Help me decide! 2023 CX-50 GSL or CX-5 Turbo

Looking for your help! Need some help in making a final desicion on which one of these two I'm going to bring home. I won't go into detail on my own thoughts on each vehicle. I have test driven both. I'm just looking for your votes!

which one would you choose??
1. 23 cx5 sport design turbo in soul red. Damn gorgeous signature mazda color and that turbo! Quiet urban ninja!


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or 23 cx50 Gsl package (can) non turbo. Sleek, beefier, more capable? modern, peppy naturally aspirated, but road noise, missing some options.

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I am torn. The cx5 is about $4k more. These are the only two options I get my hands on within a week and I just traded my outback.
 
Both are good choices. It comes down to your personal preference, and everyone's preferences are a little bit different. Picking one or the other without providing a reason is like seeing which one would win in a popularity contest IMO. With that in mind, I'll cast my vote and explain why, rather than just picking one or the other.

I would choose the CX-5. The red is Mazda's best colour IMO, and the turbo engine is great. I also prefer the gloss black fender trim. CX-5 interior is great, but so is the CX-50's. Exterior design is sleek and understated on the CX-5, which I prefer to the CX-50's more aggressive styling.
 
CX50 looks much better in real world vs on pictures. Saw one the one day.
While the cx5 looks great on both :)
 
We have two CX-5's ('14 & '19) but I just ordered a CX-50 TurboPP. Apples to oranges from your question, of course. Sorry.
 
"Traded" your Outback without having purchased the replacement yet? How did that work?

It would be neither for me, but if I had to choose I'd save the $4,000 even if it is a new factory / model / workforce. At least the powertrain is a holdover.
 
CX-5 Turbo although I'm a bit biased. Something about the IMO oversized wheel opening moldings on the CX-50 I just don't like.
 
Yeah I had an offer from dealer to buy back the outback at roughly 3k over msrp and i hated the cvt tranny. It was a 2022 outback wilderness that I had for about 7 months. I am aware the cx50 is direct competition but I really don't need the extra space and would like a more quiet refined ride.
 
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Definitely the CX5 turbo. I have a CX5 without the turbo, and while it drives fine, wish the turbo engine was an option when I bought my 2018. The CX50 is even heavier, and therefore worse with the 2.5NA. When I pay off the CX5 next year, will be looking to trade it in for the turbo.

Lest folks think that I just always want more power, also have a CX30 with the 2.5NA, and while I test drove both the non-turbo and the turbo, I find with less weight, the CX30 is quite fine without the turbo, and have zero plans to trade that vehicle in at any point.
 
would like a more quiet refined ride.

The CX-5 is better for this, it has a better suspension. I wouldn't spend $40,000 on a vehicle with a torsion beam. The 5 is also made in Japan at an established factory with experienced staff.

No experience or expertise is needed to apply for a job at Mazda Toyota, Hostettler said.

A lot of handwork goes into building your vehicle.

 
Yeah I had an offer from dealer to buy back the outback at roughly 3k over msrp and i hated the cvt tranny. It was a 2022 outback wilderness that I had for about 7 months. I am aware the cx50 is direct competition but I really don't need the extra space and would like a more quiet refined ride.
I'm still confused. You sold the Outback to a dealer rather than trade it? If so, you will lose the offset against sales tax on your CX-5 or CX-50 purchase. That could be several thousand $.
 
I really don't need the extra space and would like a more quiet refined ride.

In that case, definitely go with the CX-5. Build quality is more likely to be better and I believe the CX-5 is a bit quieter all around.
 
I'm still confused. You sold the Outback to a dealer rather than trade it? If so, you will lose the offset against sales tax on your CX-5 or CX-50 purchase. That could be several thousand $.
Agreed. I hope they mean it was a trade-in and got the sales tax benefits as well.
 
For the comment about trade vs. sell to dealer, maybe it was worth the offset.

When I bought my Edge in January, it was better for me to sell my previous vehicle to Carmax than trade it in at the Edge selling dealer (I didn't buy from Carmax), even with the tax break for trading in.

I tried to get the other dealer to come up on their trade value, but they wouldn't budge. They lost out on an extra ~$5k on the deal for not coming up to my trade-in target based on what Carmax had it listed for.
 
Dealer bought out my lease and cut me a cheque for 3k. Because of the used car market I've actually done this a few times in the last 3 years and always made equity on a new vehicle i leased and then sold back to a dealer. Vehicles I've had over the last 3 years. 2020 Ford escape hybrid
2021 toyota tacoma trd
2022 Nissan Rogue Platinum
2022 Nissan Frontier baja storm
2022 Subaru Outback wilderness

All of these vehicles I've leased and driven for about 6 to 8 months then sold back to a dealer (lease bought out by dealer) in full with all of those ending up with positive equity. Minus my payments I've basically driven these vehicles for free for the past 3 years. This is only because the used car market is so strong at least here in Canada. Example. My girlfriends 2021 rav4 hybrid limited. She paid $44000 plus tax for it 2 years ago. Has 31k on it. She was offered $55000+ tax for it. Things are slowly starting to shift in the market now so this next car I will be keeping a couple if years at least lol.
 
CX-5 for me as I do mostly local city and highway driving. You get real leather seats not leatherette, 2 seat back pockets not just 1, a fully carpeted cargo area, a 40/20/40 folding rear seat. More refined IMO than the CX-50. OK you don't get the pano sunroof...but you get the turbo. A better comparison for Canadian models would be with the CX-50 GT Turbo (with the Terra Cotta leather which I like better than black). I hope you're not too confused!
 
The CX-5 is better for this, it has a better suspension. I wouldn't spend $40,000 on a vehicle with a torsion beam.

There's theory and there's practice. See this comparison review of the 5 vs 50. It starts off where both of them seem to knock the CX-50 in comparison to the 5, but in the end they both prefer the 50, including the handling performance (see from about 15mins on for the handling section).
 
CX-5!!!

You really need to see them side by side(from front, side and rear) before you make a decision.
See them, drive them, then decide which one best fulfills your needs. If it's build quality, refinement, front cabin airiness, and refined ride, then you'll probably pick the 5. If a newer design, interior cargo room, towing capacity, and roof access are important then the 50 is the winner.
 
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