2015 vs 2017?

[a2k]

I am looking at the possibility of a 2017 or a 2015 (AWD but without sunroof, turbo or hybrid) as those seem to be highest rated without having the cylinder deactivation and i-stop functions. I've also been looking at a 2016 Toyota RAV 4 or 2013/14 Honda CRV.

I found out that Skyactiv is not exactly a CVT that I've been trying to avoid and while it has direct injection it's apparently better than other versions.

Can anyone share what they like or don't like about 2015 versus 2017? I do prefer to get ones without the i-activsense so that it doesn't have the block behind the mirror that limits forward-right visibility.

TIA!

 

[wlong01]

If you're looking at 15 & 17 you won't be getting turbo or CD. Turbo came in the CX-5 in 2019 and CD came in 2018.
CX-5 is a 6 speed transmission that pretty seamless.

Either one would be a good buy depending on the service history, lack of accidents, condition, etc.

I have a 16 which is basically the 15 with some minor upgrades and it's pretty well bulletproof as well as low maintenance.

Also have a 19 Turbo so you can probably tell we like Mazdas. Much better than our previous CR-V. I also looked at the RAV-4's and there was no comparison. To get the amenities of the CX-5 you have to go with the top trim or jump to a Lexus.

 

[paris1]

I found out that Skyactiv is not exactly a CVT that I've been trying to avoid...
Let's set the record straight; the Skyactiv 6AT is one of the best features of the CX-5 (and all other Mazdas) and is nothing like a CVT. I've had three cars with this trans (2 CX-5s and a hatchback 3) and there's a reason Mazda's kept it in production for 14 years: it works flawlessly 99% of the time! Yes, you could argue that it could do with an extra cog or two, but that would simply mean that it would spend more time "hunting" for the right gear which is ususally more annoying than productive.

 

[a2k]

I was looking at car complaints and they seemed to think the 16 as one of the worst years. I just looked again and they listed the 15 as one of the worst as well. I'm nervous about the 17 being the first year of a new generation and it looks like between the tablet and the rearranged shape of the car, it might have less visibility and knowing where the front end is. Also 18 and newer have cylinder deactivation which looks like it causes issues, but the i-stop apparently can be deactivated if I remember when turning it on. We're looking at overall reliability and don't need a bunch of luxury stuff.

 

[paris1]

What country are you in? The '17 Gen 2 is basically a "bulked up" Gen 1 car. They're not that different and the forward visibility is certainly not impacted. If anything, I would think rearward visibility might suffer a bit as the "haunches" of the car were widened in '17. Significant sound deadening improvements were made on the gen 2 revision and that alone would probably make me go for a '17 over a '16.

 

[a2k]

What country are you in? The '17 Gen 2 is basically a "bulked up" Gen 1 car. They're not that different and the forward visibility is certainly not impacted. If anything, I would think rearward visibility might suffer a bit as the "haunches" of the car were widened in '17. Significant sound deadening improvements were made on the gen 2 revision and that alone would probably make me go for a '17 over a '16

East Coast US. Does one of them have a larger rear window?

 

[MichalP]

I am not sure what you are trying to say by "not exactly as CVT". Mazda 6speed was a head of its time when it was introduced and it's one of the most reliable on the market. Also having a fully functional manual mode is a big bonus.

Keep in mind however that 2015 model has by today's standards an ancient infotainment system. 5.8 inch screen is cute but functionality is very basic. I like it for this simplicity but this is also the reason for some bad reviews. It's got usb player, radio and Bluetooth functionality with basic interface. You can use it to stream music from your phone but this is it. 2017 is slightly newer and interface is different and also at some point Mazda added availability to upgrade to Android Auto and Apple car play. I don't remember which years however. Both 2015 and 2017 should have touchscreen capabilities. Also thing to remember - Mazda's infotainment system were never recognized as super sophisticated that's why there are some complaints related to overall experience.

Last thing. 10 years old car. You can expect some more expensive maintenance "issues". Coolant needs to be replaced. Brakes. Potential shocks, control arms and other suspension parts. This is the time when they might start showing signs of wear and tear.

 

[a2k]

I am not sure what you are trying to say by "not exactly as CVT". Mazda 6speed was a head of its time when it was introduced and it's one of the most reliable on the market. Also having a fully functional manual mode is a big bonus.

Keep in mind however that 2015 model has by today's standards an ancient infotainment system. 5.8 inch screen is cute but functionality is very basic. I like it for this simplicity but this is also the reason for some bad reviews. It's got usb player, radio and Bluetooth functionality with basic interface. You can use it to stream music from your phone but this is it. 2017 is slightly newer and interface is different and also at some point Mazda added availability to upgrade to Android Auto and Apple car play. I don't remember which years however. Both 2015 and 2017 should have touchscreen capabilities. Also thing to remember - Mazda's infotainment system were never recognized as super sophisticated that's why there are some complaints related to overall experience.

Last thing. 10 years old car. You can expect some more expensive maintenance "issues". Coolant needs to be replaced. Brakes. Potential shocks, control arms and other suspension parts. This is the time when they might start showing signs of wear and tear.

I've been trying to avoid CVT and I only recently started looking the Mazda SkyActive and the first thing I saw about it is that it seems to be that it's like a blend of a traditional and a CVT.

I'm not concerned about fancy infotainment; I just use the radio in my car.

 

[GFrosty]

Last thing. 10 years old car. You can expect some more expensive maintenance "issues". Coolant needs to be replaced. Brakes. Potential shocks, control arms and other suspension parts. This is the time when they might start showing signs of wear and tear.

^ This.


@a2k -- So long as the specific 2015, '16, '17 you are considering is a very well-maintained example, then there shouldn't be much of a problem with the vehicle. But it will still be a 10yr old vehicle.

Have a 2016.5 GT AWD w/ TechPkg, myself. Purchased at 4yrs old from the original owner. Had all records, though he hadn't needed to go through any suspension bits, hoses, etc. At the time of the Covid pandemic, I thought the pre-owned price was a fairly good deal.

Since purchase, I've gone through the whole car and kept a fairly aggressive maintenance schedule.

Have replaced all the fluids, though this coming Spring it'll be time to do the transm/diff fluids+filter again. Have replaced the front LCAs and tie-rod ends, as those had gotten a little loose. Have done the brakes.

At 135Kmi, it is beginning to show some of the tiredness in the suspension that typical 10yr old cars do. So, this coming year, I'll be going after some of the suspension links and other arms showing bushing/joint wear, along with the shocks. I will likely go after the engine mounts and transmission mount as well, given the engine @ 1500-2000rpm is showing a bit more vibration than it should.

(Standard maintenance and wear items, basically, same as with any other vehicle that's well-maintained.)

Any of these models ought to prove to be a fairly reliable year. So long as the specific car you select is a well-maintained (not merely a passably-maintained) one with all records. Those can be hard to come by, but they're out there. Mine's one.

 

[N7turbo]

I've been trying to avoid CVT and I only recently started looking the Mazda SkyActive and the first thing I saw about it is that it seems to be that it's like a blend of a traditional and a CVT.

It's a conventional automatic transmission with a wet clutch torque converter and manual mode. There is no relation to a continuously variable transmission.

 

[MichalP]

I've been trying to avoid CVT and I only recently started looking the Mazda SkyActive and the first thing I saw about it is that it seems to be that it's like a blend of a traditional and a CVT.

I'm not concerned about fancy infotainment; I just use the radio in my car.

Mazda 6speed is nothing like CVT. I don't know the technicalities. I am sure other forum members can provide more info but Mazda transmission is on the other side of the experience spectrum comparing to CVT. I would even say that experience wise is more similar to manual transmission in terms of the behavior. It's coming from the person that was driving manuals for bigger part of my life and then switched to Nissan CVT for a few years and it was a nightmare and then switched to CX5 with automatic. What a difference. No more engine whine. Quick responses and no need to keep rpms artificially high. Yes, strictly for highway driving I wouldn't mind one extra gear but unless you constantly driving more than 130-140km/hr (approx 85-90miles/hr) you should be fine.