2013 Mazda CX-5 first drive

The 2013 Mazda CX-5, which will go on sale in mid-February, is a handsome, spacious entry in the heart of the compact crossover field, and it provides handling that's second to none and fuel economy that promises to be at or near the top of the class.
The 2013 Mazda CX-5 is an all-new entry into the crossover category, and although Mazda won't say it outright, it probably replaces the larger but no more spacious CX-7.

The doors open wide, and the seats are comfortable and spacious enough to seat four six-foot adults on long journeys. The seating height is lower than the tallest SUVs, halfway between that of a car and a truck, which for us was the perfect height--and adds to the sporty feel of the CX-5.

Mazda's new 2013 crossover has only a single engine, a 155-hp 2.0-liter four that features a 13:1 combustion ratio, the highest of any U.S. gasoline engine. It can be paired with a six-speed manual that has nice short Miata-like throws and will account for about 1 in every 10 CX-5s, the company says.

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 corners flat and every facet of the driving experience--acceleration, cornering, braking--is linear and predictable, to the point where there's almost nothing to comment on--it all works as it should, with no remarkable features except how well it functions.

But there's that power shortage, most noticeable in passing or merging. It's more rewarding to drive an underpowered car fast than an overpowered one, and so the CX-5 is rewarding, but we wonder whether family buyers and the stereotypical soccer moms won't balk at having to rev the engine well past 3000 rpm to get what oomph there is.