Picture this: You’re in the market for an SUV, but you prefer not to go for the usual diesel-powered, truck-based route. A station wagon would be nice, but the choices are limited and ground clearance is a deciding factor in your purchase.
You also wouldn’t want a bulky large SUV and prefer something more nimble. But at the same time, you’d like something big enough for your family, although you don’t really need an extra row of seats. With all those requirements in mind, the best kind of vehicle to get would be a compact crossover.
When you think about it, the compact crossover ticks all the boxes. Cars like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are spacious, practical, have big cargo areas, and as family friendly as they come. One thing they’re not is overtly sporty. Yes, they’re pretty dynamic and pleasant behind the wheel, but it won’t exactly wow the more enthusiastic driver.
If you need more zing, enter the Mazda CX-5, more specifically, the 2.5 AWD Turbo. Now that the Subaru Forester no longer comes with a turbo option, it was up to the folks from Hiroshima to take on the mantle of the segment’s sportiest option. The thing is, the CX-5 isn’t exactly the youngest crossover on the block. If anything, it’s among the, er, more seasoned choices at seven years old.
With that, we’ll answer two burning questions. Is the CX-5 is still worth it after all these years, and the second is does extra power make everything better? Read on to find out.
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Styling
Despite its age, the CX-5 still looks good next to its newer competition. To the casual passerby, it doesn’t look like it’s nearly a decade old so props to Mazda’s styling department for coming up with a design that has stood the test of time. It’s not polarizing, nor does it just blend in. It’s the right amount of flair and subtlety that’s hard to balance these days.
The proportions are just right, too. There’s no awkward angles or any of that. However, its age does show in terms of size as the Mazda is one of the smallest in its class. We’re not complaining though as it makes it easier to drive around tight spots, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves here.
Interior
What can we say? The interior still looks as great as it did all those years ago. It’s not fussy or overstyled, just a great blend of gentle lines and organic shapes that are easy on the eye. It’s effortlessly stylish as far as family crossovers go, which is quite an achievement for a seven year old car.
It doesn’t just look good, but it also feels rich and premium in there. There’s no shortage of soft-touch materials, while every button and dial clicks and swivels with an air of quality that matches more expensive vehicles. When Mazda said they were going upmarket, they really meant it. The best part is, there’s a good mix of digitalization and physical controls in there. European and Chinese automakers, take note.
All is great so far until we get to the subject of space. It’s still enough for the average family, and it’s totally fine for front occupants. However rear leg and shoulder room are noticeably less compared to Honda and Toyota’s offerings. The high transmission tunnel eats up a fair chunk of space, but even if the rear floor was flat, the middle seat is practically useless as it’s narrow and short on support. It’s more a 2+2 than a five-seater, this.
But surprisingly, the cargo area is still class competitive. It has a capacity of 510 liters (VDA), edging out the Toyota RAV4 (501 liters, VDA) and packs way more than the third-row equipped Honda CR-V variants (472 liters, VDA). In its class, only the CR-V e:HEV trumps it which has a whopping 589 liter capacity.
Engine performance
Now we come to the good part. The range-topping CX-5 comes out swinging with 2.5-liters, a turbo, 250hp, and 434Nm. Who would want those figures in their family car? The numbers are impressive, but the engine’s performance will make you love this crossover even more.
To put it bluntly, it feels far faster than the advertised 0 to 100kph time of 7.7 seconds. Power delivery is smooth with bags of low-end grunt aided by a strong pull higher up the rev range. Turbo lag is kept to a minimum, and the six-speed automatic is a willing and enthusiastic partner to that engine. Shifts are snapped and responsive without being jerky.
All that fun comes at the expense of fuel economy, right? Well, sort of. The trouble with have 250 horsepower is that you want to use all of it. The temptation of prodding the accelerator deeper is always there with the revs going up and the fuel level going down.
Driven, er, enthusiastically, the CX-5 Turbo musters 5.8km/L, which is still not too horrible all things considered. In holiday traffic, you’re looking at 6km/L, but ‘standard’ heavy traffic can still register 8.1km/L.
Ride and handling
We’ll be upfront and say that the CX-5, regardless of variant, doesn’t offer a magic carpet ride. It’s generally comfortable, but compared to its contemporaries, the Mazda is a touch on the firm side. The suspension is dialed in towards the sportier side of things. We’re not saying the ride is harsh, but you’ll feel more of the bumps compared to its rivals.
The upshot to this is a driving experience that’s still unmatched in its class. It’s sharp, dynamic, and most importantly, engaging. Granted, compact crossovers aren’t meant to be fun to drive but Mazda would like to defy convention here. Just because it’s meant to be a point A to B family car, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the process of getting to point B.
Extra features
Features-wise, the CX-5 is loaded. Mazda’s advanced driver assist system, iActivsense is standard and includes adaptive cruise, autonomous emergency braking for front and rear, lane keep assist, and more. We appreciate the power seats and the memory function for the driver, but ventilated seats are a huge plus for us. No more singed thighs on hot days.
Audiophiles will appreciate the Bose audio system, and wireless Apple CarPlay is included. A sunroof lets more light into the cabin, and the cargo cover application is one of the smartest designs around. We do have a bone to pick with the infotainment system, though. Philippine models still use the old software and immediately dates the screen. We sure hope we get the new system lifted from the CX-30.
Verdict
The Mazda CX-5 is the perfect crossover for people who begrudgingly need a crossover. Because of that, we say it’s still very much worth considering one of these despite its age. It’s the only one that truly caters to the driving enthusiast without too many compromises in practicality. For the mom or dad who loves driving, this is still the one to go for.
The addition of more power did it no harm, either. The best part is, the extra horsepower didn't upset the balance of the vehicle. There isn’t a massive fuel economy penalty over the non-turbocharged model, so that's a win as well. It easily has the most power in its class, but it’s not the most expensive at P2,430,000.
What amazes us about the CX-5 is that it still puts up a good fight even as this generation enters it twilight years. It’s not perfect, but it doesn’t have glaring flaws, either. One would think that the newer competitors would expose major weaknesses, but it wasn't the case at all here.
An all-new CX-5 is expected within the next two years. Mazda had better not mess up the next-gen model give how high the bar this soon to be outgoing model had set.
SPECS: 2024 Mazda CX-5 2.5 AWD Turbo
Price: P2,430,000
Engine: 2.5-liter turbopetrol
Power: 250hp
Torque: 434Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Layout: All-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 9/10
