Considering a CX-5 GT

[CSI007]

Proud owner of a 2016.5 GT with Tech and after weighing many other CUVs after 3 months of ownership and about 5k miles I'm still very happy with my decision. Granted that's a short period of ownership, but I feel I chose the CUV that looks the best, handles the best, solid reliability, awesome LED lights, infotainment is great, GPS is even pretty darn good in terms of a "car" GPS.

I feel the CX5 balances this great mix of aesthetics, performance, mpg, and quality I couldn't find in other CUVs. I tried CRV, RAV4, Crosstrek XV, and a few others. Every car can have its issues, and everyone has their opinions, but just my 2 cents. I went on a short family trip to hershey park and only took half a tank of gas each way, which is 229m, I was impressed with the solid 30mpg there and back.

Do you have AWD or FWD?

I am closing in on a possible deal now but I wanted to get a FWD but they are few and far between with the tech package. So I may have to get the AWD. I mainly wanted the FWD to save a grand and to get the extra MPG that it offers (more important!!!)

Anyway,
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the sportage issue. This dealer (the owner of the company) has offered me what we owe on the vehicle without seeing the truck. The price is below MSRP and it looks to be below dealer cost but not by much.

 

[craigo]

No car is perfect. All have issues. The car you buy will almost certainly break down and chances are will have a recall in its life. That said, most of the complaints here are minor. Windshields, occasional squeaks... the worst might be the occasional transmission taking a s***, but those are very rare and Mazda is on top of it when it happens, unlike many other makes. You could buy worse. On many forums the longest threads with hundreds of pages are about engine and transmission failures. Here...it's fuel mileage.

 

[CSI007]

Going to go fro another test drive tonight with the car that I am working a deal on.

 

[ALafya]

This is a false statement. 2017 Toyota RAV4 got better NHTSA frontal barrier crash test rating at 4 out of 5 stars on passenger side whereas 2016 Mazda CX-5 got 3 out of 5 stars on passenger side which is among the worst in compact CUVs. Here are the NHTSA crash test 5-star safety ratings in overall/frontal/driver/passenger printed on the window sticker of each vehicle for many popular compact CUVs:

2016 Honda CR-V: 5/5/5/5
2017 Hyundai Tucson: 5/5/5/5
2017 Ford Escape: 5/5/5/4
2017 Subaru Forester: 5/4/5/4
2017 Kia Sportage: 5/4/4/5
2017 Toyota RAV4: 5/4/4/4
2017 Chevrolet Equinox: 4/4/5/4
2016 Jeep Cherokee: 4/4/4/4
2016 Mazda CX-5: 4/4/5/3
2016 Nissan Rogue: 4/4/4/3
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan: 4/3/4/3

Hmmm... I guess I confused IIHS findings about the RAV4 being "worst performer"
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/deskt...-side-protection-may-leave-passengers-at-risk

 

[moJoe]

Do you have AWD or FWD?

I am closing in on a possible deal now but I wanted to get a FWD but they are few and far between with the tech package. So I may have to get the AWD. I mainly wanted the FWD to save a grand and to get the extra MPG that it offers (more important!!!)

Anyway,
I am stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the sportage issue. This dealer (the owner of the company) has offered me what we owe on the vehicle without seeing the truck. The price is below MSRP and it looks to be below dealer cost but not by much.

I have AWD, was in need of something secure for the winters here in the Northeast. I've heard mpg/performance will even improve after a few oil changes and some miles put on which is good to know.

I never owned a Kia, they are interesting looking I do see a few Sportage's around town and it takes me a while to figure out what they are. I have never test drove one or researched one. Kia was always in the Hyundai class for me, before Hyundai starting making better cars, but have no idea if they are better now.

 

[ductman]

The CX-5 is not fun to drive for me. It does feel like I'm driving a sedan at times but braking is poor, and acceleration is unbearable.

After about 3 months of ownership, I already regret not purchasing a Subaru Forester, or waiting for the new VW Tiguan.

Came from a 2014 Subaru Forrester XT , only thing I miss from the Forrester is the turbo charged engine and that's it, horrible seats , ac that could not cool the cabin down ,horrible handling, tech from 1990's, now if they could drop the Subaru Engine in the Mazda, it would be a perfect marriage as I feel the CX5 could use at least 20-30 more HP, plus I was constantly adding coolant to mine every 4-6 weeks .

 

[Monterra]

The CX-5 is not fun to drive for me. It does feel like I'm driving a sedan at times but braking is poor, and acceleration is unbearable.

After about 3 months of ownership, I already regret not purchasing a Subaru Forester, or waiting for the new VW Tiguan.

Saying a cuv drives like a sedan was unintended (I assume) praise. Not sure what you had before or what your idea of fun is but for me the Forester definitely wasn't it. Thought the xt was going to be it for me and if it had a stick like my wife's old 06 i probably would have but the cx5 is still the better drivers car and like ductman eluded to its not close...power and Ill add awd system for snow are the only real advantages of the sube.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Saying a cuv drives like a sedan was unintended (I assume) praise. Not sure what you had before or what your idea of fun is but for me the Forester definitely wasn't it. Thought the xt was going to be it for me and if it had a stick like my wife's old 06 i probably would have but the cx5 is still the better drivers car and like ductman eluded to its not close...power and Ill add awd system for snow are the only real advantages of the sube.

Even snow performance with a Subi is somewhat subjective right now

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...-Trial-By-Ice-And-Snow-%96-CX-5-CX-3-And-MX-5

 

[jlx21]

What? You thought the Forester was fun to drive? Hahahahahahahahaha. Fun is so far down the list of attributes for the Forester, it isn't even on the first page. Same with the Outback. Never in a Subaru review that I have read have they said it was fun. Even my wife said that is off our list as soon as we got in our car after the test drive at the Subaru dealer.

I spend a lot of time reading through forums of all different kinds of cars, staying up on the latest news, and compared to most other fourms, this one is pretty quiet as far as complaints and problems. Take the Canyon/Colorado I almost bought before the CX-5. It was nonstop complaints about real deal problems. Many buyers with less than 1000 miles having to call tow trucks to get home. I would chalk that up to it being a new truck, but come on, this is GM, who should know how to build a truck by now. Heck, there was well over a year between when they showed the truck and started deliveries.

Before that I was ready to sign on the dotted line for a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. Wife and I really enjoyed the test drives, and the dealer we were working with. Then I got home and started reading Jeep forums and buyer reviews on Edmunds and such. A lot of buyers said that the Jeep had spent more time at the dealer while they tried to figure out problems than it had in their driveway at home. There was even a massive thread in one forum about how many people were getting turned over by their dealership to 3rd party companies that would buy their jeeps just before the lemon law would kick in so it wouldn't get reported as such. I didn't even know there were companies out there that would do that.
And then I saw this on autoblog I think:

You should really watch that. So worth it.

Point is, just like every magizine/blog review/podcast says, it is the most fun to drive in it's class. And compared to a lot of other cars, problems are pretty low. The percentage of people that find forums to complain and post problems is pretty high compared to those that don't have problems and never even know there are cool forums like this one out there.

Geez people. Please read what I actually wrote before lashing out on me. I never wrote that the Forester was fun to drive. My first statement simply responded to other posts about the "fun" factor.

My second statement referred to the idea that a CUV is more utilitarian than fun, and I personally think that the Forester is much more useful as a CUV (e.g., better visibility, improved AWD system, more space in the rear seats).

 

[yrwei52]

Hmmm... I guess I confused IIHS findings about the RAV4 being "worst performer"
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/deskt...-side-protection-may-leave-passengers-at-risk

IIHS uses GOOD/ACCEPTABLE/MARGINAL/POOR for crash test ratings, whereas NHTSA crash test uses 5-Star ratings.

Another thing to consider is newest crash testing data, where the RAV4 afforded poor protection for the front passenger. The CX-5 fared better, but with only 3/5 stars.

 

[CSI007]

I test drove the new cx-5 tonight. It's a GT with the tech package. When we were driving over a certain section of road the ride was terrible. kinda bouncy and like driving over rumble strips at the same time. We went back and got another CX-5 with the same setup and it was smooth as silk. They think the tires may have not been deflated from the trip over from japan. They are going to check tomorrow and test drive it. If I decide on the vehicle it would have to be after I test drive and confirm the rumble is resolved. Strange thing is it only seemed to happen on certain types of road area (under construction) but the other vehicle did not do this.

Also, I am thinking of looking at the active-sense model. Any body have any experience with it? Worth the extra cost? They have one left.

BTW, I still thought this CUV has decent torque given the weight and engine HP. Certainly not as good as the Sportage turbo but no slouch either.

Thanks!

 

[CX-5um]

I test drove the new cx-5 tonight. It's a GT with the tech package. When we were driving over a certain section of road the ride was terrible. kinda bouncy and like driving over rumble strips at the same time. We went back and got another CX-5 with the same setup and it was smooth as silk. They think the tires may have not been deflated from the trip over from japan. They are going to check tomorrow and test drive it. If I decide on the vehicle it would have to be after I test drive and confirm the rumble is resolved. Strange thing is it only seemed to happen on certain types of road area (under construction) but the other vehicle did not do this.

Also, I am thinking of looking at the active-sense model. Any body have any experience with it? Worth the extra cost? They have one left.

BTW, I still thought this CUV has decent torque given the weight and engine HP. Certainly not as good as the Sportage turbo but no slouch either.

Thanks!

The CX-5 has a stiff chassis already. The frame has been tested to be the strongest in its class. The suspension is the more performance oriented for its class. All this makes for a stiffer ride by nature. Add the GT's 19 inch wheels and the ride will seem the roughest out of its class. Anyone preferring a Toyota Camry numb soft ride may not be a fan of Mazda's road manners and vice versa.

 

[Monterra]

I test drove the new cx-5 tonight. It's a GT with the tech package. When we were driving over a certain section of road the ride was terrible. kinda bouncy and like driving over rumble strips at the same time. We went back and got another CX-5 with the same setup and it was smooth as silk. They think the tires may have not been deflated from the trip over from japan. They are going to check tomorrow and test drive it. If I decide on the vehicle it would have to be after I test drive and confirm the rumble is resolved. Strange thing is it only seemed to happen on certain types of road area (under construction) but the other vehicle did not do this.

Also, I am thinking of looking at the active-sense model. Any body have any experience with it? Worth the extra cost? They have one left.

BTW, I still thought this CUV has decent torque given the weight and engine HP. Certainly not as good as the Sportage turbo but no slouch either.

Thanks!

If it was fresh off the boat and/or not properly CPI'd (I was finding this often when I was car shopping) the tires were probably 45-50 PSI. First thing I do now before a test drive is check all 4 tires to see if they're at least close to spec on the door jamb- ask, and adjust them down if not. Test drive is misleading at best with over-inflated rubber. If dealers were smart and/or less lazy they'd get this simple detail right as it can really turn people away particularly in vehicles that are sprung more firmly with larger wheel sizes that are more and more common.

 

[NashvilleSpeed6]

I'm tired of hearing about how great Toyota is and how long they last. I test drove a Nissan Rogue, Rav4, Tucson, Escape, and CX-5. The Toyota was by far the worst out of them all.
There was play in the gas and brake pedal, the carpet was coming up, The shift knob was unscrewed, and the rotors were warped and made the car shake when braking. This was a Brand new 2016 Rav4 Limited with 30 miles on it!
I asked sales guy if this was a rejected lemon. he didn't say anything or offer another car to test drive.
I have no regrets about going with the CX-5 GT.

 

[ColtX-5]

Nissan has an internet rep for CVT failures in the Rogue, yet they sell 300k+ in the US. How big is the problem, really?

My Tundra went through 3 windshields in 25,000 miles. Something made it crack with any impact, even the aftermarket ones. Would a RAV be better? Windshields crack, if hit hard enough. I had not noticed enough CX-5 crack reports here to warrant interest. You have to use the interwebs with care. One person with one problem can look like a regiment on the web and will complain enough so everyone notices.

My seat rocks. If I hadn't read it here, I'd have never known. I did not know the electric did crazy things, until you mentioned it. The Blose audio system is total trash and I'm being kind. it deserves a string of 4-letter words. Creaking noises? Really?

Rent each car you want and drive it for a weekend.

 

[Scythe024]

The CX-5 is not fun to drive for me. It does feel like I'm driving a sedan at times but braking is poor, and acceleration is unbearable.

After about 3 months of ownership, I already regret not purchasing a Subaru Forester, or waiting for the new VW Tiguan.

Wow really? Before buying my CX-5 I was pretty much dead set on either a Forester or Legacy. I can't tell you how disappointed I was in both of them during a test drive. The cheap boring interior, lacking geatures, boring drive, it felt like I was in a early 90s corolla. I like a car that feels like I have a great connection to the road, tight sterring that feels responsive, I didn't get that feel at all witht he Subaru's.

 

[CSI007]

Want to thank everyone for their help. I decided to take a leap and buy a 2016.5 GT with tech package. It's Titanium Mica with black leather. Enjoyed driving it the short distance home. Then we went camping with the other truck. I really wanted to take it out for a while. It will have to wait until Sunday now.

I bought the one that was driving oddly on the first test drive. I took it out again today before purchasing and it did not exhibit the same odd road/suspension feeling. the dealer said the tire pressure was fine so I am not sure what was going on. I guess if it happens again I will take it back. Maybe it was sitting for a bit of time and the tires were just acting strange. The ride is actually softer then the Sportage.

Got the infotainment system all setup in about 5 minutes. Works perfectly so far with my phone. But I sure hope they get some new exciting apps/android auto work with it though.

 

[CSI007]

Nissan has an internet rep for CVT failures in the Rogue, yet they sell 300k+ in the US. How big is the problem, really?

My Tundra went through 3 windshields in 25,000 miles. Something made it crack with any impact, even the aftermarket ones. Would a RAV be better? Windshields crack, if hit hard enough. I had not noticed enough CX-5 crack reports here to warrant interest. You have to use the interwebs with care. One person with one problem can look like a regiment on the web and will complain enough so everyone notices.

My seat rocks. If I hadn't read it here, I'd have never known. I did not know the electric did crazy things, until you mentioned it. The Blose audio system is total trash and I'm being kind. it deserves a string of 4-letter words. Creaking noises? Really?

Rent each car you want and drive it for a weekend.

I have a 1/4 million miles on my Isuzu trooper. Still on the original windshield. (Knock on wood)

 

[Seabright]

Congratulations on your decision. I was sold on the Subaru until we drove the CX 5. I think the Forrester is terrific, but it drives more like a truck. The CX 5 is a much more natural driving experience, similar to our BMW.

 

[Unobtanium]

Nissan has an internet rep for CVT failures in the Rogue, yet they sell 300k+ in the US. How big is the problem, really?

My Tundra went through 3 windshields in 25,000 miles. Something made it crack with any impact, even the aftermarket ones. Would a RAV be better? Windshields crack, if hit hard enough. I had not noticed enough CX-5 crack reports here to warrant interest. You have to use the interwebs with care. One person with one problem can look like a regiment on the web and will complain enough so everyone notices.

My seat rocks. If I hadn't read it here, I'd have never known. I did not know the electric did crazy things, until you mentioned it. The Blose audio system is total trash and I'm being kind. it deserves a string of 4-letter words. Creaking noises? Really?

Rent each car you want and drive it for a weekend.

Well, some internet trends hold true.
Like my WS.6 trans Am. Everyone said the rear-end would grenade...it did. backing out of the drive-way at 600rpm, clutch 1/4 engaged, no less!
Like my grand jeep cherokee...it had tons of issues. Just like all my friends said it would.
Like my CX-5 so far, it eats windshields like candy (on my 3rd on so far in about a year)


I used to ignore the internet, but honestly, it bit me in the arse. So now when I buy something, I search all over for failures online, and if I can't find any, then I KNOW it's a damn good thing, because like you said, the net lives to report fails.