Mazda CX-5 review

So, you want an SUV. You’ve thought about a Nissan Qashqai or Seat Ateca, and you like their cheap running costs, but they’re a little on the small side. What do you buy?

Well, unless you can stretch to an Audi Q5 or Land Rover Discovery Sport, you'll probably find yourself looking at cars such as the Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail and Skoda Kodiaq.

Unlike those two similarly priced rivals, the CX-5 isn't available with seven seats, but it's still a very practical family car with some clever tricks up its sleeve to take the stress out of daily life.

What's more, the CX-5 appears to be really good value for money, especially when you factor in how much kit it gets as standard.

While all those things could be said about the original CX-5 (2012-2017), it didn't have much in the way of competition. This latest version, though, has a much tougher job to stand out. So, what's it like to drive compared with its rivals? What's it like inside? How practical is it? And is it really such great value as it first appears? We'll tell you all you need to know over the next few pages.

And, if you do want to buy one, you can get a decent saving through What Car? New Car Buying.