2019 Mazda 3 vs Mazda CX-5

What's the difference?

The new 3 sedan is just as good as the hatch, but different. Mazda has gone out of its way to make the two body styles look different enough to cover more than a few bases. This works on a global scale - the Chinese market absolutely loves a sedan but in Australia, the 3 sedan only accounts for around 10 percent of sales.

The new 3 really is something else - it looks feels a heck of a lot more expensive than it is (especially in Soul Red), drives beautifully without being startling and in the case of the sedan, rides very comfortably indeed.

The Mazda CX-5 Akera with the new 2.5-litre Skyactiv-G turbo-petrol engine in its nose is hardly cheap for a mid-size SUV, especially one without a posh Euro badge. But the drivetrain is superb, it comes loaded with leading-edge safety tech, as well as a host of luxury features matching or bettering the best in an impossibly competitive segment. Niggles on ride comfort and relative thirst for unleaded aside, it's a super-impressive package.

The sedan is oddly anonymous in this new Mazda3. It misses out on some of the cool detailing of the hatch, particularly the gloriously designed tail-lights - the circular sections are flatter and flush with the rest of the housing.

It's not ugly, not by a long shot and certainly isn't as polarising as the hatch. You can also see out over your shoulder. 

The front ends of the hatch and sedan are fundamentally identical, with the funky grille shape and effects along for the ride.

From the side, both have good presence but the hatch's - I hesitate to use this word - stance is much more convincing. The good news is, the choice between them is more than a boot.

Inside is visually identical to the hatch. The new dash is refreshingly button free (although still a bit colourless) and the new screen looks terrific.

There's something about the consistency of detailing in the current Mazda range - all the fonts match on the switches, the instruments and the head-up.

It sounds ridiculous but that makes a huge difference in making the cabin feel resolved. The seats are terrifically comfortable, too.

Mazda's styling evolution is as disciplined as its engineering strategy. Debuting at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the Shinari four-seat coupe concept was the first public expression of the brand's 'Kodo – Soul of Motion' design philosophy.

It's given Mazda a solid platform for visual differentiation ever since, and Ikuo Maeda, Mazda's head of design who created the taut yet flowing look, says it's intended to reflect "the power and elegance of a wild animal in the instant when it pounces on its prey".

While that prey is more likely an open parking space than a gazelle on the Serengeti, there's no doubting the CX-5's distinctive exterior. And this second-generation version arrived in early 2017 with a more menacing expression, characterised by slimmer LED headlights sitting either side of the signature chrome 'wing' defining the lower edge of the large grille.

Some re-profiling of the character lines along the car's flanks, as well as a smoothed and simplified rear-end, complete with more intense LED tail-lights, are the other major changes, with tweaks like single piece rear side windows (previously divided by small quarter panes) and new wheel designs joining the party.

The interior also received a classy tsjuz-up in 2017 with a configurable 7.0-inch TFT digital screen taking centre stage in the instrument display and a new 7.0-inch media screen (protruding from the dashtop) armed with Mazda's 'MZD Connect' connectivity system, now including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The armrests were re-profiled, the air vents simplified, and the seats reshaped. Overall, the Akera's standard leather trim combines with polished metal trim pieces, genuine wood inserts, and shiny black dash and door surfaces to complete a look that's simple, clean and contemporary.

The sedan rides on the same wheelbase as the hatch but the overall length is up 200mm. That might not seem like much, but that translates to a boot of 444 litres, which is a lot more than the hatch's 295 litres.

The rear seats seem slightly more roomy than the hatch. There are even air vents for rear seat dwellers, which is rather nice.

The CX-5 is a five-seater offering a ton of room for the driver and front passenger, as well storage options including a modest glove box, a lidded box between the seats, a pair of cupholders and an oddments tray in the centre console, door bins with room for bottles, plus a sunglasses holder in the roof.

There are two USB ports in the storage box (one charge, one connect), as well as an 'aux-in' jack, SD slot and 12-volt outlet (with another 12-volt in the centre console).

Space in the back is just as generous. Sitting behind the driver's seat (set to my 183cm position) I had heaps of head, leg and toe room, although three full-size adults will be a squeeze across the rear seat for anything but short journeys.

A pair of directional vents in the back of the centre console is a big plus, as are two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, as well as a pair of USB ports in the lidded tray just behind them. There are also bottle holders in the door bins and map pockets in the front seatbacks.

With the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat upright, luggage space is quoted at 442 litres (VDA), which proved more than enough to swallow our three-piece hard suitcase set (35, 68 and 105 litres), or the CarsGuide pram.

Fold the rear seat forward and you're looking at 1342 litres, a substantial figure helped in no small part by a folding mechanism which lowers the rear seat cushion as the backrest pushes forward to create a flat load floor.

Other thoughtful touches in the cargo area include remote handles to release the rear seatbacks, small lidded storage bins in the floor behind each rear wheel tub, four strategically placed tie-down hooks, a 12-volt outlet and useful lighting.

The spare is a space-saver hidden under the boot floor, and if you're a keen tower capacity is limited to 2000kg for a braked trailer (200kg more than the non-turbo petrol models), and 750kg unbraked.

This 2.5-litre turbo-petrol Akera sits at the top of the CX-5 pyramid, giving $50k a serious nudge at $49,170 before on-road costs.

At that price point the CX-5 is competing with top-shelf, small-volume versions of the mid-size SUV segment's usual suspects such as the Ford Escape Titanium ($48,340), Holden Equinox LTZ-V ($49,290), Honda CR-V VTi-LX ($44,290), Hyundai Tucson Highlander ($46,500), Kia Sportage GT-Line ($47,690), Nissan X-Trail TL ($47,790), and Toyota RAV4 Cruiser ($50,500).

But the fifty grand ball park also brings some less expected contenders into the picture, including the Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI Sport Quattro ($53,400), Jeep Cherokee Limited ($46,950), Mini Countryman Cooper S ($48,900), Peugeot 3008 GT ($50,990), Renault Koleos Intens X-Tronic ($47,990), Skoda Kodiaq 132TSI ($47,490), and VW Tiguan 162TSI Highline ($50,150).

So, no surprise the CX-5 Akera's standard equipment list is suitably lengthy, including a bunch of active and passive safety tech (covered in the safety section below), luxury features, and aesthetic touches that nudge it towards the premium SUV pack.

For a start, LED lighting is a popular inclusion with those powerful little diodes illuminating the adaptive headlights, daytime running lights, front fog lights and tail-lights, the cabin's ambient system, even the rear numberplate.

Then you can add 'Dark Russet' nappa leather trim, power slide-and-tilt glass sunroof, a remote power tailgate, 19-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, auto headlights, heated and auto-folding power (exterior) mirrors, a head-up display, the 7.0-inch TFT LCD instrument display, dual-zone climate control air (with rear vents), (green) tinted windscreen, side and rear windows, as well as chrome exhaust extensions.

Plus, there are heated and ventilated front seats with 10-way electric adjustment (and two-position memory) for the driver (six-way for the passenger), heating for the outer rear seat positions, heated leather-trimmed steering wheel, satellite navigation, keyless entry and start, the 7.0-inch MZD Connect colour touchscreen media display running a 10-speaker, 249-watt Bose Premium audio system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio (DAB+) and internet radio integration (Stitcher and Aha), plus Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio connectivity. Not bad.

Mazda's 'SkyActiv' 2.5-litre engine lives on with a few more kilowatts into the bargain, in this case delivering 139kW/252Nm to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic.

The G20 makes do with 114kW/200Nm and feels a lot slower.

As ever, the SkyActiv engine drives the front wheels through a six-speed SkyActiv transmission. 

The CX-5's 'Skyactiv-G' turbo-petrol engine is an all-alloy new 2.5-litre four-cylinder featuring direct-injection (using multi-hole injectors), 'S-VT' variable valve timing (on the inlet side), and a very tricky exhaust manifold.

It produces 170kW at 5000rpm and 420Nm at a low 2000rpm, and if that's all the info you need, skip four paragraphs because this mechanical gem is the main reason we're testing this car and I'm about to take a brief but significant dive into the oily bits. Trust me, it's pretty brilliant.

Centrepiece of the engine is Mazda's 'Dynamic Pressure' turbo, sitting at the end of a short exhaust manifold incorporating a valve which channels exhaust gas through a narrower opening at engine speeds below 1620rpm to restrict flow and increase velocity, thereby minimising turbo lag.

At higher revs the valve opens to allow full exhaust gas flow, and while the narrow opening strategy sacrifices some efficiency, the engine's relatively high (for a turbo-petrol) 10.5:1 compression ratio wins much of it back.

The manifold is a '4-3-1' design, meaning four cylinders, ducted to produce three outlet pipes, into one turbo. The engine's firing order and a parallel venturi effect (created by the manifold's set-up) help quickly and completely scavenge exhaust gas from each cylinder prior to its upcoming intake stroke (rather than relying solely on the piston to push the gas out).

Plus, a 'Cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation' system nicks some of the exhaust gas, runs it through the EGR cooler and re-introduces it into the engine's air intake, lowering combustion temperatures to help prevent knocking and maximise high-rev, high-load power.

So, with the non-tech heads back on board, it's time to move on to the transmission which is the 'Skyactiv-Drive' adaptive six-speed auto using inputs including vehicle speed, throttle position and engine speed to adjust shift mapping.

Drive goes to all four wheels via the 'i-Activ' (where's that e?!) all-wheel drive system which uses multiple sensors monitoring factors like steering angle, brake pressure, gear position, wheel slippage, and acceleration to distribute drive to wheels that can make best use of it. In normal operation 98 per cent of drive goes to the front wheels, but front-to-rear torque distribution can shift to 50/50 if required.

Despite all the extra hardware south of the rear axle, Mazda reckons you'll sip standard unleaded (there's a bonus) at a rate of 6.5L/100km on the combined cycle, 0.1L/100km less than the hatch.

Our week with the car saw us average 9.8L/100km with mostly suburban driving.

As before, Mazda's has fitted 'i-Stop' stop-start which is quite clever. Most people hate stop-start, but this one covers both bases.

You can control whether it switches off the engine. Light brake pressure keeps the engine ticking over while a slight increase will cut the fuel.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 8.2L/100km emitting 191g/km of CO2 in the process.

That's 11 per cent more than Mazda's non-turbo 2.5-litre engine (7.4L/100km), and despite the standard 'i-stop' start-stop system and the engine's ability to deactivate two cylinders in light load situations, we recorded 10.5L/100km over roughly 300km of city, suburban and freeway driving.

The good news is the engine will run at peak efficiency on 91 RON regular unleaded, of which you'll need 58 litres to fill the tank.

Mazda tells that the set-up of the sedan is identical to the hatch. Sure there are differences like, say the tyres, but the idea is that the two drive identically. I, uh, I don't think so.

Plenty is the same. The engine and transmission do a good, less frantic job of moving the 3 along than the lower-powered 2.0-litre.

I can't stress enough how much better the 2.5 is. The 2.0 does a good enough job, it's just that you'll find it wanting with a load on about halfway up that steep hill. The 2.5 is much happier in traffic and the difference in fuel consumption is negligible, so the only real extra cost is the up-front spend for the G25.

The steering is just as keen and quick as the hatch's, too. The wheel responds very quickly to inputs and you don't have to do much twirling to get the car into a park.

It's not too quick a sneeze will send you into orbit, though, which is handy. The clever 'G-Vectoring' system is along, too, rapidly building driver confidence in the car's abilities.

What felt a lot different to me was the ride, something I noticed moments after picking up the sedan. I had a hatch overlapping with the sedan so was able to jump in and out over a couple of days to ensure I wasn't making it all up.

It seemed a little less busy than the hatch which felt a bit more loaded for bear. The sedan felt like it had a little more roll and carried a little more weight. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, a scaled-down 6 isn't a bad idea at all.

In town and at speed, the 3's past problems with road noise are a distant memory. No doubt strategic use of foam, carpets and other clever bits and pieces are a big part of the improvement, as well as stiffer bits and pieces.

The sedan is a bit easier to get around in as the vision over your shoulder is a bit better, unencumbered as it is by that slab of metal that is the hatch's C-pillar. 

First impressions of the CX-5 2.5-lire turbo are dominated by the engine's ability to fill the lower half of its rev range with sweet, sweet torque. The peak of 420Nm (only 30Nm off the 2.2-litre twin-turbo diesel) is available from just 2000rpm.

The throttle is an electronic 'drive-by-wire' set-up which combines with the tricky Dynamic Pressure turbo system to supply power in a linear, turbo lag-free stream.

Pin the gas from step-off and Mazda claims you'll sprint from 0-100km/h in 7.7sec, which is genuinely quick. But even in a less urgent mode throttle response is crisp, acceleration clean, and the transmission slick as the CX-5 effortlessly breezes up an 80km/h cruise.

The electrically-assisted steering delivers good road feel, the grippy front seats are comfortable, and noise levels are commendably low, but overall ride quality is less convincing. Mildly bumpy describes it best, with minor imperfections unsettling things inside the cabin.

Suspension is strut front, multi-link rear, and the patchy ride could be down to the standard 19-inch rims, shod with 225/55 Toyo Proxes R46 rubber, overly firm damping, or more likely a combination of the two.

Pushing through some favourite corners the AWD system distributes drive seamlessly with torque-vectoring (by braking) chipping in to keep the relatively hefty (1720kg) CX-5 stable and balanced.

Speaking of braking, it comes courtesy of 320mm ventilated front and 303mm solid rear discs, delivering progressive yet firm stopping power.

Big tick for the brilliant 10-speaker Bose sound system, the ventilated front seats were a godsend during a week of hot summer testing, and the console-mounted rotary 'commander control' is a handy adjunct to the media touchscreen.

But be prepared for a beep-fest when parking, unless you're willing to switch off the audible warnings from the front and rear parking distance controls. The proximity settings are conservative and the beeping incessant.

The CX-5 scored a maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it was assessed in September 2017.

Active safety includes ABS, brake assist, EBD, DSC, traction control, 'Smart Brake Support' (Mazda-speak for auto emergency braking, or AEB) operating from 15km/h-160km/h, active (radar) cruise control, 'Driver Attention Alert' (DAA), adaptive LED headlights with 'High Beam Control' (HBC), blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, cross-traffic alert, an emergency stop signal function, plus a 'View Monitor' 360-degree camera with parking distance control (front and rear).

If all that fails to prevent a collision the CX-5 is equipped with six airbags (driver and passenger front, front side and full-length curtain).

There are three child restraint/seat top tethers across the rear seat, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions.

Mazda offers a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty which, like the clutch of advanced safety gear, is very welcome indeed.

Since the start of April 2019, you also get five years of roadside assist. In the past, you had to pay for that.

The company continues with the weird 12 months/10,000km service intervals, so clearly it doesn't seem to bother its customers too much.

The 'Service Select' program lists the price of each service up to the fifth. Total cost over five services is $1581 at an average of $316 per service (you'll pay either $299 or $342, plus extra items listed on the website).

The CX-5 is covered by Mazda's five year/unlimited km warranty (recently upgraded from three years/unlimited). But it's worth noting this cover doesn't include roadside assist. Mazda's 'Standard' roadside assist will cost you an extra $99 per year, with the 'Premium' package sitting at $108.35.

Toyota, which has also just stepped up to five years/unlimited km warranty cover, tips in seven years' worth of emergency assistance for its new car customers, and of course Kia leads the mainstream with a seven year/unlimited km warranty with roadside assist included for eight years (if the vehicle's serviced annually at a Kia dealer).

Scheduled maintenance for the CX-5 is due every 10,000 km or 12 months (whichever comes first), and the first five years of the 'Mazda Service Select' capped price serving program breaks out as - $315 for the first service, $343 for the second, then back to $315 for the third, another $343 for the fourth, and, you guessed it, $315 for the fifth.

You'll also need to replace the brake fluid every 40,000km or two years ($65), and the cabin air filter every 40,000 km ($71).

Mazda's Australian website delivers forensic detail on what goes into each service, also allowing owners to enter their vehicle's VIN and calculate current service pricing.