The 2017 Mazda CX-5 has a tasteful, two-tone interior.
View other Test Drive stories by Mark Kennedy
Looking for a used or new car?
View other columns by Mark Kennedy
Fast facts
- Model: 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Exterior color: Titanium Flash Mica - Interior color: Parchment - Engine: 2.5-liter, four-cylinder - Horsepower: 184 - Transmission: six-speed automatic - Fuel economy: 33 mpg highway, 26 mpg city - Local Dealer: Edd Kirby's Adventure Mitsubishi Mazda - Price (as tested): $32,285
The Mazda CX-5 is a five-passenger compact SUV to bring home to your mother: buttoned-down, clean-cut and unfailingly frugal.
Oh, and did we mention the CX-5 also has a winning personality?
With the most expressive front fascia in the segment, the CX-5 wears a smile that underlines its charms. It's frequently rated by automotive journalists at the top of a compact-SUV list that includes the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV-4, among others.
With a thrifty but potent 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the CX-5 manages to inject driving enjoyment into a segment dominated by plain-vanilla people-movers designed for maximum reliability and practicality.
Our Titanium Flash Mica tester, in top-of-the-line Grand Touring trim, has a sticker price of $32,285. Lesser-equipped models can be had for as little as $21,795 with a smaller 2.0-liter engine and a manual transmission.
Slotted in Mazda's SUV line-up between the diminutive CX-3 and the family-sized, three-row CX-9, the CX-5 is a good fit for families with small children and empty-nesters who don't need a lot of back-seat passenger room.
The 2016 CX-5 is a lightly tweaked version of the 2013 re-design that vaulted the CX-5 to prominence in the segment. A major cosmetic redo is scheduled for the 2018 model year to debut in the first half of 2017. Reports are that the 2018 line-up will include a first-ever turbo-diesel engine option, while dropping the 2.0-liter four-cylinder base motor.
For about $1,250 more at all trim levels, CX-5 buyers can add an all-wheel drive system that would be useful if you happen to live at altitude. In a front-wheel-drive configuration, the CX-5 is perfect for Chattanooga's city-dwellers and suburban commuters.
When it comes to fuel economy, expect 33 mpg highway and 26 mpg city.
STYLING AND FEATURES
The CX-5's sheet metal has more personality than most of its competitors. A sculpted hood flows into an oversized windshield that opens up the cockpit like a greenhouse. The CX-5's flanks are marked by flowing character lines and contoured cladding on the rocker panels that add visual interest.
The two-tone, 19-inch wheels on our tester toughen up the look, helping the CX-5 make the leap from cute to cool.
The contrasting black-and-white interior color scheme gives the little Mazda a formal vibe. In fact, the interior looks like it's been dressed up in a tuxedo. Dash instrumentation is sparse, not busy. It's a nice, clean look; but we wished for a volume and tuning knob for the radio. Instead, a 7-inch touch screen took quite a bit of futzing for us to master.
Front bucket seats are deeply bolstered (and heated) and the driver's seat has an eight-way power function. Perforated leather upholstery feels like it's made from quality hides. The rear seats have been widened some this year for the comfort of larger passengers.
Standard equipment on the Grand Touring model includes a power moonroof, a nine-speaker Bose sound system and navigation.
Safety tech is spread across three levels of appointments. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard. Adaptive cruise control, emergency brake support and lane-departure warning are part of the $1,500 ActiveSense package, and pedestrian brake support is available as part of a $1,155 Grand Touring Tech Package that also includes an assortment of LED lighting upgrades.
DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
When Mazda first added the 2.5-liter engine option, we thought it was a big improvement on the standard 2.0-liter engine. It's still a competent powerplant but the competition is getting better, too. The turbo-charged engine in the Ford Escape EcoBoost, for example, seems more responsive in on-ramp acceleration.
Rated at 184 horsepower, the 2.5-liter four-cylinder will launch the CX-5 from 0-60 miles per hour in about 7.7 seconds, about a half-second slower than the Ford.
In several days of Chattanooga-area driving, the 2016 CX-5 impressed us with its composed road manners and precise steering. Under acceleration, the CX-5's engine is a bit loud, but it settles into a pleasant hum at lower RPMs. Our two sons, 15 and 10, found back seat leg room to be just adequate.
Visibility is a real plus on the CX-5. The windshield is enormous and the side mirrors do a good job of framing the rear view. Changing lanes on our Highway 127 morning commute was a snap.
BOTTOM LINE
For many of today's buyers, compact SUVs have replaced mid-size sedans as the default mode of family transportation. Mazda's CX-5 gets the basics right, but also raises the ante with a class-leading interior design and a powerful and efficient four-cylinder engine.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.