I heard both the 2017 Bose and the stock while test-driving, and noticed that the Bose was a bit better despite the weak "sub", but ended up with a Touring w/out Bose... I love the car otherwise, but the audio is far worse than any other stock stereo I've had in the past. A rough frequency sweep revealed a dropout 130-180 Hz (which doesn't seem to be apparent in the 2016 non-Bose) - I don't know if this is to be expected of the new CX5 or a defect in mine, because the dealer won't give me the time of day. I'm stuck with mine and have to go aftermarket, but if you have a choice between 2017 non-Bose or Bose - unless you plan to upgrade regardless - definitely get the Bose.