Mazda CX-5 Diesel v Nissan X-TRAIL 2012 Comparison

Mazda is nearing the point of launching the CX-5 in Australia and that's a good enough reason to get serious building the new model's profile here — before it even arrives.

The Australian market is an important element in the Mazda world, with the company holding over eight per cent market share here. And although the CX-7 accounts for nearly 11 per cent of that share, Mazda plans considerable expansion of its presence in the compact SUV market segment to flow from the launch of the CX-5 — possibly even making the CX-7 redundant in the process.

Nissan's X-TRAIL is one of the key cars CX-5 has to top, if it is to gain full traction in the market. To date, the manual-only CX-7 diesel is around 10 per cent of CX-7 sales. Mazda will be expecting much more than that from the CX-5 diesel with the availability of an automatic box.

That's why Mazda lined up an X-TRAIL against a pilot-build example of the CX-5, for a troupe of Australian journalists to compare – albeit in a controlled environment. Both cars were self-shifting diesels and both were run along the same stretch of sealed track at Mazda's Hiroshima plant. The track was only 3km in length, but the drivers had an opportunity to drive each car for two laps.

Here at motoring.com.au we've driven the CX-5 already — and with its exciting new SKY-D diesel engine and automatic transmission even. As for the X-TRAIL, we've sung its praises too. Mazda could have chosen from any number of rivals weaker than the X-TRAIL.

But while Mazda supplied the Nissan and the whole dang shoot-out was conducted in Mazda's own corral, it was clear from the start that the Nissan was placed at a disadvantage beyond just unfavourable circumstances. The two quick but short laps driving the X-TRAIL and CX-5 back to back were enough to show that the CX-5 — on sealed bitumen at least — should be a game-changer for the whole segment.

Quieter than the X-TRAIL idling in the background, even when it was accelerating away from standstill, the CX-5 would sprint past on the flying lap making no more noise than a petrol-engined vehicle of similar size and specification. Inside — either on the move or parked and idling — the CX-5 was similarly quiet.

Not only was the Mazda's engine quieter, it was less prone to turbo lag than the Nissan's — and it just plain delivered more go in a straight line. It's not certain that the [journalist] driver of the X-TRAIL was using all the available performance during our back-to-back, but the CX-5 was able to keep well ahead without the accelerator pedal being mashed to the floor.

Although the CX-5's SKY-DRIVE automatic is more or less conventional in nature, notwithstanding damper clutch lock-up 90 per cent of the time, it shifted very smoothly overall.

The front end of the Mazda was, unsurprisingly perhaps, more communicative as the writer applied power exiting a long right-hand bend. And there was more grip too, even with the additional performance potential from the SKYACTIV-D engine. By comparison the Nissan felt a little twitchier when asked to do less.

On bitumen Mazda seems to have found a good balance of ride and handling and the CX-5 was also better insulated from road surface irregularities. We found too that the brakes of the Mazda were easier and more pleasant to use than the Nissan's, which were a little grabby and over-assisted in contrast.

Of course, many buyers will be keen to understand which of the vehicles works better on unsealed and offroad surfaces. We are among them.

A test such as this reveals only scant details, but it does provide a taste of things to come. The question remains whether the Mazda can be as capable in other circumstances. While the CX-5 wins this round, how will it fare against the Nissan in the southern hemisphere?

Bring on round two, we say…

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