• Interior will seat four comfortably, five a bit of a squeeze
• Plenty of storage spaces with neatly hidden USB ports
• Larger boot than previous model with 506-1,620 litres on offer

How much space is there?

Up front, there’s plenty of room to get comfortable in. The high centre console makes the cabin a little more snug than some rivals, such as Ford’s Kuga, but it doesn’t make the CX-5 feel cramped or claustrophobic. The bown leather in the Takumi model makes it feel a little airier.

Space is tighter in the back. Two average-sized adults will have enough, but squeezing a third onto the rear bench is going to be uncomfortable on a long journey. Not only is the centre-rear seat narrower, there’s less space for feet and legs due to the shape of the centre console and the raised floor in the middle. Having said that, it’s roomy by class standards.

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Elsewhere, the CX-5 can accommodate smartphone and tablet charging  – the storage spaces in front of the gear lever and the cubby under the driver’s elbow are both larger than in its predecessor, while the latter features a tray to hold your phone above any tins of travel sweets or loose change.

Boot space and storage

The boot is sensibly shaped with 506 litres available up to the cover, which rises when the tailgate is lifted. Usefully, there isn’t much of a lip to lift heavy items over, although it’s not quite flush with the floor. Fold the seats down and you get 1,620 litres of space.

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Plus, because it doesn’t need to make space for a hybrid battery pack, the CX-5 has an extra 30 litres of underfloor storage. You also get cargo net hooks in the boot to help you lash loose items down.

Is it easy to park?

The CX-5 isn’t a massive car. It’s comparable to the Ford Kuga and Hyundai Tucson – and neither of those cars are especially difficult to park. You’ll probably struggle to get it in a modern single garage, but the same car be said of its rivals.

If you are a bit timid of parking, you get plenty of tech to help you out. Every car comes as standard with parking sensors, but you need to step up to the heady heights of the Homura trim before you get a rear-view camera.

The camera makes the CX-5 a doddle to park, but lesser models are a little more challenging because of the car’s sloping roofline and narrow rear windscreen.

Safety

• Front-facing camera boosts safety credentials
• Improved adaptive cruise control plus emergency braking
• Six airbags and new LED headlights complete the mix

Euro NCAP crash-tested the pre-facelift CX-5 in 2017 awarding it a full five-star rating, with an impressive 95% score for adult occupant protection. That rating has since expired on account of its age, but the CX-5 should still prove to be a safe companion in a crash.

Adaptive cruise control can now work down to a stop while adaptive LED headlights are brighter than the norm and automatically dip to avoid dazzling other drivers. Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and traffic sign recognition can also be specified for the first time in a CX-5.

There’s also a lane-keeping assistant/departure warning plus blindspot monitor and rear traffic alert. Other more conventional safety systems include anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control, traction control and hill start assist – plus six airbags.

Watch the Mazda CX-5 Euro NCAP crash test video