I realize that this is an older review, but it is still just as relevant. I will be getting a new car for my wife around Memorial Day. This review is part of why I am leaning heavily to a 2024 CX 5. I doubt you still check on this post any more, but on the off chance that you do, thank you very much for taking the time and putting in the effort to post this.
You should look at the CX-50 in 2024, if you’re looking at the CX-5 again. There are small details in the new designs that I miss when I went with 2023 CX-5. Best luck to to & wife no matter which cars you choose. Be safe & have fun equally!
My sentiments exactly. I really appreciate real-world user reviews, rather than reviews by some journalist who drove the car for maybe two weeks before pronouncing it good or bad.
No, just a bit of redundancy in their lineup. It's a bigger version of the CX-30 and based on that platform as well. The CX50 is noticeably bigger, both in cargo space and being 6 inches longer overall than the CX-5. It's a lower roofline but still has more ground clearance than the CX-5, which on my recent test drive made the cabin feel vertically cramped compared to the CX-5. I'm not a big guy either, so that was a strange feeling. Once I lowered the seat significantly the driving position was fine, but I also found both the A-pillar and rear view mirror blocked my view at times. The CX50 was more fun to drive, but harsher day-to-day. Frankly it felt cheaper inside as well - more plastics and dead space on the dash. My partner said it felt like the car for "Dads who have to give up their sports car", and honestly the more I thought about that the more sense it made. CX50 is a really nicely-handling sedan that is also trying to be a family hauler, and an off-roader, and stylish. And it's doing all that stuff pretty decently, so kudos there. But the CX-5 is more comfy, has a nicer interior IMO, has good sightlines, and is STILL very very good to drive. Hope that helps! 😁
We just purchased a 2023 CS-5 Signature Edition....the one with all the bells and whistles, including ventilated seats and a 360 degree cameral. These are both features we truly love. Even though it's brand new, I am beating the EPA estimated mileage figures. We find your review to be "spot on" with respect to interior quality, exterior styling, and value. We also respect and generally agree with your comments regarding things that could be improved. Ours has the 2.5 turbo, and we find the power to be more than adequate, and the handling characteristics are outstanding. I am a committed car guy. I am currently 80 years old, and since a sophomore in college, I've owned over 150 different vehicles. I would definitely place the CX-5 in my top three. I thought your review was objective, truthful and very well done.
@@saylorgirl799, I think it was about the firmness. I think, soft seats may get too soft over time. The seats in CX-5 vary between the trims, so you need to pick the trim (basically the engine and the price level) and test the specific seats in person.
I'm a Mazda technician and would just like to say that you did a great job with this video, but regarding the infotainment system, your local Mazda dealer can update the MZD software for you, as well as every other computer system in the vehicle. Mazda's software has come a long way since 2017, they have ironed out a lot of bugs and made many improvements, including the slow and unresponsive concern you have. In terms of safety, the FSC (forward sensing camera) and radar systems as well as blind spot monitoring systems can all be updated. Every even service has an MMDS update on the job card, normally dealerships only update the PCM and TCM (powertrain control module and transmission control module) unless there is concern otherwise, but you can request that you want all computer systems updated just to be sure they are all checked. Updates such as the PCM and TCM have the ability to improve efficiency, so there you go :)
@@User-q6x3bThe change oil interval is also user settable and can be set to 1 year 7500 miles ,for $50 I have the dealership change my oil and they set it to the low numbers so I just reset it again when I pick it up . You can also ask them to set it to the higher numbers when you drop it off,I should mention that if you always drive with a lead foot the oil life monitor will trigger the wrench early .
Almost all reviews are for new cars. I like seeing long-term owner reviews such as this. Anything will look or seem nice fresh from the showroom, but how it holds up after two or three years truly tells the story.
Definitely Subaru Outback was on my list-but this is in 2024 I’m talking about. It came down to price-Outback in one of the good trims is about $9,000 more than CX-5. Not Grand Touring as is this guy’s, but Cx-5 S Select (one up from the base Sport
Wow, I loved this video. I bought a 2020 Mazda cx-5 yesterday, so when I read the title, I was scared. But everything you said gave me a great sense of relief. I'm loving this car. But I particularly liked how you reviewed it. You're an excellent speaker; no ums or uhs. You get right to the point and keep personal information interesting and limited. Few people are able to do this. Your review was organized and planned out. It sounds like I'm reviewing your review, but I'm a retired English teacher, so I felt strongly that I should tell you what a good job you did. Thank you!
yeah well um no one like cares? ah that you be a retire english teecher, on account of because all my england teachas where so dumb they gave streight A's to myself
No car is perfect, no matter how much it costs. But if you want an SUV that is fun to drive, totally dependable, and easy on gas, the CX-5 fits the bill.
I own two Mazda CX-5’s. A 2015 and 2016. Both cars have been flawless and 100% reliable. 120k on my 2015 and 158k on my 2016. They both still run, shift and handle like new. The only maintenance items done for both cars include tires, oil changes, air filters and brake pads. Nothing else whatsoever. Mazda cars are built in Japan and they have excellent quality and engineering compared to other cars. They can easily last several hundred thousand miles with proper care and maintenance. The automatic transmission in these cars is excellent and has superior longevity hand down. Mazda engineers designed it with reliability and drivability in mind and it shows. No regrets here.
I have a 2014 CX-5 Diesel Auto, I really like it. Had a few unusual mechanical faults early on, but no plans to replace it just yet. I bought it used so the previous problems might be attributable to that. 1) First year of ownership, service by main Mazda dealer identified a problem with the auto gearbox, they elected to replace it under warranty; it's been fine since. That was very surprising, low mileage around 25k miles. 2) Drop link on front suspension worn/rattle, again a surprise at only around 30k miles. I had them replaced on both sides. The Main dealer has been very good and I am pleased that Mazda are pro-active with various recalls. The car had already undergone a recall for engine idle speed, then I had to put it with the Mazda dealer for the rear door dampers.
My 2018 CX-5 has given me zero problems in 40,000 miles. Amazing SUV! I really enjoyed driving it recently from S.F. to Palm Springs. Quick enough .... really quiet interior... plus beautiful design. Zoom Zoom Zoom!! 🚘
@@bob-o9865 Drive a CX-50 before you choose between either. The perks of the RAV4 are that it's more disconnected from the road & has lighter steering. The perks of the CX-50 is that it feels very connected to the road, very heavy & precise steering, but are still comfortable. I find interior quality on the Mazdas to be much nicer, and can't stand the Toyota infotainment. I have about 1000 miles behind the wheel of a fully-loaded Venza, and 7500 miles on a CX-50. Additionally, I find the adaptive cruise control to be more reactive on the Mazda, but it also doesn't have active lane centering like the Toyotas do. Overall, the CX-50 is the right vehicle for me, but if i'm driving very long distance in a rental car, I find the Venza to be a very comfortable cruiser. I find the RAV4 to be similar in tuning, but just quieter and more plush.
In my opinion you just beat each and every car reviewer. You're an actual owner of the CX5 and therefore you got to know it very well after several years of living with it. You covered everything and are eloquent and your presentation is clear, concise and easy to understand and remember. I read a lot of reviews of different vehicles and yours to me is the best I've come accross. If i were to go to a Mazda showrrom I'd keep everythijng you said about the CX5 without the need for note taking prior to actually looking at it.
Great review. We retired at 70 in 2015 and we decided on the Mazda CX5 SUV as our 'retirement' car. 7 years on and we still love it. A smaller car would have been harder to get in and out of as we age. It's easy and comfortable driving and we love the screen for reversing. It's made backing so much simpler for us. It also tows our little 11ft caravan easily. We have the mid blue colour. We live in Australia and cars have doubled in price recently, otherwise we would definitely purchase a 2022 model, however we take good care of it and in 7 years have travelled many KMs without any mechanical issues and it still looks fabulous. Thanks for the great review.
I fully agree with you. I am from South Africa and bought a pre owned (as we call it here ) 2016 Mazda CX 5 model. Great car and easy to climb in and out of. I am 70 years old.
I've owned Mazda SUV since 2002. Last year I bought a new 2019 CX-5 Touring. For the price, I wouldn't change a thing. I would buy another on in a heart beat!
I stumbled upon this review just one month after buying a 2024 CX-5, looking for youtube videos on the infotainment system. We were finally moving on from our 2001 Honda CR-V, a wonderful vehicle. We looked at the RAV4 (I am 6' tall and my head hit the sealing when I was in the passenger seat. We looked at the Subaru Forester, which gets the best Consumer Reports review. We didn't like the salesperson. We looked at the Honda CR-V, but it just was not our beloved 2001 Honda. Finally we looked at the CX-5. With hearing issues at our senior age, the acoustic glass that reduced road noise was the best-selling point of the Mazda. We can one another when we are driving. Next was the sound system. Music and talk were super clear, again for us old drivers with hearing aids! Finally, the CX-5 just feels fun to drive. I think the positives you mentioned the video, still hold true.
I just bought the 23 CX50 after having owned 7 consecutive Hondas. I bought it for many of the same reasons that you cited for buying your CX5. I've only had it a week, but have driven about 800 miles, most of that on the steep, winding roads in the Adirondacks near lake placid, and some highway driving as well. I am not disappointed in the least. The car I traded in was a 2011 Accord with the 3.5 liter V6 which was made for driving. This CX50 actually comes about as close as an SUV possibly could. With the advantage of the versatility the SUV offers. I really miss the horsepower and torque of the big Honda engine, but the naturally aspirated Mazda with the 6 speed transmission doesn't feel like a dog, and still loads of fun to drive. I'm sure I'll have this vehicle for a long time
I do uber driving in my CX9 and a lot of people comment that its a very nice car, a lot think its a AUDI i am not going to lie , its probably the best car i have ever owned...If you are thinking about buying a Mazda ..just do it
Thanks so much for this review! There's a huge difference between the pros that test a car for a week and the actual owners who have been driving it for years. Yours was exactly the kind of video I wanted to see.
Have a question- how good the car keeps the global form during the years- the body paint - rust protection .Second question goes to the oil consumption between the oil changes...Would buy a CX9
I bought a 2021 Mazda CX-5 two months ago and my impressions of the car are spot on with your long-term review. This video gave me peace of mind to know that my initial reaction is in line with what I can expect in the future.
@@altima119487 I really love it! Handles well and has plenty of power for a larger vehicle with a four-cylinder engine. It feels solid and substantial while being nimble. It's also the quietest car I've ever owned.
I bought my first Mazda in 1990. It was my first of 4. I typically hold onto them for 8-10 years. My current Mazda is the 2016 CX5 Touring. I also have the 2 toned parchment leather. I love it. All my Mazdas have been super reliable and worry free.
Refreshing to have someone that is not a sales person explaining features and benefits of this vehicle. Really appreciate the review and real experiences. Great job!
Loved your point about Mazda being a smaller company, still focused on driving dynamics, and not putting a CVT into everything. I'm a Subaru owner and tired of the excessive oil consumption and costly CVT repairs. The CX-5 will likely be its replacement. Thanks!
They use them to meet the ridiculous government mileage requirements. Not only do they suck all the fun out of driving but they are not proven technology. CVTs have only been around 10-15 years compared to auto transmissions which have been available for 70+years.
@@richardrose2606 LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO "TeN tO fIfTeEn YeArs" The CVT was invented in 1879 and has gone into numerous cars for over a hundred years. It does, in fact, predate the geared automatic transmission and the torque converter as a concept. Honda's been using them since 1995 (35 years), Mitsubishi since 1980 (42 years), Mercedes since the late 1800's, etc. etc.
This was one of the best reviews I've seen on this vehicle. Full disclosure: I bought a 2020 Mazda CX-5, Turbo, Signature edition. I absolutely love the vehicle, and for that increase in cost the vehicle improvement is so worth it - especially the turbo engine paired with AWD. I think your review is incredibly accurate when pointing out the areas for improvement. Even on the 2020 model, those exact same opportunities exist (infotainment improvement, very slightly less space than others, and very sensitive collision avoidance) - but they are not enough to dissuade me from the vehicle. Compliments on the review, nice job done.
Thanks so much for your comment! I'm currently considering the 2021 CX-5, Turbo, Signature edition. I was a bit concerned about the miles per gallon because even without the turbo is lower than I've had in the past. But I've been really leaning toward the thought that the extra cost (of the Sig w Turbo) and reduced miles per gallon are well worth it for the awesome leather, turbo, and extra amenities. Again, thanks so much for your comment!!
@@laurie9437 So far I get about 21 MPG around town (and that's in Florida, that land of traffic signals. FDOT loves traffic signals!). I get about 25 on the highway. The difference in performance with the turbo engine will convince you that the vehicle has a moderate-sized 6-cylinder engine in it. The turbo is actually quite fast to kick in, but there is a noticeable (although mild) lurch when you go from a complete stop to a moderate gas-pedal-push. I don't mind it, but it is different from a non-turbo engine. As for the amenities, yeah - I think they're worth it. In fact, I compared this to the BMW (comparable model) and even with their added packages it didn't even come close to the features in the CX-5 Sig. Dollar-for-Dollar, if you are looking for something with a nod to "luxury" I feel it is a great value. I never gave Mazda a second look before, and this is my first. I am quite impressed. Good luck with your choice, I hope you get exactly what you want.
I own a 2016 Mazda 3 and love it. I usually go for smaller cars for handling and nimbleness. I got to drive a 2017 CX-5 and was expecting a lot of body roll and a more heavy boat-like feel, but was instead blown away by how similar it felt to the Mazda 3. Mazda products continue to impress me.
We went from a 2014 Mazda 6 to a 2016.5 CX5 and I was also expecting a big downgrade in ride and handling but the ride is MUCH better than our 6 was and the handling is not as good but certainly not bad for an SUV
I have the exact same vehicle. My only gripe is that if you don't upgrade to the premium paints with Mazda, their finish is absolute trash. A speck of sand will give me a scratch. I had two nicks on my hood after only a few days of driving. Other than that? Absolutely wonderful vehicle. 3 years later and it still drives like a new car.
Thank you! Awesome review. I purchased a new 2018 CX-5 (2.5 liter, non-turbo). All in all, very happy with this SUV. This is the first Mazda I've owned and in two years, I have not needed a single repair-that in itself is very impressive! And I agree, it's the best looking of the pack (CRV, RAV-4). I concur with many of your positive comments. The review was very professional, no BS.
Just got this vehicle last week. The drive feel is ELITE. I agree how complicated the entertainment system is but the sound is really good and it does feel like a luxury car inside.
I currently own a new Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, and a Toyota Tundra. I also own several motorcycles like you. Over the years, nearly all my vehicles have been high-end, exception being my CX-5. I can say to this day, I enjoyed my CX-5 the most. Not just for the ride and styling (which is excellent in my opinion), but for the dealership support that, hands down, beat all other manufacturers. Good choice and great video. Thank you. Matthew
I had a 2015 Mazda 3 GT with the tech package. It was flawless in the 5 1/2 years o owned it. I did the research and bought a 2020 CX-5 Signature with the Turbo. After 2 months I can say it is my all time favorite vehicle. 310 pounds feet of torque makes it a pleasure to drive and it handles even better than my Mazda 3. I had owned a 2012 Honda CRV for 3 years and absolutely hated the way that vehicle handled, going into a corner on a reverse banked road, it had body roll that made you feel the car was going to roll. If you are looking for a vehicle with the benefits of a crossover and the handling of of a sedan, do yourself a favor and test drive a Mazda CX-5. Nothing is perfect and the only complaint I have on my CX-5 is the slow start up on the infotainment system. This is a great review, very accurate in detail.
I have a 2016 cx5 2.5l we bought new 8n the same red. Still have the car have just done 100,000 kms. This is a great car. The back seats all go down to create much more room when we needed it. Had no problems after almost 6 years.
Also a 2017 owner, basically everything in the video is spot on, especially the blind spot monitoring sensitivity. One of the only things I still kind of lament that I felt it was missing compared to competitors was that many have an option for a panoramic sunroof while the CX-5 does not. The amount of extra sunlight a big ceiling window provides really makes a car feel so much more spacious all else being equal, but it's not enough to beat out all the other factors in Mazda's favor.
Good review. I have a 2014 Mazda CX-5 that just hit 150,000 miles. I have loved the car. It's probably been one of the most worry-free vehicles I have owned. I have had zero issues with it other than when the serpentine belt broke on it and had to be changed, but belts are just a part of regular maintenance. I think Mazda is a great car company.
@@johnw9245drain and fill, that supposed “lifetime” FZ transmission fluid too, I did mine at 30k miles and brown liquid came out, when new fluid is light blue in color.
Own a 2019 CX-5 Grand and I can't imagine buying any other vehicle. I did a lot of research and test drives, this vehicle is definitely the best buy for its buck. In terms of reliability, it seems to stand up well with Honda and Toyota. The features can't be beat and the styling is in a class of its own. I now understand why Mazda owners are radical about the company and it's cars.
Hey, Dan....just FYI, the word "it's" is a contraction of "it is". This being said, you are using it incorrectly above. The correct word here is "its", without the apostrophe. You're welcome. :-)
This is the part I'm going to start with first, when showing this review to my wife. I, too, am the one who "changes cars like underwear" in our household.
I'm here in 2023, I purchased a 2023 non turbo Mazda CX 5 in July 2023, I also have the soul red crystal, so far I luv the mazda😊. Thank you for the review.😊
We just got a lease return 2018 CX5 touring a few weeks ago. Only had 12k miles on it. A kid in a grocery store parking lot let go of his shopping cart loaded down with water bottles and it rammed the rear bumper cracking and denting it. I almost cried. It’s in the shop now. 😢. We do love it though!
Leased a 2016.5 Cx5. Yes, half year model before body redesign. Many options to finish the run. Like it so much...bought it out. It's a keeper in a world of throw aways. Former Jeep guy here and can say...my CX5 is just as good..if not better in snow. Great drive, mileage, comfort. One can't go wrong with the CX5!
Great review. I can't afford a new car so I bought a first year 2013 CX-5 Touring with 98,000 miles for $10,500 about 2 years ago. It has the upgraded Tech package with AWD. No problems so far. It's an awesome compact SUV and I really like driving it. Easy maintenance, good gas mileage, and great driving dynamics. Not as nice as the new ones but I'm very happy with it.👍
Great video. For not being a sponsored RUclips reviewer I got most everything I wanted to know about the CX 5. I’ve been thinking hard about buying one and your honest review was great and very helpful.Thanks.
As the owner of a 2015 CX-5 Grand Touring, I'm impressed with how Mazda looks to have kept/improved every good aspect of the Gen 1 CX-5 while fixing any issues I could come up with. Definitely looking at a Gen 2 CX-5 in my future (in Soul Red Crystal might I add)
Complete deadpan sense of humour. Hilarious! Love your attitude to Mazda who are not a small company all around the world. We've had ours for 46 years. Very comprehensive review with good delivery. Love to see you review ANY other car. You do have OCD. Your car is gorgeous and looks like new!
We just bought a used 2019 Mazda CX-5 Touring yesterday for our daughter. After watching your video today, I am reassured that we made the right decision. Thanks so much for the review!
Such a refreshing contrast from mainstream journalistic reviews; has strengthened my confidence in buying this model. Truly impressed with your down-to-earth delivery, look forward to more reviews, excellent, well done ❤
We have 217k miles on our 2015 cx-9 with its original transmission still. We are strict with our upkeep though. We only use Amsoil or Redline for engine and ATF, and replace transmission fluid every 35k miles. We get our coolant done every 2 years (FL-22) together with the fuel system service from Valvoline (it is like a glorified seafoam treatment). After COVID, we are planning on a another cx-9 or cx-5. Can't go wrong with Mazda nowadays.
Thank God there's someone that drives as much as I do. I'm at 96K on my 3 year old Mazda 3. Do you do the oil changes yourself! I took it to the dealership so as not to void the warranty but I'm outside if that and hear good things about Amsoil and Royal Purple.
Thank you for a great honest video. I actually just purchased a New CX-5 Signature with the Turbo engine. I absolutely love this vehicle. First time buying a Mazda. I’ve been a Toyota customer for over 25 years but did not like the RAV4 as I found it was noisy and nowhere near the quality of Mazda CX-5. Great price, lots of features over and above the competition and tons of power with the turbo engine. Always great to get an honest opinion, good and bad, from an actual owner of the vehicle.
Sitting right below you in my 19 GT Reserve, best damn car I've ever owned. Turbo makes a ton of power, but with the big torque figure you can manage good fuel efficiency too. Just gotta keep my foot off the fun pedal! Only complaint, and you can see it here... The hatch reaches wayyyy too high. Had to calibrate the height so I don't hit my garage door when they're both open. Didn't have that problem in my cx-7 although they're identical in size. Simply the shape of the roofline and hinge placement.
I also have a 2019 cx 5 here in the philippines.Happy owner here and satisfied,the power and the luxury is quite amazing,its like driving a premium and expensive car..the looks is nice,very sporty.
@@joshcarlson9352 Just got my 2021 GTR and seems the mpg is killing. I am currently getting 19 mpg as per the Mazda Fuel Info in the display. The odometer is at 400 miles now. Would you please let me know how is the mileage on your GTR or any suggestions to improve?
I bought the 2022 CX-5 AWD Turbo, with heated and cooled seats (live in Florida) absolutely love it. I traded in a 2011 BMW X5 with the sport package. It's just fun to drive, with the Sport/Normal/Off Road settings, Sport is my favorite. Quick, firm and very responsive. I drove the Rav4, CR-V, Rogue, F Pace and E Pace. This just reminded of my BMW without the extra $30,000 and the outrageous maintenance bills.
I’m considering buying a cx-5, which I’m sure is why this video was recommended to me (thanks FBI agent), and got a little hesitant when I read the title. This gave me a little more confidence in my choice.
I have been a HONDA driver for many many years.... just bought my first MAZDA, the CX-5. I originally bought the car based strictly on the stunning color (red... same as yours) and now I am *staying* with the car for the rest of its wonderfulness!
I am not advising this, but since the system is linux based, you can hack it and make the touchscreen work all the time. look it up on the mazda forums
You better keep some spare head gaskets handy and don’t forget to the clean the intake valves because of the GDI. In addition, watch out for all of the underbody rust.💩👎
@@barackblows1942 Hahahahaha ddue everything you said is just utter garbage lol I had a mazda for 19 years had none of the problems you just pulled out of your ass I got a mazda 3 and a cx-5 none of those problems exist in these vehicles mazda makes awesome reliable longetivity cars You either suck at cars history in general or you don't know wtf your talking about Ima go with the ladder
"I'm irresponsible and I am a bad husband and squandering my child's future" 😂😂🤣 Great delivery on that line. Thanks for sharing this. I am a 2013 Mazda CX-5 owner, and like you, I respect Mazda as a company and what they put out. I've been looking to upgrade to a newer CX-5 and test drove a 2021. They updated the Infosystem and screen. For me, I am attracted to the safety features that come standard and the styling. Always good to get a review after someone has lived with a car for several years. Very informative. Thanks.
excellent review, I am in a similar position here, when i bought my 2019 cx-5 gt (no turbo), the wife had a toddler (from previous marriage) and 5 months ago we welcomed a new addition to the family. The cx5 has been a solid vehicle for our family in our wacky canadian winters. The build quality of a mazda has always been a huge selling point for me (owning 2 mazda 3's previously, i was also biased towards mazda when i was looking for a new vehicle). The only thing that would make me give up my cx5 would be the Mazdaspeed3's coming back. (the 2021 mazda 3 sport w/ turbo doesn't count because its automatic only, lol) Keep up the good work!
That was a very good review. I am driving a CX-5 bi Turbo Diesel AWD for over 2 years now (2018 model Japanese version, 190 hp, 450 nm torque). This thing pulls like a buffalo on steroids and is very reliable and handles much better than that Honda CRV that I had before. The fun of driving is back. I'd buy this Mazda again if I had to.
Love our 2023 CX 5. Bought the warranty, under coating, floor mats and a glass windshield repeat coating procedures. Drive safety features are performing great. Getting 30 m.p.g. Color is the carbon Grey metallic. Had a scary breaking experience. The event a car pulled out in front of us at a T in the highway. I hit the brake and the petal traveled half way. While cruise was on.Brakes did their job to prevent an accident. Did a practice hard brake and the petal responded normally.
My company’s little Mazda 2 had almost 300k miles before we replaced it with a Corolla. My wife’s Mazda 3 Touring hatch cost $18,000 brand new in 2017. Sold it for $15,500 3 years later. Just bought a brand new CX-5 Touring with package for $26,600 with 0% APR. All I could tell is Mazda is on par with Toyota in term of reliability, and it holds its resale value quite well.
I had a mazda. This story is full of rust and blown engines and transmissions on 15 years old car. It never happened to my other car which is 25 years old toyota with 300k miles on it
A lot of people complain about the way the infotainment center works and say it’s complicated. I’ve owned my 2024 for two days and put about 80 miles on it. I found nothing complicated about the infotainment center at all. I adjusted to it quickly. The interior is absolutely first class . It has Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The screen size is fine, in fact I find the latest rage of massive screens obtrusive and clunky. It is very quiet, especially on the highway. We have the “S” package which is the lowest priced trim in the CX 5. It has a ton of standard features and most of what you would want. Finally, I have burned 93 octane fuel in my standard 2.5 liter naturally-aspirated four cylinder and I swear it has more giddy-up-and-go.
This was one of the best car review videos I’ve watched. I’m in the market for a Mazda and this really helped me out!!! Thank you so much!!! Well done sir!!!!
I am one of those that actually crosses over and needs crossovers or suvs. I drive in snow to ski, often on on dirt roads to reach fly fishing, mt biking and camping and otherwise am driving on a parkway needing acceleration and some reasonably nice styling. I definitely need some space to carry gear and need awd plus some clearance. So, I have owned Jeep Grand Cherokees, Explorers, Audi Allroad (the real one), Sequoia, outback and 2 Audi Q5s. I loved those! I also run around in a Rubicon and sometimes a buddy’s old Willy’s. Got a CX-5 2 yrs ago. Commuted in it PA to CT every week for 18 mos. Needed lower operational costs and was hammering so many miles I bought one with 41k miles. I miss NOTHING about the Q5 which I loved and raved about and I am 50k miles into this car at 92k total. Plus I am saving tons of cash on fuel ( 87 oct) vs premium. Has to be 85% cargo of Q5. Keep reading up on this car. It is highly regarded! Gonna give mine to my 16 yr old and upgrade for another one. All true folks. Please don’t buy one until I get the one I need!!!!
It's 2022. Bought a used 2019 CX-5. Liking it so far. Everything in your video is accurate. MUCH better mileage than our 4Runner or Xterra. Interior, ride, technology and more very nice. A little too smooth and quiet - sometimes I look down and see I'm 10 or 15 over the speed limit - but that's not really a bad problem, is it? Got the white seats like you - my wife constantly complains because she knows what a big slob I am. I did very extensive research and chose it over the CRV, RAV4, and Rogue. I'm happy with my choice.
Bought a used 2017 CX-5 in April 2020 with 34,500 miles. I love it! Prior to buying anything, I perused Consumer Reports, Edmunds, etc and compared all the spec's on CX-5's, CR-Vs, HR-Vs, RAV-4s, etc. Did this for about 6 months. Also, surveyed Carvana, Carmax, AutoNation, etc for a "GREAT DEAL". Came down to my experience with Mazdas. Wife had a 2006 Mazda Tribute which she put a ton of miles on without any issues. She traded that in on a new 2016 CX-5 and now has 150K miles on it. (We took it everywhere!) and have not had any trouble with it. When my 2017 CX-5 came on the market, price was right and I paid cash for it!
Great review. I love my 2020 CX-5 AWD. I'm a 27 years old single male and some friends made fun of me when I got it instead of a sports car saying I got a “dads/moms car”, but I like going to the mountains and long road trips. The adaptive cruise control is also awesome. I have no regrets at all. What an amazing car!
Jeff Morse yep! I agree. But there seems to be this idea that these cars are “dads cars” or “moms cars” and if you’re male, young and single you should own something else lol. I don’t care though. I’m super happy with it! 😃🤙🏼
Danilo Prado I have not gotten that idea from anyone I know. Those who have commented really like it’s more aggressive non boxy SUV styling. So as you said, ‘don’t care’. You know how good a vehicle you have along with you me other Mazda CX-5 drivers/owners
Thank you. This was so helpful. I have been driving Lexus RX 350, (getting a new one every 2 years), for probably 20 years and want to make a change to something smaller and less expensive. It seems the CX5 has everything I need and i see from my research that it will pretty much match up to my Lexus RX.
Nice review. We also have a 2017 CX-5, but the base FWD "Sport" model. I bought the car in January 2018 and while I love the styling the value was what I really couldn't beat. It was cheaper than a Ford or Chevy in the same class. Also Mazda seems pretty generous with what they consider a "base" model. I don't have that lovely leather, but I love the super utilitarian fabric that they use. I have a 5 year old and a dog and most gunk just wipes right off. Liquid will bead up on it as well. As far as I can see from the video I think the seats are the only difference between the trim levels in the interior styling. We live in Texas so I don't need heated seats and stuff anyway. The main things you don't get are the tech features like blind spot warning and adaptive cruise. Most importantly, the Sport model has the same powertrain as the higher trim levels. I feel like the car has plenty of power. I was driving a 4 cylinder before this, so that may color my experience. The 6 speed is nice. I didn't want a CVT and having the manual mode is a plus. I really like the feature that forces the transmission to downshift if you floor it. On a road trip over the summer I went to pass on the interstate going like 80 and car downshifted and picked right up. Judging by the RPMs it still had a good bit to give. For a Dad car I feel like I could have done much worse. We really like our CX-5.
I just purchased a 2020 CX5 GT a few months ago and I'm glad I came across this review to know that it's been reliable for you, even if it's only been 2 years that's encouraging. I went with the CX5 for the same reasons you did. I find that it was the nicest looking (as you said that's very subjective, but I think it's the best looking compact cuv). The interior quality is just amazing -it feels like an entry level luxury vehicle. The features are great as you say. I also love the adaptive cruiser control, best thing since sliced bread. The automatic high beams, heads up display also very cool. It's also one of the last cuv's in its class with a regular automatic transmission (I also didn't want a CVT as my experience with them hasn't been good. I find when you need power they don't deliver it very well).
Great review, my wife and I just bought a '23 CX5 GS w/comfort pack here in Canada for her primary car. We test drove RAV4, CRV, Tucson and had an Eclipse Cross rental for a couple of weeks, CX5 was the most fun, best interior quality and best safety features standard. Plus best safety rating, only car to get a "good" score on the new t-bone test they are doing.
Thanks, for the video and review. In Dec 2018, I bought a 2019 CX-5 Signature w/ the turbo to replace my 2007 Mazda 6i 5-door. I and my family have owned several Mazdas over the last 18-20 years and have been very happy with the brand and they have been very reliable. My CX-5 now has 27,000 trouble free miles and I'm very happy with it. Love the design, the adaptive cruise, 360 camera and parking sensors, cooled seats and the extra turbo power will still using regular gas when I need it. I live in the Detroit metro area and have taken several long trips to Boone NC. I am averaging 22-24 MPG in the city and 28-30 MPG on the Interstate. My only compliant is that the Dark Brown leather is too dark and should be a little lighter in color. Also, I regret that that with the turbo, I can't change the plugs myself, like I could with my old car and my wife's 2015 CX-5, because of additional items added on top of and blocking access to the plugs due to the turbo engine.
Excellent review. I also bought a 2017 Mazda CX5 off the showroom floor. I purchased it with an upgrade packaged for a modest price increase that included a moon roof, nicer wheels and upgraded sound system. I declined to pay the surcharge for the red paint and regret that decision, though the car is a lovely blue color. Lastly, call me old-school, but I regret that newer cars, including this one, don't have CD players in the dash.
The reason people are liking this review over any other reviews by so called 'professional reviews' is due to the fact that it is informative and full of substance. He did not spend 20 minutes using catchy, attractive or filler words/phrases. Straight to the point.
I bought one of these in 2019 for my son to drive and he loves it. It actually was a lease vehicle with only 600 miles on it so we got it for about 6K off of list value which we thought was a steal. My wife drives it when he is not in college and I think she has put on about 30K miles so far with him and it is going strong. I have 2017 Subaru Outback and it is great too but my care was substantially higher in price since I opted for the boxer 6 engine. Even so, the Mazda gets great pick up and gas mileage. The only complaint is that the gas tank is smallish but that is OK since we are mostly driving in town.
I ended up in a 2019 CX-5 for many of the reasons you talked about. I never realized how much I hated the "feel" of driving a car with CVT until I had a rental that that a conventional transmission. Unfortunately, that limited my car choices a lot. I've been driving it for about 10 months now, no regrets with my decision. I went with the GTR trim with the turbo engine. By far the nicest and most fun to drive car I've ever owned. My *only* complaint is that I wish I got better gas mileage, but that's on me...and not Mazda! I also have to say, I'm not a fan of red cars but the red Mazda uses on this car looks fantastic, especially under sunlight.
Fortunately or unfortunately this car is so much fun to drive that you can’t help but keep your foot in it. However on long distance road trips I’ve gotten up to 29 miles per gallon.
Mazda has definitely upped their game a lot in terms of the interior quality and paintwork. In fact, I would say that, for the money, Mazda probably offers the best interior quality. And I write this as a Toyota guy. One thing I would add though is that although you mentioned that Mazda is a small independent car company, it has developed a *very* close relationship with Toyota. In fact, both companies are building a joint manufacturing facility in Alabama.
Correct. Scotty Kilmer has confirmed that on his RUclips channel. If you know ANYTHING about him other than his crazy hand waving its that he's a TOYOTA guy. He recently made big kudos to the 2017 Mazda without turbo. With recent recall of late model Toyotas/Lexus for fuel pump issue and this AWESOME review, I'm hoping to test drive the CX-5 this week! Loved your video. Very professional.
Mazda( like the one in the video) used to be Fords with tempting driving dynamics. Ford sold off all of their stake due to the recession and the desire to enter the Chinese market. So that's why a change occured. Since they are small, they always need a bigger company to help with production, hence going to Toyota after Ford left.
Mazda is starting to look better to me without the CVT and turbo they seem to be a down to earth company that I would buy they seem to listen to what people want 😊
You sir, deserve an Automatic thumbs up for a car review that's not dry and long-winded, is infused with the right amount of humor and covers everything a potential buyer wants to know. That baby of yours is cute as a button too. :) Nice work!
This is one of the best car reviews videos I've seen on RUclips. Honest, straight and to the point appraisal of your real life experience with the car. And no annoying graphics or music. Very well done.
Thanks for the review. I pulled the trigger and bought a 2021 CX-5. After test driving the CX-5, CRV and RAV4 the CX-5 was better hands down. RAV4 was awful wind noise at highway speeds, had a lot of squeaks and rattles and the engine noise in cabin was loud. CRV was nice but too top heavy for me and didn’t handle good. My wife drives a RX 350 and prefer taking the Mazda when we go out. It’s just fun to drive. Great build quality. And it’s still built in Japan.
Thank you for the review. I just bought a 2017 Grand Touring AWD. It had 21,000 miles. I love it! I had a 2009 Mazda 5 Grand Touring. It was a great car, but time for a change. I think I need to get those mats you mentioned. I agree with the super sensitive lane change assist. It beeps and lights up, even though you have plenty of room to change. Love the rims. I’m so happy I got this car. :D
We have a Mazda CX-5 2013 model!!! Done 117000km, bought brand new! Still going smooth! No issues at all! Really happy 😊!!! We even tow our camper trailer (black series Alpha) Really Happy overall!
What's funny is I never would have considered a CX-9 until I got one as a loner car. Boy was I impressed with it. It drove almost like the cx-5 does but with more refinement and that turbo skyactive engine is something else. It's got plenty of torque excellent throttle response and still gets good fuel economy. Driving wise it doesn't feel at all like a big suv in the least. The seats are also like a couch haha. But they're very supportive.
@@mnawaz76 Yeah that's a downside with allot of SUV's like this unfortunately. You'd need something with a full frame to get the cargo room and seating capacity.
@@lightsfansofthewest481 that was the early cars. Also any car today will rust quicker then cars from the past if you haven't noticed. The metals they're being made of isn't of the same quality as in years past. As for transmission problems they're fine.
My 2019 is my 3rd CX5.I had the Soul red metallic but that one only lasted 2 months as I was cut off by another driver and I can attest to all the safety features that helped me walk away. The crumple zone, air bags with dual stage deployment and reinforced cabin all worked to design.Even though the front and even engine was crooked the inside cabin completely held up. Soul red only complaint was it looked pink from inside on certain way sun hit it. I went back to deep blue for my replacement vehicle. Cylinder deactivation really helps gas mileage if you are just taking your time. In snow AWD system is ok as long as you shut off traction control for deeper snow. Handling, fit and finish, look of the CX5 and reliability as well as safety is what keeps me returning to Mazda. They are fun to drive. My Lady owns a same year Rav 4 and it is kinda boring in the handling department.Good job on your video. I agree with most of your points.
Paul Gallant I had a 2018 Soul Red which was totaled 6 months after purchasing by a stupid 18 year old who didn’t know traffic laws. The front was totally demolished but as you stated the inside was completely untouched. Even the cop couldn’t believe I wasn’t leaving in an ambulance. I immediately got a 2019 in Snowflake Pearl and love it. I’m a Mazda fan for life!
Such a great review. Bought a CX5 Signature about 6 months ago and I absolutely love it. Can't wait to test out the AWD system in our nasty Omaha winters.
I am in northern Ontario Canada we get walloped every winter and I have been doing a lot of research about this vehicle, how has it held up in your nasty snow storms?
I just purchased the 2021. Grand Touring in the soul red just like yours, I absolutely love it! The new 10 and 1/2 in screen is crystal clear! And at first I wasn't really a fan of the non-touch screen, but not that I'm used to it I like it a lot! I came out of a 2018 Subaru Impreza so this was definitely a step up in luxury!
Ian, you have a good communication style that we like! We own the CX5 Turbo. We had been toying between the CX5 & CX9. We finally settled on the CX5 turbo in Soul Red. We absolutely love the way this SUV handled compared to the competitors that you mentioned. Love the way it carves you mountain roads. The areas for improvement would be a 2 Gallon increase for the turbo version ( we get almost 29mpg highway ) Better ( speedier Mazda connect interface) A bit more rear seat room without compromising cargo room! Other than that Ian your review is pretty much how we see it!
One of the best reviews for a car I've ever seen, and one of the only ones that actually relate to real-life examples. My girlfriend is planning on buying an SUV probably in this same class and this one is at the top of her list; I myself am leaning towards getting the Mazda3. Great video!
Great honest and thorough review! We bought a new 2019 in May of that year, my first ever new car at age 53. It is just now about to hit 20k miles. I live 5 minutes from work and I'm the main driver, husband only drives it on trips. He's a truck guy, lol. When we started shopping around, I bought an online, one month subscription to Consumer Reports. I did ALL the research, including free information from other websites and RUclips videos as well. After researching for about a week online (after work and on weekends, because that's what I do on a big purchase, everyone should) I decided I wanted to take a test drive with the CX-5 first. Well, we didn't go to any other dealerships, we were hooked! My husband pays more attention to "fit and finish" than I do, and he was very impressed with the interior. We did get the Touring edition (which is called something different now), which is basically a step above...basic. 😆 But Mazda labels a lot of things as standard that other cars don't. I wanted the Touring edition pretty much for one reason: the Bose stereo system. I also wanted a sunroof (which I never use, we live in the lower Midwest and it's either stifling hot and disgustingly humid 🥵 or cold 🥶). I love the way this car handles. It has a system on it that is patented; when you make turns there's very little "lean." I'd say for a woman, I'm a fairly aggressive driver. You can definitely feel this in my car vs. being a passenger or driver in others. It's pretty amazing. Downsides: I don't care for the 7" infotainment system screen, even with Android Auto. It just seems way behind any other. Like it was made in 2009 instead of 2019. Many have complained about the button/dial system but personally I love it. I feel like I can use it safely while driving, no taking my eyes off the road...that is what it will allow me to use while driving. Love the bells and whistles, like the cruise control system, the lane change warning, etc. We got ours in white (specific name?) It really stands out in the sun! Also like the "sport" mode for passing. Yeah it ups your rpms, but I don't mess around when passing. It's the easiest car I've ever had to handwash also. And we have LOTS of bugs this time of year. I apologize for this being so long, but wanted to give details. Oh, by the way, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the interior of yours, wow! Gorgeous! 😍
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Great video..very informative. Thank you
Great video, I love my 2023 CX-5. Killer car
Congratulations on your child
Do you still have the Mazda? Any update?
I realize that this is an older review, but it is still just as relevant. I will be getting a new car for my wife around Memorial Day. This review is part of why I am leaning heavily to a 2024 CX 5. I doubt you still check on this post any more, but on the off chance that you do, thank you very much for taking the time and putting in the effort to post this.
You should look at the CX-50 in 2024, if you’re looking at the CX-5 again. There are small details in the new designs that I miss when I went with 2023 CX-5. Best luck to to & wife no matter which cars you choose. Be safe & have fun equally!
My sentiments exactly. I really appreciate real-world user reviews, rather than reviews by some journalist who drove the car for maybe two weeks before pronouncing it good or bad.
No, just a bit of redundancy in their lineup. It's a bigger version of the CX-30 and based on that platform as well. The CX50 is noticeably bigger, both in cargo space and being 6 inches longer overall than the CX-5. It's a lower roofline but still has more ground clearance than the CX-5, which on my recent test drive made the cabin feel vertically cramped compared to the CX-5. I'm not a big guy either, so that was a strange feeling. Once I lowered the seat significantly the driving position was fine, but I also found both the A-pillar and rear view mirror blocked my view at times. The CX50 was more fun to drive, but harsher day-to-day. Frankly it felt cheaper inside as well - more plastics and dead space on the dash.
My partner said it felt like the car for "Dads who have to give up their sports car", and honestly the more I thought about that the more sense it made. CX50 is a really nicely-handling sedan that is also trying to be a family hauler, and an off-roader, and stylish. And it's doing all that stuff pretty decently, so kudos there. But the CX-5 is more comfy, has a nicer interior IMO, has good sightlines, and is STILL very very good to drive.
Hope that helps! 😁
It is green content
I have 2015 CX 5 this is the best car I’ve ever had with the exception of the Chevy Cruze
Dude........for not being a pro, you did a very nice job, both in clarity of content and production values!
Thanks that means a lot
Seconded... This was indeed refreshing
Absolutely! As good or better than any other car review I've seen
I agree watched few of his videos back to back tonight and subed for the reasons you pointed out.
@@BigRockMoto damn covered all the essential info car reviews seem to miss.
We just purchased a 2023 CS-5 Signature Edition....the one with all the bells and whistles, including ventilated seats and a 360 degree cameral. These are both features we truly love. Even though it's brand new, I am beating the EPA estimated mileage figures. We find your review to be "spot on" with respect to interior quality, exterior styling, and value. We also respect and generally agree with your comments regarding things that could be improved. Ours has the 2.5 turbo, and we find the power to be more than adequate, and the handling characteristics are outstanding. I am a committed car guy. I am currently 80 years old, and since a sophomore in college, I've owned over 150 different vehicles. I would definitely place the CX-5 in my top three. I thought your review was objective, truthful and very well done.
What are your top 2?
Are the seats comfortable? I hear a lot about uncomfortable seats in the Mazda CX models.
@@saylorgirl799, I think it was about the firmness. I think, soft seats may get too soft over time. The seats in CX-5 vary between the trims, so you need to pick the trim (basically the engine and the price level) and test the specific seats in person.
I'm a Mazda technician and would just like to say that you did a great job with this video, but regarding the infotainment system, your local Mazda dealer can update the MZD software for you, as well as every other computer system in the vehicle. Mazda's software has come a long way since 2017, they have ironed out a lot of bugs and made many improvements, including the slow and unresponsive concern you have. In terms of safety, the FSC (forward sensing camera) and radar systems as well as blind spot monitoring systems can all be updated. Every even service has an MMDS update on the job card, normally dealerships only update the PCM and TCM (powertrain control module and transmission control module) unless there is concern otherwise, but you can request that you want all computer systems updated just to be sure they are all checked. Updates such as the PCM and TCM have the ability to improve efficiency, so there you go :)
Thank you
Does this cost money?
Great info to know, thanks!
@@User-q6x3b Just ignore the wrench light or turn it off. Problem solved. Go by what the book says on maintenance.
@@User-q6x3bThe change oil interval is also user settable and can be set to 1 year 7500 miles ,for $50 I have the dealership change my oil and they set it to the low numbers so I just reset it again when I pick it up . You can also ask them to set it to the higher numbers when you drop it off,I should mention that if you always drive with a lead foot the oil life monitor will trigger the wrench early .
Almost all reviews are for new cars. I like seeing long-term owner reviews such as this. Anything will look or seem nice fresh from the showroom, but how it holds up after two or three years truly tells the story.
you can get this from the German TÜV, they do long term reviews every year for different ages of the cars and car types you can find classification
toyota, Mazda, honda are top choice for long term. simple refinement on 10- 20 year designs. corolla cross, rav4 hybrid, cx-30/5
@@22phan And what about Subaru?
Definitely Subaru Outback was on my list-but this is in 2024 I’m talking about. It came down to price-Outback in one of the good trims is about $9,000 more than CX-5. Not Grand Touring as is this guy’s, but Cx-5 S Select (one up from the base Sport
This is better than most “professional” car review channels, right to the point with advice useful for an actual consumer. Super helpful thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Wow, I loved this video. I bought a 2020 Mazda cx-5 yesterday, so when I read the title, I was scared. But everything you said gave me a great sense of relief. I'm loving this car. But I particularly liked how you reviewed it. You're an excellent speaker; no ums or uhs. You get right to the point and keep personal information interesting and limited. Few people are able to do this. Your review was organized and planned out. It sounds like I'm reviewing your review, but I'm a retired English teacher, so I felt strongly that I should tell you what a good job you did. Thank you!
Thank you that means a lot. I am trying to do better in my reviews.
How do you like it so far Katherine? I just bought one for my wife yesterday as she wanted an SUV for winter.
yeah well um no one like cares? ah that you be a retire english teecher, on account of because all my england teachas where so dumb they gave streight A's to myself
@@Knight192 I guess that's just a misplaced... joke??
@@jchi9341 not misplaced.....maybe failed but they can't all be gold
No car is perfect, no matter how much it costs. But if you want an SUV that is fun to drive, totally dependable, and easy on gas, the CX-5 fits the bill.
I own two Mazda CX-5’s. A 2015 and 2016. Both cars have been flawless and 100% reliable. 120k on my 2015 and 158k on my 2016. They both still run, shift and handle like new. The only maintenance items done for both cars include tires, oil changes, air filters and brake pads. Nothing else whatsoever. Mazda cars are built in Japan and they have excellent quality and engineering compared to other cars. They can easily last several hundred thousand miles with proper care and maintenance. The automatic transmission in these cars is excellent and has superior longevity hand down. Mazda engineers designed it with reliability and drivability in mind and it shows. No regrets here.
I have a 2014 CX-5 Diesel Auto, I really like it. Had a few unusual mechanical faults early on, but no plans to replace it just yet. I bought it used so the previous problems might be attributable to that. 1) First year of ownership, service by main Mazda dealer identified a problem with the auto gearbox, they elected to replace it under warranty; it's been fine since. That was very surprising, low mileage around 25k miles. 2) Drop link on front suspension worn/rattle, again a surprise at only around 30k miles. I had them replaced on both sides. The Main dealer has been very good and I am pleased that Mazda are pro-active with various recalls. The car had already undergone a recall for engine idle speed, then I had to put it with the Mazda dealer for the rear door dampers.
My 2018 CX-5 has given me zero problems in 40,000 miles. Amazing SUV! I really enjoyed driving it recently from S.F. to Palm Springs. Quick enough .... really quiet interior... plus beautiful design. Zoom Zoom Zoom!! 🚘
My god. You've driven 3000 miles. Must've been quite a ride. Purchasing my new CX-5 soon
There is a Palm Springs in Southern California about 488 miles from San Francisco.
@@JahRidley oh I see. That’s reasonable the . Thank you for the info 👍🏻
I can’t decide on a RAV4 or Mazda cx5.
@@bob-o9865 Drive a CX-50 before you choose between either. The perks of the RAV4 are that it's more disconnected from the road & has lighter steering. The perks of the CX-50 is that it feels very connected to the road, very heavy & precise steering, but are still comfortable. I find interior quality on the Mazdas to be much nicer, and can't stand the Toyota infotainment. I have about 1000 miles behind the wheel of a fully-loaded Venza, and 7500 miles on a CX-50. Additionally, I find the adaptive cruise control to be more reactive on the Mazda, but it also doesn't have active lane centering like the Toyotas do. Overall, the CX-50 is the right vehicle for me, but if i'm driving very long distance in a rental car, I find the Venza to be a very comfortable cruiser. I find the RAV4 to be similar in tuning, but just quieter and more plush.
In my opinion you just beat each and every car reviewer. You're an actual owner of the CX5 and therefore you got to know it very well after several years of living with it. You covered everything and are eloquent and your presentation is clear, concise and easy to understand and remember. I read a lot of reviews of different vehicles and yours to me is the best I've come accross. If i were to go to a Mazda showrrom I'd keep everythijng you said about the CX5 without the need for note taking prior to actually looking at it.
Great review. We retired at 70 in 2015 and we decided on the Mazda CX5 SUV as our 'retirement' car. 7 years on and we still love it. A smaller car would have been harder to get in and out of as we age. It's easy and comfortable driving and we love the screen for reversing. It's made backing so much simpler for us. It also tows our little 11ft caravan easily. We have the mid blue colour. We live in Australia and cars have doubled in price recently, otherwise we would definitely purchase a 2022 model, however we take good care of it and in 7 years have travelled many KMs without any mechanical issues and it still looks fabulous. Thanks for the great review.
I fully agree with you. I am from South Africa and bought a pre owned (as we call it here ) 2016 Mazda CX 5 model. Great car and easy to climb in and out of. I am 70 years old.
@@jskok3280 hi. We call second hand cars preowned too. There are a lot of SAs over here. Enjoy the CX5. Ours is still going strong.
Thanks for your reply, Pitter. Appreciated.
I've owned Mazda SUV since 2002. Last year I bought a new 2019 CX-5 Touring. For the price, I wouldn't change a thing. I would buy another on in a heart beat!
ME Too!!!
Are the seats comfy? I have a bad back and i've heard mixed reviews.
@lancepritchard9251 the best way is you try it. I have a mazda cx5 2022 and the seats are good for me but for my wife to hard.
I stumbled upon this review just one month after buying a 2024 CX-5, looking for youtube videos on the infotainment system. We were finally moving on from our 2001 Honda CR-V, a wonderful vehicle. We looked at the RAV4 (I am 6' tall and my head hit the sealing when I was in the passenger seat. We looked at the Subaru Forester, which gets the best Consumer Reports review. We didn't like the salesperson. We looked at the Honda CR-V, but it just was not our beloved 2001 Honda. Finally we looked at the CX-5. With hearing issues at our senior age, the acoustic glass that reduced road noise was the best-selling point of the Mazda. We can one another when we are driving. Next was the sound system. Music and talk were super clear, again for us old drivers with hearing aids! Finally, the CX-5 just feels fun to drive. I think the positives you mentioned the video, still hold true.
I am a Senior also and you're right it is great car for a senior.
I just bought the 23 CX50 after having owned 7 consecutive Hondas. I bought it for many of the same reasons that you cited for buying your CX5.
I've only had it a week, but have driven about 800 miles, most of that on the steep, winding roads in the Adirondacks near lake placid, and some highway driving as well.
I am not disappointed in the least.
The car I traded in was a 2011 Accord with the 3.5 liter V6 which was made for driving. This CX50 actually comes about as close as an SUV possibly could. With the advantage of the versatility the SUV offers. I really miss the horsepower and torque of the big Honda engine, but the naturally aspirated Mazda with the 6 speed transmission doesn't feel like a dog, and still loads of fun to drive. I'm sure I'll have this vehicle for a long time
I do uber driving in my CX9 and a lot of people comment that its a very nice car, a lot think its a AUDI i am not going to lie , its probably the best car i have ever owned...If you are thinking about buying a Mazda ..just do it
Thanks so much for this review! There's a huge difference between the pros that test a car for a week and the actual owners who have been driving it for years. Yours was exactly the kind of video I wanted to see.
Thanks
Have a question- how good the car keeps the global form during the years- the body paint - rust protection .Second question goes to the oil consumption between the oil changes...Would buy a CX9
I bought a 2021 Mazda CX-5 two months ago and my impressions of the car are spot on with your long-term review. This video gave me peace of mind to know that my initial reaction is in line with what I can expect in the future.
How much does it cost
Nice how do you like it?! I am saving up to get one ☝️ by the end of the year.
@@celebhouseupdates6714 Mine was the middle grade model (Touring) and it was about $30K.
@@altima119487 I really love it! Handles well and has plenty of power for a larger vehicle with a four-cylinder engine. It feels solid and substantial while being nimble. It's also the quietest car I've ever owned.
@@nealpatterson629 sweet!! I can't wait to have another Mazda experience as my 2012 3 was totaled in 2015.
I bought my first Mazda in 1990. It was my first of 4. I typically hold onto them for 8-10 years. My current Mazda is the 2016 CX5 Touring. I also have the 2 toned parchment leather. I love it. All my Mazdas have been super reliable and worry free.
Refreshing to have someone that is not a sales person explaining features and benefits of this vehicle. Really appreciate the review and real experiences. Great job!
Loved your point about Mazda being a smaller company, still focused on driving dynamics, and not putting a CVT into everything. I'm a Subaru owner and tired of the excessive oil consumption and costly CVT repairs. The CX-5 will likely be its replacement. Thanks!
Seriously check out a turbo, huge difference.
They use them to meet the ridiculous government mileage requirements. Not only do they suck all the fun out of driving but they are not proven technology. CVTs have only been around 10-15 years compared to auto transmissions which have been available for 70+years.
@@richardrose2606 it's funny too because Mazdas still get pretty good mileage without CVT
@@richardrose2606 LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO "TeN tO fIfTeEn YeArs"
The CVT was invented in 1879 and has gone into numerous cars for over a hundred years.
It does, in fact, predate the geared automatic transmission and the torque converter as a concept.
Honda's been using them since 1995 (35 years), Mitsubishi since 1980 (42 years), Mercedes since the late 1800's, etc. etc.
The transmission along with the rear end both went out in my uncle's 2017.
This was one of the best reviews I've seen on this vehicle. Full disclosure: I bought a 2020 Mazda CX-5, Turbo, Signature edition. I absolutely love the vehicle, and for that increase in cost the vehicle improvement is so worth it - especially the turbo engine paired with AWD. I think your review is incredibly accurate when pointing out the areas for improvement. Even on the 2020 model, those exact same opportunities exist (infotainment improvement, very slightly less space than others, and very sensitive collision avoidance) - but they are not enough to dissuade me from the vehicle. Compliments on the review, nice job done.
thank you
Thanks so much for your comment! I'm currently considering the 2021 CX-5, Turbo, Signature edition. I was a bit concerned about the miles per gallon because even without the turbo is lower than I've had in the past. But I've been really leaning toward the thought that the extra cost (of the Sig w Turbo) and reduced miles per gallon are well worth it for the awesome leather, turbo, and extra amenities. Again, thanks so much for your comment!!
@@laurie9437 So far I get about 21 MPG around town (and that's in Florida, that land of traffic signals. FDOT loves traffic signals!). I get about 25 on the highway. The difference in performance with the turbo engine will convince you that the vehicle has a moderate-sized 6-cylinder engine in it. The turbo is actually quite fast to kick in, but there is a noticeable (although mild) lurch when you go from a complete stop to a moderate gas-pedal-push. I don't mind it, but it is different from a non-turbo engine. As for the amenities, yeah - I think they're worth it. In fact, I compared this to the BMW (comparable model) and even with their added packages it didn't even come close to the features in the CX-5 Sig. Dollar-for-Dollar, if you are looking for something with a nod to "luxury" I feel it is a great value. I never gave Mazda a second look before, and this is my first. I am quite impressed. Good luck with your choice, I hope you get exactly what you want.
I own a 2016 Mazda 3 and love it. I usually go for smaller cars for handling and nimbleness. I got to drive a 2017 CX-5 and was expecting a lot of body roll and a more heavy boat-like feel, but was instead blown away by how similar it felt to the Mazda 3. Mazda products continue to impress me.
We went from a 2014 Mazda 6 to a 2016.5 CX5 and I was also expecting a big downgrade in ride and handling but the ride is MUCH better than our 6 was and the handling is not as good but certainly not bad for an SUV
Is it reliable?
@@RiodeJaneiro1 he'll yea. It is
Mazda is now ahead of Toyota and Honda in terms of reliability (New CR report)
I bought a new 2014 CX-5 Touring and 196000 miles later still happy with it. Best vehicle I have ever owned. Will be replacing it with another one
I have a 2017 CX-5 touring and absolutely love it. It is reliable and totally trouble free!
I have the exact same vehicle. My only gripe is that if you don't upgrade to the premium paints with Mazda, their finish is absolute trash. A speck of sand will give me a scratch. I had two nicks on my hood after only a few days of driving. Other than that? Absolutely wonderful vehicle. 3 years later and it still drives like a new car.
Shaun S I’ve got a 2017 GT with the crystal red and the paint is still terrible.
I agree love Mazda zoom zoom
@@shaun374 Or you can order the paint from us ... send me an email if you need to...
@@shaun374 I have heard about Mazda’s garbage soft paint but will keep in mind the upgrade.
Thank you! Awesome review. I purchased a new 2018 CX-5 (2.5 liter, non-turbo). All in all, very happy with this SUV. This is the first Mazda I've owned and in two years, I have not needed a single repair-that in itself is very impressive! And I agree, it's the best looking of the pack (CRV, RAV-4). I concur with many of your positive comments. The review was very professional, no BS.
Thanks
Just got this vehicle last week. The drive feel is ELITE. I agree how complicated the entertainment system is but the sound is really good and it does feel like a luxury car inside.
I currently own a new Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, and a Toyota Tundra. I also own several motorcycles like you. Over the years, nearly all my vehicles have been high-end, exception being my CX-5. I can say to this day, I enjoyed my CX-5 the most. Not just for the ride and styling (which is excellent in my opinion), but for the dealership support that, hands down, beat all other manufacturers. Good choice and great video. Thank you. Matthew
Yep we could have bought a luxury brand but we didn't see the point really.
@@BigRockMoto mazda is almost near luxury when you think about it.
What exactly is good about the dealers?
The Mazda and the tundra and Lexus is the best vehicle u own
I had a 2015 Mazda 3 GT with the tech package. It was flawless in the 5 1/2 years o owned it. I did the research and bought a 2020 CX-5 Signature with the Turbo. After 2 months I can say it is my all time favorite vehicle. 310 pounds feet of torque makes it a pleasure to drive and it handles even better than my Mazda 3. I had owned a 2012 Honda CRV for 3 years and absolutely hated the way that vehicle handled, going into a corner on a reverse banked road, it had body roll that made you feel the car was going to roll. If you are looking for a vehicle with the benefits of a crossover and the handling of of a sedan, do yourself a favor and test drive a Mazda CX-5. Nothing is perfect and the only complaint I have on my CX-5 is the slow start up on the infotainment system.
This is a great review, very accurate in detail.
I have a 2016 cx5 2.5l we bought new 8n the same red. Still have the car have just done 100,000 kms. This is a great car. The back seats all go down to create much more room when we needed it. Had no problems after almost 6 years.
wouldn't have guessed this wasn't a review channel, props on such a detailed and first hand review!
Thanks
@@BigRockMoto any issues with rust on suspension or cross members?
Also a 2017 owner, basically everything in the video is spot on, especially the blind spot monitoring sensitivity. One of the only things I still kind of lament that I felt it was missing compared to competitors was that many have an option for a panoramic sunroof while the CX-5 does not. The amount of extra sunlight a big ceiling window provides really makes a car feel so much more spacious all else being equal, but it's not enough to beat out all the other factors in Mazda's favor.
Good review. I have a 2014 Mazda CX-5 that just hit 150,000 miles. I have loved the car. It's probably been one of the most worry-free vehicles I have owned. I have had zero issues with it other than when the serpentine belt broke on it and had to be changed, but belts are just a part of regular maintenance. I think Mazda is a great car company.
Time to do that timing chain buddy!
Approximately how many miles were on your CX-5 when the serpentine belt broke?
@@johnw9245drain and fill, that supposed “lifetime” FZ transmission fluid too, I did mine at 30k miles and brown liquid came out, when new fluid is light blue in color.
Own a 2019 CX-5 Grand and I can't imagine buying any other vehicle. I did a lot of research and test drives, this vehicle is definitely the best buy for its buck. In terms of reliability, it seems to stand up well with Honda and Toyota. The features can't be beat and the styling is in a class of its own. I now understand why Mazda owners are radical about the company and it's cars.
Hey, Dan....just FYI, the word "it's" is a contraction of "it is". This being said, you are using it incorrectly above. The correct word here is "its", without the apostrophe. You're welcome. :-)
@@Dancer810 Hey dancer810, NOBODY CARES!
@@Dancer810 what a loser. I bet you have a lot of friends, loser.
@@jacklaslo982 I care
@@JohnnyLREACTS same to you )
“ I’m irresponsible and a bad husband - and squandering our child’s future “ 😂😂😂 Wasn’t expecting that !
that wasn't him talking, he was channeling his wife
I'm a product of Junior College and doing ...OK
@@marquitataylor7373 and doing it "deadpan," ha ha ha ha!
😄
This is the part I'm going to start with first, when showing this review to my wife. I, too, am the one who "changes cars like underwear" in our household.
I'm here in 2023, I purchased a 2023 non turbo Mazda CX 5 in July 2023, I also have the soul red crystal, so far I luv the mazda😊. Thank you for the review.😊
My 2020 CX-5 Touring FWD with the 2.5 liter engine has a nice sound unlike other 4 cylinder vehicles I've owned in the past. Best bang for the buck
We just got a lease return 2018 CX5 touring a few weeks ago. Only had 12k miles on it. A kid in a grocery store parking lot let go of his shopping cart loaded down with water bottles and it rammed the rear bumper cracking and denting it. I almost cried. It’s in the shop now. 😢. We do love it though!
I just bought my daughter a new CX5. Thank you for this owner review; I felt good about it and now I feel great about it!
Leased a 2016.5 Cx5. Yes, half year model before body redesign. Many options to finish the run. Like it so much...bought it out. It's a keeper in a world of throw aways. Former Jeep guy here and can say...my CX5 is just as good..if not better in snow. Great drive, mileage, comfort. One can't go wrong with the CX5!
Great review. I can't afford a new car so I bought a first year 2013 CX-5 Touring with 98,000 miles for $10,500 about 2 years ago. It has the upgraded Tech package with AWD. No problems so far. It's an awesome compact SUV and I really like driving it. Easy maintenance, good gas mileage, and great driving dynamics. Not as nice as the new ones but I'm very happy with it.👍
How many miles now? Still going good? I'm planning to buy a new cx5 or cx50.
How many miles now?
This is a TREMENDOUSLY sound review!! And it meets its "brutally honest" caption which I definitely appreciate
Great video. For not being a sponsored RUclips reviewer I got most everything I wanted to know about the CX 5. I’ve been thinking hard about buying one and your honest review was great and very helpful.Thanks.
Thanks
As the owner of a 2015 CX-5 Grand Touring, I'm impressed with how Mazda looks to have kept/improved every good aspect of the Gen 1 CX-5 while fixing any issues I could come up with. Definitely looking at a Gen 2 CX-5 in my future (in Soul Red Crystal might I add)
Complete deadpan sense of humour. Hilarious! Love your attitude to Mazda who are not a small company all around the world. We've had ours for 46 years. Very comprehensive review with good delivery. Love to see you review ANY other car. You do have OCD. Your car is gorgeous and looks like new!
I have a CX-5 2015, it's been five years now with me and no regrets. Extremely reliable thru sand, sun, rain and snow. The best affordable SUV for me.
We just bought a used 2019 Mazda CX-5 Touring yesterday for our daughter. After watching your video today, I am reassured that we made the right decision. Thanks so much for the review!
awesome your daughter is lucky!
Good Buy and Safer for your Daughter!!
Toyota owns 20 percent of Mazda and they are working together in some partner factories. Can’t go wrong
Such a refreshing contrast from mainstream journalistic reviews; has strengthened my confidence in buying this model. Truly impressed with your down-to-earth delivery, look forward to more reviews, excellent, well done ❤
Finally, I found long term owner review!!
Thanks for giving true review !!! From South Korea 🇰🇷
We have 217k miles on our 2015 cx-9 with its original transmission still. We are strict with our upkeep though. We only use Amsoil or Redline for engine and ATF, and replace transmission fluid every 35k miles. We get our coolant done every 2 years (FL-22) together with the fuel system service from Valvoline (it is like a glorified seafoam treatment). After COVID, we are planning on a another cx-9 or cx-5. Can't go wrong with Mazda nowadays.
Awesome
Thank God there's someone that drives as much as I do. I'm at 96K on my 3 year old Mazda 3. Do you do the oil changes yourself! I took it to the dealership so as not to void the warranty but I'm outside if that and hear good things about Amsoil and Royal Purple.
@@kcmaldonado3948 I pay $20 and bring my own and filter at a local quick lube. I buy Amsoil at PC prices and save a bunch.
@@humannature3916 What are "pc prices?"
Thank you for a great honest video. I actually just purchased a New CX-5 Signature with the Turbo engine. I absolutely love this vehicle. First time buying a Mazda. I’ve been a Toyota customer for over 25 years but did not like the RAV4 as I found it was noisy and nowhere near the quality of Mazda CX-5. Great price, lots of features over and above the competition and tons of power with the turbo engine. Always great to get an honest opinion, good and bad, from an actual owner of the vehicle.
I own a 2019 CX-5 Signature and this is the 4th CX-5 we have had I'm happy with it and will buy another one
Sitting right below you in my 19 GT Reserve, best damn car I've ever owned. Turbo makes a ton of power, but with the big torque figure you can manage good fuel efficiency too. Just gotta keep my foot off the fun pedal!
Only complaint, and you can see it here... The hatch reaches wayyyy too high. Had to calibrate the height so I don't hit my garage door when they're both open. Didn't have that problem in my cx-7 although they're identical in size. Simply the shape of the roofline and hinge placement.
I also have a 2019 cx 5 here in the philippines.Happy owner here and satisfied,the power and the luxury is quite amazing,its like driving a premium and expensive car..the looks is nice,very sporty.
@@joshcarlson9352 9
@@joshcarlson9352 Just got my 2021 GTR and seems the mpg is killing. I am currently getting 19 mpg as per the Mazda Fuel Info in the display. The odometer is at 400 miles now. Would you please let me know how is the mileage on your GTR or any suggestions to improve?
I own a CX5. A truly fantastic car. It’s the second CX5 I have had. I certainly would consider buying another. 🧐
Me too!!!
I bought the 2022 CX-5 AWD Turbo, with heated and cooled seats (live in Florida) absolutely love it. I traded in a 2011 BMW X5 with the sport package. It's just fun to drive, with the Sport/Normal/Off Road settings, Sport is my favorite. Quick, firm and very responsive. I drove the Rav4, CR-V, Rogue, F Pace and E Pace. This just reminded of my BMW without the extra $30,000 and the outrageous maintenance bills.
I have a 2017 CX-5 with about 16000 mi. Love the way it drives, would definitely recommend it.
I’m considering buying a cx-5, which I’m sure is why this video was recommended to me (thanks FBI agent), and got a little hesitant when I read the title. This gave me a little more confidence in my choice.
I'm not gonna buy a vehicle anytime soon and this video is 3 years old but I gotta say.... I really like your presentation. Thank you YT algorithm.
I have been a HONDA driver for many many years.... just bought my first MAZDA, the CX-5. I originally bought the car based strictly on the stunning color (red... same as yours) and now I am *staying* with the car for the rest of its wonderfulness!
I am not advising this, but since the system is linux based, you can hack it and make the touchscreen work all the time. look it up on the mazda forums
Dude, when I sign my paperwork for the my new CX5 this week, I'm demanding that they send you a 500.00 contribution!
I'll take it! LOL
You better keep some spare head gaskets handy and don’t forget to the clean the intake valves because of the GDI. In addition, watch out for all of the underbody rust.💩👎
@@barackblows1942
Hahahahaha ddue everything you said is just utter garbage lol
I had a mazda for 19 years had none of the problems you just pulled out of your ass
I got a mazda 3 and a cx-5 none of those problems exist in these vehicles mazda makes awesome reliable longetivity cars
You either suck at cars history in general or you don't know wtf your talking about
Ima go with the ladder
@@barackblows1942 Ive never seen a 2016+ with any underbody rust. The older ones did though. Theres actually a recall on the subframe on older models.
@@akgonen60
I’m looking…what should I expect to spend for a 2021?
"I'm irresponsible and I am a bad husband and squandering my child's future" 😂😂🤣 Great delivery on that line. Thanks for sharing this. I am a 2013 Mazda CX-5 owner, and like you, I respect Mazda as a company and what they put out. I've been looking to upgrade to a newer CX-5 and test drove a 2021. They updated the Infosystem and screen. For me, I am attracted to the safety features that come standard and the styling. Always good to get a review after someone has lived with a car for several years. Very informative. Thanks.
excellent review, I am in a similar position here, when i bought my 2019 cx-5 gt (no turbo), the wife had a toddler (from previous marriage) and 5 months ago we welcomed a new addition to the family. The cx5 has been a solid vehicle for our family in our wacky canadian winters.
The build quality of a mazda has always been a huge selling point for me (owning 2 mazda 3's previously, i was also biased towards mazda when i was looking for a new vehicle).
The only thing that would make me give up my cx5 would be the Mazdaspeed3's coming back. (the 2021 mazda 3 sport w/ turbo doesn't count because its automatic only, lol)
Keep up the good work!
That was a very good review. I am driving a CX-5 bi Turbo Diesel AWD for over 2 years now (2018 model Japanese version, 190 hp, 450 nm torque). This thing pulls like a buffalo on steroids and is very reliable and handles much better than that Honda CRV that I had before. The fun of driving is back. I'd buy this Mazda again if I had to.
Love our 2023 CX 5. Bought the warranty, under coating, floor mats and a glass windshield repeat coating procedures. Drive safety features are performing great. Getting 30 m.p.g. Color is the carbon Grey metallic. Had a scary breaking experience. The event a car pulled out in front of us at a T in the highway. I hit the brake and the petal traveled half way. While cruise was on.Brakes did their job to prevent an accident. Did a practice hard brake and the petal responded normally.
My company’s little Mazda 2 had almost 300k miles before we replaced it with a Corolla. My wife’s Mazda 3 Touring hatch cost $18,000 brand new in 2017. Sold it for $15,500 3 years later. Just bought a brand new CX-5 Touring with package for $26,600 with 0% APR. All I could tell is Mazda is on par with Toyota in term of reliability, and it holds its resale value quite well.
Awesome
I had a mazda. This story is full of rust and blown engines and transmissions on 15 years old car. It never happened to my other car which is 25 years old toyota with 300k miles on it
Vladislav Shokcun Thats old Mazda not for the skyactive!
@@aquaboy1650 yeh, i heard the skyactives are good😁
However they are rusting badly still 😭
Vladislav Shokcun It’s good bro, my 8 years CX5 don’t have any rust issues 😊
We have 2 Mazda CX-5’s. Best cars we’ve ever owned. Dealers service dept is great too
You ever have any rust issues under your mazda?
Champlain & Beyond Angling . No rust problems but I live in the Deep South, so we rarely have snow down here. So they don’t salt the roads.
Zero rust after 3 years on my CX5.
Champlain & Beyond Angling The rust issues happened when Ford owned them.
ALL vehicles rust in northern states and should be rustproofed annually. Fluid Film is my choice, inexpensive and truly effective.
A lot of people complain about the way the infotainment center works and say it’s complicated.
I’ve owned my 2024 for two days and put about 80 miles on it. I found nothing complicated about the infotainment center at all. I adjusted to it quickly.
The interior is absolutely first class . It has Apple Car Play and Android Auto. The screen size is fine, in fact I find the latest rage of massive screens obtrusive and clunky. It is very quiet, especially on the highway.
We have the “S” package which is the lowest priced trim in the CX 5. It has a ton of standard features and most of what you would want.
Finally, I have burned 93 octane fuel in my standard 2.5 liter naturally-aspirated four cylinder and I swear it has more giddy-up-and-go.
This was one of the best car review videos I’ve watched. I’m in the market for a Mazda and this really helped me out!!! Thank you so much!!! Well done sir!!!!
Thanks
I am one of those that actually crosses over and needs crossovers or suvs. I drive in snow to ski, often on on dirt roads to reach fly fishing, mt biking and camping and otherwise am driving on a parkway needing acceleration and some reasonably nice styling. I definitely need some space to carry gear and need awd plus some clearance. So, I have owned Jeep Grand Cherokees, Explorers, Audi Allroad (the real one), Sequoia, outback and 2 Audi Q5s. I loved those! I also run around in a Rubicon and sometimes a buddy’s old Willy’s. Got a CX-5 2 yrs ago. Commuted in it PA to CT every week for 18 mos. Needed lower operational costs and was hammering so many miles I bought one with 41k miles. I miss NOTHING about the Q5 which I loved and raved about and I am 50k miles into this car at 92k total. Plus I am saving tons of cash on fuel ( 87 oct) vs premium. Has to be 85% cargo of Q5. Keep reading up on this car. It is highly regarded! Gonna give mine to my 16 yr old and upgrade for another one. All true folks. Please don’t buy one until I get the one I need!!!!
It's 2022. Bought a used 2019 CX-5. Liking it so far. Everything in your video is accurate. MUCH better mileage than our 4Runner or Xterra. Interior, ride, technology and more very nice. A little too smooth and quiet - sometimes I look down and see I'm 10 or 15 over the speed limit - but that's not really a bad problem, is it? Got the white seats like you - my wife constantly complains because she knows what a big slob I am. I did very extensive research and chose it over the CRV, RAV4, and Rogue. I'm happy with my choice.
Bought a used 2017 CX-5 in April 2020 with 34,500 miles. I love it! Prior to buying anything, I perused Consumer Reports, Edmunds, etc and compared all the spec's on CX-5's, CR-Vs, HR-Vs, RAV-4s, etc. Did this for about 6 months. Also, surveyed Carvana, Carmax, AutoNation, etc for a "GREAT DEAL". Came down to my experience with Mazdas. Wife had a 2006 Mazda Tribute which she put a ton of miles on without any issues. She traded that in on a new 2016 CX-5 and now has 150K miles on it. (We took it everywhere!) and have not had any trouble with it. When my 2017 CX-5 came on the market, price was right and I paid cash for it!
Great review. I love my 2020 CX-5 AWD.
I'm a 27 years old single male and some friends made fun of me when I got it instead of a sports car saying I got a “dads/moms car”, but I like going to the mountains and long road trips. The adaptive cruise control is also awesome. I have no regrets at all. What an amazing car!
Danilo Prado Yes, it is. On a twisting mountain road, man does it handle!
Sorry, but your friends sound kind of dumb.
Jeff Morse yep! I agree. But there seems to be this idea that these cars are “dads cars” or “moms cars” and if you’re male, young and single you should own something else lol.
I don’t care though. I’m super happy with it! 😃🤙🏼
Danilo Prado I have not gotten that idea from anyone I know. Those who have commented really like it’s more aggressive non boxy SUV styling. So as you said, ‘don’t care’. You know how good a vehicle you have along with you me other Mazda CX-5 drivers/owners
Glenn Clarke Right on brother! Happy to be part of the club!
Thank you. This was so helpful. I have been driving Lexus RX 350, (getting a new one every 2 years), for probably 20 years and want to make a change to something smaller and less expensive. It seems the CX5 has everything I need and i see from my research that it will pretty much match up to my Lexus RX.
Nice review. We also have a 2017 CX-5, but the base FWD "Sport" model. I bought the car in January 2018 and while I love the styling the value was what I really couldn't beat. It was cheaper than a Ford or Chevy in the same class. Also Mazda seems pretty generous with what they consider a "base" model. I don't have that lovely leather, but I love the super utilitarian fabric that they use. I have a 5 year old and a dog and most gunk just wipes right off. Liquid will bead up on it as well. As far as I can see from the video I think the seats are the only difference between the trim levels in the interior styling. We live in Texas so I don't need heated seats and stuff anyway. The main things you don't get are the tech features like blind spot warning and adaptive cruise. Most importantly, the Sport model has the same powertrain as the higher trim levels. I feel like the car has plenty of power. I was driving a 4 cylinder before this, so that may color my experience. The 6 speed is nice. I didn't want a CVT and having the manual mode is a plus. I really like the feature that forces the transmission to downshift if you floor it. On a road trip over the summer I went to pass on the interstate going like 80 and car downshifted and picked right up. Judging by the RPMs it still had a good bit to give. For a Dad car I feel like I could have done much worse. We really like our CX-5.
I just purchased a 2020 CX5 GT a few months ago and I'm glad I came across this review to know that it's been reliable for you, even if it's only been 2 years that's encouraging. I went with the CX5 for the same reasons you did. I find that it was the nicest looking (as you said that's very subjective, but I think it's the best looking compact cuv). The interior quality is just amazing -it feels like an entry level luxury vehicle. The features are great as you say. I also love the adaptive cruiser control, best thing since sliced bread. The automatic high beams, heads up display also very cool. It's also one of the last cuv's in its class with a regular automatic transmission (I also didn't want a CVT as my experience with them hasn't been good. I find when you need power they don't deliver it very well).
Yep all great points! Auto high beams are awesome.
Great review, my wife and I just bought a '23 CX5 GS w/comfort pack here in Canada for her primary car. We test drove RAV4, CRV, Tucson and had an Eclipse Cross rental for a couple of weeks, CX5 was the most fun, best interior quality and best safety features standard. Plus best safety rating, only car to get a "good" score on the new t-bone test they are doing.
Thanks, for the video and review. In Dec 2018, I bought a 2019 CX-5 Signature w/ the turbo to replace my 2007 Mazda 6i 5-door. I and my family have owned several Mazdas over the last 18-20 years and have been very happy with the brand and they have been very reliable. My CX-5 now has 27,000 trouble free miles and I'm very happy with it. Love the design, the adaptive cruise, 360 camera and parking sensors, cooled seats and the extra turbo power will still using regular gas when I need it. I live in the Detroit metro area and have taken several long trips to Boone NC. I am averaging 22-24 MPG in the city and 28-30 MPG on the Interstate. My only compliant is that the Dark Brown leather is too dark and should be a little lighter in color. Also, I regret that that with the turbo, I can't change the plugs myself, like I could with my old car and my wife's 2015 CX-5, because of additional items added on top of and blocking access to the plugs due to the turbo engine.
Recommended spark plug replacement is 75k miles could probably go to 100k
I have A 2019 diesel here in the UK.... Fantastic drive... Fantastic comfort... And plenty of power... Lots of torque....
Excellent review. I also bought a 2017 Mazda CX5 off the showroom floor. I purchased it with an upgrade packaged for a modest price increase that included a moon roof, nicer wheels and upgraded sound system. I declined to pay the surcharge for the red paint and regret that decision, though the car is a lovely blue color. Lastly, call me old-school, but I regret that newer cars, including this one, don't have CD players in the dash.
Just bought a 2019 Mazda CX-5 in the Signature trim. Highly recommend! I couldn’t be happier. Spot on review!
Its 2020, would you mind giving a price you paid? I can't believe how many cars are around 30K these days.
deborah lariscy I paid just under 31K for mine.
Elena Da Costa is that out of the door pricing?
The reason people are liking this review over any other reviews by so called 'professional reviews' is due to the fact that it is informative and full of substance. He did not spend 20 minutes using catchy, attractive or filler words/phrases. Straight to the point.
Thanks
I bought one of these in 2019 for my son to drive and he loves it. It actually was a lease vehicle with only 600 miles on it so we got it for about 6K off of list value which we thought was a steal. My wife drives it when he is not in college and I think she has put on about 30K miles so far with him and it is going strong. I have 2017 Subaru Outback and it is great too but my care was substantially higher in price since I opted for the boxer 6 engine. Even so, the Mazda gets great pick up and gas mileage. The only complaint is that the gas tank is smallish but that is OK since we are mostly driving in town.
I ended up in a 2019 CX-5 for many of the reasons you talked about. I never realized how much I hated the "feel" of driving a car with CVT until I had a rental that that a conventional transmission. Unfortunately, that limited my car choices a lot. I've been driving it for about 10 months now, no regrets with my decision. I went with the GTR trim with the turbo engine. By far the nicest and most fun to drive car I've ever owned. My *only* complaint is that I wish I got better gas mileage, but that's on me...and not Mazda!
I also have to say, I'm not a fan of red cars but the red Mazda uses on this car looks fantastic, especially under sunlight.
Fortunately or unfortunately this car is so much fun to drive that you can’t help but keep your foot in it. However on long distance road trips I’ve gotten up to 29 miles per gallon.
Mazda has definitely upped their game a lot in terms of the interior quality and paintwork. In fact, I would say that, for the money, Mazda probably offers the best interior quality. And I write this as a Toyota guy. One thing I would add though is that although you mentioned that Mazda is a small independent car company, it has developed a *very* close relationship with Toyota. In fact, both companies are building a joint manufacturing facility in Alabama.
Correct. Scotty Kilmer has confirmed that on his RUclips channel. If you know ANYTHING about him other than his crazy hand waving its that he's a TOYOTA guy. He recently made big kudos to the 2017 Mazda without turbo. With recent recall of late model Toyotas/Lexus for fuel pump issue and this AWESOME review, I'm hoping to test drive the CX-5 this week! Loved your video. Very professional.
Since Kodo design was launched in Italy, Mazda has become Japanese Alfa Romeo
Mazda( like the one in the video) used to be Fords with tempting driving dynamics. Ford sold off all of their stake due to the recession and the desire to enter the Chinese market. So that's why a change occured. Since they are small, they always need a bigger company to help with production, hence going to Toyota after Ford left.
Once I heard Mazda & Toyota joined forces I was ecstatic! We are going to have some great stuff to look forward to, so... Shut up and take my money!
Incoming the CX-50. Let’s see how it does
Mazda is starting to look better to me without the CVT and turbo they seem to be a down to earth company that I would buy they seem to listen to what people want 😊
You sir, deserve an Automatic thumbs up for a car review that's not dry and long-winded, is infused with the right amount of humor and covers everything a potential buyer wants to know. That baby of yours is cute as a button too. :) Nice work!
Thanks
This is one of the best car reviews videos I've seen on RUclips. Honest, straight and to the point appraisal of your real life experience with the car. And no annoying graphics or music. Very well done.
Thanks
And no shaky camera, which makes me dizzy and turn off others reviews.
Thanks for the review. I pulled the trigger and bought a 2021 CX-5.
After test driving the CX-5, CRV and RAV4 the CX-5 was better hands down. RAV4 was awful wind noise at highway speeds, had a lot of squeaks and rattles and the engine noise in cabin was loud. CRV was nice but too top heavy for me and didn’t handle good. My wife drives a RX 350 and prefer taking the Mazda when we go out. It’s just fun to drive. Great build quality. And it’s still built in Japan.
I own The 2020 Signature with all the bells and whistles including Head Up Display in Soul Red. None better!!!!!
I have the grand touring with the package with heads up display and ventilated seats. I love it. ventilated seats in Florida are clutch.
Thank you for the review. I just bought a 2017 Grand Touring AWD. It had 21,000 miles. I love it! I had a 2009 Mazda 5 Grand Touring. It was a great car, but time for a change. I think I need to get those mats you mentioned. I agree with the super sensitive lane change assist. It beeps and lights up, even though you have plenty of room to change. Love the rims. I’m so happy I got this car. :D
We have a Mazda CX-5 2013 model!!! Done 117000km, bought brand new! Still going smooth! No issues at all! Really happy 😊!!! We even tow our camper trailer (black series Alpha) Really Happy overall!
What's funny is I never would have considered a CX-9 until I got one as a loner car. Boy was I impressed with it. It drove almost like the cx-5 does but with more refinement and that turbo skyactive engine is something else. It's got plenty of torque excellent throttle response and still gets good fuel economy. Driving wise it doesn't feel at all like a big suv in the least. The seats are also like a couch haha. But they're very supportive.
cx-9 is super nice
I would agree, CX-9 is awesome. The only downside is the boot size if you have the third row up, which is literally nothing.
@@mnawaz76 Yeah that's a downside with allot of SUV's like this unfortunately. You'd need something with a full frame to get the cargo room and seating capacity.
Good luck with cracked heads, transmission problems, and rust (if applicable to your location).
@@lightsfansofthewest481 that was the early cars. Also any car today will rust quicker then cars from the past if you haven't noticed. The metals they're being made of isn't of the same quality as in years past.
As for transmission problems they're fine.
My 2019 is my 3rd CX5.I had the Soul red metallic but that one only lasted 2 months as I was cut off by another driver and I can attest to all the safety features that helped me walk away. The crumple zone, air bags with dual stage deployment and reinforced cabin all worked to design.Even though the front and even engine was crooked the inside cabin completely held up. Soul red only complaint was it looked pink from inside on certain way sun hit it. I went back to deep blue for my replacement vehicle. Cylinder deactivation really helps gas mileage if you are just taking your time. In snow AWD system is ok as long as you shut off traction control for deeper snow. Handling, fit and finish, look of the CX5 and reliability as well as safety is what keeps me returning to Mazda. They are fun to drive. My Lady owns a same year Rav 4 and it is kinda boring in the handling department.Good job on your video. I agree with most of your points.
thanks for sharing and thanks for the nice words~!
Paul Gallant I had a 2018 Soul Red which was totaled 6 months after purchasing by a stupid 18 year old who didn’t know traffic laws. The front was totally demolished but as you stated the inside was completely untouched. Even the cop couldn’t believe I wasn’t leaving in an ambulance. I immediately got a 2019 in Snowflake Pearl and love it. I’m a Mazda fan for life!
Such a great review. Bought a CX5 Signature about 6 months ago and I absolutely love it. Can't wait to test out the AWD system in our nasty Omaha winters.
I am in northern Ontario Canada we get walloped every winter and I have been doing a lot of research about this vehicle, how has it held up in your nasty snow storms?
@@Zer0PhxGvn Unfortunately, or fortunately, we had a very mild winter, so I wasn't able to really drive it in any significant snow. Maybe next year.😉
Great car I’m on my 2nd had a 2016 and traded up for the 2020 as long as Mazda holds this kind of quality and value they’ve got a customer for life.
I have a CX9 and a 3. They're just really fun to drive. Squandering our child's future! Lol
I love my cx3!
Lmao! That's funny u picked up on it too!😝👏👏😎👍
I just purchased the 2021. Grand Touring in the soul red just like yours, I absolutely love it! The new 10 and 1/2 in screen is crystal clear! And at first I wasn't really a fan of the non-touch screen, but not that I'm used to it I like it a lot! I came out of a 2018 Subaru Impreza so this was definitely a step up in luxury!
Ian, you have a good communication style that we like! We own the CX5 Turbo. We had been toying between the CX5 & CX9. We finally settled on the CX5 turbo in Soul Red. We absolutely love the way this SUV handled compared to the competitors that you mentioned. Love the way it carves you mountain roads. The areas for improvement would be a 2 Gallon increase for the turbo version ( we get almost 29mpg highway ) Better ( speedier Mazda connect interface) A bit more rear seat room without compromising cargo room! Other than that Ian your review is pretty much how we see it!
Yep your points are spot on. Thanks for your kind words
One of the best reviews for a car I've ever seen, and one of the only ones that actually relate to real-life examples. My girlfriend is planning on buying an SUV probably in this same class and this one is at the top of her list; I myself am leaning towards getting the Mazda3. Great video!
Great honest and thorough review!
We bought a new 2019 in May of that year, my first ever new car at age 53. It is just now about to hit 20k miles. I live 5 minutes from work and I'm the main driver, husband only drives it on trips. He's a truck guy, lol.
When we started shopping around, I bought an online, one month subscription to Consumer Reports. I did ALL the research, including free information from other websites and RUclips videos as well. After researching for about a week online (after work and on weekends, because that's what I do on a big purchase, everyone should) I decided I wanted to take a test drive with the CX-5 first. Well, we didn't go to any other dealerships, we were hooked! My husband pays more attention to "fit and finish" than I do, and he was very impressed with the interior. We did get the Touring edition (which is called something different now), which is basically a step above...basic. 😆 But Mazda labels a lot of things as standard that other cars don't. I wanted the Touring edition pretty much for one reason: the Bose stereo system. I also wanted a sunroof (which I never use, we live in the lower Midwest and it's either stifling hot and disgustingly humid 🥵 or cold 🥶).
I love the way this car handles. It has a system on it that is patented; when you make turns there's very little "lean." I'd say for a woman, I'm a fairly aggressive driver. You can definitely feel this in my car vs. being a passenger or driver in others. It's pretty amazing.
Downsides: I don't care for the 7" infotainment system screen, even with Android Auto. It just seems way behind any other. Like it was made in 2009 instead of 2019. Many have complained about the button/dial system but personally I love it. I feel like I can use it safely while driving, no taking my eyes off the road...that is what it will allow me to use while driving.
Love the bells and whistles, like the cruise control system, the lane change warning, etc.
We got ours in white (specific name?) It really stands out in the sun! Also like the "sport" mode for passing. Yeah it ups your rpms, but I don't mess around when passing. It's the easiest car I've ever had to handwash also. And we have LOTS of bugs this time of year.
I apologize for this being so long, but wanted to give details.
Oh, by the way, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the interior of yours, wow! Gorgeous! 😍