For now, the CX-5 has one powerplant - the SKYACTIV-G. There are rumours of a 2.2L diesel engine to come (the SKYACTIV-D), but the company has yet to confirm whether the CX-5 will receive it in North America, and it will most likely make its appearance in a sedan first.
The standard engine is a 2.0L, 4-cylinder with a modest 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. With its 13.0:1 compression ratio, variable valve timing and 4-2-1 exhaust header, the SKYACTIV-G is 15% more fuel efficient, 10% lighter and produces 15% fewer emissions than the engine it replaces. Fuel economy is a projected 7.8/5.7 L/100km city/highway for the front-drive version with the manual transmission, 7.7/6.1 for FWD with the automatic and 8.0/6.4 for AWD with AT.
Because it was built expressly to house the small SKYACTIV-G powertrain, the CX-5's chassis design has fewer bends and straighter, therefore stronger, frame rails. Using an industry-first, high-tensile steel, the rails are a 12-point rather than boxed shape – reducing straight edges prone to bend or flex. The highly rigid body is very stable at speed, exhibiting little body roll and brake dive – yet the CX-5 is up to 575 lbs lighter than the slightly larger CX-7.
When it came to handling and ensuring that the CX-5 lived up to its fun-to-drive claims, the engineers looked to the Europeans for inspiration. They fine-tuned the front suspension geometry with the 7-degree caster angle favoured by the Germans, rather than the five degrees of most other Japanese cars, resulting in a more front-planted feeling at high-speed.
Instead of the 17- or 18-degree steering ratio found in most crossovers, the CX-5's 15.5:1 is almost as quick as the 15.0:1 ratio of the MX-5 sports car. The rear trailing arm was moved up 7 mm, helping the rear settle faster over bumps since the wheel isn't fighting against the lower angle.
If it sounds surprising that engineers would go to such lengths to ensure that the CX-5 is fun to drive, consider that Product Evaluation Engineer Dave Coleman is a dyed-in-the-wool car nut who competed – and won – in the 24 Hours of Lemons, that fiercely contested parody of the legendary LeMans endurance race in a Miata that was modified to look like the Starship Enterprise.
The standard engine is a 2.0L, 4-cylinder with a modest 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. With its 13.0:1 compression ratio, variable valve timing and 4-2-1 exhaust header, the SKYACTIV-G is 15% more fuel efficient, 10% lighter and produces 15% fewer emissions than the engine it replaces. Fuel economy is a projected 7.8/5.7 L/100km city/highway for the front-drive version with the manual transmission, 7.7/6.1 for FWD with the automatic and 8.0/6.4 for AWD with AT.
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| The CX-5's chassis design has fewer bends and straighter, therefore stronger, frame rails. (Photo: Mazda) |
Because it was built expressly to house the small SKYACTIV-G powertrain, the CX-5's chassis design has fewer bends and straighter, therefore stronger, frame rails. Using an industry-first, high-tensile steel, the rails are a 12-point rather than boxed shape – reducing straight edges prone to bend or flex. The highly rigid body is very stable at speed, exhibiting little body roll and brake dive – yet the CX-5 is up to 575 lbs lighter than the slightly larger CX-7.
When it came to handling and ensuring that the CX-5 lived up to its fun-to-drive claims, the engineers looked to the Europeans for inspiration. They fine-tuned the front suspension geometry with the 7-degree caster angle favoured by the Germans, rather than the five degrees of most other Japanese cars, resulting in a more front-planted feeling at high-speed.
Instead of the 17- or 18-degree steering ratio found in most crossovers, the CX-5's 15.5:1 is almost as quick as the 15.0:1 ratio of the MX-5 sports car. The rear trailing arm was moved up 7 mm, helping the rear settle faster over bumps since the wheel isn't fighting against the lower angle.
If it sounds surprising that engineers would go to such lengths to ensure that the CX-5 is fun to drive, consider that Product Evaluation Engineer Dave Coleman is a dyed-in-the-wool car nut who competed – and won – in the 24 Hours of Lemons, that fiercely contested parody of the legendary LeMans endurance race in a Miata that was modified to look like the Starship Enterprise.
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| The rear trailing arm was moved up 7 mm, helping the rear settle faster over bumps since the wheel isn't fighting against the lower angle. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |