2017 Mazda CX-5 new car review

It's amazing what a little polish can do to put some sparkle back into something.

That's exactly what Mazda has done with its latest CX-5 in a bid to maintain its position as Australia's most popular SUV.

The Japanese car maker is calling it the 'Next-Gen CX-5' which is a clever way of disguising the level of change falls somewhere between a regular mid-life facelift and a completely new car.

In many ways it is much more than the former and, in others, it is far less than the latter. Basically, the CX-5 features an all-new body that is slightly longer and lower in its overall dimensions, has a sportier profile and all-new body panels. But, underneath its sleeker new skin, it rides on an upgraded version of the original's underpinnings and is powered by the same range of four-cylinder engines - a 2.0-litre petrol in the entry-level variants and a 2.5-litre petrol or 2.2-litre turbo diesel in mid- to high-grade models.

Mazda Australia has taken the opportunity to expand the model line-up with a new mid-grade Touring variant that takes the total number of models to a neat dozen, stretching from $28,690 (plus on-roads) - up $800 on its predecessor - for the entry-level front-wheel drive Maxx out to $49,990 (plus on-roads) - a $460 discount - for the flagship Akera turbo diesel.

All CX-5 variants are equipped with six airbags, low-speed automated emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert and a reverse camera, as well as push button start and a 7.0-inch colour touchscreen multimedia display with digital radio, Bluetooth and internet radio apps.

The base-model Maxx rides on 17-inch steel wheels, has basic cloth trim and regular air conditioning and is the only variant offered with a manual transmission - with the 2.0-litre engine.

The popular Maxx Sport adds 17-inch alloy wheels, higher-grade cloth trim, front fog lamps, dual-zone air conditioning with rear vents, satellite navigation and a centre rear armrest with a USB power outlet.

The new Touring grade adds a flip-up head-up display with traffic sign recognition, suede and fake leather interior trim, keyless entry and front parking sensors, while the penultimate GT specification brings 19-inch alloys, leather trim in either black or white with power adjustable front seats, sunroof, adaptive headlights, a more advanced windscreen-projected head-up display and a 10-speaker Bose audio system.

The flagship Akera essentially adds even more safety features above the GT, bringing radar cruise control with stop-and-go for heavy traffic, LED headlamps, lane departure warning and lane keeping assistance, a side camera and a driver attention alert.

The 2.0-litre engine is only available with a front-wheel drive layout in the Maxx and Maxx Sport model grades and produces peak outputs of 114kW and 200Nm while consuming a claimed average of 6.9L/100km.

The 2.5-litre petrol motor is offered in every model grade with an all-wheel drive transmission and six-speed automatic gearbox only. It has been tweaked slightly to improve driveability, increasing peak power to 140kW (up 2kW) and maximum torque to 251Nm (up 1Nm), but, along with a weight increase of around 40kg across the board, it comes at a cost to fuel consumption which rises slightly to a claimed 7.5L/100km - a figure Mazda concedes isn't the benchmark but says is more achievable in the real world.

The 2.2-litre turbo diesel remains largely unchanged, producing 129kW and 400Nm with a claimed average of 6.0L/100km, and is offered on every model grade from Maxx Sport and above.

No matter which model you look at, there is an air of familiarity about the CX-5 when viewed in the metal for the first time. But dig a little deeper - or park one next to a first-gen model - and the devil in its detail becomes more apparent, from the beautifully minimalist yet extremely complex front end treatment (I particularly like the floating wing in the headlight), to the chrome outline on the lower edge of the side glass, its extended rear hips and the more horizontal graphics on the bootlid that make it look wider and more substantial from behind.

It isn't a radical departure in terms of style, but it looks more refined than its predecessor.

That same theme is carried over to the cabin where familiar controls and a simple instrument cluster take away from the elegance of the new dash design, which features a nice mix of soft-touch materials and brushed aluminium highlights as well as industrial-looking trapezoidal air vents laying in a horizontal recess and a top-mounted tablet-style touch screen.

Everything is logically positioned and easy to use, there's excellent small item storage, plenty of power outlets to keep multiple devices charged up, the instruments are clear and the windscreen head-up display in the top-tier models clearly projects all the right information for the driver.

The high-perched front seats are comfortable for long distances with adequate support when driving through the bends, there's good adjustment to suit most drivers and all-round vision is pretty good.

While there is plenty of space in the front, the rear seat still doesn't offer as much leg room as rivals such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, Honda CR-V and Hyundai Tucson. There is still enough for two adults to travel short distances, but it's better suited for small families on a more regular basis.

As for how it drives, we sampled a variety of models during the preview drive around Brisbane this week and, like the changes to the interior and exterior, its overall on-road manners remain the largely the same, even if there are incremental improvements in key areas.

Like before, the CX-5 has one of the more dynamic on-road characters in the compact SUV segment, with well weighted and accurate steering, a solid and sure-footed stance and predictable handling through the corners. The trade-off for being more engaging to drive is the suspension settings are a little firmer and, while generally comfortable, it isn't as compliant over bumps as the locally-tuned Tucson for example.

The biggest improvement comes in how much quieter it is on a variety of road surfaces, an attribute that was always a bug bear in its predecessor. It's still not whisper quiet on rough roads, and there's a little more tyre noise on top-end models with larger wheels, but in most environments it is a vast improvement.

As for the engines, we only tested the range-topping 2.5-litre petrol and 2.2-litre turbo diesel on the preview drive. And it's hard to pick which one suits the CX-5 better.

The petrol engine doesn't have the same degree of low-end urgency as the diesel, but it is a sweet motor that revs freely, is quiet and refined at cruising speeds and generally feels effortless in everyday normal driving conditions.

It also feels willing and spritely, as well as generating a fruity four-pot exhaust note, when the Sport mode is engaged.

But the turbo diesel has a broader spread of pulling power, even if it doesn't rev as high, and it feels as though it would be better suited to lugging a full family around while also being more efficient in the long run.

All in all, Mazda has safely updated the CX-5 by addressing some of its shortcomings while refining a winning formula in all other areas. It hasn't stretched itself into unchartered technologies, projected its design into the future or re-invented its driving characteristics. Instead, it has polished what was already the country's favourite SUV.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport AWD price and specifications

Price: $37,390 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol

Power: 140kW at 6000rpm

Torque: 251Nm at 4000rpm

Transmission: 6-spd automatic, AWD

Fuel Use: 7.5L/100km

2017 Mazda CX-5 prices (excludes on-road costs)

Maxx 2.0L Man FWD $28,690

Maxx 2.0L Auto FWD $30,690

Maxx 2.5L Auto AWD $33,690

Maxx Sport 2.0L Auto FWD $34,390

Maxx Sport 2.5L Auto AWD $37,390

Maxx Sport 2.2L Auto AWD $40,390

Touring 2.5L Auto AWD $38,990

Touring 2.2L Auto AWD $41,990

GT 2.5L Auto AWD $44,390

GT 2.2L Auto AWD $47,390

Akera 2.5L Auto AWD $46,990

Akera 2.2L Auto AWD $49,990

• For more information, visit our Mazda showroom.