Mazda ignition 05

IGNITION

IGNITION

MAZDA CX-5

MAZDA2

MAZDA CX-3

Second-generation sophistication

Class-leading firsts

Packed with standard safety

CONTENTS 4 8 18 26 32 40 54 62 70 76 78 82

News New Mazda2 Mazda3 Mazda6 New Mazda CX-3 Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 Mazda CX-9 Mazda MX-5 Mazda BT-50 SKYACTIV Technology Accessories Classic Mazda

IGNITION is a half-yearly magazine produced by Mazda Australia that features latest news and accessories information and independent product reviews by some of Australia’s most respected automotive publications.

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NEWS Next-Gen Mazda CX-5: Second generation sophistication

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he eagerly anticipated Next-Gen Mazda CX-5, which is now on sale, boasts new levels of refinement and sophistication and offers a premium driving experience.

Australia’s favourite SUV for the last four years, and now available in five grades for the first time, the Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 integrates a beautifully elegant and quiet interior with a mature exterior design and an expanded suite of standard i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies, including Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), rear parking sensors, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), reverse camera

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and Smart City Brake Support [Forward/Reverse] (SCBS F/R).

In addition, thanks to the inclusion of G-Vectoring Control and the comfortable, newly designed front and rear seats, ride and handling is more enjoyable for both the driver and passengers, while rear air vents and an electric tailgate are available on selected grades.

With prices starting from $28,690 (plus on road costs), here’s what two of Australia’s most respected auto publications had to say about the new model.

“Evolution not revolution sees the new CX-5 build on the original’s

striking styling and sound dynamics while addressing a fundamental flaw: its noisy cabin. Now quieter, classier and more comfortable inside, the second-gen CX-5 arrives spoiling for a fight with the VW Tiguan at the pointy end of the lucrative mid-size SUV market.”

— Wheels “Overall, the second-generation Mazda CX-5 is very much a case of improving on the old without throwing out the basics. There is a lot to love about the improved levels of refinement, interior packaging, styling and dynamic capability.”

— Car Advice

Class leader: Mazda CX-3 packed with more standard safety

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he Mazda CX-3 is the first vehicle in the small SUV sales segment to offer Smart City Brake Support Forward and Reverse (SCBS F/R) as standard equipment, and it’s now standard across the entire range.

The class leader when it comes to safety, the New Mazda CX-3 also includes Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross Safety Alert (RCTA) i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies as standard on the Maxx grade up, while sTouring and Akari variants also get Driver Attention Alert (DAA) and Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR).

For buyers wanting the Akari, the

top-of-the-range model also comes with Adaptive LED Headlamps and Front Parking Sensors to complete the safety upgrade.

The Mazda CX-3’s first update since arriving in Australia in March 2015 also includes a range of ride, handling and NVH improvements making driving smoother and even more comfortable.

The addition of this technology means every Mazda passenger and SUV vehicle now comes with Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) as standard across the range, something none of its direct competitors can boast.

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Mazda2: Australia’s safest light car

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n a first for the light car segment, Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) are now available on the Mazda2, and are fitted as standard equipment on high-spec Genki and GT grades with no increase to price.

Now the undisputed safety champion of the light car segment, these i-ACTIVSENSE safety technologies join Smart City Brake Support – Forward (SCBS-F), which is now standard across the entire range – with Mazda the only volume seller to offer this – and Smart City Brake Support – Reverse (SCBS-R) which is now standard from the Maxx variant up.

With an expanded range including four hatch and three sedan grades, Mazda’s ground-breaking G-Vectoring Control, ride and handling, and NVH improvements, give a smoother, more comfortable driving experience.

The New Mazda2’s contemporary colour palette has also been updated with the introduction of an all-new Deep Crimson Mica, while Eternal Blue Mica, Meteor Grey Mica and Jet Black Mica all make their Mazda2 debut. New Mazda2 is in Dealership now.

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Delivering the best of service

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n 2016, Mazda was set up as a Registered Training Organisation (RTO) allowing it to offer nationally accredited training courses delivering a Certificate III Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology qualification.

Not only does this provide the best after-sales vehicle service for you the customer, but it also ensures that every Mazda technician has the best possible training to maintain the high standards expected at every Mazda Dealership nationwide.

With 108 apprentice students enrolled in Mazda’s debut year as an RTO, the first 30 have now graduated from the Mazda Technical Training Apprentice (MTTA) program and completed their apprenticeship training.

Of these third year graduates, state Apprentices of the Year were recognised with winners receiving a Snap On Tools seven drawer tool box, and Castrol racing jackets and fuel cards at gala dinners staged nationally.

Mazda congratulates all of its apprentices, including Dylan West, who was presented with his graduating certificate

by Victorian State Manager Nick Parkington (pictured).

NEWS Brand-New Mazda CX-9 awarded Wheels Car of the Year 2017

F I grew up on a farm in Albury/ Wodonga and Dad always owned a ute, and with a love of the outdoors, it made sense to have one also. It’s also handy to have the space, you can throw things in the back.

The tough now drives the toughest

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uring the AFL off-season there were changes within the senior leadership group at the Mazda-backed North Melbourne Football Club, with rugged midfielder Jack Ziebell taking over the captaincy.

Thanks to his elevated position with the club, Mazda signed Ziebell as one of its ambassadors and delivered a tough Mazda BT-50 for him to enjoy. Here’s why he has one.

Q: So what attracted you to the Mazda BT-50?

I am a country boy so I like to get back home as often as possible.

Q: What do you think of the Mazda BT-50?

I love it! It looks very cool, particularly with the black wheels and bull bar. It looks tough. I’d never driven a BT-50 before, so I was impressed at how well it drives. It did not miss a beat, it was very comfortable and it’s got all the technology and safety equipment that you need.

Q: You have a love of the outdoors – it looks like the Mazda BT-50 will suit your lifestyle away from football?

Absolutely! I love fishing, so when I get home it’s the first thing I want to do. Recnetly we put the rods in the back then went up into the hills and tried to get a couple of trout. We like to find new water and some of the places are tricky to get to.

Having a Four-Wheel Drive helps us get to those places.

or the second consecutive year Mazda has been awarded the prestigious Wheels Car of the Year, with Brand-New Mazda CX-9 taking out the 2017 trophy.

The recognition follows the Mazda MX-5, which took out its third Wheels Car of the Year when it won last year.

The Brand-New Mazda CX-9 arrived in showrooms last July and became an instant sales success.

“The Mazda CX-9 stood out throughout the entire Wheels Car of the Year judging week,” said Wheels editor Alex Inwood.

“In many ways you could regard this as a win for democratic motoring because this is a car that proves that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get great levels of luxury, refinement and ride quality.

“It sets new benchmarks for quality and efficiency, and the best thing is that it’s got a level of dynamic ability that is really rare for such a big SUV. It’s a well-deserved Wheels Car of the Year winner.

“This is a car that Australian families are going to love.”

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REVIEW 15 APR 2017 Courier Mail, Brisbane

TRIBAL, NOT TRIVIAL

YOUNG WOMEN BUYERS, THE MAZDA2 WANTS TO BE IN YOUR NETWORK — THE LATEST MAKEOVER ADDS SAFETY KIT AND KEEPS THE COST DOWN

AT A GLANCE MAZDA2 PRICE From $16,990 drive-away SAFETY 5 stars, 6 airbags WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km

CRAIG DUFF craig.duff@news.com.au

CAPPED SERVICING $886 for 3 years/ 30,000km SERVICE INTERVALS 12 months/10,000km ENGINE 1.5-litre 4-cyl,79kW/139Nm (Neo), 81kW/141Nm TRANSMISSION 6-speed man, 6-speed auto; FWD THIRST 4.9L-5.5L/100km DIMENSIONS 4060mm, sedan 4320mm (L), 1695mm (W), 1495mm, sedan 1470mm (H), 2570mm (WB) WEIGHT 1020kg-1053kg SPARE Space-saver

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hen you’re on a winner, back it like Winx. The payout is only going to be marginal but you’re still at the top of the field.

That’s the approach taken with the facelifted Mazda2, bringing welcome safety updates to what is the second best-selling light car in the country (watch out, Hyundai Accent) and the most popular privately bought car in the segment.

Exterior changes are barely worth mentioning — will anyone spot the shark-fin antenna on the roof of higher-spec models?

Mazda has fitted more kit, headlined by 30km/h city-speed autonomous emergency braking on all versions, and tried to reduce noise intrusion with improved glass and sound deadening in key areas.

In this segment only the Skoda Fabia can match the Mazda for standard AEB and the maker says the likes of blind spot and rear crosstraffic alert are a first for the class.

More importantly, given the priceconscious nature of the light car segment, prices are unchanged from the previous version. Drive-away prices start at $16,990 for the Neo hatch or sedan, rise to $19,690 for the Maxx, $22,690 for the hatchonly Genki and top out at $23,680 for the GT (pictured) in four or fivedoor guise.

The GT nameplate takes over from the Genki S Pack after Mazda’s research showed people paying top dollar for their city car didn’t want it described as a “pack” edition.

HIGHLIGHTS NEO Forward city-speed autonomous emergency braking, cruise control, keyless start, torquevectoring cornering, rear parking sensors, 15-inch steel wheels.

MAXX Alloys, digital radio, six speakers, seven-inch touchscreen, reversing camera, reverse cityspeed AEB. GENKI LED headlamps, fog lamps and daytime running lamps, auto lights and wipers, 16-inch alloys, satnav, blind-spot and rear crosstraffic alert.

GT Leather-accented upholstery.

Not that Mazda is discounting the whole pack mentality approach — the advertising campaign for the update is tagged “2Tribe” in a bid to encourage young women to feel part of a network.

Mazda Australia boss Vinesh Bhindi says the “overwhelming majority” of buyers are young women, with a smattering of males and empty nesters making up the mix.

The entry level Neo will account for almost half of Mazda2 sales,

despite having an engine that is about 0.5L/100km less fuel efficient and with marginally less power than the next three grades.

It is still the only version to make do with sensors rather than a reversing camera.

About 80 per cent of buyers will pay an extra $2000 for a sixspeed auto. Hatch variants are tipped to account for 74 per cent of all Mazda2 sales.

The CD player has been deleted across the range as yet another indication this car is for smartphone-equipped millennials with downloaded tunes and apps for music-streaming.

As was the case previously, of the eight-hued palette only Mazda’s “soul red metallic” paint costs extra, at $300.

ON THE ROAD Mazda says the facelifted 2 is quieter than its predecessor. I’d need a backto-back drive or a sound engineer to discern the differences.

Plant the right foot — you need to, because the non-turbo 2 needs to have revs on board to do its best work — and the 1.5-litre engine cranks up the volume along with

the pace. Semi-trailers blasting alongside likewise intrude on the cabin ambience.

The Mazda2 is far less vocal when driven in city environs and the steering and throttle are on par with the best in the class.

If carrying gear is part of the routine, the sedan is the pick with 440L of cargo space to the hatch’s 250L. Otherwise, the smaller hatch is a smarter look and smaller car to park.

VERDICT It’s a mild makeover but Mazda really didn’t need to do much to keep the 2 at the top of the charts. Active safety should tick the boxes for ANCAP and buyers alike.

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REVIEW 15 APR 2017 Weekend West, Perth

LITTLE DARLING EVEN BETTER

MAZDA2 MOVES OUT OF SHOPPING-TROLLEY CLASS

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azda has polished its darling of the light-car class with more safety features, a quieter ride and more value for money.

The aim is to prise the Mazda2 from Australia’s second-placed class leader into the top chair.

It remains a sweet car to drive and has all the urban practicalities that have made it a mainstay for young female owners — Mazda Australia says this group dominates its market — but now with some tweaks to hold back hungry newcomers, including the Kia Rio.

But the updated Mazda2 that’s just arriving at dealerships is also warring with the new crop of small SUVs, including Mazda’s ownCX-3 based on the 2.

There’s also the elephant in the room with the light-car class leader, the Hyundai Accent, holding a 20 LOWDOWN MAZDA 2 MODELS Neo, Maxx, Genki, GT PRICE $14,990-$23,680 ENGINE 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol OUTPUTS 79kW/139Nm; 81kW/141Nm TRANSMISSION 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic THIRST 4.9-5.5L/100km

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per cent segment share against the Mazda2’s 16 per cent.

Both cars are holding their own despite the light car segment falling 20 per cent this year, partly because of the baby SUV popularity.

But that doesn’t diminish the fun and functional aspects of the Mazda2. Upgraded this week, the little car comes in hatchback or sedan guises and now adds a new model, the GT, to sit above the previous Genki flagship.

New stuff across the four trim grades are changes to the front suspension and steering to improve driving stability and ride comfort; more sound deadening to, er, deaden sound; and, most importantly, autonomous emergency braking that prevents a forward prang up to 30km/h.

Mazda calls this Smart City Brake Support and clearly it prevents those annoying and expensive low-

speed collisions normally associated with stop-start city traffic.

The same system works when reversing, though in this case it isn’t fitted to the entry-level Neo model priced from $16,990 drive away.

The Neo also misses out on a reverse camera — Mazda says this model’s base infotainment system cannot be fitted with a camera —but has rear parking sensors and the option of a reverse camera with its screen within the rear mirror.

A better idea is to pay $2700 for the Maxx model which will lift the safety kit higher, including an integrated reverse camera, front and rear AEB, plus added youthoriented convenience features including internet radio integration, a digital radio, seven-inch touch screen, six speakers and the option of satellite navigation.

The new GT model has all the fruit to become, at $23,680 plus

on-road costs for the automatic, a viable suburban car for buyers seeking economy, comfort and ease of driving.

Its features include satellite navigation and a white interior with white leather for the seats, and it carries over from the Genki features such as LED headlights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Mazda expects to sell 1000 Mazda2 units a month, with 49 per cent being the entry-level Neo and 35 per cent being the Maxx variant. Three-quarters of buyers are expected to opt for the hatch compared with the sedan.

Drive the Mazda2 and you can see what the fuss is about. It’s a slick little car that will still haul four adults, with better sound deadening now lifting it out of the shoppingtrolley class. There are two versions of the 1.5-litre petrol engine with slightly different power outputs yet both boast excellent response, plenty of willingness to rev up and yet are light on fuel.

Though some buyers prefer a manual transmission, saving$2000, the automatic can actually be more economical with 4.9L/100km (compared with the manual at 5.2L/100km) when fitted with the more powerful engine.

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REVIEW 12 APR 2017 www.carsguide.com.au

MAZDA 2 2017 REVIEW THE MAZDA2 IS THE FAVOURITE SMALL HATCH FOR THE PRIVATE BUYER. WHILE OTHER SMALL HATCHES HAVE FALLEN AWAY, THE 2 HAS HELD FIRM, ITS STYLISH SHEETMETAL AND QUALITY INTERIOR SETTING APART FROM PRETTY MUCH EVERY CAR IN ITS CLASS. IT'S BEEN IN ITS CURRENT SHAPE SINCE 2014, SO MAZDA HAS GIVEN IT A LIGHT MID-LIFE SPEC RE-ARRANGEMENT.

maintain its selling power, though, with the company moving over a thousand a month in 2016, beating the Yaris and only eclipsed by the bargain basement Hyundai Accent.

REVIEWED & DRIVEN BY

PETER ANDERSON CarsGuide

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he refresh has not only included a few new goodies and detail improvements, but it's also brought with it a new rangetopping GT variant. Sadly, it has not brought a hot or even slightly warm hatch. Still, you can't have everything, especially in a market segment shrinking in favour of small SUV's like the 2's bigger brother, the CX-3. Mazda thinks the 2 can

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IS THERE ANYTHING INTERESTING ABOUT ITS DESIGN? Mazda's 'Kodo' design is very successful in just about any size and shape. The 2 hatch has all the requisite flowing lines and creases, with a more mature look than its perpetually surprised predecessor, which had huge, long headlights that swept up and back into the bodywork.

The sedan almost gets away with it, but not quite. While rather more practical than the hatch (it has a massive boot), the extension on

the back is a valiant attempt but, ultimately, looks a bit too high and bustly.

Not much has changed, with the exception of a few paint colours here and trim selections there. The alloy wheels are the same designs as previously but with a different finish, and the wing mirrors now have indicator repeaters. While there are a few new colours, the only extra-cost colour is still 'Soul Red', a reasonable $300.

Inside has also received some minor changes. The steering wheel is more like the CX-9's, with a smaller airbag boss, better buttons and slimmer vertical spokes to reduce the visual weight. Otherwise, the sleek design of the dashboard with its three circular vents remains, and looks as good as ever.

“THE 2 IS ALREADY THE RIOT OF THE SEGMENT, WITH BY FAR THE MOST INTERESTING DRIVING EXPERIENCE WHEN COMPARED WITH ITS JAPANESE AND KOREAN COMPETITION.” Irritatingly, the instrument layout also remains but the LCD headup display (Genki and GT) has been refined and given Audi-like graphics. The dash is still a central speedo with two wings either side housing small LCD displays. Maybe it's a personal thing, but I find this dashboard irritating because there seems to be a lot of wasted space. Mazda has made some improvements to the fonts and detailing on the speedo to try and make it more legible.

HOW PRACTICAL IS THE SPACE INSIDE? For passengers, almost nothing has changed. The front seats are comfortable, everything is close to hand and tall folks can survive quite happily. The rear seat is still tight for anyone over 150cm tall and is not a three-adults-across proposition unless they're all beanpoles with no

hips. There are now under-seat vents for the rear passengers, though, which is a nice touch at this level.

Front seat passengers have two cup holders and a wide deep slot for holding your phone (even the larger format devices fit) and at the rear of the console is a tray for odds and ends. There is also some space underneath the air-con controls for keys or a smaller phone and it's where the 12 volt power outlet and USB ports live.

Boot space in the hatch is the same 250 litres, enough for a modest amount of shopping or a medium-sized suitcase. Go for the sedan and you'll have a gigantic 440 litres to fill, which is just two litres short of the brand new CX-5. Mazda reckons that's two suitcases' worth or two golf bags. Both variants have a 60/40 split rear seat to liberate more space.

DOES IT REPRESENT GOOD VALUE FOR THE PRICE? WHAT FEATURES DOES IT COME WITH? Thanks to a weak-ish Japanese economy and currency, Australian buyers won't have to dig any deeper for their better-equipped Mazda2.

Prices haven't moved a single cent for either the hatch or sedan (three quarters of sales go to the hatch), starting at $14,990 for the basic 79kW/139Nm Neo manual.

The range rises through the Maxx, Genki and now the GT (replacing the Genki S Pack option), ending up at a CX-3 – and 3 – threatening $23,680 for the auto. Everything above the Neo gets 81kW/141Nm from the 1.5-litre 'SkyActiv' engine, which at the same time is fitted with 'i-Stop' stop-start technology. Drive-away pricing is here to stay, too – just add $2000 to the MLP (the prices I've listed here).

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REVIEW

The Neo starts you off with 15inch alloys, power windows and mirrors, four speaker stereo with Bluetooth and USB, air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless start and rear parking sensors, low-speed forward auto emergency braking and Mazda's own G-Vectoring technology to improve steering feel and response.

If that's enough for you, the Neo will cost $14,990 for the six-speed manual and $16,990 for the auto.

Spend another $2700 and you'll find yourself in a Maxx ($17,690 manual/$19,690 auto). Added to the Neo's spec are a six-speaker stereo with DAB+, cruise control, leather interior bits like steering wheel, alloy wheels, rear AEB and a reversing camera.

The reason you've got a reversing camera on the Maxx and up is

WHAT WE LIKE Fun chassis Great safety package Cheap to own and run WHAT WE DON’T LIKE Tight rear seats No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Dark interior on all but GT hatch

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because the rest of the range comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen running Mazda's really rather good 'MZD Connect.' While it doesn't have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it does feature Pandora, Stitcher and Aha connectivity. The Maxx offers sat nav as an option and it's standard on the Genki and GT. Speaking of the Genki, which is only available as a hatchback, you'll pay $20,690 for the manual and $22,690 for the auto. The extra three large gets you machined gunmetal alloys of 16-inches in size, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, climate control, upgraded cloth trim, body-coloured folding mirrors and LED daytime running lights.

Finally, there's the GT. Unlike the Genki, you can get a GT in both hatch and sedan, priced at $21,680

for the manual and $23,680 for the auto. The extra $990 has mostly gone on the interior. Mazda's designers have gone to town with leather and synthetic suede on the seats and a bunch of leather decoration panels on the dash and armrests, complete with classy stitching. These really lift the mood in the otherwise dark cabin and the themes differ between hatch and sedan. The hatch's contrasting colour is white while the sedan's is a rich brown colour.

WHAT ARE THE KEY STATS FOR THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION? The SkyActiv 1.5-litre petrol four comes in two specifications.

On the Neo, you'll have 79kW/ 139Nm to play with and you'll go without i-Stop. Small differences

EXPERT RATING 7.1 / 10

“AS WITH ANY MAZDA UPDATE, THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF DETAIL WORK TO IMPROVE THE PLATFORM.” include a belt-driven oil-pump and lower compression ratio. For the rest of the range, you'll get 81kW/141Nm and i-Stop to cut fuel use in town (although this isn't reflected in the official fuel figures on the automatic).

Power reaches the road through the front wheels, either with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

HOW MUCH FUEL DOES IT CONSUME? The official fuel figures on the combined cycle are 4.9L/100km across the range for the automatic and 5.2L/100km for the manual on

all but the Neo. Despite less power, the stop-startless Neo manual uses a claimed 5.4L/100km.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? The 2 is already the riot of the segment, with by far the most interesting driving experience when compared with its Japanese and Korean competition. Combining light weight, sharp steering, an enthusiastic engine and two good transmissions, the wee Mazda remains the class leader.

Cars like this are usually a barrel of fun, but when you add in the subtle effects of G Vectoring – where software monitors steering

DESIGN

7 / 10

PRICE AND FEATURES

7 / 10

FUEL CONSUMPTION

7 / 10

SAFETY

8 / 10

PRACTICALITY

7 / 10

ENGINE AND TRANS

7 / 10

DRIVING

7 / 10

OWNERSHIP

7 / 10

“IT'S STILL GOOD FUN AND THE MANUAL IS EVEN MORE FUN THAN THE AUTO.” 15

REVIEW

PRICE GUIDE Based on new car MSRP $14,990 TO $23,680 This price is subject to change closer to release data

angle and fiddles with the torque to improve steering response and feel – it's even better. The tyres will give up long before you do, but there's still nothing like the 2 in this segment unless you spend another few grand on a Renault Clio or Peugeot 208. And even then...

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Passengers will also enjoy the quiet cabin, although the torsion beam rear will keep the rear occupants awake with a bit of clunk thunk over the rough stuff and the ride is fairly firm but not violently so.

As with any Mazda update, there's been plenty of detail work to improve the platform. The 2 was never going to get any wholesale changes, because from launch it was one of the quietest hatches on the market, certainly much quieter than the car it replaced. Mazda has deployed more filler and foam to further dampen the noise and added an acoustic windscreen.

Interestingly, one of the noises that has been attended to is the sound of the rear door closing.

Until now an unpleasant clang issued from the rear door but with a change in the position of the panel's reinforcement, it's more a thunk than a clang. Jolly good.

As far as the driving goes, again, it's all in the detail. New damper and spring rates and new bushes all conspire to quieten and sharpen the drive, along with the G Vectoring. It's still good fun and the manual is even more fun than the auto.

WHAT SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS FITTED? WHAT SAFETY RATING? The Mazda2's safety package stands apart in this class, incorporating advanced features found on larger, more expensive cars from other carmakers.

The least you'll find on the 2 is six airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, traction and stability controls.

Even the base model 2 has city auto emergency braking (AEB) and Mazda's G-Vectoring technology.

The rear seats feature two ISOFIX and top-tether restraint points.

On the Maxx up you have a reversing camera and reverse AEB and the Genki and GT also score

reverse cross traffic alert and blind spot monitoring.

The 2 scored five ANCAP stars in September 2015, the highest rating available.

WHAT DOES IT COST TO OWN? WHAT WARRANTY IS OFFERED? Mazda's passenger cars are covered by a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and you can stump up $68.10 or $83.50 per year for roadside assist, depending on how keen you are for a rental car if your 2 is out of action due to a mechanical breakdown.

Mazda also offers fixed-price servicing for the 2 and you're expected to pop in to your local dealer every 12 months or every 10,000km. This regime covers the first five services, with prices alternating between $286 and $314 adding up to $1486 for the whole period.

You'll also need to budget for a brake fluid change every two years/40,000km ($64) and a new cabin filter ($80) every 40,000km.

VERDICT The 2 has recently lost sales momentum, but so has the whole segment. VW Polo sales have halved over the past 12 months and even the Hyundai Accent has run out of steam after a big effort in 2016.

The fact the 2 is still shifting 1000 units a month must be a comfort to Mazda as all its competitors, bar the Yaris, have suffered significant drops.

The updated 2 is hardly a revolution but a steady, workmanlike approach by Mazda to "shatter all notions of class to keep Mazda2 the world’s most appealing sub-compact car" should keep things motoring along. The level of safety

equipment should go some way to notion-shattering.

It's a close run thing, but the Maxx remains the best of an already impressive Mazda2 lineup. It is a significant extra chunk of money over the Neo, but the addition of MZD Connect and the reversing camera with reverse AEB seals the deal.

The 2 has by far the best safety package of its segment and probably the best interior. Add to that its sparkling chassis, plus a decent level of tech (once you're in the Maxx), and it's a compelling proposition if you can resist the switch to a small SUV. You'll save yourself a fortune if you can.

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REVIEW

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29 JUL 2016

FIRST DRIVE Herald Sun, Melbourne

Take a quiet corner TAKE A QUIET CORNER

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MAZDA3 SP25 ASTINA chief Alastair Doak. “We took a similar approach with the Mazda6 at the beginning of the year, embedding the safety as standard.”

Unfortunately, despite the rhetoric, Mazda has left a reversing camera off the cheapest model.

The diesel Mazda3 has been dropped from the range, which means the line-up includes sedan and hatchback bodies with two engines — 2.0 and 2.5-litre petrol fours — and six trim levels from Neo to SP25 Astina. Pricing is from $20,490 for a manual Neo through to $34,490 for the automatic SP25 Astina.

ON THE ROAD In the past, the Mazda3 has generated its sporty driving response with taut suspension and aggressive chassis settings. including auto emergency braking It was good for keen drivers, and lane-keeping assistance on the but not for people who like a higher-end models. littleThere moreisrelaxation in their digital radio in all variants, places cabin. where it works. driving and for a quieter about safety We’ve“The hadupdate a lot ofiscomplaints and technology, with owners some small recently from Mazda3 cosmetic changes,” whoexterior are unhappy about road says Mazda Australia marketing noise, particularly at the rear.chief Alastair Doak.

“We took similar The fresh approach fora2016 approach with the Mazda6 at the brings a car that’s just as much the year, embedding funbeginning in cornersofbut more the safety as standard.” compliant in the ride and Unfortunately, despite the noticeably quieter inside. rhetoric, Mazda has left a reversing It’s not as sharpmodel. as it camera offgo-kart the cheapest was but just Mazda3 as quickhas and Theit’s diesel been easier to hustle down a twisty dropped from the range, which road and there is none of thesedan means the line-up includes

skipping and thumping that I remember as characteristic of the earlier car.

It’s at least partly down to the test and development work

and hatchback bodies with two engines — 2.0 and 2.5-litre petrol fours — and six trim levels from Neo to SP25 Astina. Pricing is from $20,490 for a manual Neo through to $34,490 for the automatic SP25 Astina.

ON THE ROAD In the past, the Mazda3 has generated its sporty driving response with taut suspension and aggressive chassis settings.

It was good for keen drivers, but not for people who like a little more relaxation in their driving and a quieter cabin. We’ve had a

lot of complaints recently from Mazda3 owners who are unhappy about road noise, particularly at the rear.

The fresh approach for 2016 brings a car that’s just as much fun in corners but more compliant in the ride and noticeably quieter inside.

It’s not as go-kart sharp as it was but it’s just as quick and easier to hustle down a twisty road and there is none of the skipping and thumping that I remember as characteristic of the earlier car.

It’s at least partly down to the test and development work done

in Australia last year and definitely attributable to the vectoring tech.

It uses engine torque to settle the chassis and stiffen the suspension at the right end and right side for optimum grip and balance.

My drive time is focused on the SP25 Astina, which allows me the maximum exposure to the update efforts.

It carries over the smooth 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. Cabin accommodation and boot size are pleasingly familiar but there are lots of other little improvements.

WHAT’S NEW PRICE The bottom line is still the same, from $20,490, with what Mazda claims is $1550 in added value.

EQUIPMENT Lots of additional safety gear across the range, even an electric parking brake and new steering wheel.

PERFORMANCE Diesel engine is gone. Vectoring control is claimed to deliver better chassis control and a smoother, quieter ride.

DRIVING Still a Mazda3 but more compliant in all conditions, also quieter.

Same enjoyment with less stress.

DESIGN Barely changed with work limited to tweaking of the nose, new alloys, some trim and steering wheel.

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REVIEW

AT A GLANCE MAZDA3 SP25 ASTINA PRICE $35,490 (Neo from $20,490) WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km CAPPED SERVICING $1367 for 3 years SERVICE INTERVAL 12 months/10,000km SAFETY 5 stars ENGINE 2.5-litre 4-cyl, 138kW/250Nm TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto; FWD THIRST 6.0L/100km DIMENSIONS 4470mm (L), 1795mm (W), 1465mm (H), 2700mm (WB) WEIGHT 1336kg (Neo from 1258kg) SPARE Space-saver TOWING 1200kg 0-100KM/H 7.8 secs

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There is, happily, no need to try the auto safety braking but the traffic sign recognition works well, the coloured head-up display is handy and the radar cruise control is superior to some I have tried.

The new steering wheel is pleasing and — for a little while in Brisbane — the digital radio reception is good.

However, the lane-keeping assist is overly eager all the time, pushing me away from white lines on every road.

I would consider leaving it switched off, except on trips where fatigue might be a factor.

I keep coming back to the driving enjoyment and the quieter cabin.

It’s impossible to measure without instruments but subjectively it is a more pleasant place, particularly on the coarse-chip bitumen roads that have generated the bass drumming in the back that annoys many Mazda3 owners.

OCT 2016 Wheels, National

Model Engine Max power Max torque Transmission Kerb weight 0-100km/h Economy Price On sale

Still a bit rowdy; rear-seat ambience; no proper hot-hatch option

PLUS & MINUS

Mazda 3 SP25 Astina 2488cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v 138kW @ 5700rpm 250Nm @ 3250rpm 6-speed manual 1314kg 7.9sec (tested) 6.5L/100km $33,490 Now

Safety; dynamics; performance; value; smoothness; efficiency; choice

Mazda 3

Mid-life makeover runs deeper than expected AUSTRALIA’S motoring sweetheart, the Mazda 3, has long been a likeably lusty little performer.

But even brand loyalists would admit that the Japanese C-segment diva can get a bit mouthy – rowdy even – in the noise department. Happily, Hiroshima has been listening, so welcome the Series II. External changes are so subtle they need pointing out, so please note the wider grille, “more horizontal” bumpers, and altered air intakes and rear diffuser.

The more obvious mods are inside, with a slimmer-spoked wheel, redesigned instrument graphics and more storage.

From mid-spec Touring up, the handbrake gives way to an electronic toggle, and the GT and Astina’s head-up display is more informative. Significantly, the CD player is history across the range.

More importantly, there’s less droning thanks to a significant

FIRST AUSSIE DRIVE

increase in sound-deadening in the floor, roof and pillars. While both engines – unchanged 114kW 2.0-litre and 138kW 2.5-litre units – are still a bit vocal when extended, the overall experience is more peaceful.

Automatics gain a Sport mode that alters the shift patterns for livelier response – another good move because the old 2.0-litre auto felt a tad lethargic low-down – but it holds lower ratios too long, which is tiresome in traffic.

The electric power steering has been retuned for a more natural feel, aided by modifications to the dampers and rear suspension, mainly to boost ride comfort, but also handling confidence.

To demonstrate these, as well as the benefits of the new G-force Vectoring Control system which alters engine torque delivery to the front wheels for better and smoother traction, Mazda had us driving otherwise identical-spec old and new 3s through a series

of slaloms, and the more fluid, planted and predictable handling of the latest model was clearly discernible. Out on real roads, the Series II continued to impress with its poise and control.

Following Skoda’s lead with the Octavia range revamp, AEB is now standard, so the old $1500 safety pack has gone, along with the slow-selling XD Astina Diesel.

Neo is still priced at $20,490, but there’s no touchscreen at entry level, which means no integrated reversing camera – that’s where the popular Maxx ($22,890) comes in. Maxx level upwards cost about $500 extra yet gain additional safety like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and – on SP25 GT – Traffic Sign Recognition tech, while the SP25 Astina is $1500 cheaper but scores laneassist and adaptive LED lights.

All this should help keep the better-equipped, safer, comfier and quieter 3 sweet with its fans.

Not the same old tune Mazda reduced the amount of assistance to the electric power steering, particularly at speed, for a more natural feel. On the suspension front, Mazda altered the dampers and rear suspension, mainly to boost ride comfort.

‘Dynamic’ dampers with different oil and stronger structures feature, along with softer anti-roll bar mounting bushes to reduce ride harshness. A new rear suspension crossmember and an additional trailing link are claimed to increase the lateral grip of the tyres.

BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS

42 WheelsMag.com.au

21

REVIEW 08 NOV 2016 www.caradvice.com.au

2016 MAZDA 3 SP25 REVIEW ATTRACTIVE PRICING AND SAFETY FEATURES MAKE THE SP25 THE SWEETEST IN THE MAZDA3 RANGE

TEGAN LAWSON Lifestyle Editor

T

he tussle for supremacy in the small passenger car segment is tenacious and according to Australian buyers, the Mazda 3 is invariably a firm favourite – consistently a top-three seller and Mazda’s best selling model.

The Mazda 3 is available as either a sedan or hatch and the latter makes up 58 per cent of the sales

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mix. It’s also available with a manual or automatic transmission and again, the latter is the favoured choice with a resounding 84 per cent of buyers opting for the auto.

Its popularity helped drive Mazda to its best local sales result yet, securing a place on the podium as the second-highest selling brand in 2015 behind Toyota. So far this year, Mazda is holding on to that podium spot, and the small car battle between the Mazda 3 and Australia’s current

best selling passenger car the Toyota Corolla, is well and truly on.

According to the August VFACTS report, year-to-date the Corolla leads the Mazda 3 with 27,525 units sold compared to 24,407 with the Hyundai i30 sandwiched in between with 26,937 sales. When you look at August specifically, the Mazda is second to the Corolla, followed by the i30 with the Volkswagen Golf and Kia Cerato rounding out the top-five.

The Mazda 3 range starts with the Neo, priced from $20,490 before on-road costs for the manual, followed by the Maxx at $22,390, the Touring costs $24,790 and these three have a 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol engine. The range then steps up to a 2.5-litre four cylinder engine in the SP25 priced from $25,190, then there’s the SP25 GT for $29,790 and the top-of-the-line SP25 Astina will set you back at least $35,050.

This generation launched in January 2014 and July this year marked the first significant up date since then. It’s worth pointing out that the XD Astina, the sole Mazda 3 diesel model, was axed in June ahead of the update.

In our recent Mazda 3 range review, the SP25 variant was singled out as the sweet spot in the range, largely thanks to its more powerful 2.5-litre engine, price and included kit. So we thought we’d take a closer look.

Inside, the cabin is well presented and well finished; it looks stylish and modern, and feels classy. The SP25 has a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen that features in every variant except the entry level Neo. It features Mazda’s MZD connect system with satellite navigation, digital radio, music apps like Pandora, six speakers and two iPod compatible USB ports.

To help keep your musical appetite satisfied, it also has Bluetooth connectivity, AUX and radio.

WHAT WE LIKE .5-litre four cylinder 2 engine fits it like a glove ood level of included G safety features Well-finished cabin WHAT WE DON’T LIKE ear seats lacking R connectivity outlets yre and road noise could T be better Cloth seats rather than leather

23

REVIEW

OUR RATINGS BREAKDOWN 8.5 / 10 PERFORMANCE & ECONOMY

8.0/10

CABIN SPACE & COMFORT

8.0/10

TECHNOLOGY & CONNECTIVITY

8.5/10

PRICE & FEATURES

8.5/10

RIDE & HANDLING

8.5/10

While the Touring may score leather appointed seats, stepping up to the SP25 means stepping back to cloth seats. However it does feature keyless entry and push button start which is standard across the range. It also loses lumbar support adjustment, and the front seats are manually adjustable.

Creature comforts include dual-zone climate control, cruise control which is standard on all variants as is auto stop/start, a leather steering wheel with paddle shifters and buttons for phone, cruise control and audio, rain sensing wipers, auto halogen headlights with LED fog lamps and auto folding power mirrors.

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Mazda has upped the ante with safety tech, all have a rear view camera and low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB), while all above Neo get blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and reverse low-speed AEB. Mazda’s AEB system is called Smart City Brake and it uses a near-infrared laser mounted on the windscreen to scan for vehicles in front of the car. It works between 4 to 30km/h and if it detects a potential crash it will brake for you if you don’t. The reverse system uses two ultrasonic sensors on the bumper to look for danger and works between approximately 2 to 8km/h.

Considering this is a small car, there is a relatively generous amount of storage with big pockets in the doors, bottle holders, two-cupholders between the driver and passenger tucked away under a sliding cover and the glovebox is a good size. However, the flock-lined centre console bin is quite small but it does have a 12V outlet and coin tray.

This is not a Tardis. The backseat isn’t overly commodious especially when it comes to width, however

head room is sufficient and knee room is decent. The outboard seats will accommodate two adults and there is good under-thigh support, however the centre seat, though flat, is hampered by the high transmission tunnel and feels too close for comfort to the back of the centre console bin.

There are no air-vents, USB ports or 12V outlets in the rear, but there is a map pocket on the back of the front passenger seat, room for a water bottle in the doors and two cupholders in the fold-down armrest.

The boot space is deep and nice and flat, offering up 308-litres of space whereas you score an extra 100L in the sedan and there’s a temporary spare wheel hidden underneath the floor.

At the other end of the SP25, under the bonnet is that spirited 2.5-litre four cylinder engine that produces 138kW at 5700rpm and 250Nm at 3250rpm. It facilitates a far more engaging driving experience than the 2.0-litre engine found in the lower three trim-levels and played a big part in why this variant was our pick of the range.

It feels like the right engine for this size of car, despite being larger than what’s found under the hood of many of its competitors – the Corolla has a

1.8-litre four cylinder petrol engine – and it sounds pretty good too.

It also has sport mode, there’s a button near the gearshift to engage it and voila, the six-speed automatic transmission will hold onto the gears a little longer before shifting up when accelerating and drop down gears with more enthusiasm when needed – or, if you prefer, you can go DIY with the paddle-shifters.

Mazda’s new G-Vectoring system reacts to steering inputs and senses when to adjust torque delivery

to the front wheels to aid with cornering – meaning less steering adjustments and better stability through corners. The steering is direct, sharp and accurate, and overall the Mazda 3 SP25 provides a well balanced and enthusiastic driving experience.

Certainly not segment leading, Mazda offers a three-year/unlimitedkilometre warranty and lifetime capped-price servicing plan with a visit to a service centre due every 12 months or 10,000km. When it comes to costs, the majority of services will set you back $297 or $324. Roadside assist isn’t a bonus inclusion, though. You’ll need to pay $68.10 a year for the standard service, or sign on for premium roadside assist which includes extras like vehicle recovery, for $83.50 per year.

The Mazda 3 SP25 is an impressive package, from its nicely presented cabin through to the standard safety features and gutsy engine – it’s our pick of the Mazda 3 range.

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REVIEW 17 SEP 2016 Townsville Bulletin, Townsville QLD

MEDIUM WELL DONE

CRAIG DUFF CRAIG DUFF

craig.duff@news.com.au

craig.duff@news.com.au

ROLLING updates rather than olling updates rather than revolutionary changes seem to revolutionary changes seem be the hallmark of Mazda’s to be the hallmark of Mazda’s model plans.

So far, it’s working. model plans. So far, it’s working.

The Mazda6 mid-sized The Mazda6 mid-sized sedan and sedan and wagon launched wagon launched here in 2012 and was here in 2012 and was comprehensively refreshed in 2015 comprehensively refreshed but it has just come in for itsin second

R

update of 2016.

VERDICT If the driving experience matters, the Mazda6 needs to be in the mix if you’re buying a new sedan.

And if you drive one after testing an SUV, expect a revelation.

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While theitchanges 2015 but has justappear come in for relatively minor, they improve the 6’s its second update of 2016. safety and comfort without adding to While the changes appear the price. relatively minor, they improve It is a value-add designed to keep the 6’s safety and comfort the Mazda6 as the most successful withoutmid-sized adding tosedan. the price. imported It is a value-add designed The range starts at $32,490 forto keep the Mazda6 as the most the Sport sedan equipped with the successful importedengine mid-sized 2.5-litre four-cylinder and sixsedan. speed automatic transmission and The startsfor at the $32,490 winds outrange at $49,540 Atenza wagon a 2.2-litre for thewith Sport sedanturbodiesel. equipped The shouldfour-cylinder be enough to withchanges the 2.5-litre keep sales ticking at about 380 engine and six-speed automatic vehicles a month, marketing bossat transmission and winds out Alastair says.Atenza wagon $49,540Doak for the Those numbers will keep the with a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. The Mazda6 ahead of the Subaru Outback and Ford Mondeo in second place outright in the segment, though a mile behind the locally built Toyota Camry.

Mazda expects the mid-sized segment to continue to shrink as buyers turn to smaller cars and SUVs. Mazda Australia boss Martin

Benders says the end of local Camry changesnext should be enough to production year should shakekeep sales ticking at about 380 up the market, given “I don’t think month, marketing theyvehicles (Toyota)awill be able to price the boss Alastair Doak import quite as sharply assays. they have the local car”. numbers will keep the Those AtMazda6 the other end ofofthe ahead theprice Subaru spectrum the and Mazda6 Atenza is in Outback Ford Mondeo being pushed as a outright fully-ladenin the second place mainstream the behind segment,alternative though atomile base prestige sedans — and now the locally built Toyota Camry. has the nappa leather upholstery Mazda expects the mid-sized and interior bling to show off with segment to continue to shrink the premium set. as buyers turn to smaller cars All updated 6s have thicker front and SUVs. glass and improved seals around the Mazda Australia bosshas Martin doors to cut road noise, which Benders says the end of local traditionally been a Mazda bugbear.

ON THE ROAD The headline act of the new range is a torque-vectoring program that adjusts the engine output to optimise the weight load on each wheel, depending on what the car is doing.

In essence, the engine will decelerate when it detects a change

Cam shou given (Toyo impo have At price Aten fullyaltern sedan napp

in steering angle, which has the effect of loading weight onto the front axle to improve turn-in grip.

If a constant lock is maintained, the torque is reinstated, transferring weight back to the rear wheels to optimise tyre contact. It’s not something you can detect in normal driving.

The engines and transmissions carry over, though the 2.2-litre diesel has been tweaked to improve engine knock and rattle. It is a great diesel to drive, with virtually no lag and it seems quieter than before, though we can’t say how much of that comes down to the mechanical revisions and how much to the improved cabin insulation. Shame then, that only about 10 per cent of buyers will end up owning the turbo diesel.

The drive itself is as good as it gets in this class. The 6 is light on its tyres, responds quickly to steering inputs either via the wheel or the pedals and has decent brakes. Back seat head room isn’t great but is fine for kids, or shorter trips for adults.

VITALS PRICE From $32,490 WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km CAPPED SERVICING From $934 over 3 years SERVICE INTERVALS 12 months/10,000km SAFETY 5 stars, 6 airbags ENGINES 2.5-litre 4-cyl petrol, 138kW/250Nm; 2.2-litre 4-cyl diesel turbo, 129kW/420Nm TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto, FWD THIRST 5.4-6.6L/100km DIMENSIONS Sedan 4865mm (L), 1840mm (W), 1450mm (H), 2830mm (WB) Wagon 4800mm (L), 1840mm (W), 1480mm (H), 2750mm (WB) WEIGHT 1487-1607kg SPARE Space-saver TOWING 1500-1600kg

AT A GLANCE PRICE Mazda has kept prices static for this update, largely on the basis of protecting its market share against newer arrivals such as the Volkswagen Passat.

TECHNOLOGY The safety suite has been updated with improved pedestrian detection for the cityspeed autonomous emergency braking. Digital audio is now standard across the range and the top-end Atenza variant picks up adaptive cruise control.

Atenza and GT versions now have a colour head-up display and heated rear seats.

PERFORMANCE There are no changes to the engine outputs but diesel buyers will find the oilburner is quieter thanks to changes to the pistons and the injection process.

DRIVING New torque-vectoring software is designed to maximise the grip during cornering. Sounds tricky, works seamlessly.

DESIGN Indicator repeaters on the side mirrors are the only exterior changes but there’s a bit happening inside on the Atenza, which is unashamedly aiming upmarket with nappa leather upholstery, a black headliner, titanium-look trim and more chrome highlights.

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REVIEW 24 SEP 2016 Weekend Gold Coast Bulletin, Gold Coast

CLASS OF ITS OWN

T CAR BUYERS HAVE BEEN MOVING AWAY FROM THE CLASSIC SEDAN IN DROVES, IN FAVOUR OF HATCHBACKS AND SUVS BUT THE MAZDA6 IS PROOF THE MEDIUM SEDAN IS FAR FROM DEAD

28

he Mazda6 is a flagship model for its maker, a medium-sized Japanese sedan and wagon for the family.

It’s been a mainstay of the range, and while now under attack from the cult of SUVs, Mazda said the 6 series will remain part of the family.

To stabilise sales and to hold its ground, the Mazda6 has been revised again to attract new customers and keep sales running at a steady clip.

The changes, albeit minor, may help the Mazda better compete for buyers looking at lower-end European cars.

It might also appeal to those moving down in size as the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon begin disappearing from showrooms.

From outside, the 2016 Mazda6

looks a little different, aside from new door mirrors with indicator lights incorporated on three of the four model grades and a fresh body colour options. There are still four trim options, sedan or wagon body styles and the choice of 2.5 litre petrol or 2.2 litre diesel options; all with six-speed automatic gearboxes.

Changes to the mechanical package for the new season include G-Vectoring Control for the front end (as introduced on the smaller Mazda3) and some clever work to reduce the knock-knock sound inherent in diesel engines.

As discovered on the Mazda3, this G-VC is a subtle business. It’s a computer-controlled system that adjusts engine torque to help generate a braking force on the front

wheels and smooth out those forces which upset wheels under cornering.

It will also take out some need for constant steering wheel corrections on rougher patches of the M1.

But we’re still not sure if even this cleverness could sooth out that piece of Bermuda St leading to the freeway at Burleigh these days.

But the G-VC does mean that little extra driver control of what’s already a well-behaved vehicle.

The 129kW diesel engine uses dampers inside the piston pins plus extra control of fuel injection to lessen engine clatter. While Mazda sees only 10 per cent of buyers opting for this engine, and while it’s at least $3000 dearer, it’s not far behind the 138kW petrol on power and ahead on torque – 420Nm versus 129Nm. There are more, again subtle, changes inside. These range from coordinating fonts across instruments and the windscreen’s “Active Driving Display” to a new steering wheel.

There are trim revisions, some extra splashes of chrome and that head-up display projected on the windscreen in front of the driver now arrives in full colour and reads speed.

All these minor changes add up to extra class for the Mazda6 which

– these days with unchanged prices – starts at a reasonable $32,490.

This enhancement is most evident in the upper-spec Atenza, $45,390 for a petrol sedan; this could challenge some premium Euro brands.

We’d be most happy – if no need for a ute – to go with a Mazda6 wagon in as high a grade as the budget would stretch. Like its sedan sibling, it’s a handsome, comfortable and competent machine not shaded or shamed by European counterparts.

VERDICT THUMBS UP Style and substance THUMBS DOWN Not an SUV

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REVIEW 24 NOV 2016 www.motoring.com.au

BEST FAMILY CAR OVER $30K: MAZDA6

A

n older design than most in the Car of the Year contest for 2016, the Mazda6 is a credible entrant boasting a solid combination of style, equipment, refinement and driveability.

Priced between $32,000 and just below $50,000, Mazda’s biggest passenger model is well equipped, with the flagship Atenza variant delivering the sort of driverassist safety technology normally associated with higher-priced prestige models. But all variants come with basic autonomous emergency braking.

The Mazda6 is roomy – although the shorter wagon gives away some rear-seat legroom to the sedan – and the driving position is a rational layout providing a wide range of adjustment and sensible control placement and operation.

Innovation is not in the same

30

ballpark as the large Hadron Collider, but the naturally-aspirated petrol four-cylinder brings unexpectedly good fuel economy, performance and refinement, when every other car company in the world is downsizing and moving to forced induction. And G-Vectoring Control introduced with the latest update for the Mazda6 enhances the car’s cornering, which is already near the top of the class.

What let down the admirable Mazda in this company were the shorter service intervals – affecting the total cost of operation – and a level of tyre noise on coarse-chip back roads.

But the Mazda6 is unrivalled in its segment when it comes to delivering great family accommodation and impressive high-tech features at an affordable price, which is why we’ve named it our best family car above $30,000 once again in 2016.

“ENGINE NOISE ASIDE, IN TERMS OF DESIGN AND DYNAMICS THE MAZDA6 REMAINS THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED FRONT-DRIVE MID-SIZE MODEL IN ITS CLASS, AND THE ADDITION OF AN ARRAY OF NEW SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE FEATURES FOR LESS MONEY SHOULD KEEP IT AHEAD OF THE PACK FOR A WHILE LONGER.”

21 FEB 2017 www.racv.com.au

MAZDA6 TOURING NAMED JUDGES’ CHOICE

A

ustralia’s Best Cars works on the principle that you can’t compare vehicles in different classes, because consumers’ needs vary widely. What appeals, say, to the buyer of a family-sized SUV isn’t relevant to someone wanting a small inner-city runabout.

But what the ABC judges do notice is when an individual vehicle brings more than any other to its market segment in the way of innovation, safety and function, and they select one category winner to be the Judges’ Choice for the year.

And this year no vehicle has had more influence on its market segment than our Best Medium Car Under $50,000, the Mazda6 Touring.

Mazda upgraded its ‘6’ range in

September 2016, improving the vehicle in a lot of small ways which, as one judge said, “made a good car better”.

The most significant upgrades were to safety, where the upper detection speed range of the car’s autonomous emergency braking system has been increased from 30km/h to 80km/h, and it now includes pedestrian recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert features are also on all models in the Mazda6 range, and on the convenience side satellite navigation is now included in a very generous standard features list.

Mazda6 also became the first car to feature what Mazda calls a world-first: G-Vectoring Control. This adjusts engine torque in response to steering inputs in order to give

smoother response, reducing the need for steering corrections.

The judges were also particularly taken with the quality of Mazda6’s build and finish. “It really sets a benchmark for build quality and attention to detail,” said one judge.

Overall, the judges thought the greatest factor in making Mazda6 their choice was how everything seems to have been designed “from the driver’s perspective”. One judge commented: “It provides exceptional driver connection to the vehicle.”

With the surge of new SUVs on the market, the medium car segment faces an uncertain future, and the judges determined that Mazda6, in a category that already has some very good cars, could well be its saviour.

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REVIEW 12 MAY 2017 Herald Sun, Melbourne

MAZDA RAISES THE BAR THE CX-3 IS ALREADY OUR MOST POPULAR SMALL SUV AND, SAYS GRANT EDWARDS, SAFETY TWEAKS PUT IT FURTHER AHEAD

I

t’s barely two years since Mazda launched the CX-3 but the maker is tinkering with the formula already.

This illustrates just how quickly things are moving in the car industry these days. Stand still for a second and you’re in danger of being overtaken.

The changes to Australia’s most popular baby SUV are subtle — all the action has occurred beneath the high-riding hatch’s skin, with evolutionary progression in safety, ride quality and driving dynamics.

Progress comes at a price — the cheapest Neo model is up by $500 to $20,490 plus on-roads for the manual (add $2000 for the auto),

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while the second-shelf Maxx has also risen by $500 to start from $22,890 (all-wheel drive adds $4000 with a self-shifter).

The third-tier sTouring remains the same from $26,990, while the range-topping Akari rises $200 to $35,490 for the petrol and $37,890 with a diesel.

Mazda product planner Minoru Takata reckons the marque has avoided gratuitous change. “We focused on refinement rather than wholesale changes,” he says.

You’ll need a keen eye to spot the visual changes. There’s a new shade of blue, while more expensive models get gunmetal 18-inch alloys. Engine options are unchanged, either the 2.0-litre petrol or the unloved 1.5-litre diesel — which accounts for only about 3 per cent of sales.

The biggest change is the addition of auto emergency braking on all models, which unlike rivals works in forward and reverse.

This tech, which Mazda calls Smart City Brake Support, monitors

the surroundings to assess the likelihood of a collision. If there is a high risk, it warns the driver and brakes automatically if needed.

Disappointingly, Mazda continues to refuse to fit a standard reversing camera to the Neo. The option costs almost $800.

AT A GLANCE MAZDA CX-3 PRICE $20,490-$37,890 WARRANTY 3 years/unlimited km CAPPED SERVICING $1520 for40,000km

Stepping up into the Maxx grade — as most buyers do — gains blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and reversing camera. Next up, the sTouring now has a drowsiness alert as well as speed limit sign recognition and the Akari adds lane keeping assist, adaptive LED headlamps and front parking sensors.

ON THE ROAD Mazda claims its incremental improvements to the suspension

improve comfort and dynamics. It has added new engine mounts in petrol models and additional sound deadening material to limit wind, tyre and engine rumbles, although it’s hard to notice without a previous model for comparison.

The range also picks up suspension changes to improve steering response, along with Mazda’s much-vaunted G-Vectoring software, which reduces engine power in milliseconds when

cornering to put more weight over the front tyres and deliver more grip in the bends.

As with most passive safety features, it’s imperceptible and the average person would struggle to feel it. Without doubt the little Mazda is supremely confident and adept, whether cruising through town or cutting a swath through winding rural roads at 100km/h.

Diesel models should also have more refinement with updates to reduce vibrations and noise.

One of the biggest changes comes via a new steering wheel that feels better in the hands. The driver’s instrument cluster is updated with sharper needles, gauges and fonts.

VERDICT Rock-solid with an attractive skin, the market-leading CX-3 raises the bar again on safety and roadholding ability.

The other tweaks and refinements burnish the existing shine and should keep the baby Mazda ahead of the chasing pack.

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REVIEW 13 MAY 2017 Sunshine Coast Daily, Maroochydore QLD

EXTRA SHINE FOR THE STAR SAFETY UPGRADES AND STEADY DYNAMIC PROGRESSION FOR AUSTRALIA’S LEADING COMPACT SUV VITAL STATISTICS MAZDA CX-3 SAFETY Five star, six airbags PRICE $20,490-$37,890 ENGINES Petrol - 2.0-litre 4cyl 109kW/192Nm. Diesel - 1.5-litre 4cyl 77kW/270Nm TRANSMISSIONS Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. FWD and AWD

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here is little need to fix something which isn’t broken.

That’s the motivation behind a raft of minor changes to Mazda’s segment-leading CX-3.

All the action has occurred beneath the high-riding hatch’s skin with evolutionary progression in safety, ride quality and driving dynamics.

Powertrains are uncharged with the option of a 2.0-litre petrol or a so far unloved 1.5-litre diesel - which accounts for only about 3% of sales.

Movement has come in pricing courtesy of additional features. Base model Neo starts from $20,490 plus on-roads for the manual (add $2000 for the auto), while the second shelf Maxx has also risen by $500 to start from $22,890 (all-wheel drive is a $4000 premium with a self-shifter).

The third-tier sTouring remains the same from $26,990, while the range-topping Akaris rise $200 to $35,490 for the petrol and $37,890

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with an oil-burner. Minoru Takata from Mazda’s product division said the marque had avoided change for change’s sake.

“We focused on refinement rather than wholesale changes,” he said.

An automotive Rainman will need a keen eye to find a 2017 model, with the only external differences coming via the availability of a new blue hue, while high grades also get gun metallic 18-inch alloys.

The changes are designed to keep pace with newcomers to the segment which has quickly found favour, now encompassing Toyota’s C-HR and the cheapie Suzuki Ignis.

SAFETY Trumping key rivals in the Mitsubishi ASX, Toyota C-HR, Honda HR-V, Holden Trax and Nissan Qashqai, Mazda has added an automated braking functionality to help avoid accidents when travelling forward

THIRST Petrol - 6.1-6.7 litres/100km. Diesel 4.8L/100km. Dimensions: 4265mm (L), 1765mm (W), 1550mm (H), 2570mm (WB) SPARE Space saver steel. steal TOWING Petrol - 1200kg. Diesel - 800kg.

Tow ball 50kg and in reverse across the range.

Others only work to avoid frontal crashes. Smart City Brake Support monitors its surroundings to assess the likelihood of a collision. If there is a high risk, the system will warn the driver and brake automatically if needed – functionality which adds to the usual suite including anti-lock brakes and stability control.

For those stepping up into the Maxx grade, and most buyers do, you also gain blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a reversing camera. The next level sTouring now has drowsiness alert as well as speed limit sign recognition, with the Akari models then adding lane keeping

PRICES 2.0L PETROL PLUS ON-ROADS Neo (m) FWD $20,490 Neo (a) FWD $22,490 Maxx (m) FWD $22,890 Maxx (a) FWD $24,890 Maxx (a) AWD $26,890 sTouring (m) FWD $26,990 sTouring (a) FWD $28,990 sTouring (a) AWD $30,990 WHAT MATTERS MOST

Akari (m) FWD $31,490

WARRANTY Three-year unlimited kilometre

Akari (a) FWD $33,490

CAPPED PRICE SERVICING Total cost over four years or 40,000km is $1520 for petrol and diesel, incorporating cabin air filter and brake fluid replacement

1.5L DIESEL PLUS ON-ROADS

SERVICE INTERVALS Annual or every 10,000km WHAT’S IT GOT Smart City Brake Support as standard, G-Vectoring steering functionality WHAT IT HASN’T Rear camera in Neo (it is an $791.24 option fitted), major changes since launch in 2015

assist, adaptive LED headlamps and front parking sensors.

ON THE ROAD Incremental improvements are designed to improve comfort and dynamics.

Reduced cabin noise is difficult to ascertain, but new engine mounts in petrol models and additional sound deadening material has been introduced to limit wind, tyre and engine rumbles. The range also picks up suspension changes to

Akari (a) AWD $35,490

improve steering response along with Mazda’s much-trumpeted G-Vectoring software.

Ultimately the vast majority would struggle to feel the impact of G-Vectoring, which is what the marque regards as an electronic guardian angel. Software reduces engine power in milliseconds when cornering which puts more weight over the front tyres and is designed to give more grip in the bends.

Like most great passive safety features it’s imperceptible, but without doubt the little Mazda is supremely confident and adept whether cruising through town or cutting a swathe through winding rural roads at 100kmh.

Diesel models should also offer more refinement with a “Natural Sound Smoother” and other equally well named updates to reduce vibrations and noise.

One of the biggest changes comes via a new steering wheel that offers improved feel in your hands. The driver’s instrument cluster has also been updated with sharper needles, gauges and fonts.

Maxx (a) FWD $27,290 sTouring (a) AWD $33,390 Akari (a) AWD $37,890 Soul red metallic is the only paint costs which attracts and an additional $300 charge.

VERDICT Rock-solid with an attractive skin, running changes to the Mazda CX-3 will do little to light the fires of desire but rather remain more attractive to those chasing value and a reliable package.

Mazda has raised the bar with the automated braking function as standard across the range when travelling forward and in reverse, with tweaks and refinements adding extra polish to the existing shine.

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REVIEW 10 MAY 2017 www.drive.com.au

2017 MAZDA CX-3 NEW CAR REVIEW

JAPANESE BRAND’S POPULAR BABY SUV GETS A MILD UPDATE.

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azda is sticking with a winning formula to update its baby SUV. Just as it has done with the recently revised mid-sized CX-5, the smaller CX-3 has come in for a mild update designed to keep it fresh and on top of shopping lists for those in the market for an urban runabout.

As part of the upgrade, external changes are limited to little more than a different shade on the alloy wheels of higher-grade cars (from black to dark grey in case you were wondering) and that’s it. No new bumpers, headlights, or grilles for this update.

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Inside the changes are similarly low-key and consist of a new steering wheel and gauge cluster, a colour head-up display for those vehicles fitted with it and little more.

Most importantly though, Mazda has bumped up the level of standard safety with autonomous braking (called Smart City Brake Support) and added features across the board to help keep the CX-3 competitive against a growing crop of small SUV competitors.

Mazda has maintained the model range for the 2017 CX-3 range, which means four trim grades (Neo, Maxx, sTouring, and Akari) with a choice of

petrol or diesel power, front- or allwheel drive, and a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic for petrol models and auto only for diesels.

Pricing has moved slightly with Neo and Maxx models climbing by $500 to start from $20,490 plus on-road costs and $22,890 plus on-roads respectively, both with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, six-speed manual, and front-wheel drive. The price of the sTouring holds firm, starting from $26,990 (plus onroads), while the Akari takes a small $200 increase starting from $31,490 (plus on-roads.

The big ticket item is the adoption

of Smart City Brake Support, Mazda’s version of Autonomous Emergency Braking, which works both forwards and in reverse. Other new safety equipment includes blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert on Maxx, sTouring, and Akari with Driver Attention Alert fatigue monitoring and Traffic Sign Recognition for the sTouring and Akari along with extra convenience features through all grades to help justify the price change.

Mazda has also added its G-Vectoring Control chassis technology for a more engaging drive, plus fiddled with suspension and steering settings and engines and suspension mounts to improve refinement, with diesel models going further still thanks to a range of noise and vibration suppression measures first seen on the Mazda6 last year.

The CX-3 is still a relatively fresh car having first gone on sale in 2015, so it stands to reason that the interior design didn’t really need much done to keep it up to date. Mazda has added its new steering wheel design (you’ll find it in everything from MX-5 to CX-9) and installed a simpler, less fussy instrument cluster. The Active

Driving Display of the sTouring and Akari also moves to a revised design and features colour graphics.

As before the CX-3 range sticks to hard plastics on the dash and doors, and goes without a lidded centre console or armrest – features not expected in the segment just a few years ago but ones that are starting to appear in newer small SUVs.

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REVIEW

2017 MAZDA CX-3 PRICE AND SPECIFICATIONS PRICE From $20,490 ENGINES 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol; 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel POWER 109KW AT 6000RPM; 77KW AT 4000RPM TORQUE 192Nm at 2800rpm; 270Nm at 1600-2500rpm TRANSMISSION six-speed manual (petrol only) and sixspeed auto; front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive FUEL USE 6.1-6.7L/100km (petrol); 4.4-4.8L/100km (diesel)

The front seats are comfortable, and the driving position feels just about spot-on, but visibility out of the slender glasshouse might be an issue for some and, just like before, the rear seats can be a little compact when it comes to legroom, with a restricted view outwards owing to the rising window line.

Fabric trim on the Neo and Maxx is attractive and comfortable, while sTouring features a fake leather and

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cloth interior and Akari goes for leather and suede, with optional white leather, as well as adding a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support and memory function.

There’s still no screen for the Neo’s infotainment system, and as a result no reversing camera either (but it can be added as a $500 accessory with a screen integrated into the rear-view mirror). From the Maxx model up, there’s a 7.0-inch

touchscreen unit with digital radio, smartphone app compatibility (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto), satellite navigation and six-speaker audio. As for how it drives, Mazda’s engineering story is a subtle one but key to its on-road manners. The headline act is G-Vectoring Control (and I’ll get to that later) but buyers are sure to appreciate the work put into making the cabin quieter and more comfortable.

Changes have been made to cabin sound deadening with noise absorption materials, foam-filled pillars, thicker door glass, wider cabin seals, and even the engine mounts of petrol models to reduce road and wind noise.

Diesel models also feature HighPrecision Boost Control, Natural Sound Smoother, and Natural Sound Frequency control technologies which are designed to make the engine quieter overall, with reduced ‘diesel knock’ and more refined running through adjustments to the combustion cycle and timing - some hefty engineering to make the diesel experience more pleasant.

The G-Vectoring Control system is another engineering-intensive story but basically it’s designed to increase driver engagement while making the car more stable by making minute changes to front tyre loads through the engine management. It’s tricky stuff, designed to make drivers feel more engaged in the driving experience, but less jittery and fatigued on longer trips.

To go with G-Vectoring there’s also minor changes to the steering settings, suspension mountings, and

damper tune, and while it may not feel vastly different to the previous CX-3 to drive, the result should be smoother, quieter running and improved roadholding.

As far as engine outputs are concerned nothing has changed as the 1.5-litre turbo diesel still produces 77kW and 270Nm and sits as the ‘grunty’ choice in the lineup, though the 109kW and 192Nm 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol has healthy outputs against its competitors. Time behind the wheel was spent in the petrol Maxx with auto and two-wheel drive - set to be the most popular combination with Australian buyers and it isn’t hard to see why.

On suburban Melbourne streets the CX-3 feels right at home ducking through traffic, is lively enough away from the lights, and is quiet and refined unless you really work it hard.

The six-speed automatic is as smooth as you’ll find, and less prone to the lifelessness that affects some CVT automatics in competitors like the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR. Out of town there’s still a little road noise present depending on the type of tarmac, but it was easier

to hold a conversation with a front seat passenger so that aspect has improved slightly.

Into the hills and the CX-3 handles itself well, turning in accurately, and holding the road securely. Keeping pace on an incline instigates a sharp kickdown through the gears which can ruffle the cabin ambience slightly, but overall Mazda’s smallest SUV does a convincing job of behaving like a slightly larger one in terms of comfort.

In the end, it’s clear that, as Australia’s most popular SUV, Mazda didn’t need to tear up the rulebook and start again with the CX-3.

Admittedly it’s disappointing to see a reverse camera still hasn’t made it to the standard features list of the base model, but the inclusion of autonomous braking is equally important and now ensures that Mazda has its entire passenger car range covered with Smart City Brake support.

As before the CX-3 is enjoyable to drive, but a tight boot and limited rear seat space make this a small SUV for the style-conscious, rather than buyers looking for pure practicality.

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REVIEW 01 APR 2017 Daily Telegraph, Sydney

A FIRMER FAVOURITE

MAZDA LEADS THE MID-SIZE SUV FIELD WITH FAMILY-FRIENDLY UPDATES TO VALUE, QUALITY AND SAFETY

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he Mazda CX-5 is more than a car. It’s a symbol of how family motoring has changed in Australia and a target for competitors in the mid-sized SUV wrestling match.

A renovated CX-5, already the country’s favourite SUV, arrives this week packing among other things a bigger boot and upgraded safety.

There is a slight $800 price rise at the bottom end but Mazda Australia says it has increased value, from the basic manual Maxx at $28,690 to the fully loaded Akera diesel auto at $49,990.

There is also a new model, the Touring, to close the previous $7600 gap between the Maxx Sport and Akera.

At first glance, the CX-5 looks almost identical to the first generation but a closer look shows a bolder nose, more definition to the flanks and a dashboard that’s cleaner and easier to use.

It’s slightly longer and wider with a little more usable space inside and a lower rear-seat position, as well as a 40-20-40 split rear seat back.

The technology matches the class standard, with a seven-inch infotainment display. It’s good to see a USB port in the back and rear-seat vents on all but the basic car.

Most materials appear to have been upgraded as Mazda tried to stretch the car into territory occupied by European luxury candidates including the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, even though its obvious opponent is the Volkswagen Tiguan, last year’s Carsguide Car of the Year.

“The goal was to make the next-

generation CX-5 one class above,” says Mazda Australia marketing director Alastair Doak.

“We wanted to evolve the areas where people thought we had done well and improve in areas where we needed some attention.”

Three engine options remain – 2.0 and 2.5-litre turbo diesel – with front and all-wheel drive. The individual model count goes up to 12 choices, all below $50,000.

The CX-5 is yet to be crash tested but Mazda is confident it will continue with five stars and it says the “real world” fuel economy is improved by more than 4 per cent.

Its popularity is reflected in its 115,000 sales in Australia to date and the objective is to continue deliveries at about 2000 a month – this should be easy at first as more than 13,000 people have registered interest in the newcomer.

The Maxx Sport will be most popular with about one-third of sales. Surprisingly, the basic Maxx is predicted to be the least popular.

ON THE ROAD One word sums up the new CX-5:

refined. It’s slightly more refined in the way it looks, noticeably more refined in the cabin and much more refined in the way it drives.

Prices start in the high $20,000 bracket but as a competitor for similar-sized European SUVs the model could easily justify a price tag $20,000 higher.

Complaints first: there is still no digital speedometer in the basic Maxx and Mazda sticks with a space-

VERDICT

It’s going to take a head-to-head contest with the Tiguan and the all-new Honda CR-V due in about three months to see which takes the mid-size SUV title.

Meanwhile, the CX-5 is all I expect and a little more – so it jumps straight to the lead in this torrid competition.

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REVIEW

AT A GLANCE PRICE From $28,690 WARRANTY 3 years/100,000km CAPPED SERVICING $1395 for 3 years SERVICE INTERVALS 12 months/10,000km SAFETY Not yet tested ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 114kW/200Nm; 2.5-litre 4-cyl, 140kW/251Nm; 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel, 129kW/420Nm TRANSMISSION 6-speed auto; FWD/AWD THIRST 6.0L-7.5L/100km DIMENSIONS 4550mm (L), 1840mm (W), 1675mm (H), 2700mm (WB) WEIGHT From 1511kg SPARE Space-saver TOWING 1800kg braked, 750kg unbraked

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saver spare limited to 80km/h. I would also like paddle-shifters on the steering wheel to encourage the sixspeed auto along.

The majority of my time is spent in the most popular variant, the Maxx Sport 2.5 auto – and it’s a very good thing. The engine is definitely more responsive than the base 2.0 and the gearbox is smooth.

It’s noticeably quieter, thanks to a thicker windscreen and extra

sound deadening – far quieter than the previous CX-5 and more like the larger CX-9. That’s a familiar theme – Mazda’s improvements from the bigger model carry over to the mid-sizer.

It’s not the sharpest SUV on a twisting road, lagging behind the Tiguan, but the ride comfort is excellent and that’s more important.

Among the details, interiors look and feel more classy, the rear seat

WHAT'S NEW? PRICE The base price is up by $800 to $28,690 but Mazda claims more than $2000 extra value across the board. All models are below $50,000; popular Maxx Sport starts at $34,390.

EQUIPMENT The Maxx is nothing special despite its seven-inch infotainment screen but the Maxx Sport adds satnav and dual-zone aircon with rear vents. Higher spec variants add traffic-sign recognition, leather trim, 10-speaker Bose audio, LED headlamps and lanekeeping assistance.

PERFORMANCE There is nothing new to report from the engine room, as the emphasis is on more response and not extra power or torque from the petrol engines and diesel. Mazda says it has improved the “real world” economy, not the showroom sticker, by nearly 5 per cent.

back can recline slightly and the boot is considerably bigger – up the 39L. My big bag slides easily into the boot where it would have needed to go sideways in the previous CX-5.

The CX-5 also passes my personal test, as the door linings in the back are soft-touch plastic and not the hard scratchy stuff hidden in most price fighters. Rear air vents in the Maxx Sport are a gratifying inclusion, I like the feel of the leather-wrapped wheel rim and the quality in little things such as the sun-visors.

Moving up to the Akera diesel, mostly to see how the noise control work has gone, the white leather trim pleases and there is a proper headup instrument display instead of the

cheaper flip-up plastic screen in lesser models. It is truly quiet, yet still with the solid diesel surge that makes it the load carrier in the family.

I also like the auto-hold on the brakes – effectively a hill-start assist for flat ground – but would like more adjustment in the steering column.

Some people might also complain that the steering is too light.

Safety basics are right – auto emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, reversing camera and rear cross-traffic alert.

Available tech includes speedsign recognition, higher-speed auto braking, radar cruise control, front and rear parking radar, and driver attention alert.

DRIVING The new CX-5 is quieter at all speeds in all conditions, thanks to upgraded materials, extra sound deadening and, to cut road noise, revised rubber. The steering is light, the ride is compliant and controlled but it’s not remotely sporty.

DESIGN It takes time (or a sideby-side comparison with the outgoing CX-5) to see the extent of the styling changes. The nose differs and the sides are more sculpted. The dash is cleaner, materials are improved in most areas and the boot is bigger.

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REVIEW 05 MAY 2017 www.caradvice.com.au

2017 MAZDA CX-5 RANGE REVIEW

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he first-generation Mazda CX-5 was Australia’s most popular SUV four years running, so the premiere of a more grown-up second iteration has genuine significance.

Australians purchased about 115,000 Mazda CX-5s from launch in 2012, making it the company’s number-two offering behind the Mazda 3. Globally, it accounts for about 25 per cent of its total sales.

Don’t let the 2017 version’s evolutionary styling, and familiar drivetrains and architectures, fool you into thinking there isn’t anything

MIKE COSTELLO Senior Editor

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new to see. Cut through the spin and it’s obvious that Mazda hasn’t been idle, even if this doesn’t deservedly mark a whole generational change.

The new model is similar dimensionally but offers greater cargo space, a more mature design outside and in, extra modern safety technology and the company’s interesting G-Vectoring Control to improve handling by altering torque distribution to the wheels.

Finally, there are strategies to cut road noise and improve NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) including reduced panel gaps, added insulation, improved seals and enhanced aero, and indeed the new CX-5 is a more quiet and refined than before. Not a class-topper, perhaps, but better.

In other words there appear to be plentiful changes to keep the Mazda ahead of a ravenous pack of rivals led on the charts by the Hyundai Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan

X-Trail — the latter of which has just seen its own update.

And let’s not ignore the still-new Volkswagen Tiguan, well-regarded Kia Sportage, rugged Subaru Forester, or the Honda CR-V — due for replacement in the third quarter of 2017.

Let’s be clear: this feature story and video is designed to talk to people who’ve made the CX-5 their choice, but haven’t quite got a handle on where precisely to go from there.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t look at other brands, at all.

What stuff does the walk between CX-5 grades get you? Is your salesperson just having a laugh, trying to up-sell you? Hopefully this feature helps break down the 12 different CX-5 variations, comprising five spec levels, three engine options, and front- or all-wheel drive.

THE BASICS Engine options kick off with a 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine in base grades, offering 114kW at 6000rpm and 200Nm at 4000rpm. This unit is matched to six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions, in FWD only. Claimed 91 RON fuel use is 6.9 litres per 100km.

Next up is the upgraded 2.5-litre normally aspirated petrol unit now making 140kW at 6000rpm and 251Nm at 4000rpm, available only with the automatic transmission and grippier AWD. Claimed 91 RON fuel use is 7.5 litres per 100km.

Rounding out the range is the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, with 129kW at 4500rpm and 420Nm at 2000rpm. This mill is available in six-speed auto and AWD form only, and Mazda expects it to account for about 25 per cent of all sales.

This engine uses 6.0L/100km on the combined cycle.

Practicality-wise, back seat knee-room is modest at best for the class, and the rear seats lack sliding adjustment. On the plus side, you get a good 40:20:40 folding system and levers to flip the down situated in the cargo area. There’s a temporary spare wheel.

2017 MAZDA CX-5 MAXX 15 per cent of total sales projected Pricing before on-road costs: •2 .0-litre petrol six-speed manual FWD — $28,690 •2 .0-litre petrol six-speed auto FWD — $30,690 •2 .5-litre petrol six-speed auto AWD — $33,690 Four definitive features: •7 .0-inch touch-screen display with MZD Connect and rotary control • Rear-view camera • Blind-spot monitoring (BLIS) •A utonomous emergency braking (AEB) SUMMARY Other standard features on the base car include six airbags, 17-inch steel wheels (ours had naff dealer-fit optional alloys), full LED headlights, 12V outlet in the cargo area, electric-folding mirrors, black cloth seats, digital radio, six speakers, Bluetooth phone and audio, two USB trickle chargers, internet radio integration (Pandora, Stitcher and Aha), cruise control, manual airconditioning, push-button start, rear parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert.

Few could argue that the base Maxx is now well-equipped, and we particularly extend plaudits to Mazda for adding BLIS and AEB as standard, as well as LED headlights.

However, the cabin does miss out

on rear-seat air vents and a flip-down armrest for back seat passengers, and while the 7.0-inch screen with MZD rotary dial is also very userfriendly — it has the odd bug — and the lack of Apple CarPlay/Android Auto to counteract the absent satnav is a shame. You can option nav in this spec if you so choose.

Our test car had the entry 114kW/200Nm 2.0-litre engine matched to a six-speed automatic and FWD. The Maxx is the only version that comes with a manual gearbox as standard, but the take-up rate is expected to be minimal.

The engine is a little breathless — a full 1.5 sec slower than the optional 2.5-litre between 60km/h and 100km/h — though is willing and pulls ok once you have the engine at more than 3000rpm, thanks to its 77kg weight advantage and the clever sixspeed auto.

Like all CX-5s, the Maxx feels pretty dynamic for the segment, with good body control/handling through corners, and sharp turn-in — though the electric steering is a little too resistant at low speeds for our taste.

The Yokohama Geolander tyres fitted to the Maxx, Maxx Sport and Touring grip well enough.

If you’re just doddling around town it’ll be more than fine for your purposes. The Maxx is the version for those on a tight budget, who want a simple family car and don’t care about having all the fruit, or have a thing for steel wheels.

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REVIEW

2017 MAZDA CX-5 MAXX SPORT 22 per cent of total sales expected Pricing before on-road costs: • 2.0-litre petrol six-speed auto FWD — $34,390 • 2.5-litre petrol six-speed auto AWD — $37,390 • 2.2-litre diesel six-speed auto AWD — $40,390 Four definitive features: • 17-inch alloy wheels • Dual-zone climate control • Satellite-navigation • Rear air vents

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SUMMARY Other standard features the Maxx Sport adds are LED fog lights, auto on/off headlights, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and a flip-down armrest and two fast-charging USB points for the back seats. It costs $3700 more than the equivalent Maxx in 2.0 FWD auto or 2.5 AWD auto forms, and also introduces the 2.2 diesel engine.

You do get a welcome injection of standard features for the money, if you can afford it, including alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, air vents and two fast-charge USB point in the rear, and auto headlights/wipers.

If you regularly carry four passengers, make the jump. As we’ve said, the CX-5 in any spec level is not the roomiest in the back, though four 180cm-ish adults would be comfortable over a longer cruise.

It’s disappointing that on no variant do the rear seats slide as they do in a Tiguan.

The cabin trims and cloth seats are the same as the Maxx’s, though in typical Mazda style there are enough contrasting surfaces and colours to make it seem interesting and slightly

upmarket. Dig that floating screen and those vents, too…

Those looking to the Maxx Sport, projected to make up more than one in five CX-5 sales, have an interesting choice. The base 2.0-litre Maxx Sport FWD costs $700 more than the Maxx with a bigger 140kW/250Nm 2.5 engine and AWD. The right solution sort of depends on your priorities. The 2.5 as mentioned is noticeably punchier, and the sensor-driven on-demand AWD system sends torque to the rear wheels when the fronts lose traction to lend grip on slippery surfaces.

However, there’s the lowerpowered 2.0 Maxx Sport’s extra equipment. Performance or spec?

Honestly, for most urban buyers the 2.0 Maxx Sport would be more suitable, with the lower-spec 2.5/AWD Maxx a better bet for adventurous types with a tight budget.

Meantime it is also the cheapest way to get into the more efficient diesel, which is relatively rattle-free and easily the punchiest engine here, with great rolling response.

Worth the $3000, though? Hmmm, we’d be hard-pressed to advise it on a cost basis, though it’s the nicer car to drive.

2017 MAZDA CX-5 TOURING 21 per cent of total sales expected Pricing before on-road costs: • 2.5-litre petrol six-speed auto AWD — $38,990 • 2.2-litre diesel six-speed auto AWD — $41,990 Four definitive features: • Pop-up head-up display (HUD) • Keyless entry • Artificial leather (Maztex) and suede seat trim • Traffic sign recognition system SUMMARY It’s only a $1600 walk to the new Touring variant from the Maxx Sport, yet in addition to the four features listed above, you also get other extras such as power-folding door mirrors with heating, and front parking sensors.

That extra seems like money well spent, which is clearly Mazda’s goal.

The artificial leather is of decent quality and easy to clean (the suede inlays less so), while the power folding mirrors and front sensors

could prevent damage to your car.

Being able to open the door without taking the key from your pocket is also handy.

However, the flip-up HUD unit is looking dated now, and for taller drivers may be hard to view without stooping. Still, it’s the only version so far to offer a licence-saving digital speedo. The traffic (speed) sign recognition system works most of the time, and could theoretically save you a fine by reminding of the correct speed limit.

We did some back-to-back time in the petrol and diesel versions, and

found the latter to be far stronger though the mid-range and more suited to towing or ferrying loads — though three burly passengers up a steep hill proved no trouble for either.

For the dynamically minded, the 129kW/420Nm diesel’s 75kg weight penalty, mostly over the nose, lead the Touring with this engine to push-understeer more under fast, sharp turning.

That said with either engine, if you can make the jump, the Touring seems like a particular range sweet spot. A 2.5 petrol Touring for $38,990 looks pretty good to us.

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2017 MAZDA CX-5 GT 27 per cent of total sales expected Pricing before on-road costs: • 2.5-litre petrol six-speed auto AWD — $44,390 • 2.2-litre diesel six-speed auto AWD — $47,390 Four definitive features: • 19-inch alloy wheels • Sunroof • Black or white leather trims • Electric tailgate SUMMARY The $5400 price jump for the CX-5 GT over the Touring nets you the above four features plus adaptive cornering headlights, front seat heating, powered seating adjustment with driver’s seat memory settings, a more sophisticated head-up display projected onto the windscreen and a premium 249watt sound system by Bose, with 10 speakers including a sub.

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That’s a huge price gulf, though it’s also a long lost of extra equipment.

The leather is of a better grade, though if you get white trim, the seat-backs are black, like a Top Deck chocolate bar. Weird.

The cabin gets some nicer plastic contrast trims to enhance the ‘luxury’ feel, and superior trims/stitching on key touchpoints.

Some of the extra features are well worth shelling out for. The sound system is very bass-heavy but potent for audiophiles, the sunroof improves the cabin ambience — though hurts headroom a little — the leather is desirable (in black) and the electric tailgate is becoming de rigeur.

On the downside, the 19-inch wheels on low-profile Toyo tyres transmit more road imperfections into the cabin, making the Maxx,

Maxx Sport and Touring’s already firm ride a little jarring and unsettled at times, once you leave the nice smooth motorway.

Clearly though, the well-specified GT lends itself to Mazda’s brand, which is positioned as the new ‘Japanese premium’ in lieu of Honda. That’s why it’s expected to be the top-seller, and it’s not hard to see why. Especially if you’re on a novated lease or competitive finance plan.

2017 MAZDA CX-5 AKERA 15 per cent of total sales expected Pricing before on-road costs: •2 .5-litre petrol six-speed auto AWD — $46,990 •2 .2-litre diesel six-speed auto AWD — $49,990 Four definitive features: •R adar-guided adaptive cruise control • Adaptive LED headlights • High-speed AEB • Lane-keeping assist SUMMARY The $2600 pricier, range-topping Akera variant also gets a driver attention alert system, lane

departure warning (the preamble to its lane-keeping aid that actually steers you between well-market road lines) and Mazda’s Smart Brake Support (SBS), an AEB system that works at any legal speed above 15km/h.

Here we tested the diesel. As with the others, we’d urge you to go for the 2.5 petrol unless you: a) tow a caravan or boat under 1800kg regularly, or; b) do a high number of country kilometres.

That said, the price premium in return for punchier driving experience makes more sense the higher through the range you climb.

Is having a side camera, adaptive LED headlights, radar cruise and a lane-keeping assist system worth $2600? Well perhaps, and these are certainly high-end features, though given the GT feels otherwise identical and still offers plenty of safety kit, we’d hardly blame you for steering clear.

VERDICT The new Mazda CX-5 range generally plays to Mazda’s strengths – design, premium feel and mid-market value (in other words, affordable ‘premium’).

It’s not the most practical offering for a growing family, but neither was old one and that was consistently the top-seller. If you need maximum practicality, the X-Trail or Outlander are waiting with their up-to-seven-seat layouts. We also wish Mazda would stop being so

stubborn and enable Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto.

The company has faced criticism from some quarters for keeping similar platforms and engines, but really, there were neither that old or bad as bases to jump from. So who really cares.

Overall, it’s a clear improvement that should resonate every bit as well as ever, despite the continuous stream of new competition.

What’s the pick? The 2.0-litre

Maxx Sport at $34,390 seems worth reaching for, since you get sat-nav, rear air vents and alloys.

The mid-$40K range GT also offers a lot of upmarket crossover for the cash.

But the $38,990 petrol AWD Touring is the sweet spot for us, with the right mix of cool tech alongside a reasonable price impost over the Maxx Sport. Mazda fought hard to add this variant, and it was a clever decision.

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REVIEW 13 APR 2017 The Australian

2017 MAZDA CX-5: A MODEL OF REFINEMENT

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rop the badge from the Mazda CX-5’s nose, step back and think of England — for the revised Japanese SUV in showrooms has a new face and body that wouldn’t sully the current Jaguar stable.

The lines are tighter, simpler than the first CX-5 and a “less-is-more”

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approach serves up quite an elegant wagon. Plus there’s a reasonable swag of fresh substance to go with new-found style for 2017.

The Mazda CX-5 has been Australia’s favourite SUV for several seasons; since launch in 2012, 115,000 have been sold in the burgeoning

medium-sized SUV segment, up against the likes of Hyundai’s Tucson, Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan X-Trail.

That original CX-5 showcased a new generation of Mazda’s Skyactiv drivetrains, and chassis, plus the Kodo body style now seen across the range.

And while this second CX-5 is not all new — some underpinnings remain the same — there are substantial revisions and refinements for a model that accounts for a quarter of Mazda sales around the world.

CX-5 program manager Masaya Kodama was chasing “new dimensions of driving pleasures” for drivers and passengers in this reworked SUV. “The joy and pleasure that grow as car and driver communicate and respond to each other should not sacrifice the

comfort of family and friends also riding in the car,” says Kodama.

DESIGN Mazda’s Kodo — or “soul of motion” — design language has produced a line of handsome machines from the baby Mazda 2 to the muchheralded CX-9 since the first CX-5 five years ago.

This time it’s about refinement of that look, stripping away unnecessary lines of the original.

So while body dimensions are much the same, the newest CX-5 looks cleaner again, with tidier and tauter lines. It is marginally wider and a touch lower than its predecessor but still 4.5m long on a 2700mm wheelbase. Thinner front headlights help emphasise the wider stance; the SUV’s rear end looks tighter and more sophisticated.

CABIN Attention to style detail carries through to a refreshed and wellsorted interior. It is a swish cabin and even any hard plastic surfaces are easy on the eye and hand; fit and finish is on the premium side across the range, enhanced by leather options in some models.

Much of the instrument panel and controls are familiar from the first CX-5, though the dash has had a mild rework, while Mazda’s MZD Connect to operate connectivities, navigation and audio remains one of the best.

Clever refinements — raising the centre console to put gear levers closer to hand plus setting side and centre armrests at similar heights — further improve the driving position and general ergonomics.

The biggest improvement, though, is with NVH — noise, vibration and harshness levels. The previous model could suffer intrusive road and mechanical noise compared with rivals; here extra sealant, new door seals, more aero windscreen pillars, hollow front stabilisers and smoother power deliveries are among an assortment of — changes for a quieter five-seater.

DRIVETRAIN While the Mazda CX-5’s three power options remain as before — a 2-litre petrol, 2.5-litre petrol or 2.2 diesel — there have been minor revisions to engines and transmissions in the interests of less obtrusive mechanicals.

MAZDA CX-5 MEDIUM SUV ENGINES 2.0-litre fourcylinder petrol (114kW/200Nm); 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol (140kW/251Nm); 2.2-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder diesel (129kW/420Nm) TRANSMISSIONS: Six-speed manual or automatic, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY 6 litres (diesel) to 7.5 litres (petrol) per 100km PRICE $28,690 to $49,990 plus on-road costs SCORE 4 out of 5

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It’s the diesel, now with piston pin dampers and finer control of fuel injection, that benefits the most. It swings fuss-free and quiet to 129kW at 4500rpm and delivers 420Nm of torque at a welcome 2000rpm.

Helping out are more linear throttle responses. Again the diesel, and its early torque, is the more responsive of the powerplants from slower speeds; the 2.5-litre petrol needs a good stir (where are the paddle shifters?) to reach maximum torque at 4000rpm.

Front-drive CX-5s are again limited to two entry-level models — Maxx and Maxx Sport — and only Maxx customers can order up a six-speed manual transmission.

Touring, GT and Akera versions are all-wheel drive and six-speed automatic only. (The model mix on the previous CX-5 ran at 60 per cent all-wheel drive and 95 per cent auto.)

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DYNAMICS CX-5 drivetrains are complemented

by Mazda’s “zoom-zoom” road dynamics, tweaked here with some chassis retuning and extra body strengthening. Details include larger pistons for front shock absorbers and liquid-filled bushes plus thicker chassis-body connections.

And the CX-5 now adopts G-Vectoring Control, first seen on

Mazda hatchback and sedans but claimed to offer more benefit on higher-riding SUVs. The system monitors steering wheel input, then controls drive torque to shift load to front wheels for better grip and steering response in turns; it’s a subtle handling nuance.

So all-wheel drive CX-5s drive and steer better than before with good turn-in and good grip. These

are mature SUVs — now some 40kg to 50kg heavier — with excellent road manners and fine performance though, again, the 2.2-litre diesel offers more low-down punch.

Ride comfort, too, is quite respectable while 19-inch tyres on GT and Akera models don’t have quite the same compliance over country roads as 17-inch rubber on the bottom three grades.

The prime performance bonus if hustling a new-gen CX-5 over indifferent roads is that quieter cabin and smoother mechanicals.

Mazda reckon there’s an extra 20km/h in the more relaxed ambience so the old 80km/h noise levels now arrive at 100km/h.

SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT Just as well a manual speed limiter sits among a host of standard gear.

Other features across the range include five airbags, stability control,

traction control, emergency brake assist, hill-start assist, blind spot monitors and reverse camera.

Mazda is confident of a five-star ANCAP rating.

All models have a 7-inch touchscreen display (now sitting more atop the dash), Bluetooth and digital radio, while upper-grade models score traffic sign recognition, head-up displays, more safety aids and better sound systems.

CONCLUSION There are good reasons Mazda’s CX-5 is the country’s favourite SUV. In many ways this is now the Australian family car — a stylish and sporting wagon with considerate road manners, plus comfortable, and quieter, accommodation and the ability, if needed, to cover distances and indifferent roads with safety. All this at a fair price in a quality package.

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REVIEW FEB 2017

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Mazda cx-9

Japan’s most fearless car maker redefines what a seven-seat family car can be

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talk about a tough crowd... but mazda’s finest had what it took to roll this storied opposition

quintet double

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of the

This is the fifth time in Wheels Car of the Year history that a manufacturer has won the award two years back-to-back. The first was Ford (1965 XP Falcon, 1966 XR Falcon), quickly followed by Holden (1968 HK Monaro, 1969 LC Torana). In the ’80s, it was on-song Mitsubishi (1984 Nimbus, 1985 TM Magna), and more recently, Volkswagen’s hatchback double-act (2009 Mk6 Golf, 2010 Polo).

The CX-9’s COTY win takes Mazda’s tally to seven, four of which have been in the last 14 years.

“four-pot turbo works beautifully ... effortlessly flexibile” toby hagon

“suCH a CoNViNCiNG bleND of DesiGN, praCtiCality aND perforMaNCe” aleX inwood

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he fact it has taken more than a decade since the ford territory’s landmark car of the year win for another suv to snatch the crown proves that this award is no popularity contest. in the intervening 12 years, suvs have risen from 18 percent of the total australian market to 37 percent in 2016, just four points shy of the dwindling passenger-car percentage. so it’s somehow timely – perhaps even well overdue – that mazda has delivered us a seven-seat family suv as carefully designed, thoroughly engineered and wholly desirable as the new-generation cX-9. given the almighty strength of the competition, it’s almost impossible to think of a year where victory could’ve been sweeter. that the cX-9 managed to elbow its way through the final coty round against the almost intimidating audi a4 and mercedesbenz e-class ranges – and win – is testament to the towering capability of this premium-mainstream, us-designed, Japanese-built suv. as judge mike duff so eloquently pointed out, “the stand out is that [the cX-9] is so much better than it needs to be … mazda didn’t need to work half as hard as it has to create the best car in its segment.” if that sounds like faint praise, it shouldn’t. this seven-seat suv is so vastly superior to the competition, you’d need to stretch to a premium suv like audi’s superb q7 to try and better it – for double the price... proof that the cX-9 is by far the most convincing skyactiv model mazda has ever produced came in coty’s final round. a challenging four-up, mixedsurface, cabin-comfort and ride-quality battle against the two finest variants the germans could muster – the a4 2.0tfsi allroad wagon and the airsuspended e400 4matic sedan – revealed the $42k

cX-9 sport delivered not only superior suppleness and smoothness, but also a quieter ride and the most comfortable second-row seat. in a mazda! cue the sound of dropping jaws and denting german pride. from the moment you lay eyes on it, the cX-9 demands attention. its cab-backwards design goes against the grain of how to package a large, peoplecarrying breeder bus, yet the striking result is a handsome seven-seat wagon – engineered from the inside out – that blitzes its category for interior comfort and versatility, despite being smaller (and more than 130kg lighter) than the model it replaces. indeed, a true indicator of the cX-9’s excellence is how it manages to meld together the core coty disciplines – function, technology, efficiency, safety, value – into one consistently satisfying whole. for example, the technology it brings isn’t just for impressing the neighbours. an aluminium bonnet and front guards in a $42k base-spec seven-seater brings real-world chassis-balance and fuel-efficiency gains, not to mention a value-for-money prize. but it’s the fitment of crucial safety technology like autonomous emergency braking across the range – at both the front and while reversing – that not only elevates the cX-9’s value factor even further, but actually has the potential to save lives. how do we know that? because we tested it. the cX-9’s aeb proved the most consistently effective of the entire 28-strong coty field. combined with a fluent, intelligent esc calibration and a level of broad-ranging dynamic competence we’ve rarely (if ever) seen in an suv since the 2004 territory, the cX-9 heralds a significant advancement in the active and passive safety of seven-seat suvs. at every stage of the judging process, our test cX-9s – front-drive, base-model sport and topspec azami awd – were at the pointy end of the field. ford’s you yangs proving ground revealed the big mazda can hustle its way around a corner with unexpected poise, and maintain its cool on an

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mazda cX-9

body

Type 5-door wagon, 7 seats L/W/H 5075/1969/1747mm Wheelbase 2930mm Track (f/r) 1663/1663mm Boot capacity 230 – 810 litres Weight 1845 – 1924kg drivetrain Layout front engine (east-west), FWD/AWD

Engine 2488cc 4cyl turbo

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Transmission 6-speed automatic chassis Brakes ventilated discs (f), solid discs (r)

Tyres 255/60R18 – 255/50R20 Spare space-saver ADR81 fuel consumption 8.4 – 8.8L/100km

CO2 emissions 197 – 206g/km Front airbags Side airbags Curtain airbags Knee airbags Collision mitigation Crash rating 5-star (ANCAP) Prices $42,490 – $63,390 3-year retained value 54 – 56%

Service interval 12 months/10,000km

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undulating, pothole-riddled straight at any speed. but there were also a few weaknesses in the cX-9’s repertoire. its steering could be a bit quicker and less prone to (mild) kickback over corrugations, and its chassis is definitely superior to its tyres. the mazda’s turbo-petrol ‘skyactiv’ donk is so torquey that even the awd azami on falken Ziex 255/50r20s could be felt to torque steer a little before sending drive to the rear. and neither variant achieved short braking distances on dirt or wet concrete. extreme weather conditions across the hilltops of our road loop also caused one of the cX-9’s front windows to suck outward slightly at 100km/h-plus speeds, depending on the wind direction. while we’re on the topic, the front seats of all cX-9s, regardless of trim or manual/electric movement, have no under-thigh adjustment (merely electric height, rising from the back), leaving them too flat for some body types over longer distances, and the dual centre-front armrests can nudge against elbows on twisty roads. anyone over 190cm may also find the mazda’s centre-row seat a bit too commanding, but for everyone else, it’s brilliant. it’s the seven-seat packaging that the cX-9 seriously aces. the fact that 40-plus-year-old adult males can access the rear row, sit comfortably, and easily converse with the driver without raised voices says volumes about the huge strides mazda has achieved with refinement. while there are no air vents back there (mazda claims it didn’t want to spoil the styling and packaging by plumbing aircon through the roof), there’s enough air volume spewing (no pun intended) from the centre-row pair, the under-seat vents from the front, and even the high-mounted dashboard quartet to fill the cX-9’s hushed cabin with chilled crispness. you can also bolt a proper child’s seat into the third row without impacting on luggage space – an extreme rarity for a seven-seater – and when said seats are folded away, the cX-9 exposes a vast

luggage cavern that’s among the finest in its class. (though you’ll pay $480 extra for a retractable luggage cover.) but loveliest of all is its interior quality. a superb leather-bound steering wheel, even on the base model, and excellent dashboard presentation and finish mark this mainstream mazda as something far beyond its station in life. and then there’s its drivetrain – a spirited, super-torquey 2.5-litre turbo-petrol four with enough spunk to match the most accelerative seven-seaters in its class but with fuel economy at least 20 percent better than any v6 rival (including the previous-gen cX-9). the 170kw/420nm cX-9 unit has enough muscle to spend much of its life comfortably operating in the 2000-3000rpm range, auto shifter in drive, riding a wave of lush torque, but fill the tank with 98 octane and you get 186kw, not to mention performance once reserved for muscle sedans.

Zero to 100km/h in 7.7sec, anyone? yet like the coty-winning mX-5 before it, the cX-9’s excellence is a win for democratic motoring. at an incredible $42,490, the front-drive sport proves that you don’t need to be wealthy to experience polished, luxurious refinement. and just because you bought a seven-seat suv, doesn’t mean you can’t extract pleasure from driving it. even at $63,390, the flagship azami awd gives a buyer pretty much everything they could want – thumping bose audio, head-up instrument display, sunroof, chunder-friendly leather and a striking driveway presence – for half the price of its european equivalents. cX-9 began its journey to coty glory by wiping the floor with its rivals in a 10-car megatest earlier in 2016. and it rounded out this knife-edge car of the year win by proving that a humble mazda can out-ride and out-refine two of the finest premium cars germany can muster. call it a victory for the people.

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more than Just spin In making the change to a turbo-petrol four for CX-9, Mazda’s engineers needed solutions to ensure virtually zero lag and appropriately crisp throttle response. It came with the introduction of a raft of measures, including a manifold design that, at low revs, harnesses the energy of the individual exhaust pulses from each cylinder to keep the turbine spinning, thus reducing lag. Also helping is a super-high 10.5:1 compression ratio, which required innovative cooling techniques to avoid detonation.

Upshot? It works: this is a brilliantly responsive engine.

above: finally, a third row not to be reserved only for those you like least

“terrifiC CHassis refiNeMeNt. riDe aND HaNDliNG Very well sorteD” John carey

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REVIEW 16 NOV 2016 www.drive.com.au

2016 DRIVE CAR OF THE YEAR: BEST FAMILY SUV THE NEW MAZDA CX-9 TAKES ON KIA'S SORENTO IN THE FAMILY STAKES

DAVID MCCOWEN

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pacious and practical with a hint of adventure, it's clear to see why families are flocking to SUVs as their vehicles of choice.

Seven-seat SUVs have become a popular alternative to the large sedans and people movers previously used on holidays, the school run and everyday duties. And they just keep getting better.

Drive reshaped its annual awards in 2015 to better reflect the growing SUV landscape. The latest Kia Sorento took out the inaugural Best

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Family SUV award in 2015, edging out rivals in the Ford Territory and Subaru Outback.

Kia's flagship has form as a Drive favourite – both in the current generation and its predecessor.

Tested here in mid-range SLi form with a 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine, the Sorento offers a solid 147kW of power and 441Nm of torque, using just 7.8L/100km of fuel to do so. Kia's diesel option is our preference as it features all-wheel-drive traction, unlike the front-wheel-drive Sorento V6.

Pleasant in presentation both inside and out, the Sorento features plenty of thoughtful touches including air conditioning vents for all three rows, and a separate fan controller for the rearmost seats.

While cargo space is a little tight with the third row in place, the Sorento offers a full-size spare tyre – a welcome feature on any vehicle with off-road intentions - and a powered tailgate to make access more convenient.

Judges were impressed by the model's versatility, saying "it does the job of a family bus very well", and that "it's a genuine seven-seater, the back seat isn't just for kids".

The Sorento also offers well-behaved dynamics on the road, though emergency manoeuvres on our test track revealed less grip than you might expect, and that its stability control system can become flustered in trying circumstances.

Shortcomings for the model include a lack of active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking, along with the slightly gruff voice of its diesel engine.

2016 MAZDA CX-9 TOURING AWD PRICING AND SPECIFICATIONS

2016 KIA SORENTO SLI DIESEL PRICING AND SPECIFICATIONS

PRICE From $52,890 plus on-road costs

PRICE $49,490 plus on-road costs

ENGINE 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol

ENGINE 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel

POWER 170kW @ 5000rpm

POWER 147kW @ 3800rpm

TORQUE 420Nm @ 2000rpm

TORQUE 441Nm @ 1750-2750rpm

TRANSMISSION Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive

TRANSMISSION Six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive

FUEL USE 8.8L/100km

FUEL USE 7.8L/100km

But that's unlikely to be a dealbreaker for families wooed by excellent practicality and the best consumer guarantee on the road: Kia's seven years of warranty, capped-price servicing and roadside assistance.

Mazda can't match Kia's warranty.

But what the CX-9 Touring can offer is a more modern alternative to the Sorento, one with intelligent details including full air conditioning controls for the back seat, and a drop-down rear armrest that hides a smartphone storage space with twin USB chargers perfect for tech-savvy kids.

It also scores points for its updated infotainment system with a BMWstyle rotary controller that allows you to whip through menus without stretching for a touchscreen, and for having a significantly larger boot than the Sorento (even if the spare tyre is a compact space-saver unit).

The big news for Mazda's newest model lies under the bonnet, where the brand heralds a return to turbocharging in the form of a quiet

and efficient 2.5-litre petrol engine.

While its 8.6L/100km fuel economy is a little thirstier than its rival, the Mazda's 170kW and 420Nm outputs make it feel much more energetic on the road, allowing it to reach 100km/h a full second sooner than the Kia. Better still, the new engine is impressively quiet and refined. Mazda has addressed one of the brand's key shortcomings by tackling noise, vibration and harshness in the CX-9, which could be the most refined vehicle in its class.

It's been a long time since we could say that about a Mazda.

The CX-9 earned praise from our panel, with one judge suggesting "This is the most convincing Mazda I've ever driven", with others citing its predictability, presentation and outstanding braking as superior to the Kia. Though it's a little dearer than the Kia, the CX-9 features autonomous emergency braking as standard across the range, a factor that may prove decisive for safety-conscious buyers.

We also like the way the second row slides forward to allow excellent access to the sixth and seventh seats, though Mazda blots its copybook by declining to offer air vents for rearmost occupants.

The CX-9's "Kodo" school of design also proved divisive, with more than one tester put off by its looks.

It's easy to argue the currentgeneration Kia Sorento is the best car built by the brand, and you could form a similar position for the CX-9.

Both are brilliant cars worthy of recommendation, and both received first-place votes from our judging team.

But the Kia couldn't quite match the backing earned by Mazda, which took a category win on the back of its superior refinement, excellent engine, active safety tech and thoughtful cabin.

It's enough to make the Mazda CX-9 Touring the Best Family SUV in the 2016 Drive Car of the Year awards.

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REVIEW 30 APR 2017 Sunday Mail Brisbane, Brisbane

A DROP-TOP FOR ALL SEASONS THE RETRACTABLE FASTBACK IMPROVES YET AGAIN ON MAZDA’S MX-5 RECIPE

VERDICT A drive in an MX-5 is always good, even with things getting cooler now.

The RF maintains all the goodness of the latest MX-5 and adds a level of practicality it has never had in the past.

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his is the ideal time of year to talk about the Mazda MX-5 RF. Autumn is my favourite time for top-down driving.

Melbourne in June and July is no fun for a full convertible, Canberra is way too cold and even Sydney can be a bit tricky.

But the RF is not a full-scale freshair roadster and that means it can be an MX-5 with benefits through the colder parts of the year.

I learned it myself during a wintry preview drive in Tokyo on a day that was cold, overcast and occasionally rainy. The new-age MX-5 was great with its coupe-style protection, or more breezy with just the roof

panel open, or everything exposed for a few minutes during breaks in the drizzle.

To recap, the RF- the “retractable fastback” version of the new MX-5 – is more like a new coupe than just a convertible with a secure composite top. Previous MX-5 hardtops have either had a bolt-on roof piece or a folding composite clamshell on top.

This one is very different and very classy conversion that lifts rear panels at an angle to allow the roof to slide back and down, revealing a roof space that’s a lot like the Targatop version of early Porsche 911s.

There is also a drop-down glass panel behind the seats for more of

the open-air experience. The pieces are lightweight steel, aluminium and carbon-fibre and the weight penalty is only 45kg.

When I first saw the RF in Japan I argued heartily with the latest MX-5 ambassador, Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the car was not a true MX-5 because it was not a sports car but a coupe.

He defended the car and it’s true that it drives almost identically to the MX-5 roadster.

But the car has a totally secure roof, not just a folding fabric panel, and the look is quite different with the “flying buttress” panels flowing back from the door pillar on the car.

Yamamoto also reckoned the RF would be the favourite model with MX-5 buyers and was likely to lure buyers across from cars such as the Toyota 86.

Since then the head of the latest MX-5 project has changed jobs, and is now in charge of a special division in Japan that is doing born-again MX-5 restoration work. It’s a full factory project to refettle MX-5s that are as good as new.

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ON THE ROAD The RF landed in Australia in January and since then, as Yamamoto predicted, it has been the popular choice with MX-5 buyers, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of deliveries.

In a far bigger surprise, about 60 percent of those have the optional six-speed auto gearbox.

Sport car fans don’t mind paying about $4000 extra over the convertible MX-5 for the secure roof, and more again for the auto, and the RF’s lead over the regular MX-5 can only increase as we roll through winter.

My favourite thing about the RF is the security and quietness that comes with the new roof.

It’s not like the slightly rippling sound and feel of the regular MX-5 with the top up, or the unfinished look and drumming of the previous generation MX-5 hardtop.

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It’s genuinely like an MX-5 coupe and several people asked me what I was driving during my time with the RF. The roof works very well and the design and finishing are very impressive. It’s slightly complex but nothing like the worryingly overcomplicated workings of the now departed Volkswagen Eos.

AT A GLANCE

The whole rear section lifts, the roof panel slides back and down, and the job is done in 13 seconds in a wonderful piece of motoring theatre.

It would be better if it could happen at more than 10km/h, with many other convertibles now doing this at 40 or more.

The RF is just as sharp as the MX-5 roadster, which means it’s a great drive. Every touch on the controls brings an instant response and that’s been the overwhelming appeal of the MX-5 since its launch in 1989.

I’m disappointed that the RF conversion does not bring any extra boot space but at least none has been lost. It also performs as I remember from the 2.0-litre roadster, although I’m not driving the automatic, so popular with buyers and which worked well enough when I tried it during the Japanese preview drive.

The RF comes only with the “big bored” 2.0 rather than the slightly sweeter 1.6 in the priceleading variant, but it’s still a wellbalanced package.

PRICE From $38,550 WARRANTY Three years/100,000km CAPPED SERVICING $1369 over three years (four services) SERVICE INTERVAL 12 Months/10,000km SAFETY Five stars ENGINE 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 118kW/200Nm TRANSMISSION Six-speed man/auto; RWD THIRST 6.9L - 7.1L/100km (est) DIMENSIONS 3915mm (L), 1735mm (W), 1245mm (H), 2310mm (WB) WEIGHT From 1078kg SPARE None; inflation kit 0-100KM/H 7.4 secs (auto 8.3 secs)

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06 May 2017 Weekend Australian, Australia Author: Bill McKinnon • Section: Magazine • Article type : News Item Audience : 227,465 • Page: 48 • Printed Size: 1123.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 36,674 • Words: 960 • Item ID: 767647229

REVIEW 06 MAY 2017

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by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.

Weekend Australian, Australia

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MOTORING BILL McKINNON

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ere’s a refreshing change from the usual sex/speed/ status hyperbole that lazy car marketers rely on to attract our interest. “Mazda MX-5 is the epitome of the driver’s car, with every element designed to evoke the feeling of being at one with the vehicle. The car becomes a true extension of the driver, responding with innate agility to every command.”

That’s an honest description of what makes the MX-5 such a brilliant car to drive. It offers a level of intimacy and responsiveness you just don’t get in other cars.

Today we’re in the RF, code for the folding hardtop model, available exclusively with a 118kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine, matched with a six-speed manual and priced at $38,550. A six-speed automatic adds $2000.

The base MX-5 Roadster, with a fabric roof and a 96kW 1.5 litre engine, kicks off at $33,340.

So we’re talking humble, accessible numbers in this car, but

Full metal jacket YOU DON’T SIT IN YOUR MX-5 – YOU WEAR IT

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they disguise the sophistication and attention to detail that has gone into its design and engineering.

Many sports cars rely on power to make their case. The MX-5 relies on weight – or, rather, the lack of it.

The RF weighs 1080kg. That’s 255kg lighter than a Porsche Boxster.

As you approach, the Mazda seems daintily Lilliputian, crouched impossibly low and close to the road. This fourth-generation model has tighter, more muscular sheet metal, a wider stance than its predecessors and an irresistible glamour that suggests a much higher price tag.

You lower yourself gently into the MX-5, and if you are long of leg there’s a bit of yoga involved to get comfortably installed behind the wheel. The seating position is higher than that of most sports cars. There is no driver’s seat height adjustment and no reach adjustment for the steering wheel either, so you either fit the MX-5 or you don’t. The driver’s seat, like everything else in

the car, is as small as practicable, but offers reasonable upper-body bolstering and the front of the cushion can be raised to properly support your thighs.

You’re snugly wrapped in a traditional roadster twin cockpit, facing a slim, minimalist dash, classic satin chrome-ringed analogue instruments and spherical air vents. Mazda’s easy-to-use MZD Connect rotary controller/cursor (plus touchscreen functionality) infotainment system includes navigation, voice control that gets it right most of the time and simple, seamless Bluetooth.

It’s a tiny roadster, so there’s precious little storage in the cabin and the 127-litre boot requires a pack-light approach to touring. Two USBs are provided, but a rear camera and 12-volt outlet are absent. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are standard.

The RF’s roof goes up and down in about 10 seconds. In blue skies mode, it’s calm in the cabin; there’s

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06 May 2017 Weekend Australian, Australia Author: Bill McKinnon • Section: Magazine • Article type : News Item Audience : 227,465 • Page: 48 • Printed Size: 1123.00cm² • Market: National Country: Australia • ASR: AUD 36,674 • Words: 960 • Item ID: 767647229

Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.

fast facts MAZDA MX-5 RF ENGINE: 2.0-litre four-cylinder (118kW/200Nm); average fuel 7.0 litres per 100km TRANSMISSION: Six-speed manual or automatic, rear-wheel drive PRICE: From $38,550

s some wind noise around the roof buttresses, but not enough to b rrequire raised voices. The driver’s h headrest has built-in speakers – the next best thing to headphones. n So much for the practicalities. Of course, this car has more important sensory priorities.

Outstanding fit and finish quality, plus clean, lightly textured dark plastics, disguise the fact that the MX-5 is built down to a price.

Exquisite design touches include the way the upper door trim, in the same colour as the body, flows in a continuous line through the instrument panel to the front wheel arches; and, at the rear, the similarly perfect marriage of the roof buttresses with the rear flanks.

Really, you can walk around this thing for ages, each time discovering new beautiful shapes to caress. It’s high-art Japanese automotive design at its absolute zenith.

And when you drive the MX-5, it gets even better. Mazda’s Skyactiv-G 2.0-litre perfectly

demonstrates the attractions of natural aspiration: immediate and proportionate responsiveness to your right foot, a linear power delivery that becomes eager and willing as the redline approaches, and a beautifully rorty, purring exhaust note.

It revs to 6800 and gets “on the cam” in classic hot-four fashion from just below 4000rpm, so you have plenty of revs to play with and you can use them all. The six-speed manual’s lever has a precise, short-throw action and the clutch is light and progressive.

Mazda’s “driver and car as one” rhetoric is true. You don’t so much sit in this car as wear it.

Through a set of corners, you know exactly where the front wheels are pointed, via super-sharp steering and intense, uncorrupted feedback from the road. You’re also acutely aware, via your bum cheeks, of the precise state of grip, or slip, of the rear wheels.

The MX-5 is finely balanced,

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so not only is it a delight to drive, it’s also easy and unintimidating.

You don’t have to drive it fast to enjoy it, either. Happiness happens at any speed.

It isn’t a hard-case sports car, so when you point it into a tight corner, it rolls momentarily before settling into a neutral track. You can have great fun adjusting its attitude with the accelerator and standard limited slip differential.

Roadholding is superb and even on the choppiest bitumen it never flinches. It should ride like a billycart, but Mazda has engineered reasonable compliance into the suspension, so it’s comfortable over long distances.

I did about 1200km in the MX-5 during the week I had it. They were lucky to get it back. The Germans could never make a sports car this good for the price because their answer to almost every question is “More”. Mazda’s less is beautiful.

MX-5 is haiku poetry in metal. An astounding machine.

High art: the MX-5 is a sensory delight

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REVIEW 27 JAN 2017 www.gq.com.au

THE MAZDA MX-5 RF IS THE PORSCHE CAYMAN YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN AFFORD

THE NEW MAZDA MX-5 RF HAS BEEN UNVEILED. WE GOT TO TEST IT OUT TO LET YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

STEPHEN CORBY Contributor

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T

his lithe and lovable MX-5 roadster has long been the ‘affordable’ Porsche Boxster option, but the newly launched RF version, which adds a retractable folding hard top and a tougher new look, means it’s now the Porsche Cayman you absolutely can afford. It also spells an end to the ‘hairdresser’ jokes.

STYLING This, the fourth generation since launching back in 1989, is a car that’s finally put hairs on the tiny Mazda’s previously androgynous chest. It’s a sharper, shapelier and meaner-looking machine, despite

maintaining its almost toy-like dimensions. With its proper coupé styling when the hard-topped roof is up, and an all-new, targa-style fastback look when it’s down, the RF adds a whole new level of appeal.

ENGINE If you only care about how great you look in an MX-5, and don’t live near steep hills, then you’ll no doubt choose to save money by opting for the base 1.5-litre engine, which makes just 96kW and 150Nm, and will get you to 100km/h when it’s good and ready. The RF will only be offered with the up-spec 2.0-litre four-cylinder, which produces 118kW

and 200Nm – something that will come in handy for moving the extra 140kg the new roof structure adds to this featherweight fun box.

Expect the 0 to 100km/h time to climb slightly from the soft- top’s 7.3-second claim.

DRIVING Weighing 1009kg in its most basic form, the MX-5 hurls through corners and feels fast and frantic, even with a relatively modest engine. The folding roof adds to the negative side of the power-to-weight ratio, but the difference is barely noticeable. There’s still plenty of zip,

seemingly telekinetic steering and a chassis and short- cut wheelbase.

PRICE/DELIVERY Mazda surprised everyone when it announced that the recent rag-top versions of the RF would start at $31,990 (for the 1.5-litre engine) – a big drop from previous models.

You can bet the hard top and its folding bits will add between $4000 and $5000, so a RF will likely cost between $40,000 and $45,000, depending on your specification level. Deliveries will start in February 2017.

INTERIOR There’s precious little room for two humans inside this tiny yet perfectly formed Mazda; even elbow room’s at a premium. On the plus side, the small dimensions help the MX-5 shrink around you, and with the roof up it feels like a sleek, chic

coupé – a sensation helped by snazzy red stitching. It doesn’t feel overly expensive, but that’s because it’s not..

WHAT DOES ‘RF’ STAND FOR? Retractable Fastback. ‘Fastback’ is a very American term, signalling the importance of that market.

BEST FEATURE The folding roof. Its most impressive trick is how good it looks once the roof has slid out of sight. Top down it shouldn’t look any better than its soft sibling, but it does.

BEST PLACE TO DRIVE IT Through the streets of Rome with a police escort, which is what we did at the car’s recent launch party, held as part of the Rome Film Fest. Be sure to download our enhanced app to read about the experience in detail.

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REVIEW AUG 2016 4 X 4 Australia, National

BT-50 CONQUERS FINKE STREET-REGISTERED BT-50 TACKLES THE FINKE DESERT RACE.

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f you hung around after the fast cars finished at the Finke Desert Race, you might have seen our friends from across the hall at Wheels magazine finish the gruelling race in a near-stock Mazda BT-50.

This was the same car we used in our ute test in the January 2016 issue.

Since then, part-time 4X4 Australia

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contributor Toby Hagon has been driving it around.

Race preparation was limited to the essentials, as the Mazda team wanted to keep the car as standard as possible and prove that it could conquer Australia’s toughest two-day off-road race. Toyo tyres, race seats and harnesses, a rollcage, shocks and brake pads were the only changes.

Finishing the two-day, 452km event with the car in one piece – and within the allotted maximum time of four hours and 15 minutes each day – seemed a lofty goal. So the fact Hagon and co-driver Bernie Webb not only made the finish line but crossed

it in second place in the Production Class, in a time of 7:55.32, seems little short of a miracle.

How tough was it? Well, some old hands with more than a dozen years’ experience were claiming this year’s course was the gnarliest they’d seen. Out of 127 trucks and buggies entered, just 64 finished. And out of those 127 entries, only the Mazda was driven to the starting line with a rego sticker on the window – the rest were trucked in.

Finishing was no walk in the park, though, with the shocks melting and failing on day one, and the BT-50 crawling over the line with

the distance-to-empty reading just “4km”. Toby just managed to extract himself from the rollcage – a sight that looked not unlike a baby elephant passing through the eye of a needle – before requiring medical assistance. It was more than 10 minutes before he could even attempt to walk.

“I’m not kidding when I say I can’t believe that thing made it; there were some big hits. The ball joint has hit the inside of the wheel arch and the chassis has hit the turbo protector and put a ding in it, and even the metal toolbox in the back has dents in it from where the tools hit the lid.

Just incredible,” a hugely grinning Hagon said at the finish line.

“The thing that mentally killed me yesterday was just how unrelenting it was. There’s a section in the second half where the bumps just go on and on, one after another, but today I knew it was going to get better.”

Navigator Bernie Webb added: “It was just brutal. I’ve had some big crashes in my time and I can honestly

say, hopping out of the car yesterday, I felt like I’d had a 130km/h rollover, it was that bad.”

The satisfaction for Webb and Hagon and the whole team was not just in finishing, and finishing well – their time was more than three minutes faster than the fourth-

placed truck in their category – but in proving their many, many doubters wrong.

“That car has stood up incredibly well,” Hagon said. “I’ve never seen a car brutalised in that way, and to have it still here and driving is beyond impressive.”

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REVIEW 06 JAN 2017 Herald Sun, Melbourne

CIRCLE WORKER

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t’s fitting we’re in a ute, Mazda’s BT-50, as a workhorse has become out top-selling “car” for the first time.

The Toyota HiLux has taken the crown after overcoming last year’s sales slump and overtaking its Corolla stablemate. Toyota punched out the discounts hard, so victory was always on the cards.

We’re in the Kuroi Edition ($53,590 drive-away), which is based on the mid-range XTR and adds black sports bar, nudge bar, side steps and 17-inch alloy wheels, plus driving lights, tonneau and decals.

Having some decent time behind the wheel of one of the forgotten utes in the segment (the BT-50

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ranks seventh on the sales ladder in the 4WD class) it’s easy to see the appeal of these vehicles.

You can throw kids’ bikes, beach gear or camping equipment in the back, it can tow up to 3.5 tonnes (Although if you reach capacity, this limits what you can carry on board) and it’s comfortable inside the fourdoor, five-seat cabin.

Economy isn’t as good as the latest SUV diesels (most are powered by 2.2-litre engines; the BT-50 shares its 3.2-litre fivecylinder diesel with the Ford Ranger) because it’s shifting more weight, but it’s still respectable.

So far, we’re getting 10.0L-11.0L /100km on mostly open road driving

unloaded or without a trailer. That will change once we load up.

One thing worth noting for SUV owners considering a switch to a ute: the turning circles are not as tight, and this can make shopping centre car park ramps a bit of a handful.

We’re had to grad reverse a few times to get around a tight squeeze that would be a snack in a car or SUV. We’re also still not used to the rear camera being in the rear view mirror rather than the central display screen. And a digital speed display would be appreciated. As would Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

And more USB ports. But at least the Bluetooth works well.

Given the family appeal of the BT-50 and its ilk, no wonder one has become out top seller.

08 FEB 2017 West Australian, Perth

DUELLING UTES SET WORKHORSE PACE SPACE AND MUSCLE DEFINE THE MOST POPULAR VEHICLE SOLD IN AUSTRALIA — AND ITS RIVALS

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f you are not driving a ute or an SUV, you’re un-Australian. Well, not quite — but 41.3 per cent of new vehicles sold last year were passenger cars, while 45.7 per cent were SUVs and 4WD utes. The dual

cab hit the new popularity highs when the Toyota HiLux became our top-selling vehicle in 2016. So what’s the attraction? Here, we put it up against Mazda’s own big boy, the BT50.

TOYOTA HILUX SR5 DOUBLE CAB It’s strange a Japanese workhorse should be more synonymous with the Australian outback than a Holden or Ford. But this is Australia’s highest-selling vehicle and arguably the one more bush mechanics can fix if it should ever — and it’s rare — break down.

PRICE: $56,390. No, it’s not inexpensive and is actually a few dollars more than a new Holden Calais V8. The Thai-built HiLux 4WD isn’t anywhere near as sophisticated as the Calais in ride, handling comfort, features and performance but will haul dirt bikes and hay bales while driving along the beach foreshore. The SR5 is the most expensive version and comes close to passenger cars in terms of

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REVIEW

comfortable enough for mediumlength trips. Cabin features are adequate and there are two childseat anchors but no air vents in the back. The 1560mm tray bed is the longest in its class and is 1520mm wide. The bed height is one of the lowest around at 850mm. Payload is 925kg, not quite up to the Mazda, and the tow rating is also a bit behind at 3200kg. It has four tiedown hooks — the Mazda has six — and a liner for the tray floor.

occupant comfort and — thanks to a new five-star crash rating — safety.

Features include satellite navigation, cloth seats and digital radio with six speakers. The latest HiLux gets a smaller but stronger four-cylinder diesel engine, now 2.8-litres, and a six-speed automatic option tested here. The warranty is an entry-level three years or 100,000km and the capped-price service program costs $240 every six months — which could be annoying for the owner — or $1440 over three years. The resale value is 57 per cent.

GRACE: This is a workhorse, built for a purpose and with a basic design aimed at maximising its owner’s business returns. It’s not a product of a design studio but the HiLux is attractive, combining macho ancestry with some smooth body lines.

The SR5 gets alloys and chrome

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highlights helping lend a degree of civility, while the standard sports bar (not on the Mazda), side steps and rear step appeal to the leisureoriented buyer. Cabin treatment is a bit fussy but at least looks less like a hose-out, bare-bones ute than some rivals. But you’re not getting a lot for your money and the Mazda is more generous, especially in the safety arena.

SPACE: There’s room inside for five adults with good legroom and excellent headroom. The rear seats have short cushions but are

PACE: The new 2.8-litre is a relaxed performer with linear power delivery and strong off-the-mark torque.

The Mazda shows more power and torque but doesn’t get it to the ground as smoothly and quickly as the HiLux. The 130kW/450Nm four-cylinder claims 8.5L/100km (10.6L/100km on test) from an 80-litre tank. The six-speed auto has a broad ratio spread and the electrically operated low-range box engages quickly. Ride comfort is average — it needs weight in the tray — and is not as comfortable as the Mazda. Handling is limited by the 4WD’s workhorse dynamics and that includes the ponderous and vague steering. The turning circle is wide, making it awkward in tight confines.

and leather upholstery. The warranty is the same as the Toyota and the capped-price service costs $1491 for three years, so ownership costs are very similar. Conveniently, though, it only needs a service once a year. The three-year resale is 53 per cent.

MAZDA BT50 GT DUAL CAB The badge says Mazda but the BT-50 is off the same line as the Ford Ranger. They’re not clones, though: the Mazda has different equipment, suspension tune and some body panels. Now Ford has sold its shares in Mazda, the next Mazda BT-50 will share components with Isuzu.

PRICE: $53,790. The BT-50 GT equates to the HiLux SR5 in price, features, performance and capability.

It is the flagship of a small BT-50 4WD dual-cab range, which only offers one engine: a 3.2-litre fivecylinder turbo-diesel shared with the Ranger. Though $2600 cheaper than the Toyota, the BT-50 is a more work-friendly option. Features include sat nav, digital radio with six speakers, good infotainment system

GRACE: Like the HiLux, the Mazda is not unattractive and is a big step up on the previous generation’s clown-like grinning grille. The cabin is a bit of a let-down, not in fit and finish which is acceptable for a ute but in its very basic, hard plastic dash design and simplistic centre console.

The leather-faced upholstery and trim is a nice touch but may better impress families than work colleagues.

Safety features are pretty good, with trailer-sway control, rollover stability, six airbags, emergency brake light flashing, auto wipers and headlights and heated mirrors.

SPACE: The BT-50 looks much bigger than the HiLux but it’s only 35mm longer and sits fractionally lower. But it’s on a stretched 3.2m wheelbase which is 135mm longer than its rival, leading to slightly bigger rear-seat legroom. Oddly, the HiLux’s tray is 40mm longer than the Mazda, though the BT-50’s is a bit wider. The payload is 1082kg and there’s a low 840mm tray height to

make loading easier. Cabin space is better and there’s a sense the Mazda is much wider (it’s not, just up 6mm).

Personal storage is better, plus it has six tie-down hooks, a full bed liner as standard and a 3500kg tow rating.

PACE: It’s a bigger engine and the extra cylinder may sway powerseeking buyers — but there’s not a huge difference in outputs thank to the HiLux being 78kg lighter.

The engine delivers 147kW/470Nm, with torque flat from 17502500rpm. Like the Toyota, there’s a six-speed automatic, two-speed electrically controlled transfer case and an 80-litre tank with a claimed 10L/100km fuel average (12.4L/100km on test). The engine is very torquey but has inherent turbo lag that can dull its low-speed performance. In similar test tracks off the road, the vehicles were just as capable, though the HiLux felt more responsive and easier to drive. Cabin comfort is better in the Mazda. It also has a wide turning circle but the steering — now electrically assisted — is firmer than the HiLux.

VERDICT Both do the workhouse job well, but the extra room in the Mazda makes it more appealing to families and multi-occupant duties while the Toyota is an easier drive, on and off the road.

The Mazda copes with heavier loads and has slightly better ride comfort, while the HiLux is more economical. Given this is all about space and muscle, the Mazda is the better option.

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SKYACTIV Technology Less fuel, less emissions, more Zoom-Zoom

The use of ultra-hightensile steel makes Mazdas even stronger

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ike most carmakers, Mazda is working hard to reduce the fuel consumption of its vehicles. This is important to our customers, and to us as a socially and environmentally responsible organisation.

Many of our rivals have enthusiastically embraced hybrid drive and batterypowered electric cars, and it should be noted that research and development in these technologies (as well as hydrogen) is also advanced at Mazda.

But while hybrid, electric and hydrogen powered engines may be viable technologies of the future, we also want to have a real impact now.

At Mazda we are going about the challenge in a different way. We are investing in research and development to achieve both environmental and performance improvements with existing technology.

We believe that a new generation of affordable petrol and diesel-powered 76

vehicles offer the best solution, at least in the medium term, to reducing carbon emissions and fuel use.

These far more economical cars, sold in volume and replacing older and less efficient vehicles, will do more to cut global fuel consumption and emissions than niche market electric cars or hybrids. By improving the underlying technology, we can deliver consumers optimum fuel economy in real world driving situations, with reliability superior to more complex or highly stressed engines.

This strategy launched SKYACTIV. It’s a comprehensive engineering program shaping a new generation of vehicles striving for significant gains in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction, while staying true to what Mazda customers love – Zoom-Zoom and the emotion of motion.

The SKYACTIV-G petrol and SKACTIV-D diesel engines

introduced breakthrough advances in performance and efficiency.

In addition, continuously variable sequential valve timing (dual S-VT) on the intake and exhaust minimised pumping losses and the lightweight design reduced engine weight by 10 per cent.

The SKACTIV-D diesel engine benefits from an impressive 14:1 compression ratio (the lowest diesel ratio available and considerably lower than the 16 to 18:1 ratios seen in standard diesel engines). However, Mazda also introduced a variable valve lift for exhaust valves, enabling internal exhaust recirculation which immediately stabilises combustion after a cold start.

It also added a two-stage turbocharger, which delivered strong and steady responsiveness, helping it reach its 5,200 rpm deadline and eliminate ‘turbo lag’. The lighter engine also reduced internal engine friction by 20 per cent.

Developing the ideal automatic transmission saw Mazda focus on improved fuel economy, a direct pedal response, the ability to shift gears smoothly while delivering reactive acceleration. The SKYACTIV-Drive automatic does this and more.

The new SKYACTIV-Drive automatic transmission combines the benefits of conventional automatics with those of continuously variable (CVTs) and dual clutch transmissions. It shifts quickly and smoothly and delivers superior fuel economy. At its heart is a newly developed 6-speed torque converter with a full range lock-up clutch for all gears. The clutch lock-up ratio has been raised from 64 per cent from the previous 5-speed AT to 89 per cent of vehicle operation.

The SKYACTIV-MT manual transmission is more accurate, lighter, smaller and more efficient, all of which help improve fuel economy.

Our engineers also went back to the drawing board to create a SKYACTIVChassis. They wanted a lighter, stronger car, but with extraordinary agility and nimble responsiveness. They achieved just that, ensuring the new generation cars are fun to drive.

Mazda exhaust-cut

WHAT’S NEXT? Having introduced SKYACTIV Technology i-stop, i-ELOOP and a 13:1 compression ratio, all of which contribute to a 30 per cent fuel consumption saving – our goal is to reduce fuel use by an additional 30 per cent.

Our technical team is currently working on a world-first; the application of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) to a petrol engine in a passenger car. The current breed of Mazda vehicles have record compression ratios of 13:1 – increasing this to a stratospheric 18:1 would allow fuel to ignite more completely, without the need of a spark.

SAFETY AT THE FOREFRONT Owning a Mazda is not just about driving a stylish, innovative, dynamic car – it’s about knowing Mazda does everything it can to ensure the driver and passengers are safe.

Called Mazda Proactive Safety, the engineering approach takes an active and pre-crash safety focus.

Active technology includes systems aimed at reducing the likelihood of accidents, or minimising their severity. These include features like High Beam Control, Hill Launch Assist, Forward Obstruction Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Emergency Signal System and many more.

Impressive passive safety is engineered into the SKYACTIV-Body.

Increased torsional rigidity, the use of more high-tensile steel, larger cross-sectional B-pillars, three-point seatbelts for all seats and shockabsorbing interior trim all make the newest generation Mazda cars safer than their predecessors.

The SKYACTIV-Body for the All-New Mazda3 increases torsional rigidity for the hatchback by 31 per cent over the previous model, and 28 per cent for the sedan. Use of high-tensile steel increases to 60 per cent, up from 50 per cent in the second

The SKYACTIV Drive 6-speed auto Transmission

generation hatch, and 51 per cent in the sedan. 980MPa ultra-high-tensile steel is used as reinforcing material for the side walls, and the use of 780MPa high-tensile steel has been increased from four to nine per cent.

The X-shaped crush cans built into the front frame have highly efficient energy absorption characteristics to help protect the cabin. The B-pillars’ cross-section is increased over the previous model by 20% toward the cabin, 10% from front to rear. This minimises deformation in the event of a side impact. Their almost straight shape also reduces load transmission loss in a collision.

A solid ring structure joins the roof and B-pillars to the underbody, while reinforcements further strengthen the body. The result is a SKYACTIV-Body that efficiently absorbs impact energy from any direction and minimises the chance of cabin deformation.

In the latest ANCAP and EuroNCAP tests of Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5, the effect of these manufacturing and safety improvements can be seen.

All three vehicles were awarded a coveted five-star ANCAP rating, while the latest generation Mazda6 and Mazda3 improved across the key criterion compared to previous models, making them the safest Mazda vehicles ever built.

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IGNITION

ACCESSORIES

CX-5 M SPOILER ALERT

aking a statement can often be a costly exercise but when it comes to Mazda CX-5 and the striking Kuroi Sports Pack the game has a new set of rules.

The enhancement package consists of a stylish front ‘chin’ spoiler, race-styled under-bumper rear diffuser and deep side skirts to give a low, muscular, wide-boy look.

Black door mirror caps, which are also included in the Kuroi kit, add

Sitting in arm’s way

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bsolute satisfaction often comes down to the overlooked things and for drivers, that usually means finding a place to put their left arm.

For most of us, suspending the left elbow in space while holding onto the steering wheel can be tiring but that no longer needs to be the case for anyone with a current Mazda2 or Mazda CX-3 SUV.

an extra touch of class and aggression to the sexy SUV. Finished in stunning silver and black, the Kuroi Sports Pack takes CX-5 from chic to sleek in the blink of an eye and does it without busting the budget.

The kicker? The items are sold individually, allowing owners to budget-fit the kit piece at a time and in any order they like.

Looking good has never been so easy.

Mazda has added a comfy and useful centre console to the Mazda Genuine accessories list and it is an affordable and practical fix for tired arms and wayward left elbows.

The armrest integrates with the interior Mazda2s and CX-3s and sits either horizontally over the centre console or can be folded back for full access to the centre console’s storage spaces and cup holders.

Lowered, it covers the console, hiding things from potential intruders and giving drivers a great place to park an elbow!

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BT-50 is the wheel thing

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ost people think wheels are just round things that keep the tyres attached to the road but a set of good-looking, welldesigned alloy wheels add style and substance to any car.

Not only that, but they also give owners more scope for choosing tyres that improve ride and handling qualities and broaden the performance landscape.

These head-turning alloy wheels are designed to enhance the BT-50’s dynamic performance and looks – and do just that.

Made from high grade aluminium for serious offroad driving adventures, they feature an aggressive, ruggedly handsome look courtesy of a highly polished five-spoke, cleated rim design.

Sold in 16-inch and 17-inch diameters, each wheel comes complete with a polished centre cap bearing the Mazda logo.

The wheels are available on a variety of models, check with your Dealership for details.

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Best bar in the business

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ne of the handiest accessories for any SUV is a tow bar and one of the coolest tow bars on the planet is available for Mazda’s CX-5.

The tow bar features a detachable tongue controlled by a special quick-release mechanism, so can be fitted or removed simply by twisting a

handle. Taking it off makes the towbar almost invisible.

It has an impressive 1800kg towing capacity and 150kg tow ball download rating, meaning it can handle anything from a detachable bicycle rack all the way through to a camper-trailer.

Engineered specifically for Mazda CX-5 using computer-aided design and testing, the tow bar has undergone hundreds of simulated stress tests, making real-life use a breeze by not just meeting but easily beating expectations.

Mazda’s test process exposes it to more abuse than it will ever encounter in the real world and local testing ensures it surpasses our own tough Australian Design Rules.

Finally, a rich powder coat finish ensures each tow bar is ready for exposure to the elements, staying fade- and corrosion-free for its entire lifetime.

ACCESSORIES

Next-Gen Mazda CX-5 is the wheel deal

Light up my life

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nyone who has ever tried to load or unload a ute in the dark knows the various methods involved.

There’s the ‘poor interior light illumination’ method, the ‘torch in one hand, shift stuff with the other’ style and the ‘put the torch in your mouth’ principle. Sadly, all of them are doomed to failure.

If you have a Mazda BT-50 utility though you can opt for the Tub Illumination Kit, a genuine Mazda accessory that mocks the

darkness by strategically placing four powerful, touch-sensitive LED lights around the load tub.

Simply touching one light turns them all on and another touch turns them all off, meaning there are no hidden switches to find in the dark.

Leave them on and they will automatically deactivate, either when the BT-50 moves off or after 60 minutes.

And that is one accessory guaranteed to light up your life.

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tylish 19-inch alloy wheels designed especially for the NextGen Mazda CX-5 give the beautiful SUV a sporty spin.

The tough wheels are finished in a rich gloss black with a bright machined face and, as an attractive finishing touch, each wheel’s centre cap is emblazoned with Mazda’s iconic emblem.

It’s a given that these stylish wheels add individuality to the Mazda CX-5 and reflect your personal style but there is another very important side: they are manufactured to not just meet, but also exceed, Mazda’s own strict engineering standards.

As well, they meet all the national safety standards.

What does that mean? Simply that the wheels are a perfect fit and finish and because they are endurance tested for durability, performance and safety they achieve maximum quality assurance, guaranteeing them against the rigours of everyday use.

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CLASSIC

MAZDA3: 40 YEARS ON AND STILL A WINNER

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tevie Wonder wrote his own version of it, Marilyn Monroe is famous for singing it to President Kennedy and every day around the world it’s sung to loved ones, work acquaintances and besties.

‘Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you’.

This year the Mazda3 celebrates a significant milestone – that’s right, Mazda’s best-selling small passenger car turns 40.

Yes, the first 323 officially rolled off the production line in 1977, and between then and now, it has sold in excess of 5 million units globally, of which almost 750,000 have found themselves in Australian driveways.

Over four decades, from 323 to Mazda3, Mazda’s small car range has come a long way. In fact, during this time over 40 different models have been introduced, including station wagons, hatchbacks, sedans and coupes.

When the first 323 came to Australia in 1977, the GLC (Great Little Car) – as it was known in the North American market – debuted as a rearwheel-drive four door subcompact.

It had a 1.4 litre engine, it included a rear-windscreen washer as standard – yes, that’s right, standard – and was available in three body styles including a hatch, wagon and sedan.

It may have gone on sale in the late ‘70s, but it truly arrived in 1980 when the 323 won Australia’s most prestigious motoring award, the Wheels Car of the Year – the first of eight victories for Mazda through to this year’s win by the Brand-New Mazda CX-9.

By 1984, the third generation Mazda 323 was marketed as the “car to take Mazda into the future”.

Dealership brochures said that the “323 combines luxury with economy and styling with practicality … meeting the needs of the modern motorist”. It also had a “long list of luxury features and the largest luggage space in its class”.

It was the 1990s that saw the arrival of the iconic Astina. It featured revolutionary coupe-like styling, a slanted nose and compact projected headlight, helping it win the Australian small car of the year.

Standard features included power windows, central locking, electric side mirrors and the 2.0 litre version included a CD player.

But in 2003 Mazda farewelled the 323 and welcomed the first generation Mazda3. New from the ground up, it had a longer wheelbase, short overhangs and high rear deck that formed the elegant coupe proportions. Unique in its design, and completely different to its 323 predecessors, the Mazda3 set the foundation for the new generation vehicles to come.

Gaining in popularity, the second generation Mazda3 arrived in 2009 and became the nation’s most popular car in 2011 and 2012. It was the first time that a Japanese brand could claim this as it out-sold the Holden Commodore, a long-time Australian favourite.

And so to the current generation, which made it to Mazda showrooms in early 2014. The media were immediately hooked, with CarAdvice saying, “Mazda’s small car raises its sophistication levels to show that it’s not just a best seller but also one of the best”.

Since then Mazda has fitted its most popular car with an impressive list of standard i-ACTIVSENSE technologies and G-Vectoring Control – which offers a smoother, more enjoyable drive – digital radio and leather options to name a few.

Back in 1977, the 323 came with an AM radio, no passenger side mirror, and Dealership sales staff would woo customers with the addition of standard twin sunvisors – something that was still listed as a feature in the mid-1980s.

When you consider this, you realise just how far Mazda’s small car has come in a relatively short period of time. Happy birthday Mazda3!