Crossover fans have been eager in anticipation of the 2013 Mazda CX-5 Crossover, and for good reason.
Thanks to new SkyActiv engines, Mazda has been promising some pretty impressive fuel economy numbers. With EPA testing now complete, it appears even Mazda underestimated just how far the CX-5 will travel on a gallon of gas.
Mazda has released the figures, and we now know (via Autoblog) that the front-wheel drive, six-speed manual version will manage 35 mpg highway, 26 mpg city and 29 mpg combined.
With the same SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine and the new SkyActiv-Drive six-speed automatic transmission, you'll see 32 highway, 26 city and 29 combined. Throw all-wheel-drive in the mix and each number goes down by only 1 mpg.
Those figures are all slightly higher than Mazda predicted back in November, and they give the CX-5 best-in-class fuel economy for all transmission and drivetrain configurations.
Mazda's SkyActiv technology is responsible for those amazing numbers, using an unusually high compression ratio to improve efficiency without the associated knocking problems. Low weight also helps - with entry-level models weighing 3,208 pounds, Mazda claims it's the lightest compact SUV in its class.
We enjoyed our quick drive in the CX-5 back in November, declaring it the driver's option among compact crossovers. We now know it's also the most efficient non-hybrid SUV out there.
The 2013 Mazda CX-5 launches in the spring. Pricing has yet to be announced.
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