2015 Mazda CX-5 images leak ahead of LA debut

The leaks come a few days after brochure shots of the facelifted Mazda 6 emerged. Both sets of images found their way to French forum site Worldscoop. 

This pair, along with the brand new CX-3 baby crossover, will form a powerful triumvirate of premieres for the resurgent and now profitable car-maker at the likewise increasingly important Californian motor show. 

Stylistically the changes appear pretty minimal for a mid-life update, though it’s clear that new LED daytime running lights will feature, as will a new grille insert design, now consisting of five horizontal bars.

There also appears to be some very subtle tweaks to the lower front bumper and the rejigged LED tail-lights, as well as new sets of alloy wheels. 

Unlike the leaked Mazda 6 brochure, we don’t have any shots of the cabin, though you can safely guess that Mazda will ditch the CX-5’s current multimedia setup in favour of its MZD Connect entertainment and navigation system’s floating tablet-style screen with a toggle in front of the centre console and (on high-grade variants) a head-up display.

This setup will feature in the upgraded Mazda 6, and already serves in new models such as the Mazda 2 and Mazda 3. Based on our experiences in those cars, they give a far more user-friendly experience than what you get from the CX-5’s current touchscreen system. 

With the revised CX-5 premiering later this month, you can expect to see the model appear in Australia during the first half of 2015. 

Since it launched here in early 2012, the CX-5 has been a stunning sales success for Mazda, and this year it is once again the top-selling SUV in Australia, ahead of the likes of the Hyundai ix35, Toyota Prado and Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

It has also played an even greater role in Mazda’s cumulative sales total this year, growing volume by 8.2 per cent to 18,237 units YTD while the company’s overall tally has dropped 2.7 per cent to 83,697 units.