The ride is generally smooth and comfortable. The revised suspension does a great job of absorbing the lumps and bumps on some of Victoria’s worst country roads. On road, it’s effectively only driving the front wheels, which does the job and maximises efficiency. This has advantages if you intend on doing some light off-road work. It can deploy up to a 50:50 front-to-rear torque split. It utilises 27 sensors to detect slipping rear wheels and determine how much power should be sent to the back. The i-ACTIV All Wheel Drive set-up is an on-demand system. The steering is direct with a light feel courtesy of the Electric Power Assist Steering system. In saying that, there is still significant body roll in the corners at speeds above 80km. For an SUV of this size and height, the handling calibration inspires confidence in the driver. In terms of handling, the CX-5 is one of the standouts in the category. It’s a great unit for everyday city driving and adds to the vehicle’s overall refinement. It moves through the gears efficiently and rarely does the engine go north of 2,500 rpm. The transmission, a full range direct drive torque converter offers smooth shifting. Once the start button is pushed, the car feels spritely during acceleration and never felt short of breath.

The engine delivers 138kW of power, which is more than enough to move the car around. This configuration has a price of $44,090 plus on-road costs. On test here is the GT line with a 2.5L naturally aspirated petrol engine, coupled with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The design is ageing well and the moderate changes to the front of the car over the years have kept it fresh. The exterior of the CX-5 still looks good. With stiffer competition from the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and the looming release of a new Tiguan, does the Mazda still have what it takes to maintain its market position? Slight design and equipment changes over the years have been enough to keep the showrooms busy. An impressive effort for a car that has now been on the market since 2012.

It has been good enough to continually see off newer models to the category and maintain its sales champion status. Since its release it has enjoyed sales success and remains the model to beat in the mid-size SUV segment.

Mazda cx 5 2016 review