Test drive Mazda CX-5

In Georgia, on straight lines, the "Mercedes" came off, but in the corners it dropped heavily. The serpentine began, and the CX-5 after a while caught up, and then almost gored the weaving sedan.

Five years have passed between the test of the first Mazda CX-5 in Georgia and the driving presentation of the new generation car. Usually, during this time, a person manages to mature, gain weight, learn to value comfort and status, and part with some illusions. Much the same thing happened with the new Mazda crossover. Did he manage to preserve the youth of the soul? The souls of the Kodo movement that the Japanese love to talk about.

The dimensions of the new CX-5 have remained virtually unchanged. The increase in body length by a centimeter is imperceptible - a press release prompt is required. Moreover, the wheelbase has remained the same - 2700 millimeters. Another thing is noticeable - a shift in proportions. The new CX-5 turned out to be nasal due to the shifted windshield struts and a slightly increased front overhang. Long bonnets that can easily accommodate a multi-cylinder engine are becoming a fashion craze like vapes and spinners.

The CX-5 sits lower and therefore looks less like a station wagon or SUV. The optics were lifted up as much as possible, the chrome-plated radiator grille horns pierce the headlights from below, not from above. The bow-curved fold in the tailgate does not pass through the lights, but under them. Designers, by their own admission, have created a look devoid of optional elements.

"Refined rigidity", although it sounds a little pompous, but just describes the transformations that have occurred with the appearance of the CX-5. If earlier designers worked on an elegant drawing of details, now they are diligently straightening the tight lines of the body. The only exception is the chrome blade at the C-pillar, which ends with the sill molding.

Fog lights have become victims of the struggle with embellishments - their beads glisten from a narrow horizontal slot in the lower part of the bumper. The bumper itself turned out to be empty, in the rear-view mirror it moves in like the buckets of a bulldozer. LED fury glows in the narrow headlights, the deep black mouth of the grille is open.

You seem to be pursuing something menacing like the Maserati Levante. Or Jaguar F-Pace, if the body is painted in deep blue or intolerably red. In any case, we can say that the CX-5 now looks more premium, and the LED headlights are already in the Drive trim on the "handle" and with a fabric interior.

If the external design plays up the lines of the car of the previous generation, then nothing was left of the interior style. If something reminds of the previous crossover, it is a "three-window" dashboard with a display in the far right window, a climate system unit with a characteristic circle in the center, an automatic selector and door handles. Everything else has been revised.

The front panel became lower and lost its "cave" - ​​the multimedia display was installed on top, like on the Mazda6. A somewhat coarse wood-like plank is deeply pressed into the front part of the panel, air ducts with massive frames protrude forward.

Real seams with real stitching run along the window sills, front panel, sidewalls of the central tunnel. It is more difficult to find hard plastic here, the glove compartment is velvet inside, and the pockets in the doors are equipped with rugs. Many brands declare claims for premium, but I confess that you do not expect this from a modest and ascetic Mazda.

The same applies to the equipment: all power windows with automatic closing, electric handbrake with Auto Hold function. There's even a heated steering wheel - an obvious luxury for the Japanese brand, not to mention the head-up display and OEM navigation.

The only strange thing is that the central locking button and USB connectors from the niche under the center console have disappeared somewhere. The windshield of the CX-5 is not fully heated, but only in the rest area of ​​the brushes. With emergency braking and lane tracking systems, the crossover for the Russian market still lacks adaptive cruise control.

The wheelbase remains unchanged, so there is as much space in the back row as it was. This is not to say that Mazda is cramped, but competitors offer more headroom between the knees and the backs of the front seats. And more comfort, although now the CX-5 also has additional air ducts in the center, a heated rear sofa and two backrest positions.

The trunk (506 l) has become more convenient - the threshold is slightly lower, and the door for the first time received an electric drive. The underground has become more spacious, the upholstery is of better quality, and the niches behind the arches are covered with lids. Well, the branded curtain, which rises with the door, has not gone anywhere.

The new CX-5, like a tourist in Georgia, gained weight. Only additional noise insulation here is 40 kilograms. For a brand that preaches automotive fitness, this is an unprecedented business. Additionally, for the sake of fighting noise, the body was reshaped and aerodynamics were improved. The windshield wipers were hidden deeper under the edge of the hood, the door seals were modified and double glass was installed in them.

According to Mazda's internal measurements, the new CX-5 is quieter than many premium crossovers. And it’s easy to believe it, sitting inside. A couple of times I mistakenly turned off the engine with a button or moved the automatic transmission lever on a muffled car - so quietly it works at idle. Gone and the polyphony of tires, wind and motor.

The black E-Class of the previous generation sensed the chase and picked up the pace. We had no goal to pursue him, and on the projection display every now and then the icon "50" flashed - settlements. On straight lines, the "Mercedes" came off, but in the corners it threw heavily. The serpentine began, and after a while the CX-5 caught up and almost gored the weaving sedan.

The top-end petrol unit with a volume of 2,5 liters slightly increased in power and torque, and the six-speed "automatic" in sports mode keeps the gear and easily shifts down with a sharp addition of gas. The acceleration time has increased in comparison with the previous generation - now, to reach 100 km / h, the crossover needs 9 seconds. The reason for the extra pounds? Or, at first, Mazda was too optimistic about the dynamics of the first car, and in the next generation, on the contrary, underestimated the crossover?

In any case, the CX-5 still comes across as fast and powerful. And he also easily straightens out the bends of the Georgian serpentine. On a handlebar with a three-quarter grip adjusted for the grip - excellent feedback. The rack here is rigidly connected to the subframe, and the body has become more rigid. The G-Vectoring system, operating with gas, loads the front wheels in a corner, and the four-wheel drive tightens the rear axle.

At the same time, the CX-5 reacts less sharply to the steering wheel - the price to pay for a more comfortable ride. The car is prone to swinging, but it does not tell passengers about the nuances of the roadway and does not shake on the broken asphalt. New crossovers no longer strive to be similar to sports cars in terms of handling. And off-road utility in the past - the move is softer, the equipment is richer.

And even the ascetic, noisy and sporty Mazda follows new trends - it grows up and gets spacious chairs for a large figure. The former CX-5 met the samurai principle of jinba ittai - "the unity of horse and rider." Now the rider moved from the saddle to a quiet and soft carriage. He still keeps his finger on the tight bowstring, but the bow itself is sophisticated, self-guided.

Romance gave way to pragmatism. The new CX-5 is still young at heart, but doesn't load up on sports. It has acquired balance, looks and rides more expensive than its predecessor, and besides, it is better equipped. Prices at the same time increased by $ 672 - $ 1, that is, the simplest CX-318 costs from $ 5. The overpayment is insignificant, given that in terms of the totality of qualities this is a different car.

A type	Crossover
Dimensions: (length / width / height), mm	4550/1840/1675
Wheelbase, mm	2700
Ground clearance, mm	193
Cargo space, l	506-1620
Curb weight, kg	1565
Gross vehicle weight, kg	2143
engine's type	Gasoline 4-cylinder
Working volume, cubic meters cm	2488
Max. power, h.p. (at rpm)	194/6000
Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm)	257/4000
Drive type, transmission	Full, 6АКП
Max. speed km / h	194
Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s	9
Fuel consumption (mixture), l / 100 km	9,2
Price from, $.	24 149