When you are a big bloke it can be a bit tricky getting in and out of the more sporty vehicles, so here is a quick video to prove it can be done…..

The original CX-5 was introduced way back in 2012, and with global sales of over 1.5 million it now accounts for roughly 25% of Mazda’s global sales volume, with more than 32,000 current-generation CX-5s having been sold in the UK; no mean feat.

Being 5 years old, it’s no surprise then that the wise folk at Mazda have been busy working on a new and improved version, and with …..

After being fed and watered I set forth for the A90 and headed south.  It was probably at this stage where I began simply enjoying the driving experience as opposed…

You may be thinking that the Mazda2 has no right to be flaunting itself on The Mud Life, it isn’t a 4×4, it has appalling ground clearance and there’s no option for mud terrains.  However, it’s a very practical and fun car to drive and therefore deserves its place here.

There’s another reason too, I know quite a few off roaders who, although they love to drive their massive 4×4’s on a regular basis, it isn’t always practical to do so…….

Launched last year (summer 2015), Mazda’s all new CX-3 is aimed at the small crossover / SUV market which includes the likes of the Vauxhall Mokka, Nissan Juke, Renault Capture, Fiat 500x, Peugeot 2008s the Ford Eco-Sport, and so on.

Since its release I’ve flirted with the CX-3 a number of times.  I drove both the 2ltr 2wd and the…..

The last time I drove a CX-5 was March 2014 when I meandered casually around the B roads of Harrogate.  I remember thinking that it was quiet, comfortable and fun to drive. I also recall being a little unkind to its looks, ‘not a pretty car’, I think I wrote. But that was then, and fast forward to April 2015 and low and behold, Mazda have parked one outside Muddy Towers for me to play with for a week……

Every so often, manufacturers arrange driving days so that journo’s can mess around… ahem, I mean drive, and properly assess their range of vehicles, and this particular Driving Day was arranged by Mazda up in t’hills of Halifax, Yorkshire.  Being a Lancashire lad I grabbed my passport and made sure that all my jabs were up to date and set off towards the Pennines……