When you think about it, we’re pretty spoiled as shoppers. Manufacturers give us a wide variety of choices to cater to a wider audience & to some, the it’s the Best or Nothing. I bet you know of friends who won’t think twice but to go for the highest spec new phone or laptop. Or perhaps even a vehicle variant. The Mazda CX-5 is arguably the sexiest 5-seater SUV sold today.
With a total of 5 variants to choose from, it’s understandable that you’d spend a bit of time to go through the differences. But what if money is no issue & you can afford the most expensive 2.2D AWD variant – should you? Let’s find out. . .
DESIGN
Mazda already had a winner with the Kodo – Soul in Motion design but they’ve made the second generation look even better. Sharper up front and back, I love how the front now looks more dynamic but don’t quite prefer the rear tail lights that makes the back look heavy and thick.
On the 2.2D AWD (as well as the 25L petrol), you’ll get 19-inch alloy wheels shod with 225/55 profile tyres. The base spec makes do with 17-inch alloy wheels & 225/65 profile tyres. All in all, it remains very much a visual stunner . .
PERFORMANCE
2.2 litre SkyActiv-D DOHC engine with max power of 173 hp @ 4,500 rpm & max torque of 420 Nm @ 2,000 rpm. When accelerating, it behaves like an NA petrol (albeit a powerful one) where the power delivery is linear but with unrelenting power. In that sense, it’s much more easier to modulate compared to some of the other turbodiesels sold today. Very relaxing and easy for any member of the household to familiarize with.
RIDE AND HANDLING
Agile, nimble, the CX-5 is already an excellent performer on B-roads. I didn’t really feel the AWD system making much of a difference but that’s mainly due to me driving it on highways within speed limits while town driving was as fast as traffic permits. The point that while some manufacturers believe AWD is unnecessary for regular road use is valid in this sense. The only time when the AWD made a significant difference was during the rain; it handled wet surfaces as though it was dry. Stable and quick at all times. The SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6-speed auto transmission works well – hardly goes hunting for the right gears and is quick to engage. The NVH is also excellent – certainly better than my own diesel ride. For the most part, it behaves just like a petrol engine, . .
CABIN CONVENIENCE
High level of craftsmanship that is identical to all variants except it gets a 4.6-inch TFT LCD multi-info display and a metal&wood dashboard trim like the 2.5L. The space within, while isn’t as large as a Honda CR-V is sufficient for families. Adults would be fine with the rear head & legroom. Other goodies include KESSY, 7″ MZD Connect Infotainment System with Multi-function Commander Control, Navigation (which I don’t use since we all use Waze) & Voice Command, 10-way power adjustment driver’s seat, Leather seats, dual zone auto climate control, 4 USD ports (2 in front & 2 in the rear center armrest).
Boot space is great with 442litres and lowering the rear seats increases the space significantly.
SAFETY
The best part of the 2.2D AWD is i-Activsense advance safety techologies which consists of the Adaptive LED Headlights, Lane Departure Warning System, Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS), Driver Attention Alert, Smart City Brake Support, BLIS & rear cross traffic alert. The LKAS is sufficient to steer the vehicle within a (my estimation) 10deg steering turn. This means the system is acute enough to follow lines on moderate corners but will not be enough to handle sharp urgent turns. If I were to rank the system based on all the vehicles I’ve driven with this feature, I’d rate them as follows;- VW Passat B8 2.0 > Hyundai Ioniq > CX-5 2.2D AWD > Volvo XC60 (the Volvo is the least intrusive whereas the Passat can literally drive itself) .
OWNERSHIP
The 2.2D AWD has an asking price of RM175,839.10 for solid colors you’d need to top-up another RM700 if you want metallics. Compared to the most inexpensive variant, the 2.2D AWD is dearer by almost RM40,500. Is it worth getting? Yes if you’re addicted to power but bear in mind you can only feed it Euro 5 Diesel. Any other grade & you’ll risk the warranty being voided.
The AWD doesn’t really show its presence & only in some situation, driven to extremes that you begin to feel it influencing the drive but 90% of the time, you’re just as good driving the petrol variants since the CX-5 by nature is a very capable cruiser.
As for fuel consumption, I scored 6.25ltires/100km in my drive to Johor Bahru & a day of running errands there. For an SUV this size, that’s considered good. But I can’t help but wonder how much lower had this been a 2WD instead of an AWD. It should score better. The picky fuel coupled with more expensive 19″ tire replacements makes this variant a choice reserved for the most diehard diesel-powered fans who insists that all diesel SUVs MUST be an all-wheel vehicle. You won’t be wrong in choosing this as your daily driven vehicle – but you’d just be as right if you picked the more affordable 2.0 or 2.2D 2WD GLS variants. AWD really isn’t that big a deal for a car that already drives so well.
Related Posts
No Comment