The CX-5’s interior is roomy and comfortable but not quite up to the quality of an Audi or BMW. It’s not as slick as BMW’s system, but it does the job and is a cinch to use. Something else that distinguishes the CX-5 from most of its rivals is that in place of the ubiquitous infotainment touchscreen, it has a rotary controller. Manuals outnumber automatics, too, but there are still loads of the latter. The petrol is smooth and an amiable thing to punt around town, but on the open road, you miss the diesel’s effortless power, especially at lower revs.Īvailability-wise, petrol CX-5s comfortably outnumber diesels. There’s not much difference between the two, so you needn’t feel short-changed plumping for the lower-powered unit.

Unsurprisingly, the diesels are gutsy but relaxed performers. Thankfully, they’re all reasonably efficient. While other car makers have been busily downsizing and uprating with the aid of turbochargers and hybrid powertrains, Mazda has stuck to the mantra of ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’.

Notice anything unusual? It’s surely those big engines.

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2018 mazda cx 5 review