When it comes to Japanese cars, perhaps the first thing that most people think of is "two fields and one product"; When it comes to Japanese cars with good control, most people will probably think of Honda, who calls people known as "buying an engine and sending a car". However, a little older car fan friends should have heard a word - "human-horse unity", which is also a Japanese brand known for its control, Mazda.
Although it seems that Mazda's voice has gradually weakened over the years, I have to admit that Mazda still has a group of loyal fans, such as me - the owner of the Mazda MX-5 (NC). So, when I had the opportunity to test drive Mazda's new compact SUV, the CX-50, how could I miss it.
As the Chinese auto market becomes more and more volatile, new cars of family compact SUVs are also emerging, and I prefer the classic - Mazda's "soul" design to those bells and whistles, and I always think it is one of the most sultry designs no matter what others think.
Of course, after so many years of "soul movement", it is not static, and there are many details changes in this CX-50 line. The most obvious is the color, this time the main zircon sand, compared with the previous hybrid red, does have some more hard and rough feeling, which is also in line with the most popular camping at the moment.
In addition, there is the intersection of headlights, front grille and hood, and there is an interesting "nest", perhaps, if you don't pay attention, you can't see any clues, but this "eye socket" makes the entire front face have a more layered feeling.
Looking at the side, although this CX-50 line is also positioned as a compact family SUV, it is larger in size than RAV4 and CR-V of the same level, with dimensions of 4785mm× 1920mm× 1638mm, and the wheelbase reaches 2815mm, which is close to the size of a mid-size SUV.
In addition, the black matte plastic surround is standard on outdoor SUV models, making this "horse" look more wild.
The CX-50 line is also full of tail design is still a strong Mazda style, the upper narrow and wide bottom shape can make people have a more stable and safe feeling, and the taillights are similar to the headlights, forming a good echo.
Sitting in the car, compared with the current five-six-seven-eight screen linkage design, the interior of the Mazda CX-50 Xingye may be a little conservative, but for people who like to drive like me, those are floating clouds, and the head-up concept cockpit of this CX-50 Xingye is more appealing to me.
In addition to simplicity and sophistication, the large number of physical keys allows me to focus more on driving without worrying about being distracted by virtual or even hidden keys all the time. I think this is also the concept that Mazda wants to convey to us, which is to reduce the frequency of using touch screens during driving, and focus on driving.
Perhaps because of this thinking, the location of this slender 10.25-inch center control screen seems to be a bit far away from the driver - of course, this is no problem for me. The center control screen has a built-in third-generation Mazda Yuelian system, in addition to built-in GPS and multimedia functions, it also adds car networking and 4G networks, while supporting CarPlay and CarLife mobile phone interconnection, users can expand more applications through personalized needs.
Finally, speaking of the site test drive experience, the Mazda CX-50 line is also equipped with a 2.5L naturally aspirated engine, matched with a 6-speed manual automatic transmission, with a maximum horsepower of 188Ps, peak torque of 250Nm, and the use of intelligent cylinder changing technology - that is, when driving at a constant speed, the outer 2 of the 4 cylinders can stop working, reducing fuel consumption during this period, thereby improving the fuel economy performance of the vehicle.
The first is the experience of linear acceleration and emergency braking, this 2.5L naturally aspirated engine and 6-speed manual automatic transmission are quite good, switching to sport mode, the accelerator pedal response is very positive, the power output of the front section is relatively abundant; and when the speed exceeds 3000 rpm, the power will further continue to explode, although not as fast as the turbocharged engine, but the linear performance will be more head-on.
Coming to the Gymkhana circuit, there is no doubt that this is the best track to test whether this CX-50 can also achieve "human-horse integration". Thanks to the 13.4:1 steering ratio and the acceleration vector control system, the new car has a relatively small turning radius, resulting in more precise steering.
The performance of the curves, the CX-50 line is also remarkable. Although the new car focuses on home comfort, it inherits Mazda's sports genes, and can clearly feel that the chassis and suspension tuning of the vehicle are very solid, whether it is high-speed line change or large-angle turning, the suspension supports the body very well, which can effectively suppress the roll of the vehicle and strike a balance between comfort and handling.
Written at the end:
In today's continuous change, perhaps Mazda is also constantly evolving and trying its best to meet the needs of consumers. But Mazda is still the familiar Mazda, and we see its insistence on "human-horse unity" in the CX-50 Xingya.