![]() ![]() ![]() Mazda as we know it today has for years managed to craft vehicles which look far more expensive than their price tags would suggest. I don’t just mean good for a crossover, either. Let’s get one thing clear from the start: this is a good-looking machine. ![]() That includes the 2022 Mazda CX-5 that manages to feel at least a little fun to drive, even with its entry-level engine. Gearheads who are greying at the temples (* raises hand*) will remember this brand’s old zoom-zoom commercials, ones which used to imply there’s a hint of fun-loving youth in all of us – even if we need to buy an SUV for family reasons. Mazda has been free to imbue its vehicles – all of them, from sedans to SUVs – with a level of sportiness generally not found in other machines with which it competes. However, not having a true corporate overlord can have its advantages. Changes in this structure loom, however, with Toyota taking a small stake in Mazda and the two entering a joint venture that includes a combined manufacturing facility in the United States. This arguably puts it at a disadvantage in terms of cost and parts sharing, since large corporations can grab an engine from another project or spread the development costs of a new rig over several models. While some other brands are part of a larger umbrella (consider the sprawling Volkswagen Group, for instance), Mazda largely stands alone. Amongst mainstream automakers, Mazda stands as something of an anomaly. ![]()
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