2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring Diesel review

“I’ll have mine in a diesel” is the kind of barbecue-stopping statement today that “I own an EV” was ten years ago. Diesel sales have nose-dived in all but a few segments and it’s now the preserve of larger European machinery and the off-road crowd for whom diesel engines are genuinely useful with their high torque and long-range capabilities.

For a while, we sang the praises of modern diesel engines for their low consumption and vastly improved driveability but then, well, you know. They were good and then they weren’t. Mazda found out the hard way as sales of its once reasonably popular diesel-powered 6 sedan and wagon fell away so hard that the company halted local sales. There was even a diesel-powered 3 warm hatch once and I imagine that is now something of a cult car.

Apart from the BT-50 ute, which isn’t actually a Mazda in a fundamental sense, two models retain the 2.2-litre turbodiesel, which, like everything else Mazda with enough room on it has a SkyActiv badge slapped on it – the CX-5 and its three-row mutation, the CX-8.

Pricing and Features

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You can get the diesel engine in four all-wheel drive variants, which includes the Maxx Sport ($42,490), the GT ($49,990) and the Akera ($52,380). Between the Maxx Sport and the GT lies the Touring tested here, for $44,280 or $3000 more than the equivalent 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol. All prices before on-road costs.

You get 17-inch alloys, a six-speaker stereo, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, auto LED headlights, leather shifter and steering wheel, combination fake leather and microsuede seats, powered mirrors and windows, front and rear parking sensors, auto wipers and a space-saver spare.

The 8.0-inch media screen is only a touchscreen at rest, reverting to the rotary controller on the centre console once underway. Despite a recent facelift, the CX-5 still has the older version of the MZD Connect software compared to the CX-30 and MX-30’s shiny new version. It has sat-nav along with digital radio and USB-powered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Despite being old, it works perfectly well if a little bit lo-res.

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Five-star ANCAP safety has become a bit of a Mazda trademark, with six airbags, ABS, stability and traction controls, blind-spot monitoring, forward auto emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, speed limiter, speed limit reminder with road sign recognition, reverse AEB and rear cross-traffic alert.

The forward AEB has pedestrian and cyclist detection and works at high and low speeds for other vehicles.

ANCAP last tested the CX-5 in 2017 and that was when the criteria weren’t as strict as they are now but Mazda has kept adding more safety features to try and keep up.

The only option is a choice of three premium colours – Polymetal Grey, Machine Grey and the always delectable Soul Red – for $495. Frankly, I reckon you’re mad not to.

ANCAP last tested the CX-5 in 2017 and that was when the criteria weren’t as strict as they are now but Mazda has kept adding more safety features to try and keep up.

Comfort and Space

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Mazda has done a lot of work throughout the range in the last few years to de-clutter. Marie Kondo would be proud of my outdated cultural reference and Mazda’s work to ditch things that singularly failed to bring joy, the scourge of too many buttons and lights.

The cleaner space in front of the driver and passenger is a bit calmer than in previous years and makes sense. It’s nice.

The front seats aren’t all that attractive but are very comfortable, with plenty of adjustment in front of the very attractive leather wheel – Mazda is doing very nice steering wheels, bigger than expected but with a classical thin rim.

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You also get two cup holders, somewhere to stash your phone, a reasonabe-sized lidded console bin and bottle holders in the doors.

Moving to the back, Mazda’s habit of tight rear accommodation continues. I’m about 180cm tall and fit snugly behind my driving position after posting myself through the awkwardly narrow door aperture.

Once I’m in, though, the seat is really comfortable and headroom is good. Back here are two more cup holders and bottle holders in the doors.

Boot space starts at 442 litres, which is a lot less than all of its obvious competitors – the non-hybrid RAV4 has 580 litres and the Tiguan a whopping 615 litres. Drop the 40:20:40 split-fold rear seat and 1342 litres is yours to fill.

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On the Road

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Mazda’s 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel serves up a healthy 140kW at a high-for-a-diesel 4500rpm and a walloping 450Nm at just 2000rpm. Power goes to all four wheels when needed and gets there via a six-speed automatic transmission. Over the years this engine has become quieter and smoother and you absolutely cannot argue with 450Nm of torque at a lazy two grand.

The 0-100km/h time of just under nine seconds isn’t exactly a headline-grabbing figure but none of the CX-5s are particularly quick, even the 170kW turbo-petrol that is just on a second quicker at 7.7 seconds. In the gears for an overtake, though, the twin-turbo hauls you through the gears with impressive vigour. You know it’s a diesel – and the torque comes on hard and fast when you give it some throttle – but there’s not much character.

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The extra weight of the diesel isn’t apparent until you’re really pressing on. Which you might, because the CX-5 has always been dynamically impressive. Body control is excellent for a mid-size SUV and it’s still the car that set the benchmark almost a decade ago. Steering, brakes and throttle, even in the diesel, are all well-matched and the ride firm but compliant.

A set of 17-inch wheels with 65-section tyres certainly help the ride, which handles lumps and bumps along with the very well-sorted multi-link rear. Only really nasty bumps unsettle it and even with some speed on, it tracks beautifully through bumpy corners. It’s quite impressive, really, and not much else in this price bracket is as good, apart maybe from Hyundai’s new Tucson.

The extra weight of the diesel isn’t apparent until you’re really pressing on. Which you might, because the CX-5 has always been dynamically impressive.

Ownership

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Mazda offers a five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres and throws roadside assist into the bargain.

Capped-price servicing applies for the first five services and unfortunately, they come every 12 months or just 10,000km, which is getting on to the short side. Pricing is reasonable for a diesel, coming in at either $363 or $393 per service, costing $1875 over the five services.

A RAV4 is substantially cheaper to service but everyone else is roughly the same, especially when you take into account that short service intervals mean you might be servicing the Mazda more than once per year now that we’re allowed out of our suburbs again.

Mazda lists additional items not covered by the service regime, which on this car is the cabin air filter (40,000km, $82) and the brake fluid (two years/40,000km, $71) which again, is reasonable.

VERDICT

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The CX-5 isn’t at the cutting edge of SUVs, despite being responsible for bringing cool to the segment. You’d hardly call a diesel engine cool and one wonders if time and tide are raging against it. And that’s before you take into account the excellent turbo-petrol, which admittedly you can’t get in Touring spec.

Which brings me to that point – the Touring is easily the pick of the CX-5 range for value. It’s got everything you need and nothing you don’t, so it’s kind of annoying you can’t have the turbo-petrol. If you have to have a diesel, for that extra bit of range and chunky torque curve, then that makes it the perfect one in the range.

The Touring is easily the pick of the CX-5 range for value. It’s got everything you need and nothing you don’t, so it’s kind of annoying you can’t have the turbo-petrol.

2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring Diesel specifications