Powerful motor and sweet chassis, but lowlier diesel version is more refined

What’s new?The 5 is an excellent car — our favourite mid-sized MPV, in fact — and now diesel versions are arriving in the UK.There are two flavours of 2.0-litre engine: 108bhp on TS models (from £15,900) and 141bhp on Sport models (from £17,900). We’ve driven the top-spec Sport Nav variant, which gets satellite navigation and a DVD player, and comes in at just under £20k.You’ll know the engine from the Ford Focus C-Max, which also lends the Mazda its chassis.Do the changes work?Indeed they do. There’s nothing wrong with the 5’s petrol engines, but the diesel offers better cruising economy and comfort.The 143bhp unit is a little louder than the 108bhp version and less linear in its power delivery. But it’s still very driveable: response is respectable from low revs and particularly good above 2000rpm, aided by a six-speed manual gearbox (petrol models only get a five-speeder).At part-throttle at motorway speeds the engine is inaudible, while performance at the pumps — an average of 44.9mpg — is very good.Should I buy one?If you do a lot of miles, absolutely. The diesel isn’t as quiet as the petrol 5 around town, but it’s an entertaining steer and the improved economy and fine high-speed refinement mean it’s the 5 we’d have. 

Matt Prior

Matt Prior
Title: Editor-at-large

Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013.

Matt is an automotive engineer who has been writing and talking about cars since 1997. He joined Autocar in 2005 as deputy road test editor, prior to which he was road test editor and world rally editor for Channel 4’s automotive website, 4Car. 

Into all things engineering and automotive from any era, Matt is as comfortable regularly contributing to sibling titles Move Electric and Classic & Sports Car as he is writing for Autocar. He has a racing licence, and some malfunctioning classic cars and motorbikes. 

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