All-New Mazda CX-5 a 'Top Safety Pick'

Lightweight and high-rigidity SKYACTIV Body provides top-class safety performance

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – March 22, 2012: Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that the All-New Mazda CX-5 has been named a “Top Safety Pick” for 2012, the highest possible safety rating, by the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in their crashworthiness tests.

The IIHS evaluation methods include: frontal offset test for a vehicle driving at 40mph (approximately 64km/h), side impact test for a vehicle driving at 31mph (50km/h), rear crash protection for a vehicle driving at 20mph (32km/h) and roof strength test.

These tests determine a vehicles’ protection performance as: “Good”, “Acceptable”, “Marginal” or “Poor” based on deformation of the vehicle and the performance of the safety equipment. A vehicle qualifies a Top Safety Pick if the vehicle earns a ”Good” rating in all four tests.

The All-New Mazda CX-5 is the first of Mazda’s new-generation products to fully adopt its breakthrough SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY to powertrains, body structure and chassis as well as the company’s new ‘KODO – SOUL of MOTION’ design theme.

Beginning with the All-New CX-5, Mazda incorporated its new lightweight high-rigidity SKYACTIV-BODY which is based upon an entirely new structure, new materials and new processes. The CX-5 is the first vehicle to use 1,800MPa high-tensile steel, the highest grade used in a mass production vehicle, for front and rear bumper beams. The CX-5’s SKYACTIV-BODY is comprised of 61 percent high-tensile steel, creating a lighter, stronger body.

Since the start of CX-5 sales here in Australia at the beginning of March it has been highly praised for its excellent driving performance, fuel economy, distinctive design among SUVs as well as its comfortable cabin.

Mazda is intensifying its safety-related research and development efforts, aiming to achieve safety performance levels that are best in class so as to provide all customers with driving pleasure together with outstanding environmental and safety performance.