By: Krish Persaud
April 2, 2022
Eleven years ago Mazda decided it was time to unveil what would go on to become one of the company’s best-selling compact SUVs toward the end of 2011. Our first look was at the Mazda Minagi concept, which debuted at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show as a preview of what would become the Mazda CX-5. Later that year, the Mazda CX-5 made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Mazda compact SUV would be the first of its kind to combine the Kodo design language with Skyactiv technology.
Mazda has face-lifted the CX-5, now in its second generation, and we were curious as to what was driving this vehicle’s popularity. We reached out to Mazda Canada, who graciously handed over the smart-key to the 2022 Mazda CX-5 Kuro Edition for a week. This edition featured garnet red leather seats, a Skyactiv-G engine, 19″ black metallic rims, and was finished in Polymetal Grey Metallic paint.
Our test vehicle featured a 2.5-liter Skyactiv-G direct-injected engine with cylinder deactivation that generates 187 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 186 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. The naturally aspirated engine and the Skyactiv-Drive 6-speed automatic transmission appear to work well together. While we would have liked a bit more power from the naturally aspirated engine, it appears to be capable of reaching city and highway speeds without bouncing off the rev limiter.
Mazda has dropped front-wheel drive, and now offers the i-ACTIV all-wheel drive as standard across the board. The GX starts at $30,200, the GS at $33,900, the Kuro edition at $37,700, the GT at $38,950, the Sport Design with Skyactiv-G at $40,150, the Sport Design with Skyactiv-G Turbo engine at $42,350, and the Signature at $43,450. On our Mazda CX-5 tester, the Polymetal Grey Metallic paint and Mazda navigation system were the only extras added on top of the generously optioned standard package, bringing the price to $38,468 as-tested.
As consumers become increasingly concerned about rising fuel costs, they have become more aware of the options available and have shifted their focus to vehicles that are easier on their wallets at the pump. The non-turbo 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder engine in the 2022 Mazda CX-5 is rated at 9.8L/100km in the city, 7.9L/100km on the highway, or 9.0L/100km in combined city and highway driving conditions. We were only able to get a combined number of 9.4l/100km at the time of our test, but we’re hoping that’s due to the cold weather we had during our test week.
The Polymetal Grey Metallic paint job on the Mazda CX-5 Kuro looks great from every angle. For 2022, Mazda has updated the CX-5 with new headlights and taillights, a new front bumper, larger tailpipes, a signature wing grille surround, a revised rear bumper and tailgate design, and 19” black metallic rims. You know how you can’t help but look back at your car in a parking lot? With this Mazda CX-5, it’s difficult to take your gaze away from the car. Even with the fog light removal, we love the new sporty updates.
The interior of the Kuro Edition features trim-exclusive garnet red leather seats that aren’t overly bolstered but still provide adequate support in all conditions. The driver’s seat has a 10-way power adjustment as well as power lumbar support, and the passenger seat has a 6-way power adjustment. Four people can sit comfortably in the CX-5, but five would be pushing it. Even with a taller driver and front passenger, the CX-5’s rear seats are spacious and comfortable.
The 10.25-inch centre display infotainment system in the CX-5 Kuro is controlled by the HMI commander (a rotary dial located directly below the gear selector). As we stated in our Mazda3 Sport GT review, it will take some time to get used to navigating the various menus using the rotary dial, as we live in a world of touchscreens. By following a few simple steps, you can easily get your Apple Carplay or Android Auto up and running, and voice commands will soon become your best friend.
With slight modifications for this model year, the well-tuned independent suspension on all four corners is engineered just right. The suspension has just the right amount of stiffness and dampening to absorb some of the road imperfections while still providing a pleasant driving experience. The steering is responsive and good for a compact SUV.
The driver assistance suite is well-equipped with features such as an electronic parking brake with Auto hold, advanced blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Smart Brake Support Front, Pedestrian Detection (forward sensing), Lane Departure Warning System, and Lane-keep Assist.
With the recently released CX-50, it will be interesting to see where car buyers direct their attention. For good reason, the CX-5 has consistently been one of Mazda’s best-selling vehicles. The 2022 CX-5 has more of a European luxury feel, which we believe is a significant step toward increasing the success of a compact SUV that is consistently aiming for the top ranks of its class.
