What makes the Mazda CX-5 2.5 Individual a worthy contender in the Family Car category of the 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank? We investigate…

Mazda has been making good inroads since its “divorce” from Ford, and one of its most popular models is the CX-5. Recently refreshed, the CX-5 continues to offer excellent build quality, practicality and a balance of comfort and safety features that is hard to beat at the price. Will the CX-5 trump its rivals to take the win the Family Car category?

3 Reasons Why Mazda CX-5 2.5 Individual is a #CarsAwards Finalist

1. Capableengine

In current times the Mazda’s naturally aspirated, relatively large-capacity 2.5-litre petrol engine may look out of step, but on the power front, the CX-5 is not lackingwith 121 kW on tap and 210 Nm of torque at 4 000 rpm.

Coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission that is rather good at finding the correct gear for the prevailing driving situation, the CX-5 serves up decent performance, even with a full complement of passengers and luggage. With Mazda’s SkyActiv technology, the CX-5 is quite frugal too, with a claimed fuel consumption figure of 6.4 L/100km which means you should get about 875 km from its 56 L tank.

2. Spacious family car

Riding on a relatively long wheelbase of 2 700 mm and boasting one of the bigger bodies in the compact crossover/SUV segment, the CX-5 serves up a very decent amount of interior space. The boot is well shaped and sized at 403 L and a total of 1 390 L of packing space is on offer with the 40:20:40-split rear seats folded. It should serve families well…

3. Comfortable and refined

This is an area of strength for the Mazda CX-5. Not only is the ride suppleness among the best in this class, the seats themselves are superbly padded for comfort, yet also supportive in the corners. Mazda has also paid careful attention to detail when it comes to NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) control. The cabin of the CX-5 remains a quiet place, even at higher speeds and on poor surfaces. For the driver, cruise control, auto lights and auto wipers are other comfort-boosting features.

Have Your Say: Complete our survey!

Do you own a CX-5? We would love to hear from you! Tell us about your experience by completing ourOwnership Satisfaction Survey. Your input counts for 50% of the final result.

What cars are the CX-5's rivals in #CarsAwards?

The 2017/18 #CarsAwards finalists:Family CarCategory

Compare the CX-5's specs with the VW Tiguan 1.4 TSI Comfortline DSG and Peugeot 3008 1.6T GT-Line

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