REVIEW : FAMILY WEEKEND AWAY WITH MAZDA CX-5 SUV

Hubby and I are no “Petrol Heads” so don’t expect all the technical detail, feedback and comparisons you would come to expect from a true motoring journalist, rather a review of a lifestyle experience that www.twodadsandakid.com was a part of recently. (AD)

Now that we’ve set the scene, I can totally appreciate why the Mazda CX-5 made the Top 3 list for the Car of The Year Awards in 2018.  82 Auto Writers from around the world were not wrong when selecting the Mazda CX-5 as a contender for the top post. This car is a stunner! 

The family and I got to experience the Mazda CX-5 2.2L DE Akera AWD Automatic for the weekend, taking it for a seriously long drive from Johannesburg to the south of Swaziland, roughly an 800km return trip. We received the car with a full tank of diesel, driving at 120km throughout, we managed to make it to Swaziland and back on that one tank of Diesel. Considering how tight family budgets currently are, this feature alone blew my mind. Comfort levels on this model were on par with any other luxury marque that we have driven lately at a much more affordable price tag. The transition from tar to dirt road was smooth and as comfortable throughout. 

Never judge a book by its cover they say, but when it comes to buying a car, looks are everything for us. The exterior is both modern and stylish. Inside, all the passengers were very comfortable with loads of space both in the front and back. The Mazda CX-5 is truly a beautiful SUV in the medium size range.  

We live in a world where every hi-tech convenience needs to be ubiquitous, even in a car, so I loved that the Mazda has kept connectivity in mind. Four USB ports in the front and rear of the car, enough to keep the family’s charging requirements covered. Mazda’s Connect+ allows you to access your phone contacts and music with so much ease and comfort. Just in case you are thinking that it’s only for the more highly spec’d models, the Mazda Connect+ is STANDARD across all models! Score right!?

The Mazda CX-5 2.2L DE Akera AWD Auto that we got to enjoy, also comes with Satellite Navigation via a decent sized touchscreen making it really easy to plan your trip and search for places of interest, filling stations to take a break etc. The BOSE sound system, a personal favourite of our household, is integrated throughout the car and as you can imagine, it delivers amazing sound and connects with your phone easily so that you’re not stuck without sound in those areas where the radio signal is nonexistent.,

You’re transporting your family on busy and congested roads, so safety is a key consideration for us. The model we had was loaded with sensors, I mean loaded! Sensors to let you know there’s something in your blind spot, you’re moving too close to the lane – if you’re changing lanes unintentionally, you’re too close to the car in front and a warning that you’ve been driving for too long and it’s time for a break, as Darren pointed out repeatedly, are some of the cool warnings we got to experience and appreciate.

The reverse-camera is another cool addition in the Mazda and makes reversing in unfamiliar territory that much easier. The on-windscreen info service is incredible and you get used to it with ease, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road and stay informed. The boot is spacious and if like me, you want to carry all your shopping into the house at once, the ‘automatic close’ button is a wonderful luxury.

What impressed me the most about this SUV was its power and response, great for a diesel-powered vehicle. For the size of its engine, consumption is way lower than many other SUV’s, definitely way better than our previous one. Both petrol and diesel engines offer plenty of torque using minimal fuel. The Automatic and Manual transmissions have been developed to increase responsiveness, a few times when we had to increase speed to overtake, you instantly felt the car respond. The Mazda CX-5 definitely does not compromise on performance.

The entry-level Mazda CX-5 retails from R392,400.00

If you’re in the market for a new SUV then definitely go for a test drive and see for yourself!

Disclaimer: We received the Mazda CX-5 SUV to use for the weekend. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.