Ok- so most dealerships think I'm nutso for wanting to go from a 2012 audi s4 to a cx-5 but life happens and I am in need of a practical vehicle that is still fun to drive. I know a few of you come from mustang gts or wrxs. I basically want to hear how you guys who have made a jump from a high performance to the cx5 are dealing with the change. Regrets aside from the obvious differences such as power and handling? Are you happy with the choice? Thanks!
From audi s4 to cx5
- Thread starter prowl647
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- Mazdaspeed6
I drive a modded Mazdaspeed 6 daily (see sig).
I bought a CX-5 for my wife. It is an exciting moment when I get to drive it, which isn't often. It is mind numbingly slow in a straight line compared to my MS6, but I still find it very fun to drive. It is planted, zippy, and I love the firmness in the steering (very reminiscent of the Speed6).
You will miss the brute straight line acceleration from your Audi, but I think you will find the feather light weight of the CX-5 provides a surprisng nimbleness, perhaps not even found in the rather heavy S4.
I can't comment on refinement, comfort and gadgetry, because my Speed 6 has none of that. haha! The CX-5 is a step up for me there. But, I think you'll find a loaded CX-5 is very well equipped, as far as features, and also has a very well executed, albeit simple interior design, with very supportive seating and quality materials.
Good luck with the transition!
I bought a CX-5 for my wife. It is an exciting moment when I get to drive it, which isn't often. It is mind numbingly slow in a straight line compared to my MS6, but I still find it very fun to drive. It is planted, zippy, and I love the firmness in the steering (very reminiscent of the Speed6).
You will miss the brute straight line acceleration from your Audi, but I think you will find the feather light weight of the CX-5 provides a surprisng nimbleness, perhaps not even found in the rather heavy S4.
I can't comment on refinement, comfort and gadgetry, because my Speed 6 has none of that. haha! The CX-5 is a step up for me there. But, I think you'll find a loaded CX-5 is very well equipped, as far as features, and also has a very well executed, albeit simple interior design, with very supportive seating and quality materials.
Good luck with the transition!
For the last 15 years my Daily Driver has been a 98 VW Jetta TDI, so performance was not really part of the equation for my new DD, the CX5. The Mustang lives under a cover in the garage until spring, and my Wife barrels around in the Expedition daily.
I wasn't comfortable anymore driving my 3 kids or their friends around in a car that lacked all of the safety features of the more modern cars. If the Audi Q5d or the BMW 320dx wagon had been available, I would probably be driving one of them. I even went as far as bidding $47k for a CPO BMW X5d, and $43K for a VW Touareg TDI and didn't win either, thank goodness. The gas versions of these cars did not excite me at all. The X3 gasser just felt considerably smaller to me.
To me the CX5 was about the balance of value and safety. The back seat "feels like a couch" according to my kids, and has the most legroom of any of the previously stated cars, and a enormously lower cost of ownership.
There are many cars out there that can be better then the CX5 at any particular aspect, but I struggled to find one that balanced so many good features together into one attractive package.
Once you decide that "image" isn't as important as value, its an easy decision to go with the CX5.
I wasn't comfortable anymore driving my 3 kids or their friends around in a car that lacked all of the safety features of the more modern cars. If the Audi Q5d or the BMW 320dx wagon had been available, I would probably be driving one of them. I even went as far as bidding $47k for a CPO BMW X5d, and $43K for a VW Touareg TDI and didn't win either, thank goodness. The gas versions of these cars did not excite me at all. The X3 gasser just felt considerably smaller to me.
To me the CX5 was about the balance of value and safety. The back seat "feels like a couch" according to my kids, and has the most legroom of any of the previously stated cars, and a enormously lower cost of ownership.
There are many cars out there that can be better then the CX5 at any particular aspect, but I struggled to find one that balanced so many good features together into one attractive package.
Once you decide that "image" isn't as important as value, its an easy decision to go with the CX5.
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They way I look at it you just have to play a different game to keep you entertained.
I have a 2000 S4 Stg 2 with K04 and it's a hoot to drive, but I am mostly now commuting to work and back on it. Haven't done an autocross for years and have recently picked up tennis. When I test drove the CX5 I thought it would be fine for commuting and WAY more economical than a Q5 or an A6 (I was looking at CPO's for these). Q5 would be nice but they want too much money for those around here.
If you just view it as a decent commuting car and try to entertain yourself by squeezing the most MPG you will be fine I think.
The only thing you might miss is the neat gadgets and extra trimmings, but at the same time the maintenance will be way lower.
My plan is to grab a CX-5 and then later on down the road get a used A6 3.0T for the comfy ride. After that I might go for my toy car (FD3S!!! man I miss that car)
I have a 2000 S4 Stg 2 with K04 and it's a hoot to drive, but I am mostly now commuting to work and back on it. Haven't done an autocross for years and have recently picked up tennis. When I test drove the CX5 I thought it would be fine for commuting and WAY more economical than a Q5 or an A6 (I was looking at CPO's for these). Q5 would be nice but they want too much money for those around here.
If you just view it as a decent commuting car and try to entertain yourself by squeezing the most MPG you will be fine I think.
The only thing you might miss is the neat gadgets and extra trimmings, but at the same time the maintenance will be way lower.
My plan is to grab a CX-5 and then later on down the road get a used A6 3.0T for the comfy ride. After that I might go for my toy car (FD3S!!! man I miss that car)
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Just came out of a BMW E92 6MT and although I had some good times with it, I'm very happy with my choice of the CX-5. My original plans for the E92 was for joy riding but about a year after delivery, it became my daily driver for a 6 mile commute in stop & go traffic. With the auto tranny and AWD of the CX-5, I'm looking forward to the next few days as the NE gets another round of winter weather.
It's not necessarily an image thing. I bought the s4 because it was a step up from my evo x. Honestly I can say one of the most fun cars I've ever driven is an 87 Integra. Hell, I rented a bare bones yaris on vacation and that was fun to drive. The s4 seat is just not as comfortable as it should be but the engine is sweet. Thanks for the input
Yeah, I just got mine the other day, and I went from a BMW 135i M-sport, and I'm a 26 year old with no kids. Most people thought I was crazy... and I did have to battle some demons and question why I would do that, but I love it so far and don't think I'll ever regret it.
Cars are tools and you have to find the right tool for the job. The super tight, fast car is great... sometimes. Most of the time in busy cities with construction and potholes everywhere, it sucks. I wanted a nice, comfortable, urban destroyer that I don't pay a premium for anymore and won't give me any fuss. Plus, it looks great and checked every single box I was looking for.
In the future, if I do the sports car thing again, I'd get an older, manual, project car that is unique (as my second car for weekend fun). There's nothing unique about a BMW or Audi (no offense to those with 'em still... but in my city, it's the uniform). A sports car needs to be fun, fast and all that, but also needs to be a head-turner and unique to make it worth all the trouble that comes with a sports car.
Cars are tools and you have to find the right tool for the job. The super tight, fast car is great... sometimes. Most of the time in busy cities with construction and potholes everywhere, it sucks. I wanted a nice, comfortable, urban destroyer that I don't pay a premium for anymore and won't give me any fuss. Plus, it looks great and checked every single box I was looking for.
In the future, if I do the sports car thing again, I'd get an older, manual, project car that is unique (as my second car for weekend fun). There's nothing unique about a BMW or Audi (no offense to those with 'em still... but in my city, it's the uniform). A sports car needs to be fun, fast and all that, but also needs to be a head-turner and unique to make it worth all the trouble that comes with a sports car.
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- Mazdaspeed6
It sounds like you're prepared.
It takes an automotive enthusiast to realize that it doesn't take 800 hp to make a fun driving, dynamic car.
The plus is I find myself less likely to end up speeding. I was driving our Mazda3 with the 2.5 last weekend and at one point thought to myself that the cars up ahead were going quite slow on a 4 lane highway only to discover that I was quickly pulling north of 75. Although I don't consider even the 2.0 CX-5 to be 'slow' I did enjoy the slightly less effort required for acceleration in the 3.
Now, speeding on back roads is another thing entirely in this...
Now, speeding on back roads is another thing entirely in this...
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- Mazdaspeed6
LOL @ the speeding comment. Very true.
I can't resist mashing it in my Speed6. I am always speeding in it.
In the CX-5 I am grannying it, always trying to best my gas mileage record. It's not that it isn't capable of speed, it's just that I always have high effeciency goals.
And in my truck. Psh...the mileage is poor enough grannying it. Speeding in that thing costs a fortune. (eek2)
I can't resist mashing it in my Speed6. I am always speeding in it.
In the CX-5 I am grannying it, always trying to best my gas mileage record. It's not that it isn't capable of speed, it's just that I always have high effeciency goals.
And in my truck. Psh...the mileage is poor enough grannying it. Speeding in that thing costs a fortune. (eek2)
That reminds me of my reaction to most of the cars they test on Top Gear, while what they do is entertaining I tend to want to ask them "so it is a great car if you have your own private runway to slide sideways around and an unlimited supply of tires but what about the rest of us that don't host a TV show about cars?" Or those of us that don't think sideways is the fastest way around a corner
On the contrary. The CX-5 is very stable at speeds above the legal limit and since you don't have that feeling of going fast, it's very easy to exceed those limits if you don't pay attention to your speedo.
CX-5 is stable at speed for a compact crossover/SUV, but not as stable as better sport sedans. Also crosswind sensativity is more pronounced that sedans.
Around here, the unspoken freeway speed limit is 80mph indicated, the CX-5 is easy to keep in the 75-80mph range. Beyond 80 mph I can feel the need for more throttle resulting from wind resistance.
Around here, the unspoken freeway speed limit is 80mph indicated, the CX-5 is easy to keep in the 75-80mph range. Beyond 80 mph I can feel the need for more throttle resulting from wind resistance.
That's what I figured it would be but I don't know if it is the slightly less power or just that I adopt a more mellow attitude when in the CX-5 but I rarely find myself going much over 70 in it and only 70 when it is the flow of traffic.
wtf! do y'all not stomp on the pedal????? 
I'm naturally lead footed, I want to go fast, but I also realize I just need to leave a bit earlier. I've gone through the iteration of an a3 and just recently a 328i, both were fun, but I miss the utilitarian use of my vehicles.
I'm naturally lead footed, I want to go fast, but I also realize I just need to leave a bit earlier. I've gone through the iteration of an a3 and just recently a 328i, both were fun, but I miss the utilitarian use of my vehicles.
I don't stomp on it in the CX5 much as it wasn't really built for that and it would remove the good mpg that is why I bought it. I'll see how quick I can take corners in it but rarely just go all out.
I still get decent mileage when I do stomp on it in my older car:
I still get decent mileage when I do stomp on it in my older car:
We replaced a 2005 Mazda3i with our new CX5GT with Tech. From that car, it was a huge upgrade in everything.
Coming from my 335d, honestly I am only really sad about the technology in the navigation. iDrive is a huge win to me, and the nav in the Mazda just doesnt compare looks wise. But if you dont care about that, you have all of my BMWs features for 1/2 the cost!
Coming from my 335d, honestly I am only really sad about the technology in the navigation. iDrive is a huge win to me, and the nav in the Mazda just doesnt compare looks wise. But if you dont care about that, you have all of my BMWs features for 1/2 the cost!
