2012 MAZDA CX-5 2.2D FWD 6AT (150 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Mazda entered a new era after its divorce from Ford, and the CX5 was one of the most surprising moves that the Japanese carmaker made.

Launched in 2012, the Japanese SUV evolved from a concept car to a production model in just three years. It shared its platform with the third generation of the Mazda 6. Thanks to sharing some important components, it managed to provide a very good price per value ratio.

Mazda didn’t want to follow the same path as other carmakers. It introduced its own design language named Kodo, or the soul of motion. Behind that marketing name was a vehicle where life-inspired shapes (bio-design) and functional yet simple lines from the Japanese minimalism styling met. Thus, the CX5 featured swept-back headlights inspired by felines and a shield-like pentagonal, wide grille. From its profile, the sculptured lines on the bodywork, door panels, and rear quarter panels. The flowing lines from the car’s sides were also inspired by waves and nature.

Inside, Mazda made a U-turn and created a simple, minimalist interior design inspired by the Japanese culture. The binocular-style instrument cluster was inspired by the MX5 roadster. At the same time, the integrated infotainment display in the dashboard resembled the one used in the 6 series. The high-mounted bucket seats at the front, separated by the tall center stack, created individual spaces for the front occupants. At the back, there was enough room for three adults on the split-folding (40/20/40) bench.

Under the skin, the CX5 featured Mazda’s SKYACTIVE technology both for the engine and the gearbox. These allowed the vehicle to obtain a respectable fuel efficiency for its class. In addition, customers could choose between a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic and both gasoline or turbo-diesel engines.