2012 Mazda CX-5 (prototype): Completely SKYACTIV

Think of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology, unveiled in September 2010, and reduced fuel consumption immediately comes to mind. But while it’s true that when paired with new engines and transmissions it helps substantially lower fuel consumption, that’s not all SKYACTIV technology does. Indeed, its overall design touches on all of the elements that make up an automobile. The engineers assigned to this project with very significant implications for Mazda worked as a team in order to harmonize all these elements and optimize their interaction. Better still, SKYACTIV also streamlines production to improve the overall quality of the cars, reduce cost and accelerate the manufacturing process while offering superior quality products.

And now for the technical part of our programme...

As an example, many of the engine components used in the gas (SKYACTIV-G) and diesel (SKYACTIV-D) versions are identical, which lowers manufacturing costs. What’s more, both engines have similar dimensions and share the same engine block, meaning that they can be assembled on the same line, thereby reducing costs once more.

Last year, I had the chance to attend a technical seminar on this one of a kind system and to drive experimental models – modified Mazda6s using this new technology for the engine and platform. The arrival on the Canadian market of a special version of the Mazda3 equipped with a SKYACTIV engine has been announced for the fall of 2011.

The new CX-5 is the first to use this technology completely. This model is replacing the late Tribute in this manufacturer’s product line and will be sold on our continent in the spring of 2012. The official unveiling took place at the Frankfort International Auto Show in Germany on September 13th, but Mazda had previously given us the chance to drive the prototypes of this model at an information session in Iceland.

The CX-5s that we drove were pre-production versions covered in very original camouflage. Inside, several of the passenger compartment’s plastic elements had yet to receive their final texture. But the rest, at least with regards to the mechanics and the body itself, is what will be used when the model goes on sale next year.

100% SKYACTIV

I don’t intend to explain the technical subtleties of Mazda’s new technology in great detail. Suffice it to say that the engineers went back to basics and modified the primary features of the engine and transmission functions. The compression ratio is now the highest on the market for a gasoline engine and the lowest for a diesel engine. Admit it, Mazda can never be accused of not doing things its own way... Both engines are paired either with a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic.

The gas engine is a 2.0-litre, 165 horsepower. The diesel engine has a 2.2 litre capacity, and thanks to turbocharging, it’s expected to produce 175 hp. You’ll be able to order the new CX-5 with all-wheel drive or with front-wheel drive only.

Since SKYACTIV is a global concept that also stresses lightness and safety, the body of this new model is built using lighter and more resistant steel, while the new platform makes the car 30% more rigid. The CX-5 is lighter than many other similar models, but its sturdiness ensures excellent safety in case of impact.

Silhouette! What silhouette?

Of course, when a new model is unveiled, we’d be remiss not to comment on its silhouette and present the passenger compartment at the same time. As you can see in the photos, it’s hard to elaborate on the aesthetics of the body since we drove pre-production models that were covered in houndstooth adhesive paper. In fact, when you look more closely, it isn’t houndstooth, but the image of a leaping cat, not unlike the logo of the sport shoe manufacturer Puma.

Judging by the official photos alone, you have to admit that this new Mazda has an elegant and very well balanced shape. The front end is flat and the chrome-outlined front grille is the visual focal point. The tail end is also very nice and the stylists manage to give this compact SUV a dynamic look. Basically, this newcomer will make you quickly forget the Tribute.

The dashboard of the vehicles that we drove will likely be the same on the final version. They are pure simplicity, with two main dials right in front of the driver and an information screen in the central part of the dash. Some will find fault with the plainness of the rest, but the number of buttons on the dashboard has been reduced by scattering the controls on the perimeter of the hub of the steering wheel and by using a general control button located on the console.

The front seats are remarkably comfortable, and seatbacks have been specially designed to offer excellent lateral and lumbar support. What’s more, these seatbacks even provide support for the shoulders. The backseats are spacious for a vehicle in this category. It doesn’t have a 60/40 rear bench seatback, but rather a 40/20/40. This configuration allows two passengers sit in back while the central part opens to let you transport skis. On the final versions, pull tabs located in the baggage hold help lower the seatbacks more easily.

Once around the lake

To help us test all the versions of the CX-5, the event directors brought us to the shores of a lake with a 70-kilometre circumference. The roads used on the trip were very diverse, from relatively abrupt climbs to sequences of very sharp turns. Basically, it had everything you need to truly assess the merits of this new creation from Mazda.

The quiet ride, handling and precise steering were impressive on all of the versions that we test drove. The vehicle owes its excellent consistency to the harmonization of all of the components. Everything is linear on this car: accelerations are progressive and efficient, and it is proof positive that it’s possible to get feedback and precision from power steering. Often, at these advanced test drives, there’s something that’s out of sync with the rest of the vehicle. Sometimes it’s a poorly calibrated accelerator, a suspension whose settings should be revised, or engine mapping that needs to be reprogrammed. With the CX-5, there were none of these annoyances. Had we been told that these vehicles were ready to be sold as they were, no one would have grumbled...On the condition, of course, that the texture of the plastic surfaces be finished. Basically, even before talking about the engine, the four CX-5s test driven impressed all of the Canadian journalists present at this event.

Let’s talk mechanics; after all, SKYACTIV technology rests, in large part, on the drivetrains. The 2.0-litre gas engine is very smooth and delivers power in a very linear fashion. Since its torque is relatively high, the initial accelerations are good. The gears of the six-speed manual transmission are not only well selected, but shifting is very fast and smooth. The clutch, whose friction point is at the right height, also deserves high marks. But the star of this test drive was the new six-speed automatic gearbox that seemed to get the best out of the power of the engines. The shifting is so unnoticeable that you get the impression that you’re driving a vehicle equipped with a CVT, minus its shortcomings. Paired with the 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine, this automatic gearbox works wonders and makes the ride even more enjoyable.

There was no official word on the fuel consumption figures since these were prototypes, but if we go by the fuel consumption indicator on the test vehicles, the numbers for the version with the manual transmission and the diesel engine were 8.5 L/100 km. That’s the most frugal fuel consumption in the category for a diesel engine. As for the version with the gasoline engine, the average recorded was 10.3 L/100 km, which, yet again, beats the category’s best average. These are approximations, obtained in quite rigorous conditions, but that gives us a good idea of what’s in store for us with the production models.

One thing is clear: everything that Mazda promised us last year at the unveiling of its SKYACTIV has come true on the CX-5, the manufacturer’s first model to use this new technology completely.