Less than a week after spy shots of the 2022 Mazda CX-5 made its way on to the web, the Japanese carmaker made it official.
Now shown for the North American and European markets, the 2022 model features refined front and rear ends. Designers aimed to minimize character lines; favoring the use of reflective body surfaces like the all-new Mazda3 and CX-30 instead.
The front fascia adopts a new signature wing that extends outward from the front grille, which is also updated with a three-dimensional texture that replaces the outgoing mesh surface. The headlights and taillights receive significant design changes with each lamp featuring a pair of horizontally spaced, rectangular LED lights that create a sleek, eye-catching expression. New aluminum alloy wheels complete the transformation to help further the crossover’s urban and elegant appeal. A new exterior color, Zircon Sand has been added.
Depending on the exact model grades, more styling enhancements have been added. These range from the European Newground variant’s silver under style treatment to the front and rear bumpers and door garnishes and lime green accents on the wheels to the North American Grand Touring Reserve (no, it’s not a type of brandy), the unpainted black cladding is now painted in gloss black, similar to the European Sport variant. Meanwhile, the US-market Signature features a unified color scheme, which is also carried in the European GT Sport trim.
Complementing the new design, the driving dynamics and ride quality of the 2022 CX-5 have evolved with updates to the drive modes, seats, body, and suspension that were introduced in the CX-30 and Mazda3. It also receives a wireless charger.
The 2022 CX-5 introduces Mazda intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive), which enables the driver to select the most appropriate drive mode to optimize driving capability with one touch of a switch. The suspension has also been recalibrated to suppress unpleasant vibrations, reduce road noise, and provide a quieter cabin and higher quality of ride comfort.
If the Mi-Drive isn’t an obvious blow against Subaru and their SI-DRIVE, Mazda has also opted to make its i-Activ AWD system standard starting in 2022 (at least for the US market). For the Hiroshima-based automaker though, it’s not because they’re gunning for Subaru, but because they want to “emphasize the enhanced driving dynamics their customers value.” They also said that “it’s a part of the Mazda brand’s expression into the premium space.”
Release timing will be announced sometime in the fourth quarter of 2021.
How about we update our CX-5 models locally MazdaPH? We'll be 2 generations behind soon..
ReplyDeleteDepends largely on what's produced in Malaysia where we get our CX-5. If Mazda Malaysia (a JV with Mazda Japan) updates it, we'll get the updated one too.
DeleteOr are we skipping the 2021 models and going straight to 2022? Has this happened before on other cars? skipping a model year.
DeleteThe difference with Mazda is they do incremental improvements every single year--they call them IPMs. The CX-5 has gone through at least 6 in its lifetime. The changes are sometimes very small--new vehicle software (the GVC being one of them), while sometimes they are noticeable (new gauges, seats, buttons). Since our CX-5s are sourced from Malaysia, they don't have the same flexibility as they do in Japan. They will skip these small incremental changes and go straight for the big ones. Given that this is a substantial change, this will likely make its way to ASEAN. Unless Mazda JP decides no.
DeleteVery interesting and informative. Surely hope this will make its way to ASEAN to make CUV's more exciting.
DeleteHow come Ph is not getting the new head and tail lights?
ReplyDelete