2017 Mazda CX-5


absolutely! AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –

The 2017 Mazda CX-5 has significantly raised the bar in the compact crossover market. This is a sleek, new design that pushes the vehicle squarely into the near-luxury category. This compact size segment is one of the hottest in the entire car market and is especially popular with singles and young couples. Mazda has hit a homerun with the new second generation CX-5 that other carmakers will be hard pressed to match.

The Japanese brand Mazda has been around for almost a hundred years, even though it’s only been selling cars to Americans since 1970.  They gained a lot of visibility when they brought to market the RX-7, one of the first mass produced cars with the iconic rotary design Wankel engine.  In 1974, Ford Motor Company bought about a third of Mazda, which brought about a sharing of design and engineering.  In 2015, Ford severed its ties, and Mazda has never looked better. It’s as if their newly found independence has allowed the designers and engineers to take bold moves to move the brand forward.

The new CX-5 has toned down the aggressive front fascia that identified the previous model.  The current exterior is more elegant and sophisticated, a subtler design that gives off a definite luxury vibe.  That refined design continues into the interior where the fit and finish is impeccable.  Mazda has one of the few non-luxury brands that has embraced the heads up display, a feature normally only available in cars that cost a whole lot more than the CX-5.  It’s an option that is instantly addictive and that gives the driver the speed of the vehicle, along with safety warnings such as blind spot monitoring, so you never have to take your eyes off the road. With a base MSRP of $24,045, the Mazda CX-5 is only available with one engine choice: the 187 hp, 2.5 liter four cylinder engine.  Mated to a six-speed transmission, fuel economy numbers are 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.  Mazda is promising to bring out a diesel powered CX-5 in the near future, but no date has been set.

If you are shopping for one of the new popular compact crossovers on the market, the new CX-5 has to be near the top of anyone’s list.  The neighbors will think you spent a whole lot more than you really did on your new car.