Mazda is reportedly developing a seven-seater version of its new CX-5 crossover, with a possible reveal set to take place at the Los Angeles Auto Show towards the end of the year.
According to motoring.com.au, this new seven-seater model has been conceived to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace, the upcoming Honda CR-V and the Land Rover Discovery Sport.
The Australian publication speculates that the new model might just end up being called the CX-6, or even the CX-7, if the Japanese automaker chooses to revive this badge.
The same report suggests that the brand has no plans to add a turbocharged petrol engine to its new CX-5 range, instead sticking with the familiar 2,0-litre (and 2,5-litre, in some markets) petrol and 2,2-litre turbodiesel options, adding that Mazda “will not release a turbocharged CX-5 – wearing MPS badges or not – until the third-generation model appears around 2021”.
The second-generation CX-5 – which is scheduled to be launched in South Africa in the second quarter of this year – was revealed late in 2016, with the Hiroshima-based automaker last month increasing production in a bid to meet “growing demand”.