SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8
This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.
My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.
Posted: 22 January 2015
The cheat sheet
Price: R398 600
Engine: 2488 cc, DOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder
Power: 138 kW at 5700 rpm
Torque: 250 Nm at 3250 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 8.9 seconds
Maximum speed: 203 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 9.1 l/100 km
Tank: 56 litres
Boot: 403 litres
Warranty: 3 years/unlimited; with roadside assistance
Service plan: 3 years/unlimited; at 15 000 km intervals
Not much has changed in Mazda’s South African product range since 2012. In fact, following its split from Ford locally, the company is simply running with lightly updated models until new products are launched and they can regain their independent identity.
The CX-5 crossover is one of these; but with an important difference. Back in 2012, there was just one engine, a 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder. Today there are two more; a 2.2 diesel and a 2.5 petrol motor as fitted to our test unit. The larger petrol engine is available only with Individual trim and Mazda’s SkyActiv six-speed automatic.
The good news is that it’s more energetic than the 2.0-litre, prices overall are much the same as they were back then (or even lower) and is still a nicely appointed MPV/SUV. The bad news is that the bigger motor uses more fuel, but that’s to be expected. A further upgrade saw the multifunction display becoming a touchscreen.
Its suspension feels softer than that of the Mazda6 – quite pleasant over some rather rough dirt roads, for instance – but it doesn’t encourage the same level of sporty driving. Disappointing after the nearly perfect engine-to-gearbox match of the 2.2 diesel in the sedan, the petrol engine in the CX-5 made the gearbox feel rather ordinary. It worked better than the 2.0-litre did with the same box back in 2012, but wasn’t near what we have been spoiled with recently.
We detailed the car’s history, kit and fittings in the 2012 review, so we won’t repeat it here. Let’s deal with some practical issues instead.
The loading deck is at upper thigh level, a well on either side keeps small objects secured, there are four lashing rings, a switched light and the floorboard hinges upward to ease access to the steel spare. It’s bigger than a conventional spacesaver, inspiring more confidence when you need to use it. Two pull rings on the left and one on the right tip the 40:20:40 seatbacks down flat. Convenient tabs on the seat tops allow you to do the same thing from inside.
Our resident tall passenger rated head, knee and foot space at “nine out of ten” which is about as good as it can get. Storage is provided by seatback pockets, bottle bins in the doors and a pair of cup holders in the fold-down armrest. There is a full set of head restraints and belts, and grab handles all around should your driver get enthusiastic. We could only rate exit comfort at about “eight,” unfortunately, because the fender curve bumps your hip on the way out.
The driver’s chair has powered slide, height, tilt and lumbar adjusters while the passenger gets to do the basics the old fashioned way. The CD bin under the central armrest houses USB and auxiliary ports and a 12-volt socket. The USB plays M4a files as well as MP3s but suffers from similar foibles to the one in Mazda6 – it resets back to the beginning of your music folder every time the car is started.
The six-speed shift stick is comfortably placed and offers manual override via a conventional fore-and-aft gate off to the right. There are no paddles like those on the “six.” Storage is provided by two more cup holders, two open trays, a big glove compartment, an overhead box for sunglasses and bottle bins in the doors. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes and offers a full suite of satellite buttons.
Fit and finish is neat and tidy, as one expects a R400 000 luxury car to be, but possibly a little conservative and old-fashioned. It is a “2012” after all.
Summing up, It’s a comfortable car with plenty of space and lots of kit; but we would probably choose the diesel for the way that engine and this gearbox make sweet music together.
Test car from Mazda SA press fleet
This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.
Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.
I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material. If I ever place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with that vehicle at least once already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.
Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. As quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so they can see I do actually exist.
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SA Roadtests
South Africa
ctjag8