Even if its on sale only since the beginning of this year, which means almost nine months, the current generation Mazda CX-5 was updated to appeal even more to US clients. Strange but its true.

For the 2018 model year, Mazda CX-5 is employing cylinder-deactivation technology, safety and refinement updates at all trim levels and carries features such as an available head-up display and standard LED headlights and tail lights.

Mazda CX-5’s SKYACTIV-G 2.5 engine has received small updates to reduce internal friction and the amount customers will spend on fuel, but no feature stands out more than its cylinder-deactivation technology.

SEE ALSO:  Mazda CX-80 7 seater confirmed for 2023 launch

The engine has the ability to shut down the two outside cylinders at cruising speeds to maximize efficiency. It is designed to assist in improving real-world efficiency rather than simply in catalogued evaluations and comes standard on all trim levels. Mazda is the only automaker to equip a four-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation in North America.

Additional newly standard equipment includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel and leather-wrapped shift knob. On the safety front, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert comes standard across all models. All features were previously available on mid-level CX-5 Touring models and above.

The entry-level CX-5 Sport features cloth upholstery, standard LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, an electronic parking brake, MAZDA CONNECT infotainment with a 7-inch screen and Bluetooth audio streaming and phone pairing as standard, among a much longer list of features.

SEE ALSO:  2024 Mazda CX-50 officially unveiled

In its newly available Sport i-ACTIVSENSE Package, CX-5 adds High Beam Control, Lane Departure Warning, Lane-Keep Assist, Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Smart Brake Support, rain-sensing windshield wipers and automatic on/off headlights.

All CX-5 models sold in the U.S. come with a standard 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G engine that delivers 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque, paired to a SKYACTIV-DRIVE 6-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode and Sport mode.