, one actual colour - a different shade of red. The others are black and grey.What's the real difference between Japanese and German cars? Alright, the former tend to be more reliable. The latter tend to be more desirable.The substantive difference is turbo charging. The Germans turbo charge everything, extracting amazing efficiency and performance from small engines. Last year, for the first time, the majority of cars on sale came with some form of forced induction.Some Volkswagens use both super and turbo charging. All diesels are turbo-charged. So are most petrol engines, the cars the great majority of us drive. But not those of Mazda.The 2.5 four cylinder engine shared with the Mazda6 is for now the most useful of the so-called Skyactiv petrol range. Though not nearly so impressive as the 2.2-litre turbo diesel with its mountain of torque, the free breathing petrol engine puts out an efficient 138kW/250Nm.Despite best in class fuel economy, this output, as we'll see, seems more impressive than it is. It can, however, run on basic unleaded.So flowery is the language to which Mazda resort in describing their wares, you often wonder if you haven't stumbled into a haiku contest rather than a technical briefing. "Soul of motion"; "Rider and horse". Enough already.Unlike the current Mazda3, the SUV is not folded and creased like a piece of metal origami. It's in practical areas, those of the essence to a family car, that this stylish and even cool SUV is trumped by dowdier rival.The entry CX-5 was flushed in the first round of competition at Carsguide's 2012 Car of the Year while the deadly dull but worthy CR-V made the top four because of things like its bigger and more readily accessed load space. We'd rather drive the CX-5 through any set of curves, but if that was the chief criteria we'd be in a proper car.Five crash safety stars across the range, but you need to spend to get the full and formidable array which includes lane departure warning and blind spot alert. The all-wheel-drive system, which comes in from $33,880, is an active system that's always there, rather than the part time jobs on most rivals.So there we were in the Brisbane hinterland on Tuesday morning close behind a Suzuki SX4 and an older Mazda SUV - the discontinued CX-7 with its belting 2.3 turbo four. At length we came upon an overtaking lane, indicated, moved right and ... Nothing much happened.The older Mazda summoned itself and soared up the long curving hill courtesy of its lovely plateau of torque. Foot flat to the boards, the six speed auto lunging down, it was all our top line Akera could do to keep up with humble but impertinent Suzuki. Hardly the emphatic response sought.While the entry petrol is caught out when asked to do much more than trundle about the metropolis, the bigger engine offers not a lot extra. Mazda DNA guarantees driving dynamics of the first order, but real world deployment - everyday urban grinding, shopping and school running - all but nullifies that ability.By changing gears manually - something  Mazda autos indulge more than most - decent progress was maintained but a predictable costs in fuel consumption a barely under 10L/100km for a 270km round trip with a large component of freeway.At least it goes about it discreetly. Mazda has tackled its old problem of undue noise permeating the cabin.

Crowned as one of the best selling sports cars in history, the new Mazda MX-5 is a welcome treat for its large – and still growing – fan base.Base model price has risen slightly coming in at $47,280. Top spec stays the same at $52,010.The tried and tested 2.0-litre four cylinder remains – no surprise there. Even with the base model outputs hold a respectable 118 kilowatts and 188 newton meters.Mazda has made bold changes to the frontal styling of its MX-5. Whereas every model to date had a grille that harked back to the original 1989 MX-5, the latest model follows a similar theme to the other passenger models in the extensive Mazda range.The result is that the latest MX-5 has a deep grille shaped to give it a 3D appearance. The headlights have a gunmetal effect in their surrounds. Foglights are a fashion item these days, so the MX-5’s stand out proudly to attract the younger generation.This is likely to be the final shape of the third generation MX-5 prior to the all-new model that’s due in 2014.Fascinatingly, the next generation of Mazda MX-5 sees the very Japanese Mazda company teamed with the legendary Italian Alfa Romeo organisation.We can’t wait to see what should be an excellent mix of Italian style and Japanese build quality. Cynics joke that it may be the other way around, but let’s think positive.The MX-5’s interior has also received a fairly mild rework. The previous silver decoration panels and aluminium-finish steering wheel bezel have been replaced by a glossy dark grey.Two-tone Recaro sports seats with leather and perforated Alcantara facings were featured on the MX-5 Coupe Sports versions we tested.Sadly, a lack of interest in soft-top convertibles in Australia means that only the folding hardtops are being imported. I say ‘sadly’ because the lighter weight of the ragtop makes the MX-5 soft-top even more nimble. It gives the car a purer appearance even when it’s closed. Ah well, such is the reality of marketing...Boot space isn’t too bad for a car like this, but packing soft bags makes more sense than using rigid ones if you’re planning an extended holiday in a Mazda MX-5 – and that’s exactly what you should be doing if you want to really get the most possible enjoyment out of yours.Chief engineer of the MX-5 Nobuhiro Yamamoto, came to Australia for the launch of his new toy. Earlier in his career he worked in Australia with the local Mazda racing team so he really knows his stuff Yamamoto-san says his team has made changes to the throttle and brakes to further improved the turn in and the general handling ability of the car.On the road during our recent week’s road test we found the latest Mazda MX-5 to be as delightful to drive as ever. We have been road testing this little roadster since day one in Australia in 1989 and are very pleased to report the new MX-5 continues to provide driving in its purest form,We tested it extensively in our usual drive route that takes in motorway, suburban and beachside driving, as well as the hinterland behind our home area on the Gold Coast. The latter is just the type of road loved by true sports roadster drivers. Mazda MX-5 gives you fast and precise control through the steering wheel and by way of the throttle pedal.Being on the wrong side of 60 I have to admit that getting in and out of the Mazda MX-5 is somewhat of a struggle. You don’t have to be over 60 to find that the interior is on the tight side.The driving position isn’t too bad for legroom but I found that sitting in the passenger seat and not being able to straighten my legs made it uncomfortable after a long trip. Anyone over six-foot tall may like to try it for size before falling in love with the sporting nature of this beaut little roadster.

Vlad Manu road tests and reviews the Mazda 2 Neo, with specs, fuel economy and verdict.

The Japanese car maker has set the sights of its flagship passenger car range at entry level BMW 3 Series, Audi's A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class models.

There's hope for Australian car buyers yet. In an era when a basic task like parking a car inside the lines at a carpark is apparently too technically difficult or just too tedious for many drivers, the Mazda 3 continues to be the first choice for new car owners. So they must appreciate some element of the driving

Prices for the CX-9 range start from $44,525 for the entry level Classic spec.The infotainment system in the big Mazda SUV has been upgraded and now features audio, navigation and speech-recognition systems in what Mazda calls it’s HMI (Human Machine Interface).The big Mazda CX-9 has a relatively old-fashioned V6 petrol engine displacing 3.7 litres. Changes to the engine and its ancillaries in this facelifted model have been made in an attempt to  reduce its fuel consumption. It’s no longer the gas guzzler that it was in its early days, but the upgraded the model still likes a drink.On quiet country roads and motorways you may be able to get its consumption down to 10 to 12 litres per hundred kilometres. Around town expect the engine to be operating in the 12 to 15 litre range. These fuel figures are not good, but Mazda is presumably working on its fuel saving SkyActiv technology for the V6 engine and that will hopefully make the CX-9 kinder to the air we all breathe.The ancestors of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were 4WDs and back in the olden days the first 4WDs were nothing but trucks. Though things have changed since then, most SUVs tend to have relatively conservative styling. Styling that’s aimed not to offend conservative truck buyers.Mazda, always a very innovative company, has decided to break the old mould – resulting in SUVs that have moved completely away from their distant ancestors. It began with the Mazda CX-5 with its big grille and flowing lines. Now we see the subject of this week’s road test, the Mazda CX-9. Though the stylists were faced with the difficult job of taking an someone plain vehicle and giving it an all-new character, they have done their work well.Of course, most SUVs are bought as people movers, not SUVs and certainly not 4WDs, and these buyers can be conservative in their own right.Whether these people will go for the big new-look Mazda or one of its conservative looking competitors is a question that’s yet to be answered, but we certainly got plenty of looks during our week of living with a CX-9.There's room for seven adults without them being overly cramped, though four adults and three children is more realistic. The centre set of seats can slide back and forward to let you vary the amount of legroom available in this seat and the third row seats. With the centre seat in its rearmost position there's almost limo-like legroom.The third row of seats fold flat very simply to give a useful increase in luggage space. Even with all seven seats in use there's still room for a couple of fair-sized suitcases or similar behind them.Mazda Australia has been very strong on safety for many years, so the CX-9 has had electronic stability control and rollover protection to help prevent crashes since its introduction downunder in 2007.The list of safety features has been greatly expanded, particularly in the crash avoidance field. Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and High Beam Control (HBC) anticipate danger and help the driver avoid it. Not all safety systems are sold in every grade so it’s best to talk about them with your favourite Mazda dealer.Suspension and steering haven’t been altered in the new model. Though Australian imports have more dynamic settings than the American models, the big Mazda CX-9 is relatively soft and has very light steering. Keen drivers need not apply.Mazda CX-9 can certainly be used in light-duty running on forest trails, perhaps even at the beach. We did quite a few kilometres running on dirt road and found the suspension did an excellent job of cushioning shocks.The big Mazda has a good turning circle for its class and this is a real bonus when it comes to the reality of squeezing it into a tight parking space in an underground parking station. Our test vehicle didn’t have parking ‘beepers’ but did have a reversing camera.