Mazda CX-5 2020: slight changes to remain an alternative to Premium SUVs

The Mazda CX-5 is a true best-seller for the Japanese brand. At the end of 2019 it had accumulated more than 2,870,000 units sold in over 130 countries, and this model accounts for more than 30 percent of all Mazda sales.

Now, Mazda updates the CX-5 once again. It was originally launched in 2012, saw the arrival of its second generation in 2017, and already underwent a restyling in 2019. For this reason, the changes are minor. Here you can read the road test of the Mazda CX-5 2.0 Skyactiv-G.

What changes in the design of the new Mazda CX-5

With the latest changes being so recent, there was not much point in sharpening the CX-5’s silhouette again, which remains fully up to date. Mazda takes advantage of this update, more technical than aesthetic, to add a new body colour it calls Polymetal Grey Metallic.

It is a shade of grey made up of several layers, with a special pigment that gives a sense of higher quality when it reflects the light. Otherwise, the logos barely change on the exterior.

Inside, there is one important change: the screen of the Mazda Connect system grows and now measures 8 inches diagonally, and also features new functionality: a display mode that allows you to monitor the operation of the cylinder deactivation system (another of the novelties) for the 2.0 petrol engine in real time.

The design of the key and the material used in some upholstery have also been changed.

Engines: more efficiency with deactivatable cylinders

The engine line-up continues to offer petrol and diesel versions. The main novelty is that the interesting 2.0 Skyactiv-G petrol, with 165 CV, is fitted with a selective cylinder deactivation system in the case of the manual gearbox variant.

The range is completed by the 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G with 194 CV, and the Skyactiv-D turbodiesel in 150 and 184 CV variants.

Mazda claims to have gone a step further with everything related to on-board comfort, improving sound insulation and the work of the suspension to eliminate any possible vibration in the cabin. The all-wheel-drive versions improve their off-tarmac capabilities thanks to the new Off-road Traction Assist, which coordinates the operation of the all-wheel drive AWD and the traction control TCS to improve grip.

As for safety systems, the 2020 version of the Mazda CX-5 includes for the first time a pedestrian detection system that works at night, as well as an automatic lights function that switches on the dipped beam about 30 minutes before sunset, so the car is more visible to other road users as light levels begin to fall.

Mazda CX-5 2020 Image Gallery

Technical specifications of this car

Off-RoadMazda CX-57 versions · from 35,200 €