2013 MAZDA CX-5 DUBBED 'MOST EARTH-FRIENDLY' TRUCK OF THE YEAR BY EARTH, WIND & POWER MEDIA

- Compact SUV Boasting Best-in-Class Fuel Economy Garners First "Green" Award -

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Jan 14, 2013, 11:37 ET

DETROIT, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2013 Mazda CX-5 was today named the "Most Earth-Friendly" Truck of the Year for 2013 by Earth, Wind & Power (EWP) Media. The award was presented to Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). In its fifth year, the mission of the EWP Awards is to honor vehicles that are driven by a power source that helps improve climate change by reducing the amount of CO₂emissions entering the Earth's atmosphere, promote a cleaner environment and support the ultimate mission to achieve energy independence through alternative power sources.

"Mazda's unconventional approach to building cleaner, more fuel efficient vehicles by way of SKYACTIV®¹ TECHNOLOGY continues to change previously set-in-stone opinions about the internal combustion engine (ICE)," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "By reimagining a seemingly rarely looked at – but much relied upon – technology, we've shown the benefits that ICEs can still offer consumers without passing on the heavy investments and costs related to utilizing more expensive alternative power solutions."

Available since the 2012 Mazda3 and now in the all-new 2014 Mazda6, the 2013 CX-5 was an all-new vehicle and the first Mazda, globally, to fully integrate the full suite of SKYACTIV technologies, which includes engines, transmission, body and chassis components. Based solely on proprietary engineering development and design research, SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY is the umbrella term for features that boost fuel economy and lower emissions without sacrificing comfort, ride quality or performance.

The CX-5's SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine is not only lighter and operates more efficiently than the engine it replaces but features up to a 15 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions while also burning less fuel.

The 2013 CX-5 boasts Mazda's storied Zoom-Zoom handling yet also offers the best highway fuel economy of any SUV sold in North America – including hybrids – at 35 miles per gallon (mpg) and features a best-in-class combined EPA-rated fuel economy of 29 mpg with its SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine. A larger SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter engine will be available for 2014 models yet loses only one mpg in city driving when equipped with an automatic transmission.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.

¹SKYACTIV is a registered trademark of Mazda Motor Corporation (MC).

SOURCE Mazda North American Operations