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2022 2.5GT
Well I’m coming up for my second year with the Lexus NX and I’ve put a deposit down on a new CX-5 GT. It has CD which I know won’t sit well with some members but there’s no choice. It’s the facelifted model, all white and should be here in the new year.
 

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I think the CX-5 is definitely a better buy than the NX. I've sat and driven in the NX, it's not any nicer and does not drive any better than a base (U.S.) $25K CX-5.
 
The NX is very well put together and the quality of materials is exceptional but the seat is way over bolstered to the point that I find it horrendously uncomfortable and how I’ve not wrapped around a tree messing with that track pad is a miracle.
 
Well I’m coming up for my second year with the Lexus NX and I’ve put a deposit down on a new CX-5 GT. It has CD which I know won’t sit well with some members but there’s no choice. It’s the facelifted model, all white and should be here in the new year.
I thought you have a 2018 CX-5 2.2L diesel? And do you have an option on CX-5 getting the SkyActiv-X SPCCI engine in UK?
 
The NX is very well put together and the quality of materials is exceptional but the seat is way over bolstered to the point that I find it horrendously uncomfortable and how I’ve not wrapped around a tree messing with that track pad is a miracle.
The new and bigger Lexus NX is coming out, and hopefully the PHEV version will be available in the US market. If that’s the case the PHEV NX will be the top candidate for my next vehicle purchase as wife has always been wanting a Lexus.

BTW, there’re many complaints here on seat comfort issue toward the gen-2 CX-5. Some even considered to trade in the newly bought CX-5 only because this issue which is not easy to fix.
 
The new and bigger Lexus NX is coming out, and hopefully the PHEV version will be available in the US market. If that’s the case the PHEV NX will be the top candidate for my next vehicle purchase as wife has always been wanting a Lexus.

BTW, there’re many complaints here on seat comfort issue toward the gen-2 CX-5. Some even considered to trade in the newly bought CX-5 only because this issue which is not easy to fix.
Haha, you’ve not changed in seeing the dark side of things - good to hear from you! So to respond to various comments. I had the a 2019 2.2 diesel which I decided would go because they are steadily being outlawed in Europe and they can be temperamental with warning lights etc. The CX5 won’t get the skyactive x engine to my knowledge and the only AWD option we have is the 2.5, otherwise it’s the 2.0. You must have some of these 2.5s with high mileage now, are they behaving OK? The new facelift model which I’m getting is fitted with the CX30/3 seats which are re sculpted and different foam base so with the addition of nappa leather, that’s hopefully addressed. My deposit is fully refundable.

The NX is also hampered with covid and chip related supply chain issues so the first we can get to sit in will be two shipped in a container that will do a road tour of all the U.K. dealers in November to allow potential owners to drive them! They also will not discount the new model (mine was not much more expensive than a CX5). It looks superb but a similar spec to the one I’ve got or the CX5 will be nearly double. You never know, I might be seduced - the quality of the materials and paint etc is leagues ahead of the Mazda but at a price.
 
Looking at that picture you included of the front end of that CX-5: Something missing.
It has too much plain white fascia. It needs something in the corners below the headlights, like fog lights, or vents, or SOMETHING. For example, I like the Kia Kona front fascia styling that has multiple lights on the front end. It's busy, but well done.
Even the NX, (with that ugly huge gaping grille), has a more interesting front face.
The Mazda needs some sprucing up. Too bland.
Thoughts?
 
Haha, you’ve not changed in seeing the dark side of things - good to hear from you! So to respond to various comments. I had the a 2019 2.2 diesel which I decided would go because they are steadily being outlawed in Europe and they can be temperamental with warning lights etc. The CX5 won’t get the skyactive x engine to my knowledge and the only AWD option we have is the 2.5, otherwise it’s the 2.0.
Yeah nice to see you started posting here and it’s been a while. Didn’t know you had replaced the 2019 CX-5 2.2L diesel with a Lexus NX. I guess that’s why you’ve been absent here and we all miss your contribution with all kind of knowledge and documents been posted here!

You must have some of these 2.5s with high mileage now, are they behaving OK?
Our 6.5-year-old 2016 CX-5 GT AWD has very limited miles at only 45K. Mainly the pandemic and wife is working at home most of time. Other than 10 items fixed under new car warranty, LED headlights、rear brake calipers、automatic climate control panel、Bose door woofers、etc., the only problem since then is the leaky belt tensioner and I haven’t had the time to fit it yet. A new set of tires will be on next Tuesday replacing the stock Toyo A23’s which are at 2/32 ~ 3/32” on tread depth and they won’t pass our annual state safety inspection coming up.

The new facelift model which I’m getting is fitted with the CX30/3 seats which are re sculpted and different foam base so with the addition of nappa leather, that’s hopefully addressed. My deposit is fully refundable.
It’s a good news that Mazda has noticed the seat comfort problem on gen-2 CX-5 and is trying to fix it.

The NX is also hampered with covid and chip related supply chain issues so the first we can get to sit in will be two shipped in a container that will do a road tour of all the U.K. dealers in November to allow potential owners to drive them! They also will not discount the new model (mine was not much more expensive than a CX5). It looks superb but a similar spec to the one I’ve got or the CX5 will be nearly double. You never know, I might be seduced - the quality of the materials and paint etc is leagues ahead of the Mazda but at a price.
Yes due to the popularity the Lexus vehicles are always more expensive than other Japanese counterparts, and people, including my wife, are willing to pay more just for the name.
 
Looking at that picture you included of the front end of that CX-5: Something missing.
It has too much plain white fascia. It needs something in the corners below the headlights, like fog lights, or vents, or SOMETHING. For example, I like the Kia Kona front fascia styling that has multiple lights on the front end. It's busy, but well done.
Even the NX, (with that ugly huge gaping grille), has a more interesting front face.
The Mazda needs some sprucing up. Too bland.
Thoughts?
Agreed. I actually have the same feeling on gen-2 CX-5 before this facelift. And the fog lights are still missing? And I thought the front and rear fog lights are mandatory in EU market?
 
Agreed. I actually have the same feeling on gen-2 CX-5 before this facelift. And the fog lights are still missing? And I thought the front and rear fog lights are mandatory in EU market?
One or two rear fog lights are mandatory but not the front.
 
One or two rear fog lights are mandatory but not the front.
That's why I like the front end on my 2017 6 more than the 2018-2021.
They removed the round fog light and just replaced that area with a non functioning narrow slit.
They did the same with the CX-5.
What is wrong with a good old fog light anyway? Almost everyone has them, and they look good. Oh well.
 
The proper use of fog lights is to either supplement the dipped headlights or in extreme fog, replace them as they are low enough to not glare back at the driver but not many use them that way. I guess removing them pays for one of the other changes. It’s not a change I would have made but they never asked me ;-)
 
⋯ I guess removing them pays for one of the other changes. It’s not a change I would have made but they never asked me ;-)
Yeah eliminating front fog lights on new CX-5 is a strange move by Mazda. This’s another example Mazda has its own “unique” thinking on feature implementation such as introducing the only 4-cylinder engine with cylinder deactivation in US market. I personally wouldn’t have done that either!

I was hoping Mazda might have the front fog lights incorporated into the headlight units like VW did on 2000 Passat for US market, as I thought front fog lights were mandatory in EU. But based on the picture from a Romanian car site someone posted in another thread, the front fog lights almost certain are gone with only rear fog light icon on the light switch stalk.

5B891E8F-86E0-4C93-8245-A6EC71AAFE9D.jpeg


The fog light icons on the switch should look like this with both front and rear fog lights:

B31F648A-7DDA-4055-8D62-D2D8B0412BBC.jpeg
 
I was hoping Mazda might have the front fog lights incorporated into the headlight units like VW did on 2000 Passat for US market
Yeah, I had them in the headlights of my 2000 Passat. They worked fine being included that way.
I can't say I'm overly impressed with how effective the fog lights on my 2019 CX-5 GTR work.
 
Yeah, I had them in the headlights of my 2000 Passat. They worked fine being included that way.
I can't say I'm overly impressed with how effective the fog lights on my 2019 CX-5 GTR work.
Yep I had a 2001.5 VW “New” Passat which is the next generation of your 2000 Passat. And I was very glad VW moved the front fog lights to the traditional location, which looks much nicer and are functioning better at lower position.
 
Yeah eliminating front fog lights on new CX-5 is a strange move by Mazda. This’s another example Mazda has its own “unique” thinking on feature implementation

It's not strange at all, and it's not unique to Mazda. Article from 2017:


Several makers of luxury vehicles have quietly omitted the front fog lights from many of their latest models, including Audi, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz and the new Genesis line from Hyundai. The trend is unlikely to stop there, as changes to high-end models inevitably filter down to mainstream cars and trucks.

Those companies say their latest high-tech headlights make separate fog lamps unnecessary. There is scant independent research to verify such claims; the public-interest groups that test headlights, including Consumers Union and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, do not conduct tests of fog lights and do not take a position on their effectiveness.

Nor do the federal safety regulators that issue standards for high- and low-beam headlights. In a statement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said, “Fog lamps are considered supplemental equipment, which means there are no applicable federal requirements for these lamps other than they must not impair the effectiveness of the required lighting equipment.”

I personally like having fog lights, but really it's just because I like the way they look. As far as function, they might as well not be there.
 
It's not strange at all, and it's not unique to Mazda. Article from 2017:


I personally like having fog lights, but really it's just because I like the way they look. As far as function, they might as well not be there.
Yes, but can we get those high-tech adaptive LED headlights which can replace the function of the front fog lights like everywhere else in the world? No!

The headlight regulation by US DOT is so out of date, but the DOT refused to change it when Audi and Toyota filed a petition to allow high-tech adaptive LED headlights available in US market few years ago!


Those companies say their latest high-tech headlights make separate fog lamps unnecessary.
 
I tended to switch the sidelights on which put out the DRL to show the raptor lights as in my avatar <<<<< but put the fog lights on which acted like marker lights. Being led they had that twinkle. Sad but true 🙄
 
Yes, but can we get those high-tech adaptive LED headlights which can replace the function of the front fog lights like everywhere else in the world? No!

The headlight regulation by US DOT is so out of date, but the DOT refused to change it when Audi and Toyota filed a petition to allow high-tech adaptive LED headlights available in US market few years ago!

The high-tech adaptive LED headlights have nothing to do with replacing the function of the front fog lights. Many of the "basic" modern headlights/housings in use already replace the function of the fog lights, you don't need the high-tech LED arrays that Mercedes Benz uses in Europe to replace the function of the fog lights.

Here's another article from 2021:

Fog lights were used to supplement the illumination that comes from the headlights. They were useful when cars had basic, halogen lighting, as the light was adjusted so you could see far down the road, leaving the area in front of the car, dim. These days, more and more modern cars are using LED, laser, or HID lighting, with projector housings or other housings that better focus the light down the road, as well as immediately in front of the car. In applications like those, fog lights are redundant/not necessary. Many here have complained that the fog lights don't really do anything (myself included). That's because the headlights already illuminate much of the area that the fogs do. I believe this is why the IIHS doesn't include the fog lights in their headlight tests. Even the base level CX-5 now uses LED arrays in projector housings. As a result, fog lights add very, very little function, and are simply a cosmetic item at this point.

I made this video a couple of years ago to see how much of a difference the fogs make on my CX-9. Looking at the video again, the difference is quite minimal IMO.

 
Anyway, back to the thread topic..

Happy to hear you'll be back in a CX-5 @Anchorman! I hope it treats you well. It sounds like you're getting the 2.5 NA engine? Does the GT trim come standard with the colour-matched trim, or is it an option? I thought that maybe only the Signature trim would be colour-matched.
 
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