The compact crossover SUV or compact utility vehicle (CUV) segment is one of the most, if not the most competitive and hottest car segment in the global motoring industry.
The segment has the all the titan carmakers in it including Honda for its CR-V, Toyota for its RAV4, and the competitors are practically the major carmakers in the world including Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Subaru from Japan; Hyundai and Kia from South Korea; Chevrolet, Jeep, and Ford from the US; and Volkswagen from Germany. Of course there is Mazda which is also from Japan, details Autoblog.
So when Mazda first unveiled the CX-5 in 2012 for its 2013 model year lineup, the Japanese carmaker knows that it would be swimming in very tough competition, wherein the only way to survive is to make sure that it has a CUV that is not only competitive in terms of every major consideration for buyers owning a crossover, it should also look and drive excellent.
Thus far, the Mazda CX-5 did not disappoint. It has held its own against the competition for the last three years and so far it has been doing fairly okay. The best evidence of how good it is holding up is its 2016 Mazda CX-5, which was first unveiled in 2014 during the Los Angeles Auto Show.
In terms of practicality like the cost to own, its size, and fuel economy, which are quite similar with the rest of the CUV pack, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 actually exudes the advantage on the intangibles like handling and driving pleasure, making it a difference-maker in its class.
Compared to its 2015 edition, the 2016 Mazda CX-5 offers a quieter cabin for that soothing driving and riding pleasure as well as some tweaks in its exterior to make it one of the better-looking and better-performing crossovers in the market today.
An athlete in its class
Mazda CX-5 is described as dynamic, fun, and agile because the small SUV has clung to its status as the athlete in its class.
When it was launched some three years ago, the Mazda CX-5 is actually the first Mazda car to feature the new KODO – Soul of Motion design language which the company first showcased in the Shinari concept car in May 2011.
The Mazda CX-5 shares the production platform of the Mazda3 and the Mazda6 and thus has the same features and Skyactiv Technology suite that the two sedans boast.
The compact SUV is rigid, lightweight, and features efficient engines and transmissions which equates to reduced emission and greater fuel efficiency.
Notable improvements
There have been notable changes in the 2016 Mazda CX-5 from its predecessors including updated and more flashy exterior styling, reductions in road noise, improved infotainment system, and the inclusion of a sports mode for the six-speed automatic transmission.