Review: 2020 Mazda Cx-5 2Wd Sport
The Gram Strategy. It’s an technology scientific discipline belief that making a automobile lighter makes them fun-to-drive. It’s something usually associated amongst Lotus’s Colin Chapman, as well as to a greater extent than recently, Mazda. And piece it’s typically associated amongst their two-seater MX-5, the Gram Strategy is acquaint inwards pretty much their entire line-up, including the CX-5.
It’s a pleasant surprise genuinely given that compact SUVs aren’t necessarily known for their weight-saving measures. But weighing inwards at 1,510 kilograms—the CX-5 2WD Sport is about 116 kilograms lighter than its all-wheel receive sibling, as well as equally a effect is a much improve receive amongst improve fuel economic scheme to boot. This is the compact SUV that has its cake as well as eats it too.
Part of Mazda’s 2020 refresh for its CX-5 range, this 2WD Sport joins the attain equally a 4th variant offering. Sitting below the AWD line-up, it brings its convenience features as well as pairs it amongst the powertrain of the entry-level 2WD. From the exterior though, there’s absolutely no agency to say the difference. Everything looks the same equally the lower-end 2WD Pro—down to the same 17-inch alloy cycle design.
It doesn’t stone the boat aesthetics-wise, but as well as hence again, the CX-5 didn’t postulate to re-write its pattern volume either equally it’s however i of the best-looking compact SUVs out there. Open the door, as well as the high-class Mazda expect as well as experience rest unmistakable. The absence of the sunroof aside, this 2WD Sport has all the trappings of the AWD model—from the leather seats amongst contrasting stitching, might tailgate, as well as fifty-fifty the 10-speaker Bose audio organisation (with measure Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto straightaway to boot). For the driver, he also gets all sorts of comfort-boosting features similar might seats amongst retentivity (the front end rider gets might adjustment too), heads-up display, as well as fifty-fifty a novel guess cluster that incorporates a 7-inch TFT display (ala the refreshed Mazda6 to a greater extent than than the all-new Mazda3).
Speaking of the Mazda3, in that location select been attempts to convey inwards about bits from their newer models into the CX-5, as well as sadly, they’re off-putting. For instance, the novel climate command knobs expect keen past times itself, but adjacent to the residue of the dash, it doesn’t expect similar an elegant solution. Not to mention, the smaller knobs genuinely brand them slightly harder to role compared to the previous one’s chunkier design. The same tin give notice travel said nigh the novel measure 360-degree photographic idiot box camera which is keen inwards principle, but negated past times the fact that the display’s already pocket-size size as well as low-resolution splits the feed into 2 (360-degree addition front end or raise view) making everything expect hence miniscule as well as almost undecipherable.
As amongst the other CX-5 variants, this 2WD Sport remains arguably the driver’s alternative inwards the compact SUV segment. If life has yous existence dragged kicking as well as screaming out of a fun automobile as well as into a household unit of measurement vehicle, this i ultimately brings that sense of fun back.
Compared to its AWD counterparts, this 2WD Sport is genuinely far superior inwards terms of driving fun. It feels nimbler as well as to a greater extent than responsive; a total present of the aforementioned Gram Strategy at work. With less weight over its olfactory organ (and less weight overall), it’s pointier as well as sharper, aided past times its natural as well as lighter steering. It shifts its bulk rattling well, giving it a experience closer to that of a compact hatchback than a high-riding crossover.
New-found agility aside, the 2020 CX-5 gets its interruption tweaked for an improved ride, too. The front end dampers are straightaway larger, piece the raise has a novel geometry, amongst about novel vibration-absorbing cloth lay inwards for skillful measure. Driven back-to-back amongst a 2019, the differences are subtle, but noticeable, particularly when going over pocket-size cracks as well as bumps.
Equipped amongst a 2.0-liter Skyactiv-G engine, it gives upwards about 34 horsepower as well as 50 Nm of torque over its gasoline-powered AWD sibling. That said, its 156 horsepower as well as 200 Nm of torque outputs rest pretty stout compared to others inwards its class.
But since it also gives upwards a considerable total of weight, the outputs are but 10 percentage less horsepower per metric ton. As a result, it feels lighter on its feet amongst a improve off-the-line feel. Without a stopwatch, this CX-5 feels faster inwards metropolis confines. Naturally, high speed runs expose the chinks inwards its armor equally the lack of low-end grunt requires the engine to rev considerably more. Thankfully as well as hence that this is a rev-happy engine, as well as the 6-speed automatic obliges.
Undoubtedly though, the best business office of the entire CX-5 2WD experience is the fuel economy. Driven purely inwards metropolis traffic, it easily does 10.3 km/L inwards heavy, as well as 12.3 km/L inwards calorie-free traffic—an impressive 30-percent improvement over the 2.5 AWD Sport.
The 2WD Sport’s efficiency gain is but i of the reasons why this is maybe the best all-rounded CX-5 model out there. The meshing of the AWD’s features amongst the practicality of the base of operations 2WD’s drivetrain doesn’t makes for headline-grabbing changes, but the multitude of smaller, as well as sometimes imperceptible tweaks add together upwards to a much improve CX-5—one that makes it to a greater extent than attractive to a larger laid of buyers. With stingy discounts as well as relatively high pricing, the P 100,000 departure betwixt this as well as the next-rung 2.5 AWD Sport amounts to a lot. There volition travel those who’d advocate going for the bigger engine for sure, but the vast majority, this novel 2WD Sport nails everything correct on the head.
2020 Mazda CX-5 2WD Sport | |
| Ownership | 2020 Mazda CX-5 2WD Sport |
| Year Introduced | 2017 (Refreshed: 2019) |
| Vehicle Classification | Compact SUV |
| Warranty | 3 years / 100,000 kilometers |
| The Basic | |
| Body Type | 5-door SUV |
| Seating | 5 |
| Engine / Drive | F/F |
| Under the Hood | |
| Displacement (liters) | 2.0 |
| Aspiration | Normally Aspirated |
| Fuel Delivery | Direct Injection |
| Layout / # of Cylinders | I4 |
| BHP @ rpm | 156 @ 6,000 |
| Nm @ rpm | 200 @ 4,000 |
| Fuel / Min. Octane | Gasoline / 91 |
| Transmission | 6 AT |
| Cruise Control | Yes |
| Fuel Economy @ Ave. Speed | 10.3 km/L @ fourteen km/h, 12.3 km/L @ eighteen km/h |
| Dimensions as well as Weights | |
| Length (mm) | 4,550 |
| Width (mm) | 1,840 |
| Height (mm) | 1,675 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 2,700 |
| Curb Weight (kg) | 1,510 |
| Suspension as well as Tires | |
| Front Suspension | Independent, MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Independent, Multi-link |
| Front Brakes | Vented Disc |
| Rear Brakes | Disc |
| Tires | Continental ContiContact LX Sport M+S 225/65 R 17 H (f & r) |
| Wheels | Alloy |
| Safety Features | |
| Airbags | 6 |
| Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) | Yes, amongst EBD |
| Traction / Stability Control | Yes |
| Parking Sensors | Yes, Front & Rear, amongst 360-degree Camera |
| Front Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR amongst pre-tensioner x 2 |
| Rear Seatbelts | 3-pt ELR x 3 |
| ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor | Yes |
| Other Safety Features | Hill Hold Assist Blind Spot Monitoring System Rear Cross-Traffic Alert |
| Exterior Features | |
| Headlights | LED |
| Fog Lamps | Yes, Front (LED) |
| Auto Lights | Yes, Adaptive |
| Rain-sensing Wipers | Yes |
| Interior Features | |
| Steering Wheel Adjust | Tilt/Telescopic |
| Steering Wheel Material | Leather |
| Seating Adjustment (driver) | Electric, 8-way, amongst memory |
| Seating Adjustment (front passenger) | Electric, 6-way |
| Seating Surface | Leather |
| Folding Rear Seat | Yes, 40/20/40 |
| On-Board Computer | Yes |
| Convenience Features | |
| Power Steering | Yes |
| Power Door Locks | Yes |
| Power Windows | Yes |
| Power Mirrors | Yes, amongst Fold |
| Proximity Key | Yes |
| Climate Control | Yes, Dual amongst Rear Vents |
| Audio System | Stereo DVD MP3 USB Bluetooth GPS Apple CarPlay Android Auto |
| # of Speakers | 10, Bose |
| Steering Controls | Yes |