G
Guest2019C20
Prior tow vehicles: 2000 Outback 2.5 w/5 speed manual, 2012 Outback 2.5 w/CVT.
In a word: fantastic.
The 2000 Outback towed well, as I recall. Enough grunt to pull this 1,000 pound boat/trailer up the boat ramp. Wasn't a speed demon, needed to be revved on the highway.
The 2012 Outback stunk. Very slow, engine revved high any time acceleration was needed. The soft suspension allowed the trailer to wag the dog, errr, the OB. Bumps threw the softly-suspended OB all over the place.
The 2016.5 CX-5 was just wonderful. Finally, the stiff suspension comes into it's own. Other than a reduction in acceleration, and being able to feel 100 pounds of load at the hitch, there was no noticeable effect on the ride, handling, stability. Even hitting larger bumps on a highway corner at 65 mph didn't disrupt the CX-5 at all. No bump steer, nothing. The car tracked straight.
I ended up running in 5th gear with the manu-matic, revs at 2,500. Even there, there wasn't much acceleration at 65 mph. The car would auto-shift into 6th when allowed. Pulling out from a stop was anticlimactic. That low first gear allowed the boat to be pulled up the ramp at idle, and I backed *up* my driveway at idle, too. The mirrors, through the open rear gate, gave a great view for me to back the boat down the ramp for the very first time. The quick steering was wonderful for keeping the trailer going where I needed it.
The only 'downside', if you can even fairly call it that, was that gas mileage for this stretch of road went from 32ish, to 24. That's due to the massive air drag from a 16 foot long, deep-V hull aluminum boat, sitting very high in the air.
I was going to trade in my 2012 Impreza on a crosstrek. Boy, am I glad I test-drove a CX-5 before that happened!
In a word: fantastic.
The 2000 Outback towed well, as I recall. Enough grunt to pull this 1,000 pound boat/trailer up the boat ramp. Wasn't a speed demon, needed to be revved on the highway.
The 2012 Outback stunk. Very slow, engine revved high any time acceleration was needed. The soft suspension allowed the trailer to wag the dog, errr, the OB. Bumps threw the softly-suspended OB all over the place.
The 2016.5 CX-5 was just wonderful. Finally, the stiff suspension comes into it's own. Other than a reduction in acceleration, and being able to feel 100 pounds of load at the hitch, there was no noticeable effect on the ride, handling, stability. Even hitting larger bumps on a highway corner at 65 mph didn't disrupt the CX-5 at all. No bump steer, nothing. The car tracked straight.
I ended up running in 5th gear with the manu-matic, revs at 2,500. Even there, there wasn't much acceleration at 65 mph. The car would auto-shift into 6th when allowed. Pulling out from a stop was anticlimactic. That low first gear allowed the boat to be pulled up the ramp at idle, and I backed *up* my driveway at idle, too. The mirrors, through the open rear gate, gave a great view for me to back the boat down the ramp for the very first time. The quick steering was wonderful for keeping the trailer going where I needed it.
The only 'downside', if you can even fairly call it that, was that gas mileage for this stretch of road went from 32ish, to 24. That's due to the massive air drag from a 16 foot long, deep-V hull aluminum boat, sitting very high in the air.
I was going to trade in my 2012 Impreza on a crosstrek. Boy, am I glad I test-drove a CX-5 before that happened!