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Though it may appear to be a fairly conventional new compact crossover SUV in the now well established mould of the Nissan Qashqai, the Mazda CX-5 has a deeper meaning for Mazda. The bold and interesting part of a fairly industry-standard plan is that, to begin with, the firm has opted not to leap on the expensive and complicated hybrid bandwagon, but instead refine and gently rethink the conventional internal combustion blueprint. This review will endeavour to find out if Mazda has succeeded - not only in its self-proclaimed task, but also in delivering a product well rounded enough to thrive in a segment populated by high achievers. Innovative design and engineering are at the heart of Mazda鈥檚 SkyActiv strategy. It is an all-encompassing label applied to fuel and weight-saving improvements made to the chassis, body, engines and transmissions of not just the CX-5, but an entire future range. Underpinning the CX-5 is a clean-sheet, scaleable platform which, thanks to the increased use of high-tensile steel, is stiffer and lighter than the brand鈥檚 previous architecture. The suspension is divided between MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the back.
BMW has lost its coveted first place for best overall basket this year to the Volvo S60. The report noted that while both manufacturers have increased the purchase prices of their cars by about R30,000, Volvo has reduced its parts cost considerably. The Volvo S60 parts basket beats out the BMW 3-Series. In third place is the Jaguar XE 200 at R154,748 - which is quite a drop from 2015, and comes from the reduction of the prices of crash parts. Most economical to service is the Volvo - R4,656, ahead of the Mercedes C200 at R5,596 . Repairs are also least expensive for the Volvo at RR8,527 followed by the BMW with a repair basket of R9,191. Volvo and BMW also have the least expensive crash parts - R100,822 for Volvo and R118,486 for BMW. To put these into perspective - the prices of the most expensive crash parts baskets are R178,740 for Audi and R198,325 for Lexus.
Leather seats and (surprise) a sunroof comes standard in the top end model, which is a steal for these prices. Although seat support for the front is ok, rear occupants may have some time to be comfortable due to the less ample room provided and sitting at the back is tight, which makes it more of a driver's car. The hatchback provides more space for your gear, as the rear seats fold down. Two engines from the MZR family are available for PHDM Mazda 3's. The first one is a MZR 1,598cc that has 104hp at 6,000rpm and 145Nm at 4,000rpm, you'll encounter this engine more often since this is popular among consumers. No road straight or curved the Mazda 3 will fear, it wants to have fun driving. Climbing up Kennon Road in Baguio or Bitukang Manok in Quezon is never a dull moment especially that it can keep up with the bends by offering a great steering feedback and a compliant suspension. You're in control, and what shall you do? Just shut up and drive. Hatchback or sedan configuration but the requirement is something that is fun to drive then add the Mazda 3 to your list. It is entertaining to drive and you'll have that grin especially in the challenging roads that our country has to offer. Just keep in mind to drive prudently and don't find a clutch, but there is the manual drive option that is integrated in the automatic.
Had it gone into production, it would have become the first Range Rover available with 23-inch alloy wheels. The lone SV Coupe is powered by a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, which produces 557 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque and is bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Land Rover claims the SV Coupe can do zero to 60 mph in five seconds flat and reach a top speed of 165 mph. That鈥檚 not bad for a big luxury SUV. Land Rover also tweaked the suspension. The SV Coupe uses adaptive air suspension, with a standard ride height 0.31 of an inch lower than a regular Range Rover. Land Rover claims this improves on-road handling without sacrificing the Range Rover鈥檚 legendary off-road abilities. The suspension can be raised by up to 2.95 inches for off-roading (or lowered to make getting in and out easier). The SV Coupe sports a four-wheel drive system with locking rear differential and Land Rover鈥檚 Terrain Response 2 tech. The cabin is covered in wood and leather, as one might expect in a high-end luxury sedan (or Land Rover鈥檚 own Range Rover SVAutobiography). Occupants lounge in heated and cooled seats (20-way power adjustable in front, 10-way in the rear) while listening to the burble of the V8, or the 1,700-watt, 23-speaker Meridian 3D Signature audio system. Hypothetically, anyway. As it stands, the SV Coupe will likely end up in a museum, often photographed but seldom used.
Instead, it has and 'Adventure Pack'. The Adventure Pack is a magnetised back that fits onto the Explore鈥檚 rear. It doubles battery capacity and adds a more powerful GPS antenna to make it reliable for route tracking in the middle of nowhere. There鈥檚 also an extra case, providing additional drop protection. Adventure Pack added, though, and the Explore is huge. It won鈥檛 fit in the average trouser pocket. To solve this sartorial conundrum, you get a carabiner to attach it to a bag or belt loop, but you probably won鈥檛 want it banging against your thigh on a day hike. Considering its size, the Explore鈥檚 battery life is surprisingly ordinary, too. Flying solo, the phone ends up with around 20 per cent battery at bed time with moderate use. It鈥檚 not quite the trooper you might expect. The Adventure Pack battery roughly doubles longevity, but you won鈥檛 want to use it daily.
