Mazda CX-5 updated with revised engines and tech for 2018
Mazda’s best selling car in Britain - the CX-5 - gets an automatic petrol and a more powerful diesel engine
The Mazda CX-5 line-up has been updated in Britain, with a revised 2.2-litre diesel engine, additional standard equipment, plus the introduction of automatic gearboxes on petrol engines.
This isn’t a facelift – the updates are minor, with the only cosmetic updates being new 19-inch wheels and an updated Soul Red metallic paint. The second-generation CX-5 is only a year old, so these 2018 revisions are merely intended to expand the CX-5’s line-up and make it a more enticing proposition.
The new, ten-model strong CX-5 line-up goes on sale from 31 August, with all cars slightly rebadged. That’s because the previous SE-L Nav and Sport Nav trims have been updated to become SE-L Nav+ and Sport Nav+.
With the slightly new names comes an updated level of standard safety and assistance equipment. For instance, all cars are equipped with adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, and lane keep assist. In addition, the Sport Nav+ car can now be equipped with a new safety pack, which includes a 360-degree top-down view camera and adaptive LED headlights.
Changes under the bonnet affect both petrol and diesel offerings, while Mazda claims that the entire line-up is ever so slightly cleaner from a CO2 point of view.
For the first time, the 163bhp 2.0-litre petrol can be combined with an automatic gearbox, the six-speed transmission sending power to the front wheels. It commands a £1,500 premium over the standard six-speed manual.
Elsewhere, the 2.2-litre diesel continues to be offered in two states of tune, though the more powerful variant sees its output climb from 173bhp to 181bhp, with an additional 25Nm of torque on tap too. This is down to a revised turbocharger and a raised compression ratio. No revised performance figures have been revealed, but Mazda claims a cut of 5g/km CO2 compared to the outgoing 173bhp engine thanks to the introduction of Adblue and selective catalytic reduction.
Prices for the updated Mazda CX-5 kick off at £24,795 for the 163bhp 2.0-litre petrol model in SE-L Nav+ trim with a manual gearbox. That’s a premium of £700 over the outgoing version.
Read: the Mazda CX-5 takes on the Skoda Kodiaq and VW Tiguan…
