MAZDA has hit the ground running with the new CX-5 crossover, its more conventional follow-up to the sleek and sporty CX-7.

Designed to better hit the ‘sweet spot’ for styling, size and proportion that its predecessor, the car has been a hit with buyers enamoured of its good looks, roomy cabin and Mazda badge, outselling all rivals in the fiercely-contested medium SUV segment five months in a row.

Our drive impressions of the petrol-powered Grand Touring flagship are a mixed bag – we like the practical cabin and above-average handling dynamics, but the much-publicised ‘SkyActiv’ drivetrain is a disappointment.