The car that accounts for almost a quarter of all of Mazda’s new registrations in Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been “significantly updated” by the company ahead of its January release.
Cosmetic changes to the 2022 CX-5 SUV include a new front grille design, reprofiled front and rear bumpers, and more detailed headlamps and tail-lights that incorporate the latest LED technology.
For the first time wireless phone charging is available, and the driver assistance pack adds Cruising and Traffic Support – a system that allows the car to control the steering, brakes and acceleration.
Customers can now choose from one of five trims, with existing ‘SE-L’ and ‘Sport’ variants joined for the first time by ‘Newground’, ‘Sport Black’ and ‘GT Sport’ to further broaden the car’s appeal.
Jeremy Thomson, the Managing Director of Mazda Motors UK, believes the reworked CX-5 has all the qualities needed to entice potential customers away from premium brands such as Mercedes.
“The CX-5 is the car that established Mazda as a maker of genuinely sporty Sports Utility Vehicles, which deliver class leading quality and high levels of standard equipment,” he said, “and with the launch of the ‘22 Mazda CX-5, more than ever the CX-5’s an SUV that’s stylish and great to drive.”
As part of Mazda’s Skyactiv-Vehicle Architecture, greater levels of all-round comfort are promised by strengthening the shell and chassis to minimise the amount of noise entering the cabin. Each CX-5 model also boasts their own styling cues for a “distinct personality” and “unique character”.
The protective cladding on ‘Newground’ has an unpainted matt finish and is noticeably chunkier in comparison to ‘Sport’ – the predicted big seller – while the faux skid plates are more prominent.
Black door mirror caps and 19-inch black diamond cut wheels are also specific to it, as is the lime green highlights on the grille – a colour that is repeated on the seats and on the air vent surrounds.
Available only with the 163bhp Skyactiv-G petrol in front-wheel-drive guise, the plastic around the wheel arches on ‘Sport Black’ CX-5s are gloss black – a finish repeated on the door mirror caps and grille. Inside, the leather seats, centre console and steering wheel are lifted by red stitching.
The revised CX-5 is rounded off by ‘GT Sport’ which is described as the “premium flagship model”; among its highlights is a cabin finished in brown Nappa leather and accents made from real wood.
Four engine options are available: a 163bhp petrol and a 148bhp diesel, both of which are front-wheel-drive, and a 194bhp petrol and a 181bhp diesel. While the more powerful diesel can be had with front- and all-wheel drive, the bigger 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G petrol is four-wheel-drive only.
