The Mazda CX-5 impressed us enough during our recent compact crossover comparison that we awarded it second place -- beating the new Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Only one thing kept us from awarding the CX-5 top honors- the Skyactiv gas engine's power levels.
But what if the Mazda CX-5 was available with a factory upgrade in the engine compartment? We put our heads together and came up with powertrain options we'd love to see motivating Mazda's latest compact crossover.
We couldn't help but wonder if a turbocharged version of the of the Skyactiv gas engine would add enough ZoomZoom to produce a Mazdaspeed variant. A Mazdaspeed CX-5 would need 240-250 horsepower to put it on equal footing with heavier competitors -- which also pack turbocharged engines. To improve performance in other areas, wider wheels and tires combined with a slight drop in ride height could increase the handling of the already-competent compact crossover.
Mazda confirmed the Skyactiv diesel engine will come to the U.S., but the automaker has been tight-lipped on which vehicle will get it. The diesel is already available in the Japanese market CX-5, so this engine seems likely for the U.S. model. How does 173 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque sound? It may only be 18 horsepower more than the Skyactiv gas engine, but it's more than double the torque.
Mazda's capacitor-based i-ELOOP regenerative braking system, which will arrive on the next-generation Mazda6, brings the company a step closer to electrification. But developing a full hybrid system for the CX-5 might fill the niche left by the Ford Escape hybrid, which was discontinued for 2013. It could either be combined with the existing Skyactiv gas engine, or the Skyactive diesel for that little bit of extra torque and highway fuel economy boost.
Since this is a "what if?" post, and it's a Mazda we're talking about, why not stuff a rotary engine under the hood? Though the RX-8 was recently discontinued due to the wankel's inability to pass global emissions regulations, the rotary engine embodies Mazda's spirit in many ways -- and we'd hate to see the company give up on the piston-less design. A rotory-powered CX-5 could be the first production application of a transverse-mounted wankel. Though high output isn't necessarily a requirement, a triple-rotor engine with a pair of turbos would provide the torque needed to move the all-wheel-drive crossover swiftly down the road.
Lastly, the six-speed manual transmission is only available on the CX-5 Sport front-wheel-drive model. We feel it should be made available -- even if only as a special-order deal -- on all trim levels and with all-wheel drive.
What do you think -- would you welcome any of these 2013 Mazda CX-5 variants? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.