The next-generation Mazda CX-5 will reportedly venture further up the premium vehicle market and debut with a new platform and new engines.
According to a report from Japan’s Best Car Web, the new Mazda CX-5 will supposedly compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 and be underpinned by the same rear-wheel drive platform as the next-generation Mazda6.
Read Also: Mazda Previews Upcoming Inline-Six Before 2022 Launch
Thanks to this new platform, the SUV could be offered with two variants of the new inline-six engine being developed by Mazda. The first could be a 3.0-liter unit using Mazda’s SkyActiv-X technology and complete with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system while the second could be a diesel 3.3-liter inline-six.
A report from Spyder7 back in July made similar claims about the next-generation CX-5 and speculated that the SUV could be dubbed the CX-50. However, this latest report suggests that the CX-5 name will stick around and that the CX-50 could be introduced as a coupe variant of the CX-5 and slot between it and the flagship CX-9, effectively filling the void left behind by the old CX-7.
There’s little doubt that Mazda’s new inline-six engines will play a significant part in its attempts to establish itself as a rival to the Germans. In petrol guise, it is speculated the 3.0-liter inline-six could pump out upwards of 350 hp and the addition of mild-hybrid technology could make it feel a little bit faster than that figure would suggest.
Correction: While the Japanese car magazine did say it could compete with the BMW X5, obviously they meant the X4. We apologize for repeating the mistake.
