You'd certainly recognise this as a Mazda - which might not necessarily be a good thing for this car's premium aspirations, particularly as it might be mistaken for the company's mid-sized CX-5 SUV at first glance. It's actually quite a lot bigger than one of those, measuring 4,745mm long, 1,890mm wide and 1,675mm high. The styling is heavily influenced by the brand's 2017 'Vision Coupe' concept, but features a flatter treatment for the front end and, obviously since it's a crossover, quite a different profile silhouette.
Inside, Mazda's usual 'Jinba Ittai' ('horse and rider') driver-focused design philosophy prevails, but here it's been upgraded with higher quality materials and greater attention to detail. And more technology of course: the 12.3-inch central touchscreen is the largest the brand has ever offered. As usual for the class, there's comfortable space for two adults in the back and room at a squash for three. And a decent-sized boot that isn't too impeded by the battery pack on the Plug-in version. It's 477-litres in size (570-litres including the under-floor compartment); fold the rear bench and you can extend capacity to 1,726-litres. If you need third row seating, you'll need to ask your dealer about the forthcoming 7-seat CX-80 version of this car.
