2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera review

Mazda CX-5 Cons

The Mazda CX-5 hardly needs an introduction.

It remains one of Australia's favourite vehicles in Australia's favourite new car segment several years after the current generation launched, and it's easily Mazda's top seller Down Under.

Perhaps what's more impressive is that Mazda's family favourite has continued to experience strong sales success despite not offering any form of hybridisation like an increasing number of rivals. It's even recently culled the more efficient turbo-diesel engine option locally.

The CX-5 is something of a Goldilocks SUV though, which may be another factor that has contributed to its enduring popularity. It's that little bit bigger than something like a Mazda CX-30 to offer tangibly more boot space and rear passenger room, whilst not quite being as large as rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Kia Sportage, which have grown considerably in their current iterations.

But the Mazda is starting to get on a bit – this second-generation model first launched in 2017, and even then it was just a heavy reskin of the original one dating back to 2012.

While its longevity can be taken as dependability and reliability, its advancing age and lack of electrification could be sticking points in the fuel and emissions-conscious age.

Does this flagship 2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera AWD still offer enough bang for buck to justify its premium asking price and relatively thirsty turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine? Read on to find out.

The 2024 Mazda CX-5 G35 Akera is the most expensive variant, priced from $55,000 plus on-road costs.

Mazda has made a number of incremental price adjustments which each calendar year and model year. When the MY24 range was first announced this model was $54,970, itself a $370 increase on the previous year.

Mazda CX-5 pricing:

Prices exclude on-road costs

To see how the CX-5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

Mazda has really taken an 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' approach to the CX-5 both inside and out.

Not much has changed since this generation debuted in 2017, bar the changes in infotainment as well as a revised instrument cluster with partial digitisation. Otherwise, the overall layout and switchgear is still the same.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing, because the CX-5 as years have gone on has gotten increasingly more premium in presentation as part of Mazda's upmarket push, and the flagship Akera is the epitome of that.

Stitched and padded leatherette surfaces adorn much of the cabin, including the dash and door tops, the sides of the console where your knees come to rest, as well as extended parts of the steering wheel trim and centre armrest.

The Dark Russet Nappa leather trim is also lovely, with a subtle brown colouring that's not as in your face as some of Mazda's other brown upholsteries, and the contrasting grey stitching is a nice touch too.

Up front the Akera's seats are heated and ventilated, as well as power adjustable – 10 ways for the driver, six ways for the front passenger. You also get memory presets for the driver.

You sit quite high in the CX-5, which will appeal to those looking for a commanding driving position, and the button-heavy ergonomics are almost refreshing in the digitised world. It's got a very previous-gen Lexus vibe about it, with chunky buttons, knurled rotary dials and nice solid actions to how everything operates.

Ahead of the driver is a 7.0-inch TFT display flanked by analogue dials, which are classy but not as advanced as the fully digitised panels of some rivals. Whether this is a plus or minus is down to personal preference, but Mazda's clean approach with simple and elegant typeface is a tick for me.

The 10.25-inch Mazda Connect infotainment system has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and now offers the option to have touch inputs for smartphone mirroring even when on the move. It's a tried-and-tested system these days, and works well. Satellite navigation and DAB radio also feature, but no connected services… yet.

Mazda's rotary infotainment controller remains, and operates much like BMW's iDrive systems of old. I personally don't mind using it for even smartphone mirroring, though I know it's not to everyone's tastes these days.

The native interface is still very clean and simple, with an intuitive menu structure and nice graphics. It has decent processing power, though at times it may stall or freeze when connecting a phone – something we've experienced in a number of new Mazda models.

There's also a head-up display that projects onto the windscreen – rather than Mazda's old flip-up polariser – and the 10-speaker Bose premium audio system is one of the better units in the mainstream classes. It offers clear sound with good depth, good for pumping beats.

Storage up front is also decent, with a nice assortment of nooks for your odds and ends, as well as a deep centre console bin and door bins big enough for larger bottles.

The second row has never been a standout for the CX-5, though it offers adequate room for average-sized adults and kids. If you have lanky teenagers growing over six feet, it might be a little cozy back there.

As a four seater it's fine, with the fifth centre seat best left for smaller kids or emergencies. There's a bit of intrusion from the rear of the centre console as well. Knee and legroom is average, though headroom is good.

Unlike some rivals the quality of the door materials doesn't dip in the rear, with squidgy door tops and armrests. Amenities include a fold-down armrest with cupholders, as well as heated outboard seats and USB charge ports.

The expected kid-friendly features are also here, including ISOFIX anchors for the outer seats in the rear, as well as top tether points for all three rear seatbacks.

Behind the second row Mazda quotes 438 litres of cargo volume, which is definitely on the smaller side of the class. The bulk of the CX-5's main rivals offer more than 500 litres with the second row in place.

Fold the rear seats down and that opens up to 1340 litres. Under the boot floor is a space saver spare wheel.

On test we have the Akera with the top-spec 'G35' turbocharged petrol engine.

Our indicated fuel economy was achieved over 370km of mixed driving, including daily commuting in peak-hour traffic as well as some extended freeway stints.

To see how the CX-5 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.

Even with many years and miles under its belt, the CX-5 still has that zoom zoom charm.

Particularly in this G35 Akera spec, the CX-5 offers the sort of torquey punch and surefooted handling that's not a given in this segment, and is a testament to its solid engineering from the get-go.

It fires up with a high-pitched rough idle on cold start, and has this enthusiastic, revvy feel to it despite the presence of a turbocharger. Compared to other engines in the range, having more than double the torque of the base G20 atmo 2.0-litre donk certainly makes a difference in how the top-spec version performs.

The turbocharged CX-5 almost has a diesel-like wave of torque on tap once you reach its 2000rpm peak, and isn't afraid to spin the front tyres under hard acceleration. Even with its meaty outputs however, it doesn't necessarily feel like a powertrain that likes to have its neck wrung – in fact, you're best to drive this like a diesel.

Driven in a more relaxed manner it rewards you with effortless go and a more refined experience provided you don't push to hard. Where the naturally aspirated models have a habit of revving out and getting shouty, the G35 gets along at city and urban pace without much fuss.

It's a similar story as the speeds rise, with that plentiful torque reserve and sharp-shifting six-speed auto able to lean on the engine's sweet spot in the rev band to avoid constantly shuffling through gears with each shift in inclination.

That said, the fact the CX-5 doesn't have one or two extra cogs is a bit of a weakness in this day and age, given the turbocharged motor would be more efficient thanks to having more ratios to choose from under acceleration as well as a longer cruising gear to keep revs down at freeway speeds.

It's otherwise pretty well insulated from the outside world at a cruise, with the engine settling into the background and only a bit of road and wind noise permeating the cabin. Despite its age, it's more than a match for most of the segment.

Mazda has done a good job at striking a great balance between comfort and body control in the ride as well, long a hallmark of this nameplate. Even on the Akera's big wheels it irons out imperfections quite wheel while also not feeling too wallowy or unsettled over undulations.

Hit some twistier stuff and the turbo'd CX-5 offers up the kind of playful zest we've come to love from the brand.

The steering is a little weighty, but it's accurate and pretty communicative. There's some natural, controlled lateral body roll, and there's decent grip from the Toyo Proxes rubber.

You can even flick it into Sport mode, which sharpens throttle response and tells the transmission to hold gears a little longer. There are also paddle shifters if you feel like flicking through gears yourself.

No, it won't be giving an MX-5 a reason to sweat, but at least you know this family-leaning crossover isn't just another run-of-the-mill SUV with neutral driving and handling characteristics. It's actually quite a nice thing to pilot.

Being the flagship grade, the Akera has every piece of driver tech available in the CX-5 portfolio.

Cruising and Traffic Support is Mazda-speak for its semi-autonomous highway assistant, keeping you centred in your lane while managing throttle and brakes to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. At times it can be a little conservative, and will sometimes freak out if a vehicle ahead brakes suddenly and beep at you to take over.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are handy given the oddly magnified driver's side mirror, and the surround-view camera system while welcome isn't the last word on clarity.

I will praise the adaptive LED headlights that are standard on the Akera though, which feature an adaptive high-beam function that like matrix headlights will blank out segments to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic. On poorly-lit B-roads it can significantly improve visibility in the dark.

The Akera is the flagship CX-5 grade with all the fruit – here's a look at the grade walk.

CX-5 Maxx highlights:

CX-5 Maxx Sport adds:

CX-5 Touring adds:

CX-5 GT SP adds:

CX-5 Akera adds:

The Mazda CX-5 is now unrated, as its five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2017 has now lapsed.

It scored 95 per cent for adult occupant protection, 80 per cent for child occupant protection, 78 per cent for pedestrian protection, and 59 per cent for safety assist.

Standard safety features include:

CX-5 Maxx Sport adds:

CX-5 Touring adds:

CX-5 GT SP adds:

Mazda backs its lineup with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.

The company recently increased its servicing intervals of petrol-powered models to 12 months or 15,000km (up from 10,000km), and offers seven years or 105,000km of capped-price servicing.

Mazda CX-5 service pricing:

It's easy to see why so many Australians are still buying the Mazda CX-5.

The 'right size' dimensions, handsome looks and premium appointments have kept this Japanese SUV fresh and likeable in the face of increasing and stiff competition.

Performance-hungry buyers will also be more than satisfied with the G35 powertrain's punch, something that still isn't all that common in this price bracket. I wouldn't necessarily call it the performance car of the class, though.

While I understand the temptation of the torquey turbo, the naturally aspirated G25 Akera will save you nearly $3000 in upfront purchase costs and is more efficient in the real world – thanks in part to its cylinder deactivation feature.

Mazda's official fuel claim is only 1.2L/100km lower, but in the real world you'll see a wider gap. Our indicated readout of just over 10L/100km is for me frankly too high in 2024.

When hybridised rivals are using half that, and Australian families are focusing more on running costs as financial pressures pinch wallets, it's hard not to call it out.

Beyond the lack of an electrified option – which we should get with the CX-5's imminent successor – the popular Mazda mid-sizer is still quite competitive with petrol-powered rivals. It may lack the size and practicality of something like a Sportage or X-Trail, but its luxurious cabin and keen dynamics remain strong points.

I also don't mind the Zircon Sand paint of our test car – let me know if you agree in the comments.

MORE: Buy a Mazda CX-5 MORE: Everything Mazda CX-5

Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au