A redesigned Mazda CX-5 is just around the corner, as evidenced by our latest spy shots.
They show a prototype for the new compact SUV which is slated to arrive on the market in 2017, as a 2018 model.
It’s possible the world debut will take place as early as the 2016 Los Angeles auto show this November.
The CX-5 is Mazda’s most popular model so the design of the new generation is crucial. Fortunately it appears the designers have taken the handsome lines of the latest CX-9 and shrunken them to compact size.
2018 Mazda CX-5 spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Under that pretty sheet metal will be a revised version of the platform introduced in the current CX-5. It’s not only light but flexible enough to spawn most of Mazda’s mainstream models.
Mazda has just introduced a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-4 in the CX-9 but we’re not expecting this engine in the CX-5. Instead, expect the outgoing model’s pair of inline-4s to carry over, perhaps with modest updates for power and efficiency. The 2.0-liter is good for 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque at present, while the 2.5-liter offers up 184 hp and 185 lb-ft.
Buyers should be able to continue to opt for front- or all-wheel drive, as well as either automatic or manual transmissions. Among the new tech features should be a color head-up display and driver aids such as blind spot and lane keep warning systems and a traffic sign recognition system.
The starting price should remain close to the outgoing model’s $22,675 figure.
