Disappointments / missing things in your CX-5?

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Phoenix
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What features or attributes are you surprised your CX-5 is lacking? Things that you would have expected a car like this to have. For example, I'm surprised that the upper trim levels or packages don't include power adjustable steering wheel. Also surprised at the abysmal picture of the backup cam.

What do you think shojld have been included or better at your price point?
 
I echo the abysmal backup camera. I love the knob and the easily adjusted entertainment system. Getting the Homelink system to work was a big pita. The manual jumps around so much it practically is undecipherable. My CX-5 has pretty much everything that a person could want. I would love to have a twin turbo straight 6 and an 8 speed tranny.
 
I think its pretty hard to fault the CX-5 as far as features are concerned. For the price point it covers about everything. Maybe a wireless charging pad? Larger glass in the sunroof?
 
What features or attributes are you surprised your CX-5 is lacking? Things that you would have expected a car like this to have. For example, I'm surprised that the upper trim levels or packages don't include power adjustable steering wheel. Also surprised at the abysmal picture of the backup cam.

What do you think shojld have been included or better at your price point?
2019 GT Reserve.

No remote start. Only factory option is a terribly glitchy app. So much fail, here, Mazda.

The hood...it has this silly prop rod. Even my Z06 in all of its weight saving glory, with fenders weighing less than the paint on them...had hydraulic struts that held the hood open.

Hill descent mode. This is a little more "okay, whatever", but mazda should have included it because of how they market the vehicle as offroadable, to a degree.

The transmission is a 6 speed. That's very 2015 of them. That said, with the massive plateau of torque from the turbo engine, it's not as big a deal as it would be with the NA models.
 
Factory installed roof rails should be standard equipment on all trims above Sport. This is an SUV...not a Mazda 6. CX-30's higher trim have it as standard equipment now.

Would have been nice to have kept the 8.5 inches of ground clearance the Gen1 had.

An 8 speed transmission would be nice.....but I had a 9 speed in my former Jeep Renegade and it hunted constantly at highway speeds between 7-9 which made highway driving annoying with all its shifting....so more gears would have to be implemented better then competitors.
 
No complaints on my end, I'm very happy with everything my CX-5 has to offer and it's awesome to be able to drive around daily.
 
On 6 speed automatic, Mazda is developing an 8 speed automatic, but the 6 speed together with the SkyActiv engine is so good.

For reference, here's an article on why more gears is not always better (and they actually make the same comparison as Velocity made, 9 speed Jeep not being as good as the 6 speed Mazda.
https://www.caradvice.com.au/295937/why-adding-extra-gears-to-transmissions-isnt-always-a-good-idea/

And here's a very detailed explanation for "Engineering Explained" that's titled why Mazda avoids CVT transmission that's very informative, and sheds light on why the Mazda engine works best with a six speed. He explains at the 2 minute mark the many objectives (often conflicting) in designing a transmission... then explains where CVTs excel, and where they are not so good, and then goes into great detail about the Mazda's approach. He is not a Mazda guy, and does detailed reviews of many different makes. He seems to really like Mazda's innovations in gas engines.

And here's well known You-Tuber Scotty Kilmer (old school and opinionated) giving props to Mazda's 6 speed automatic transmission and mentioning problems with his favourate brand's (Toyota) 8 speed.

In short, there is a reason Mazda is sticking with six speed. They can achieve great fuel economy and driveability with a six speed paired to their innovative engines.
 
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When looking for new CUV, I would read a review of a CVT and it would say something along the line...For a CVT it is not bad. I am old school and like a plain old transmission. The 6 speed with the Turbo, to me, is perfect. I drive a 2005 F150 and my wife "owns" the 2019 Sig. Whenever I drive the Mazda, she constantly tells me "It's not a sports car". To me, after driving the truck, it is as I look at her and smile.

As to what it needs???? Compared to my truck...nothing. It actually has too much for me....I still have a problem figuring the many options just to wipe the rain off. She keeps telling me to use the camera as I still use the mirrors when backing up.

Would I buy another one, in a heart beat. When I sell the truck, I will be looking to buy another CX5 with a turbo.
 
Not sure if this feature is included in the new models, but I wish Mazda had the windows down feature tied into the fob.
My previous older non Mazda vehicles (and most other newer makes and models today) would/will allow you to lower the windows by holding down the unlock button on the key fob.
I hate having to get into my car after it's been sitting in the sun and having to turn on the accessories in order to lower the windows. It gets bloody hot in there.
I also liked being able to lower the car windows from inside my house on a hot day.
Come on Mazda, it's not that hard. This should be a standard feature today.
 
BTW, you can switch from Carplay/AA and the standard infotainment by holding the home button. I try to use the factory infotainment as little as possible, as Carplay is so much better, but that makes switching between the systems easier.
 
I have a Touring and here are things that I thought were lacking
1. No Auto headlights for Touring
2. No power seat for base trims - Toyota does this on Camry - but Mazda doesn't do it on the 6.
3. Touring power seats don't have a tilt option its just 6 way instead of being 8 way. The tilt could be the difference between comfort and pain on a long drive. I don't know if GT also has 6 way seats but it would be pretty awful. Meanwhile base Camry has a 8 way seat with lumbar.
 
As far as I know the base Camry L has a manual seat as well.

The main issue I have rear armrest with cupholders missing for the base model. I don't need one with USB ports but geez. Everyone in the rear has to hold their drinks because the ones in the door are slanted at an obscene angle. I would happily trade the BSM feature for the rear armrest or rear vents
 
Camry LE and SE ($800 more) is a like for like Trim to Mazda 6 Sport. Camry L is the stripped version and is lower than LE.

I was not aware the base model does not have cup holders in rear? Wow that's bad for a lot of scenarios.
 
Keep them coming. Like I mentioned in my original post, this isn't necessarily a wish list, but rather things that you're really surprised the car doesn't have, or doesn't do better
 
Our 2018 Grand Touring CX5 is the best car we've every had in this price range. The only thing I was surprised it did not have was Paddle Shifters! (what year did they add them??)
 
A "normal" remote start built into key fob, no subscription $, maybe an app, would have been my choice in our 20 Sig. My wife's choice: memory mirrors...side and center (if there is such a thing on the rearview).
 
Also surprised at the abysmal picture of the backup cam.

I see a lot of people say this, but I don't understand. My '19 Touring camera is perfectly fine. I don't know if some cars have different (worse) camera's or I'm less picky (though, that would be strange for me :) ).

Can you take a picture of your camera display and post it, to compare?

I have a Touring and here are things that I thought were lacking
1. No Auto headlights for Touring
2. No power seat for base trims - Toyota does this on Camry - but Mazda doesn't do it on the 6.
3. Touring power seats don't have a tilt option its just 6 way instead of being 8 way. The tilt could be the difference between comfort and pain on a long drive. I don't know if GT also has 6 way seats but it would be pretty awful. Meanwhile base Camry has a 8 way seat with lumbar.

Not sure about #2 on base trim, but the others are there on the Gen 2 Tourings, for sure.
 
Also surprised at the abysmal picture of the backup cam.

Remember that the camera's picture can be adjusted. After turning down the brightness, adjusting contrast and color saturation, the picture was 500% better.
 
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