My best guess is that the BCM (body control module) is going crazy. (all sorts of strange issues)
Search the TSBs. I recall that there is a TSB on BCM.
Yours is out of B2B warranty.
Get a multimeter to make sure your battery is at reasonable voltage.
(12.5-12.6v after parking for a while)
Got four Mazdas until a couple months ago (now three, just sold one).
My experiences have been similar. The rear pads wear faster than the front.
Dealer told me that brake force distribution does that... among other factors.
Around SF Bay Area, brake pad job at Mazda dealers costs about $500...
Mazda's turbo feels like a diesel engine.
Got two CX-5s myself. '17 CX5 N/A and '22 CX5 Turbo.
Sold the '17 recently.
I agree with OP's assessment between the two engines.
Vibration happens(or at its worst) at certain speed.. points to tire balance issue.
Flat spot can do that also if you park your vehicle for a while and drive it initially after.
That is why cars are transported on cargo ship with tires inflated up to 40 PSI or more.
CX4 is no longer for sale in China.
Interesting, right?
A model created for China, and it is no longer for sale there.
CX-5 remains a strong seller in China.
I got a pearl white '22 CX5.
When I tried to touch up several small areas, it came out as greyish color.
I had to shake it for much longer (maybe 5+ mins).
Eventually, I started to see white color.
My advice... shake it longer and see what happens.
I did not have to do this for Deep-sea blue...
Japanese knows better not to use "4" in model names.
That is not unique to Chinese.
(pronunciation wise, "4" is close to "die/dead" in Chinese)
Japanese have two ways to pronounces "4".
Kyoto = "si" similar to how Chinese pronounce it. Influenced by Chinese from Tang dynasty (600-900AC).
Tokyo...
Any model has a "4" in its name will not sell in Asia.
You go to Asia, there is no 4th floor.
Especially in hospitals. Good luck finding that floor.
"4 = die, close pronunciation"
BMW 4 series is not selling well either in Asia.
Alfa Romeo had a "164" once. (=die all the way)
Few people wanted...
You can DIY.
Buy the box. Install DIY (or have someone else do it).
Need to check your software version. It needs certain versions to handle it.
I had a '17 (sold it). I looked into this.
Your nearby Mazda dealer can do for $$$. My guess would be $400+ (parts and labor). In NYC, it would not be...
Amazon's SD GPS card would no longer work for new models.
Be aware of this when you make the purchase.
As "cz5gt" said above.
I got a '22 Turbo. It still worked for mine.
Was there an accident repair of the front end you were not aware of?
Could be the radar under the grille logo.
Guessing here. Both SBC and MRCC rely on the front radar.
https://www.mazdaswag.com/v-2014-mazda-cx-5--touring--2-5l-l4-gas/engine--air-intake
#6. Mass Air Flow Sensor.
My co-worker's '14 Mazda3 had this failure.
He replaced it DIY.
If you clean it, make sure you use the right cleaner.
Try the cheap fix first.