In America, the compact crossover SUV sector is the biggest provider for all automakers – it even soared above the traditional full-size pickup truck favorite segment after the first six months of the year.
We are not expecting radical changes to the top five segments, so we can easily imagine that compact CUVs will rule undefeated by the end of the year. As such, is anyone surprised how come everyone wants a piece of the pie?
Even the imaginative realm of digital car content creators is eager to pitch in and showcase its visions for upcoming models. For example, the good folks over at the Q Cars channel on YouTube aim to daze and amaze the audience with a potential styling of their visions for the redesigned Mazda CX-5 and Toyota RAV4.
The Mazda CX-5, for good measure, is the Japanese automaker's top-selling model worldwide, and it rose to international fame quite fast indeed. The original was introduced in 2012 as a spiritual successor to the old-school Mazda Tribute and the slightly larger CX-7 to feature the brand's 'Kodo' design language for the first time. Also, it represented the poster model for the range of Skyactiv technologies that have since trickled into every model series.
As such, it is no wonder it has remained a popular choice for Mazda customers – even as the Japanese company has gotten busy with its CUV lineup and now offers stuff like the slightly larger CX-50 and CX-60. However, some might feel the second generation is growing long in the tooth and needs at least a refresh to continue on the market.
No worries, the channel's resident pixel master was keen to showcase a couple of AI-assisted design proposals that don't stray too far away from the company's current design ethos. Interestingly, it's going to be an uphill battle for the CX-5 in America, where everyone and their mother are expecting the redesigned Toyota RAV4 best-seller.
Curiously, the channel's CGI expert also didn't shy away from exposing their vision for the 2025 Toyota RAV4 – and they have portrayed the hypothetical facelift on more than one occasion. The latest is also embedded below alongside the CX-5 in case you want to see them side-by-side.
This surely would be a lovely rivalry, but we advise everyone to take all these renderings with a grain of salt as nothing is official from Mazda and Toyota just yet. For example, the former just updated the 2024 model year CX-5 with higher MSRPs and now offers a Carbon Turbo model from $37k. As for the latter, the US model is not seeking the red carpet's spotlight, unlike the UK specification where Toyota added a new RAV4 GR Sport version with 302 horsepower and a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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