Test Drive Mazda CX-5 since 2012 Crossover

The life of others

CX-5 is the most important car for the Mazda, because this is the first car in which SkyActiv technology is fully embodied. Will it help her achieve success in the competing segment of compact crossovers?

In the era, when new cars are increasingly difficult to distinguish one of the other, these guys from Mazda continue with a truly samurai perseverance bending their line. Rotor, Miller cycle, and now here is a crazy compression

It would seem that it may be a closer task to create a compact golf class crossover. We take an existing golf platform, increase the database and sills, slightly raise the resulting machine over the ground, add a simple four-wheel drive with a clutch, make a lounge and opa salon and the bestseller is ready. Of course, everything is somewhat more complicated. Not everyone has even simple all-wheel drive transmissions, the rear suspension on machines with a semi-dependent beam have to be changed to independent, the power of the motors does not always have enough, so it is necessary to adapt more powerful engines, etc. But in Mazda, as always, went to their own way. What makes them be not like everyone else? Who are you, Creator CX-5?

PHILOSOPHER
People of different professions work on the creation of a new car: engineers, marketers, designers, PR and advertising specialists. But I have a feeling that all of them before starting work in Mazda received the second higher education in the Faculty of Philosophy. Remember all these Kansia, Jabsama, Yindai Jinba, zoom zoom, and now also code. In my opinion, they even do not include a computer without increasing some philosophy. The most unpleasant thing is that it kills in journalists the desire to create some beautiful images, invent comparisons. Just sat down, clicked on the gas, arranged an untailing jeans on the road, I caught my portion of Jabsama, I stopped on the side of the side, I went out, examined the car and enjoyed the codo. In general, full zoom zoom!

The new Designer Philosophy of Mazda, the first manifesto which has become CX-5, is called Kodo the soul of movement. The idea is that even a standing car should impress carrying at full speed forward. The body lines must resemble a jumping cheetah, and a flying eagle, and the design as a whole cause a desire immediately take the steering wheel and torture towards the Yabsama. But I did not like the car outdoor. The presentation in the Italian Bari was attended by CX-5 blue, red and gray colors. If the first two colors at least somehow went novelty, then the gray car seemed to me with massive respect, and the eagle grille of the radiator with pork stigs. Fortunately, Code CX-5 lives not only in appearance. It seems to me that, although the Japanese did not say about it that the soul of movement of the cornerstone of the entire design of the new Mazda. And the design of this crossover is the subject of a separate conversation, because the CX-5 is the first car in which the SkyActiv technology is fully embodied.

WARRIOR
After the philosophical faculty of recruits Mazda, apparently, is determined to the school of Kando of Japanese art fencing on bamboo swords, where the Samurassic spirit, durability and courage brought up in Mazdovets. Otherwise, where else would these guys get such courage to create gasoline μs with a compression ratio of 14: 1? But there is also a diesel engine with the same compression ratio! And all this works on the most common ninety-fifth gasoline and diesel fuel. What you need to possess confidence and perseverance to do what no one has, what no one except you believe and what contradicts the whole course of the development of modern engine output?! I do not know how reliable the engines of SkyActiv-G and SkyActiv-D will be, but for courage I take off before the Japanese hat!

And this sincerity, with which the chief designer CX-5 Masashi Nakayama responded to my question about what features the crossover is typically Japanese, and what are European? In our car there are no typical Japanese features. From the point of view of design it is an absolutely European car. Japanese cars make Toyota, but it seems to me that the designers of this company are not very happy from what they do. Who is still ready for such a frank response to the era of the political politics?!

And the focus on the driver, the pleasure of driving! After all, if someone forgot, Yabsama is the moment of maximum rider's unity and horses at the moment when the rider lends his bow. For the world, machines are the moment of complete discovery of the throttle at the exit of the virage. Now, when the car is rapidly turning from the object of the cult in the same subject of consumer life, as a refrigerator or vacuum cleaner, the Japanese continue to think about the pleasure of driving! Well, not brand?

Craftsman
And, of course, these guys are real masters of their craft, which is felt in every CX-5 movement. The seat so reliably fixes the body that even on the junction from the leather seat is not collapsed. Moreover, a rare case, do not chat neither housing or legs. Perhaps only the roller of the lumbar selection is located somewhere not in place. In any case, I was more convenient without him. The IPAM lever walks through a short coolee with the accuracy of well-lubricated weapons, the pedals allow you to dose the effort with jewelry accuracy.

The automatic transmission is configured so that the torque converter is blocked as often as possible. It saves up to 7% of fuel and, more importantly, provides a practically constant direct connection between the engine and wheels. In order to translate the automatic transmission selector into manual mode, it must be moved to the left, that is, closer to the driver. At the same time, to increase the transfer, the lever should be pushing from herself, just like on the rally machines with their sequented boxes! Therefore, switching manually in the buzz. Frankly, it makes no sense to buy CX-5 with MCPP No. The machine switches quickly, smoothly and to the place, and the loss during acceleration is minimal.

As it often happens lately, the diesel version produces a better impression than gasoline. First, SkyActiv-D in the forced version is 10 liters. with. more powerful than SkyActiv-G. Well, the torque is completely two (!) Times above: 420 nm against 210 nm. Secondly, I liked the suspension settings of the diesel engine. The car better swallows irregularities, and the effort on the steering wheel is thick. At the same time, the Japanese diesel deeper is deprived of such characteristic minuses of modern DVS on heavy fuel, as the lack of thrust on small revolutions and a narrow working range. The peak of the moment falls on 2000 rpm., But the traction is pushing at 1500 rpm., And at 5,200 rpm.! In fact, SkyActiv-D is managed to combine the spininess of a gasoline atmospheric and a diesel turbomotor! True, on the 150th strong version of this engine, which and the moment on 40 Nm below, I will ride, alas, failed.

With a gasoline engine, everything is somewhat worse. The car with such a motor is not so good, tougher overcomes even small irregularities of Italian roads and not so sports. It affects the lack of moment, and less power. And in Russia, SkyActiv-G will be represented by 15 liters. with. less than 150 liters with. Instead of 165. Fortunately, it will cost without surgical intervention. Power will be reduced by flashing software, so that lost horses can be returned inexpensive chip tuning. But still you want a diesel, and I will not have it first. In the Russian representation of Mazda, they have long been trying to convince the head office in the need to withdraw to our market of diesel versions, but in Hiroshima still responded with refusal. The reason has always been concerned that the quality of diesel fuel in the province will be destructive for Japanese diesel engines. But, apparently, at the end of 2012, the beginning of 2013, the diesel CX-5 will appear in our market.

STUDENT
The bad master who does not want and does not know how to learn, and is not able to admit his mistakes. Mazda people are not. Why did we always scold the car from Hiroshima? Hard plastic in the cabin, noise insulation and nonsense suspension. As if hearing our criticism, the CX-5 creators tried to minimize these disadvantages. I have not seen such an interior in a Japanese car for a long time! Plastic is pleasant and on the view, and to the touch, the buttons do not breathe and do not stick when you press, the skin on the seats by the standards of the class mild is not to do something!

But with noise insulation, an interesting story came out. The Japanese honestly say that the noise level is higher than some competitors, but it is done specifically! According to them, there are negative noises like the grouse of tires, fighting wind or hissing exhaust, and there are positive, for example, the sound of the motor. After all, the sound of the engine, according to the Japanese, an indispensable attribute of driving pleasure! Therefore, the Mazda CX-5 in acceleration is clearly heard the motor, while at idle the power unit barely distinguishable. Unfortunately, the wind noise could not completely defeat the speed of 90 km / h somewhere near the front racks, clearly begins to whistle.

Well, I have already spoken about the suspension. The diesel car is close to the ideal. Specially found a few pretty deep holes to slip them on all the way any breakdowns! And it is on 19-inch drives. The gasoline machine smoothness is lower, but CX-5 is still more comfortable now the existing Mazda.

Save face
Writing material about the car became the most complex task for me as if the material did not look like! To what I can't tolerate compact crossovers, but even I have to make hands here. A clear puncture of the car is only one: there are no pens on one of the doors! Crashes simply not for. What is the reason for this solution? Pay attention to the silver lining at the bottom of the central console. Exactly the same on the doors. Beautiful, I do not argue, but these linings are located exactly where the handles must be! We counted that there is no need to constantly hold onto the handles, and in the case of which there are ceiling handles, this was the answer of Mazda engineers.

But I changed the negative opinion on the design of the exterior already in Moscow. At the presentation of the car during the New Year holiday Mazda, I first saw a white CX-5. That's beautiful! The front part gained lightness, the complex lines finally played, as was conceived. I do not need a compact crossover, because I don't have any wife or children, but if in the near future the need to buy such a car will still arise, then it will only be CX-5. I want to enjoy the management of the machine, and from all compact crossovers that I know, only Mazda gives pleasure from driving.

Plan for 2012 160,000 cars worldwide and 40,000 in Europe. How many of them will have to Russia are not known, but our market should be the minimum of the third of the European CX-5 markets. But something tells me that our brand lovers forces to make Russia Market No. 1.





 

A source: Cars