Added on February 25, 2016  The News Wheel   , , , , , , ,
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Mazda Pits CX-5 Against Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester to Prove It Can Make Great Snow SUVs

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Mazda CX-5

Mazda’s reputation as an automaker is generally centered in the segments around the MX-5 Miata, with a reputation for small, economic, fun-to-drive cars.

However, it worked very hard to put out several SUVs, and by golly it is not going to let them be ignored. So, to that end, Mazda has started inviting automotive journalists to compare its SUVs (the CX-5 in particular) with the main competition: the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.

Mazda decided the best way to do this was in snow-covered Crested Butte, Colorado, where the team put the three vehicles through a snow slalom course and a unique uphill obstacle: stopping, turning the wheel, and then going again.

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The point of these tests (besides saying “Hey, Mazda has great SUVs, too!”) was to demonstrate that Mazda’s i-ACTIV all-wheel drive system is a predictive system where the computer figures out when AWD will be needed before it is, as opposed to the Honda and Subaru, which are largely reactive.

While each SUV did well on the snow, the advantage did seem to be to the CX-5 in each test, according to a video review by The Fast Lane Car.

The major point was the uphill test, where the CX-5 encountered the least slipping and fastest response to loss of traction.

Of course, this review isn’t exactly 100% scientific, and certain factors could point to why the test wasn’t completely balanced, but that wasn’t really the point. The point is that Mazda, known the most for its sporty little roadster, makes SUVs that can battle it out with its rivals in the snow.

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News Sources: The Fast Lane Car, Auto Evolution, The Car Connection