The Mazda CX-5 has been given another mild revision for the 2020 model year, including Mazda bringing efficiency tweaks to the petrol variant.
The Ford Kuga rival now benefits from cylinder-deactivation tech for the 163bhp Skyactiv-G petrol engine, although it's added on versions with the manual gearbox only.
The new system, which shuts down two cylinders under light throttle loads to reduce fuel consumption, is claimed to give an 8% reduction in CO2 emissions when measured on the WLTP cycle. The Skyactiv-G unit is an older engine than the Skyactiv X unit found in the Mazda Mazda 3 and Mazda CX-30, so it doesn't feature the spark-controlled compression-ignition technology.
Other tweaks include a revised navigation display for the infotainment screen, intended to enable clearer operation, and extra sound insulation has been applied to improve cabin refinement.
The CX-5 has already benefited from several updates since its launch in 2017. Last year, a round of chassis tweaks introduced new suspension components and anti-roll bars, plus Mazda's G-Vectoring Control system to enhance high-speed stability.
Available to order from 1 Apri, the 2020 CX-5 is priced from £27,030, rising to £39,085 for flagship variants.
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Drove 2019 model year in the USA recently...
...which had cylinder deactivation. Pretty ropey driving experience, it lacked refinement and performance, and wasn't especially economical.
COD
Pretty good efficient system which has proved itself in Vag products. Interesting they've gone for it rather than the overrated SkyInActive x/Supercharger system, certainly keeps the costs down
Is it really enough?
As useful as cylinder deactivation is in reducing consumption and CO2 levels the SkyActiv G engine is now woefully behind the times in terms of performance and economy. It's a shame Mazda are unable to fit the SkyActiv X unit. I'd have expected them to have at least added their mild hybrid tech to this engine, maybe even in conjunction with cylinder deactivation. Maybe they're saving it for the next CX5 which is possibly due in the next year or so. Here's hoping; my wife wants to switch back to the CX-5 from her Santa Fe.