BEIJING MOTOR SHOW: China-only Mazda CX-4 debuts

Mazda's CX-4 SUV has premiered in China yesterday, but is no closer to a fixed date for launch in Australia.

Mazda Australia MD Martin Benders has played it cool whenever asked about the chances of the CX-4 coming here, all the while Mazda's Japanese execs have talked up the prospects of the SUV reaching America and possible other global markets outside China.

For the moment, all Mazda is saying for sure is that the CX-4 (the production version of the Koeru show car, based on the CX-5) has been designed specifically for the Chinese market. Resembling BMW's X4, the CX-4 is expected to be positioned above the CX-5 – as a semi-premium offering in the Mazda range.

The CX-4 will go on sale in China during June, with the 2.5-litre SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive or the 2.0-litre version of the engine and front-wheel drive only. Mazda will offer the CX-4 with the smaller engine and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. The 2.5-litre engine is auto-only.

Fuel consumption averages 6.4L/100km for the manual CX-4, 6.3 for the 2.0-litre auto and 7.2 for the 2.5-litre auto. Steering is rack and pinion and brakes are disc all round – ventilated at the front. Measuring 4.6m in length, the CX-4 is 1.84m wide and runs on a 2.7m wheelbase.