Mazda plotting seven-seat CX-5

Mazda will soon offer a longer version of its recently launched CX-5 with third-row seating, according to a new report.

Created to go head-to-head with the Nissan X-TRAIL and the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace that was unveiled at January's Detroit motor show, the long wheelbase CX-5 will seat seven and sit below the bigger CX-9 in Mazda's SUV line-up, says Japanese blog Car Drive.

Based on the same SKYACTIV platform as the standard wheelbase CX-5, the longer version is expected to share the same 2700mm wheelbase but will boast a longer load bay to accommodate the extra row of seating, much like Ford's seven-seat Edge sold in China.

Under the bonnet the LWB CX-5 is expected to share the same 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre SKYACTIV-G engine as well as the 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D diesel that's offered in the standard car.

The decision to stretch the CX-5 was taken by Mazda execs, says Car Drive, to help fill a gap left by the MPV, Biante and Premacy following the global sales decline of people movers.

A larger seven-seat SUV will also take advantage of the growing popularity of SUVs and cover new competition from VW.

It's not known when the more family-orientated CX-5 will go on sale but it could be as soon as later this year.

Initially, it's thought the seven seat Mazda SUV will go on sale in Japan before global sales begin a few months later.