Mazda’s entry in the hotly contested family-sized crossover class is called the CX-5. It was first launched in the autumn of 2011 and immediately won praise for its styling which was both neat and distinctive. And when people got the chance to drive it, the approbation continued, as in a class where the needs of the passengers are all too clearly prioritised over any potential enjoyment for the driver, this car stood out as one which had considered both to be equally important. It sparkled from behind the wheel and brought the fun back to family motoring in a well-rounded package, which ought to have taken the class by storm. It took a while for me to get behind the wheel of one, as Mazda models tend to make sporadic appearances in the Hertz US fleet, and even when there are  some on fleet, they don’t tend to feature in any great number, but finally, I got one to sample, ironically on the day that I went to the Los Angeles Show where its replacement was making its US debut. That was back in November 2016. The new car looked to have found a way of keeping all the good things about the first generation model, but with useful updates to the available tech and safety features. It went on sale in early 2017 as a 2017 model year car, and I looked forward to getting behind the wheel to see if it had retained the sense of driving fun of its predecessor. That has taken time, as few of these cars have been in the Hertz fleet since launch, and whenever I did see one, it had someone else’s name on it, but finally, the chance came when I spotted one – a 2019 model, I would find out, in Touring trim with the optional Touring Preferred package added – parked up at Hertz’ Phoenix Sky Harbor airport facility  in the area from which I could simply choose a car and drive out. Even better, it was painted in that distinctive Soul Red that Mazda have offered for a number of years. This is a stunning looking colour in just about any light conditions (though its sparkle can challenge the photographer!). Question is, was the rest of the second generation CX-5 as appealing as that paint finish?

It is keyless starting for the CX-5, which fires up the standard 2.5 litre 4 cylinder Skyactiv-G engine. The test car had the least powerful of the versions offered in US market cars, with a quoted output of 187 bhp. This is sufficient to give the Mazda a lively performance, even though in absolute terms, it is not especially fast. The engine is eager and refined and the combination of this powerplant and the six speed automatic transmission which is well suited to the car means that there is always good acceleration available from any point in the rev range and from any speed. Some of this comes from the fact that the gearbox does not immediately change to the highest gear possible as fast as it can, as happens in so many cars these days, so by holding onto a lower gear a little longer, more meaningful acceleration can be wrung out of a car which has been criticised by some for being a bit under-powered. Once at cruising point, the car is quiet with all noise sources well supressed. I covered 273 miles in my day with the CX-5 and it needed 8.85 gallons to fill it up, which computes to 30.8 mpg US or 36.85 mpg Imperial, a good but not spectacular result.

My expectations for the driving experience of the CX-5 were high, and I was not disappointed. I think this car has the best steering and handling, in its class, feeling sharp and precise and as if the engineers really believe that even a car that is designed around conveying people and their stuff should give some enjoyment to the driver. The steering has lots of feel, with a precision that is so rarely experienced in cars these days and yet the weighting is such that the car is light and easy to manoeuvre. The handling is also really well judged, unquestionably better than in any of its rivals. There is lots of grip and negligible body roll, and the car really does feel like it wants curvy roads rather than straight ones. You can take corners at speeds higher than rivals without squealing tyres or feeling as if you’re out of control. None of this has any penalty on the ride which is also just how you would want it: firm, but still comfortable. The test car came on 225/55 R18 tyres, which are the middle size of those fitted to models in the CX-5 range. The brakes did their job effectively, though thankfully I never had to give them a particularly tough test. All round visibility is as good as you get these days, and I appreciated the Blind Spot Warning system that was included. There are a number of other safety features included, with the Lane Keep Assist being less alarming than many that I encounter.

Mazda have made quite an effort with the interior quality of their cars in the last few years, and that is certainly evident here. Indeed, in this mid-range trim level, the CX-5 feels really rather posh inside, definitely a cut above most of its rivals. There is plenty of use of leather, with some neat brown stitching and all the plastics used on the dash and door casings are of high quality. Both looking good and feeling pleasant to the touch. There is a leather-wrapped steering wheel which is pleasant to hold. The instrument cluster is comprised of traditional dials with a central speedometer unit flanked by slightly smaller rev counter to the left and combined dial with fuel level and water temperature to the right. All are clearly marked and easy to read. There is also a head-up display unit, which is a feature I always like finding in any car. This is not part of the standard Touring spec, so was presumably an option. Twin column stalks operate the lights as well as indicators and lights. Steering wheel mounted buttons are used for cruise control, audio repeaters and trip computer selections. The centre of the dash contains the integrated colour screen, mounted up high, where it is easy to see and reach. At 7”, this is on the small side by the latest standards, but proved easy to use, with a control wheel in the centre console meaning that stabbing at the screen was not necessary. Indeed, once you are on the move this is the only way to use the system as the touch screen is disabled. I rather like this approach! Not surprisingly, the system includes Apple Car Play and Android Auto. Although the icons for navigation were present, the feature was not operational. A good quality 10 speaker Bose sound system features, an upgrade included with the Touring Preferred package. Beneath this unit are the button for the dua zone automated climate control.  The glass sun roof meant that there was lots of light in the cabin making it feel light and airy.

Touring trim means you get simulated leather upholstery, and the quality of the material felt rather better than you get in some cars, so you would be hard pressed to tell that this had not actually come from a cow. The driver’s seat has a wide range of electric adjustment and there are heating elements for those colder days. There is a useful two position memory to store favourite positions once you have found how you want to sit. You need to upgrade to a Grand Touring version to get electric adjustment for the front passenger seat. The steering wheel telescopes in/out as well up/down through quite a range, so it was easy to get the driving position I wanted. The seat itself proved very comfortable, and had plenty of support in all the right places. Although there was a sun roof fitted to the car, there was more than enough headroom.

Space in the rear is not as generous as you will find in some of the Mazda’s rivals, but for most people it should still prove more than adequate. The central console unit does come quite well back, an increasingly common thing, I am noticing, so a middle seat occupant may find knee and leg room a bit challenged, but none should have a problem with headroom which is more than sufficient. You can vary the angle of the rear seat backrest and the seats are split three ways. There is a drop-down central armrest with cup holders in the upper surface and there are map pockets on the front seat backs and stowage pockets on the doors.

One of the items included in the Touring Preferred options package of the test car is an electrically assisted tailgate, which is a nice touch. The boot itself is a decent size though it is not the class biggest. There are the usual array of hooks present to allow you to tie things down. There is a space saver tyre under the floor but this sits in a well which encircles it quite tightly so there is no room around this for even the smallest of items. The rear seat backs are asymmetrically split 40/20/40 and simply drop down to give a much longer and flat load platform. Inside the passenger compartment, there is a large glovebox, pockets on the doors, a central armrest cubby, which is set well back (when you have the front seat well forward, as I did) and a recess in front of the gearlever which between them should provide ample places for all those things that tend to accumulate in a car.

For the US market, the 2019 Mazda CX-5 crossover is offered in five trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve and Signature. Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (187 bhp, 186 lb/ft of torque) and equipped with front-wheel drive. Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims come with a more powerful turbocharged version of the same engine (227 bhp and 250 bhp on 91 octane petrol and 310 lb/ft of torque) and come with standard all-wheel drive. For the Signature trim only, a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine is available (168 bhp and 290 lb/ft). All three engines are paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard equipment for the Sport starts with 17-inch wheels, LED headlights, push-button ignition, a 7-inch touchscreen, manually adjustable front seats, 40/20/40-split reclining rear seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth, a four-speaker sound system and two USB ports. Low-speed forward collision warning and mitigation and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert are also included. Adding the optional Sport i-Activsense package brings automatic headlights, automatic high beams, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, upgraded forward collision warning and mitigation with pedestrian detection, and automatic windshield wipers. The i-Activsense safety features come standard on the Touring trim. You also get automatic wipers, keyless entry, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear climate vents, simulated-leather upholstery, heated front seats, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, two additional speakers and two more USB ports. The optional Touring Preferred package adds items such as a sunroof, a power liftgate, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and an upgraded 10-speaker Bose sound system. The Grand Touring gets you all of the above, along with 19-inch wheels, adaptive headlights, LED foglights, heated side mirrors, leather upholstery, a power-adjustable passenger seat, driver-seat memory functions, an upgraded driver information display, a navigation system, and satellite radio. The optional GT Premium package adds a head-up display, power-folding mirrors, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a windshield wiper de-icer. Moving up to the Grand Touring Reserve adds the Grand Touring’s optional features as standard plus the more powerful engine and all-wheel drive. Finally, the top Signature adds ambient cabin lighting, premium leather upholstery, wood trim accents, a surround-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors. My test car was a Touring with the optional Touring Preferred package fitted.

I was hoping I would like the CX-5 from behind the wheel as much as I like it from a static inspection of what I think is one of the best-looking cars in its class. I was not disappointed. With ample performance for a car of this type and a driving experience that is far more engaging than any of its market rivals, and no penalties in comfort, this is definitely the pick of the class for the enthusiast. The interior quality is impressive, and even in mid-range trim, equipment levels are good. Only the slightly limited rear seat space counts against it, but if you can live with that, then the Mazda CX-5 would seem to me to lead the class. It’s just a shame that more customers don’t realise that as whilst it is Mazda’s best-selling model on a global basis, it continues to be comprehensively outsold by almost all its rivals. It’s also a rare find in the rental car fleets, sadly, but well worth searching for. I would certainly be keen to get another one to drive.