New member - consiering CX5

[yrwei52]

New member - considering CX5

meanwhile, OP's like I do not want to be part of this and buys a Subaru lol

LOL. I looked at them, thought I'd hate the CVT...did a 45min test drive and had no issue with it, but...I still think I'd hate the CVT in the long run.

Not just the CVT, Consumer Reports finds some newer cars burn too much oil and all Subaru's are on the list.

Basically, I'm looking for a car that I can use for:
My daily commute
Road trips to beach/amusement parks/whatever
Parents
Going biking
Occasional City Use
... tow my motorcycle or my little 13' ancient fish-n-ski boat, or a small utility trailer
Open to almost all makes/models except I'm not a Ford guy.

It seems you're looking for a perfect all-purpose vehicle which of course doesn't exist. I believe a Mazda CX-5 GT with Tech Package and the choice of FWD or AWD should be the one which can most closely meet your needs among all vehicles available on the market. The price is reasonable, the handling is the best for a CUV, it's one of the most fuel efficient CUV available, and most importantly the reliability is good. And personally I'd get an AWD just for sometimes inclement weather and bad road conditions.

Other cars I looked at:
Mazda 3 -
Subaru Impreza -
VW Golf/GTI/Sportwagen -

Mazda3 is too small for you. Subaru Impreza may have oil burning issues and the longevity of a CVT is questionable. VW Golf/GTI/Jetta Sportwagen? I used to be a big VW fan and buy only VW's for many years. But I eventually got worn out by their poor quality and reliability and gave up on them!

 

[yrwei52]

I too would stay away from VW because of reliability. Volvo sells wagons too, but they are expensive / unreliable as well.

What are these two brands, VW and Volvo, in common? They're all using turbo-charged engines almost exclusively for the US market...

 

[Unobtanium]

The absolute best thing about my cx5 is its handling. I've owned and driven some of the best handling cars in the world, and the cx5 impresses me for what it is. Very fun in the mountains.

 

[otapnam]

U can be like me and wait n hope that the debut of the '17 cx9 and mazdaspeed 3 in the fall will include a new and more powerful engine for the cx5 as well

 

[orion3311]

U can be like me and wait n hope that the debut of the '17 cx9 and mazdaspeed 3 in the fall will include a new and more powerful engine for the cx5 as well

I wish...unfortunately I can't wait too much longer. My daily's inspection stickers expires this week, and my backup car (2000 Firehawk), while it gets great gas mileage for having a 330hp V8...isn't the most comfy to drive (but sure is a hell of a lot of fun).

I'm 90% there on the CX5...I dont even know what else to look at to compare to. Jeep Cherokee? Chevy Equinox? Or bite the bullet and stick with VW? (Only hatches/wagons I was happy with were the GTI, Sportwagen and Impreza). Ditched Subaru idea purely on CVT alone.

 

[otapnam]

I wish...unfortunately I can't wait too much longer. My daily's inspection stickers expires this week, and my backup car (2000 Firehawk), while it gets great gas mileage for having a 330hp V8...isn't the most comfy to drive (but sure is a hell of a lot of fun).

I'm 90% there on the CX5...I dont even know what else to look at to compare to. Jeep Cherokee? Chevy Equinox? Or bite the bullet and stick with VW? (Only hatches/wagons I was happy with were the GTI, Sportwagen and Impreza). Ditched Subaru idea purely on CVT alone.

At the 30k price point, the cx5 is the best if you don't want a subaru and need the space. U can a gti, entry level x1, nx or gla but I feel like the cx5 hits more marks as the step up size wise for the price.