MAZDA'S fun-to-drive and sharp-looking CX-5 has been Drive's favourite crossover since it arrived in 2012.
Today it faces an even bigger bunch of talented rivals, so Mazda has decided the time is right for a new model.
Mazda seems to have 'done an Audi' with the styling. At first glance it appears incredibly similar to the current CX-5 - a nod to the fact that the original design was spot-on - but look past the new lights and grille design, and you will find more major changes, such as wider front and rear tracks and windscreen pillars mounted 35mm further back.
The new CX-5 sits on a revised version of the current car's platform, and is now 10mm longer and 15mm lower.
Mazda's 'Skyactiv' diesel and petrol engines remain but have been tweaked, and the company's new 'G-Vectoring Control' is fitted to improve driver enjoyment.
The interior gets a more upmarket feel, with enhancements including a head-up display, better digital screens and the latest version of Mazda's infotainment system. A remote-controlled power tailgate is available, too.
Refinement and sound deadening, one of the current car's few weaknesses, are said to be improved.
The CX-5 is Mazda's best-seller in Europe, and the revised car is expected in Northern Ireland in the middle of next year.
