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Five years ago, the Mazda CX-5 heralded a new era for Hiroshima, coming with the company’s first application of the Kodo design language. So it’s only fitting that the next-generation model, set to be unveiled at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16, brings forth the next evolution of the corporate look.

The sole teaser image, showing the side profile of the car, reveals a few key design details of the new CX-5. For a start, the car appears sleeker and more curvaceous than before, with a lower roofline. At the front, there are slimmer headlights, and you can just about see the chrome grille outline flowing out from underneath the headlights, as we’ve seen in previous spyshots.

Along the sides, the character line that goes above the front fenders now sweeps gradually downwards across the doors as on newer Mazdas, while the current car’s characteristic swoosh low down looks to have been replaced by a more conventional horizontal highlight. There’s also now a thick chrome highlight on the beltline that sweeps upwards, following the window line.

Under the bonnet, the CX-5 could see the debut of next-generation SkyActiv-G petrol engines, incorporating Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) – which uses high compression to ignite the fuel without a spark, much like a diesel engine. More efficient next-gen SkyActiv-D diesel engines should also feature, along with the possible inclusion of the CX-9’s new 2.5 litre SkyActiv-G turbo petrol engine.

Elsewhere, the CX-5 should receive the new G-Vectoring Control technology – which modulates engine torque to optimise vertical load on each wheel, improving steering response and stability – along with Traffic Sign Recognition and a camera-based Advanced Smart City Brake Support with pedestrian detection. All these technologies have been introduced on the facelifted Mazda 3, as well as the updated 6, 2 and CX-3.

SPYSHOTS: 2017 Mazda CX-5