AWD Systems Comparison With Europeans

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2020 CX-5 Signature Azul Metalico
How does Mazda's AWD system compare with systems used by European makes such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, VW, Porsche, Volvo, Alfa Romeo and other European brands I haven't mentioned that are for sale in the North American market?
 
Prior to my CX-5 purchase last year, I did a lot of reading about AWD systems. Mazda's AWD systems did well in snowy-road conditions, muddy fords, and so on. Mazda ground clearance isn't really off-road-worthy, but they'll do better than some, such as Hyundais/Kias with dual-clutch transmissions that can be destroyed by crawling. For icy conditions, they seem much better calibrated than Honda's, whose CRVs have really been embarrassed in some testing in Sweden.

If your usage is to get you to the ski slopes without having to put chains on, they'll do as well as an Audi. If you want to traverse the Amazon or something, get a real truck.

Consider some winter tires for the snowy season, too. Well worth the investment if you spend much time in snowy conditions.
 
I saw a video of an Alfa with one wheel completely in the air. It spun a little then the car moved forward. Can the CX-5 do that? I imagine each of the European marks have engineered their own system. I wonder if any outshines all the rest. If so my guess is it's the Land Rover.
 
In my WRX I loved blowing away 4 second mustangs on a wet/rainy surface at a light. I loved hearing the wheels spin on the Mustangs 😂 Now I realize that a 2013 WRX AWD system is completely different, and I think that in that situation all 4 wheels are getting power/turning oh, I had to try real hard to break the tires loose. I'll admit, at 60 I'm still a bit Immature, but can I expect the same outcome against a mustang in the wet with my AWD Signature or will wheel spin prevent that?
 
Sounds like fun but the Subaru is another Japanese make and the Mustang of course US. Still wondering about European systems.
 
Best offroad: Mercedes g-wagon
Best on track: porsche
Best general use: audi (except the a3)

but honestly that is a bit of a silly question, all those are in a way different price point than any of the mazda, and are different purpose car. The only brand that is comparable to mazda pricewise is VW. Their awd is similar in its application than mazda, but mazda edges a win based on the somewhat predictive nature of the system.

yes the mazda awd can deal with situations where one wheel is in the air.
 
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Not even close in my mind. My brother has a 4 series X-drive BMW and he can slam it on wet roads and the car just moves forward. The CX-5 and CX-9 will have some degree of torque steer and wheel spin. They really are designed for different people and perceived applications.
 
In my WRX I loved blowing away 4 second mustangs on a wet/rainy surface at a light. I loved hearing the wheels spin on the Mustangs 😂 Now I realize that a 2013 WRX AWD system is completely different, and I think that in that situation all 4 wheels are getting power/turning oh, I had to try real hard to break the tires loose. I'll admit, at 60 I'm still a bit Immature, but can I expect the same outcome against a mustang in the wet with my AWD Signature or will wheel spin prevent that?
My cx5 GTR dead hooks in the rain on normal asphalt or concrete.
 
Not even close in my mind. My brother has a 4 series X-drive BMW and he can slam it on wet roads and the car just moves forward. The CX-5 and CX-9 will have some degree of torque steer and wheel spin. They really are designed for different people and perceived applications.
My 2019 GTR cx5 just hooks and goes. Even in the rain. Does great. Keep in mind though it's still only 250bhp in a 3800# vehicle, so it's not going to be super fast.
 
Good to hear. Haven't had rain in Phoenix since I got the car 3 months ago. A little bit a few days ago but it was at night and I wasn't out
 
I didn't intend to include the Mercedes G Wagon in my silly question as that is not AWD it is 4wd with locking differentials. I was asking specifically about AWD systems.
 
I didn't intend to include the Mercedes G Wagon in my silly question as that is not AWD it is 4wd with locking differentials. I was asking specifically about AWD systems.

Then I would change my vote to say Land Rover/Range Rover for off road capabilities. The old Porsche cayenne/VW Touareg used to be just as good off road as well, but I think the Cayenne AWD is more tuned for performance driving these days.
 
Then I would change my vote to say Land Rover/Range Rover for off road capabilities. The old Porsche cayenne/VW Touareg used to be just as good off road as well, but I think the Cayenne AWD is more tuned for performance driving these days.
The best offroad system I've ever heard of was the one in my 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

2 speed transfer case, ELSD's front and rear, all-wheel independent drive (100% of torque could be sent to any 1 wheel without t he others turning. True independent AWD, at any speed.).

G Wagon is the next step on the price totem-pole from that with a better/similar system.

The 2011+ Jeeps lost the front ELSD locker.
 
European SUVS: We have capable AWD systems and....
Subaru: but I have AWD stock
European SUVS: ....and we look expensive.
Subaru: ummm..
Everyone: all hail the Euro SUVs!!!

Mazda: hold my 6-speed auto shifter

 
I imagine each of the European marks have engineered their own system.
Not necessarily. Aisin is 51% owned by Toyota, which in the peculiar way Asian corporations arrange themselves, makes Aisin = Toyota. For perspective, Toyota owns more of Aisin than Hyundai owns of Kia. Here's one list of Aisin transmissions that shows other makers, including high end Europeans, using Aisins in some applications. I'm not techy enough to tell which are AWD:

If so my guess is it's the Land Rover.
I look at this way. When you see newsreels of terrorists bombing around in the desert, it's an old Toyota pickup with the gun mounted in the bed more than any other make. Lots of old Toyota 4Runners as well, running around in that sand and heat.

Sheiks tool around in Range Rovers and can afford to have several when one goes in the shop which is evidently pretty often. Range Rover has one of the worst reliability records in the industry even when compared to lower priced brands.
 
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The CX-5 may seem out of place to Americans in this test, versus Audi, BMW, etc. But in Germany, Mazdas sell for about a 40% premium compared to what we are used to here. A friend in Germany blanched when I mentioned my CX-5; it's considered a fairly expensive car there, pretty much as we Americans regard the other cars tested in this video. So it's not as out-of-class in this test as it may seem to a US viewer.

Land Rover certainly seems to have lost its way, based on what I see in this video. A pity.
 
The CX-5 may seem out of place to Americans in this test, versus Audi, BMW, etc. But in Germany, Mazdas sell for about a 40% premium compared to what we are used to here.
Out of curiosity I pulled up a couple of Munich dealer web sites.

The CX-5 trim lines range from 26,603 to 40,104 Euros MSRP. To get up to a 2.5L gas engine from the base 2.0L gas or diesel you have to go up the rim line list to add it as an option. Any paint other than white is a upgrade. There's a lot of apples and oranges but it looks like something approximating a US Touring would run about 35,000 Euro. With the current coversion rate of about $1.18 to a Euro, you're looking at about $41,300 which gets you 3/4 of the way to that 40% differential. I don't think the European version has the full set of safety features. I didn't see blind spot monitoring in the summaries ("Blind" in English = "blind" in German according to Google translate anyway).

The price breakdown does not show transportation. If that's extra then add that to the percentage.

Germany has a 19% value added tax on vehicles. If that's included in the price, then the percentage goes down pretty sharply. If it's extra, well, that's just the way they tax.

I'm not sure of the BMW comparable in Germany and I've wasted enough time already but their low end 118i 5-Turer, a 5-door hatchback, 1.5L gasoline, with 140 HP if I'm reading that right, starts at around $27,500 Euro. That's not far off the German CX-5 base base with a kinda weak 2.0L. That looks reasonably close to apples and oranges.

What's different in the US is the BMW X1, which looks to be their cheapest US model starting at $35,400 for FWD and looks to be close to the same class as the CX-5 in profile and size, it comes with a standard 220 HP going 6.6 to 60 and who knows what other extra goodies (or missing goodies) come with it. You'd have to break it down yourself, but how does that compare with the CX-5 turbo trims? It could be somewhat close to apples vs. apples.
 
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I'm not as versed in off road detail, but I know Euro cars often have torque vectoring left to right. Which helps handling the curves on pavement.

To my knowledge, no Mazda has this.
 
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