A32 The Delta Optimist June 14, 2013
DriveTıme
Mazda gives the CX-5 more power An extra 30 horsepower for the 2014 model results in a peppy family vehicle BY
BRENDAN MCALEER Optimist contributor
Two litres and 155hp is enough for most vehicles. Compact car? Fine. Early Miata with a feathery 1,000 kg curb weight? Stupendous. However, bolt that kind of power to a modern crossover and you’ll have a hard time finding the fun. When Mazda launched its first generation CX-5 last year, it claimed punchy power from its small-bore four-cylinder — but there was something lacking. Sure, spec the car in basic front-wheel-drive with a manual-transmission and you have the spiritual descendant of the old Protege5: plenty of hauling capacity, a willing chassis, and an engine that makes up for a lack of grunt with a willingness to rev.
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However, start checking the boxes on everything most people actually want on a family car (automatic transmission, all-wheeldrive, tech goodies) and suddenly — Skyactiv weight-savings or no — the little-crossover-that-could starts feeling a bit over burdened. The steering remains sharp, but load up the kids and show it a hill and it’s more snooze-snooze than zoom-zoom. Turns out the hot-rodders were right, there’s no replacement for displacement. For the 2014 model year, Mazda has outfitted the mid- and top-level trims of their CX-5 crossover with a 2.5L engine. That’s only a pint’s-worth more shove, so does it make a difference? Design First off, a quick overview of everything to like
The CX-5, Mazda’s entry in the crowded crossover market, has clean lines and the power it deserves in the 2014 model. about the old car: Mazda’s clean-sheet design elbows its way solidly into the crowded crossover market with a return to appealing style. In many ways, Mazda
isn’t a direct competitor to mainstream brands like Honda, Toyota and Nissan. It could be argued the stylized M-badge denotes the Japanese equivalent of Volkswagen — not neces-
sarily a luxury brand, but perhaps a premium one nonetheless. Sitting as it does on 19inch alloy wheels, my GTlevel tester certainly looks like it costs more than your
604-278-3185 www.signaturemazda.com
average CR-V or RAV-4 people-hauler. Mazda’s new design-language is called Kodo: Soul of Motion, or something silly like that. Never mind the PR department’s relentless need to label everything with froofy names, this is a handsome little trucklet and should age well in the manner of the 2004-2008 Mazda3. For those of you who immediately thought, “19inch alloy wheels, how much is a set of snow tires that big gonna cost?”, good point. However, while replacing the factory allseason rubber isn’t going to be inexpensive, smaller alloys or steel rims will clear the brakes if you want to run a second winter set, and the mid-line GS comes with the more-sensible 17inch wheels. See MAZDA page 33
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