Mazda CX-5 2.5 AWD GT Sport 2022 UK review

Stylish family SUV brings dynamism and kerb appeal to edge its rivals, but not the eco credentials

What is it?

When Mazda launched the original CX-5 in 2012, SUVs accounted for just 2% of its UK sales. A decade later and as the second-generation car enters the second half of its lifecycle, that proportion has climbed to 60%.

That’s emblematic of not just of the success of the model itself but also the meteoric surge in the popularity of family SUVs as a whole over the past decade, which means the CX-5 now contends with a field of rivals that is one of the most comprehensive and most competitive of any on the market.

This is actually the latest in a series of updates for the second-generation car since it was launched in 2017, but the closest to what you’d recognise as a mid-life facelift. New for 2022 is a revamped front end (note the chunkier grille surround and redesigned LED headlight clusters), a claimed boost in rolling refinement and the addition of a new drive mode select function on automatic models, called Mi-Drive, which brings dedicated Sport and Off-road driving modes.

The line-up has also been shuffled to accommodate the oddly named Newground trim, which comes in a divisive shade of Zircon Sand Metallic (other, less flattering names have been suggested – although this tester appreciates any colour that isn’t silver, grey or white being offered) and brings bright green trim accents and seat piping. If nothing else, it’s an effective means of exhibiting individuality in this, the most crowded – nay, ubiquitous – market segment, but entry-level SE-L and best-selling Sport are more familiar in their conception.

Mazda also claims to have boosted ride comfort and refinement with modifications to the CX-5’s bodyshell – chiefly for enhanced lateral rigidity – and tweaks to the suspension’s damping settings with the aim of reducing pitch and roll. This focus on comfort extends to the reshaped seats, which “use their shape and the entire cushioned surface both keep the pelvis upright, and optimise the curvature of the spine”. Chiropractors rejoice.

We spent most of our time in the range-topping GT Sport car, equipped with Mazda’s most powerful engine, a 191bhp 2.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder, sending its reserves to both axles. Unlike the bulk of its rivals, the CX-5 is not available with a hybrid powertrain as yet, although start-stop is standard fare and this engine is equipped with cylinder deactivation for reduced consumption at a cruise.

In the case of our test drive, the roads were a mixture of tight and slick, sweeping and drenched, with plenty of scope to verify the 9.3sec 0-62mph sprint time between bends – hardly rapid but far from dull – and tackle bends enthusiastically. This being Mazda’s least overtly sporting car, dynamic verve is hardly going to be the factor that nabs the bulk of buyers, but even in this prevailingly sensible and staid segment, there’s got to be room to cut loose occasionally.

There’s a fair bit of lean to contend with, obviously, even when not going for it – but for the most part, the CX-5 feels well tied down and predictably composed. The steering becomes perceptibly weightier off centre and torque-vectoring trickery makes it possible to almost pivot through tight corners at speed, but at all times, there’s a sense of disengagement between the thin-rimmed steering wheel and the front wheels, and it quickly becomes clear that although the CX-5 is more inspiring to pilot through the twisties than its competitors might be, this is not a car that will tempt you out of bed for a blast before the kids get up. But you didn’t expect it to be, so that’s fine.

Sport mode, added as part of the newly integrated Mi-Drive powertrain management system, makes everything a bit louder and redder for that artificially enhanced sporting experience, which only begins to feel slightly less synthetic with the gearbox operated manually through the column-mounted paddles. In this scenario, the Mazda manages to entertain beyond what might be considered the bare minimum, but the bar – let’s remember – is not a high one to clear in this regard. The four-wheel-drive range-topper also gets an Off-road mode for peace of mind and ease of use over more challenging terrain, although it may as well be called ‘Football Practice’ mode and reserved exclusively for Sunday mornings.

The CX-5 is at its best in day-to-day driving scenarios, rolling smoothly and quietly over all but the most chasmic of imperfections, and dependably maintaining grip at each end when the going gets greasy. Gripes extend to a vibration through the steering wheel and seat base over crumbly Tarmac and a noticeable amount of tyre and wind roar at speed, but neither of these overly blights the driving experience and the CX-5 is a capable tourer, irrespective of specification.

There are two other powertrains on offer: a more frugal 163bhp 2.0-litre petrol, which drives just the front wheels and feels a tad gutless by comparison (but can be paired with a satisfyingly snickety six-speed manual ’box) and a 181bhp 2.2-litre diesel. The diesel, while hardly the fashionable choice, is certainly the sensible one for any buyer with a lot of ground to cover, given it’ll crack 42.8mpg, and because the petrols are naturally aspirated, it barely gives anything away in terms of top-end grunt. Just don’t expect to be encouraged into any exuberance by the gruff engine note.

Should I buy one?

For manufacturers, there’s quite a risk attached to any sort of attempt at differentiation in the family SUV segment: too little and there’s nothing to set your high-rised hauler apart from the Qashqais and Kugas of this world, but too much and you risk alienating the vast majority of family and fleet buyers, who tend not to give two hoots whether or not their car looks and drives a bit like the Jones’s next door.

The updated CX-5 remains a perfect example of compromise, in spite of its sub-par economy ratings. The brand’s prevailing selling points – among them attractive styling inside and out, agreeable levels of kit and well-rounded dynamics – shine through tangibly, and without threatening the CX-5’s positioning as a capacious and comfortable do-it-all crossover. One to buy with your head, for sure, but your heart won’t sink to see it on your driveway.

Technical specs

Price: £37,785

Engine: 4 cyls, 2488cc, petrol

Transmission: 6-spd automatic

Price: £37,785

Engine: 4 cyls, 2488cc, petrol

View all specs and rivals

Transmission: 6-spd automatic

Power: 191bhp

Torque: 190lb ft

0-62mph: 9.3sec

Top speed: 121mph

Kerb weight (DIN): 1735kg

Fuel economy: 35.3mpg

CO2: 182g/km

BIK tax band: 38%

Rivals: Nissan Qashqai Toyota RAV4 Honda CR-V

Rivals Nissan Qashqai Toyota RAV4 Honda CR-V