Mark Gallivan
Model: 2022 Mazda CX-5 Newground 2.2 Skyactiv-D manual FWD
Price: €43,325 as tested (from €36,745) in Ireland
Engine: 2.2 Skyactiv-D turbo intercooler, 150PS, 380Nm torque
Performance: 0-100km in 9.9 seconds, 204km/h top speed
Fuel consumption: 42mpg, 5.6 l/100km, 147g/km CO2
Verdict: Mazda’s CX-5 compact SUV gets mid-life update. Still good to drive. Lack of new hybrid electrification hasn’t extinguished the CX-5’s low speed torque shortcoming. Cabin remains marvelous.
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X nearly hits the spot
Mazda is cool. Whatever your views on rivalling Japanese manufacturers you always get the feeling Mazdas are built by car people. Not for Mazda are accountants allowed to meddle in the company’s innovative pursuit of petrol engine innovations and niche models. For 2022 the brand’s best-selling CX-5 compact SUV has been facelifted following the second generation’s launch in 2017. Lest we forget this is Mazda the people that manufacture the tiny MX-5 roadster and retractable fastback. If you hanker after a two seat sports car with a folding roof that drives like a less extreme Caterham Seven it’s only the MX-5 that does it at the price. It would stick out as an oddity in another car company chasing SUV and EV sales. A car maker as humourless as Volkswagen would have killed it ages ago.
If you are expecting to learn of Mazda adding new hybrid electrification to boost the CX-5’s low-speed torque that beleaguered the last generation you’ll be disappointed. The engine line up sticks with a one petrol variant – 165PS (front wheel drive) and two diesels – 150PS and 184PS (front wheel drive or all wheel drive). All are available in 6-speed manual or automatic gearboxes. There is zero electrification and not even a PHEV version available for this refreshed CX-5
Updates for 2022 include new exterior changes, improvements to handling, reduction of NVH and a smidgen of new equipment. The CX-5 gets two new model levels – Newground and Homura. In total there are six different CX-5 models to choose from depending on the country you live in. Of these newest additions it’s the Newground model we’re testing here. I found performance was behind the pack with a sluggish 0-100km/h in 9.9 seconds. Regenerative electrification or direct to plug charging is long overdue to keep the CX-5’s performance up with rivals in 2022.
That is an observation, not a concern. What did emerge from the diesel variant tested was the paucity of low speed torque necessitating the driver to drop down a gear to accelerate from a junction. On a few city drives I kept the gearbox in second gear instead of third simply to keep up with traffic. There were no issues with the engine itself, the 2.2 Skyactiv-D diesel engine was smooth if lacking some of the aural personality I hoped for. Fuel consumption was respectable at 42mpg, 5.6 l/100km. Do try the petrol version to compare and decide if the lower fuel economy is deal breaker.
The existential rightness of the CX-5 original design holds true because Mazda has sensibly not gone down the rabbit hole of recent German manufacturers and released new models so ugly that they frighten existing owners away. For 2022 the CX-5 remains a very handsome small SUV. For me, I’d prefer the dash to axle relationship to be longer by moving the front wheels 1.5 inches closer to the front bumper. Take a look at the photos to see if you agree. The CX-5 is still one of the better looking Japanese compact crossover SUVs on sale.
Changes include a new front lights, a stylised three-dimension grille, bumper, wheels. Even Mazda puts the 2021 model beside this facelifted version in the press release because the updates are best observed side by side. The Newground version gets front and rear silver underguard trims and 19” alloy wheels. Curiously for Mazda, that builds minimalist designed cabins it added a small lime green colour-coded insert into a portion of the front grille and dashboard air vents and seat stitching. It was not a high point of the Newground trim.
Other than that the cabin is largely unchanged. The central 10-inch touchscreen looks small in comparison with the oversized computer monitors that are bolted into cabins nowadays. But it’s not a hindrance as operating the main functions is managed by a centre console located rotary controller. Mazda hasn’t cut corners and little delights remain like the circular climate control buttons that rotate with a precise click and weight that would impress a BMW owner. The cabin is light and airy despite the dark trim on this test vehicle. All is good in there – I just wish they fitted a smaller diameter steering wheel – it’s too large.
For a compact crossover SUV the boot space is generous at 506 litres to 1,620 litres with rear seats folded.
The CX-5 charm offensive fights back with a tight chassis and steering that encourages relatively sporty driving. Mazda has made efforts to insulate the CX-5 to be quieter on the road. It has worked. The isolation from engine and road noise was impressive. The 2022 CX-5 is a good choice for families but the diesel’s lack of electrification, regenerative or PHEV to boost low down grunt would have transformed this CX-5’s final verdict for one of our favourite car makers.