Impressions after 50K in my '14 Touring!

[rickprins]

So in Feb of 2014 I bought a CPO 2014 CX-5 Touring in that electric blue. It had 9900 miles and after market Katzkin leather. I asked the dealer - Suburban Mazda of Farmington Hills, MI - to add heated seats and the nav option. I paid $24500 for the car. The CPO warranty extended the warranty well beyond what you got by buying it new. I was (and still am) happy!

I've had no issues (zero, zip, zilch, none) with the car. I live in the Detroit metro area and our roads are so bad that I occasionally have to avoid the burrow tours emerging from the potholes. And through all of this I still have no significant squeaks or rattles.

I've recently replaced the OEM tires with Conti True Contacts (48k miles). The ride and grip dramatically improved!
I've replaced the brake pads myself on all 4 corners without any issues. I used OEM pads.
The aftermarket butt-warmers are fantastic! Low setting is comfortable, high setting is like a sauna!
The nav works adequately. An inexpensive Garmin (or Waze0 is better, but then you have to deal with cords.
I find the Bose system pretty decent. Not great, but better than I've had in past cars.
My mileage is around 27 in the summer and 25 in the winter. I have a 20 mile commute that is a mix of suburban and highway driving.

My only real complaint is the power seats. I'd like to be able to raise the front of the seat separate rear. And the big gripe - the seats don't hold their position! I have to readjust the seat nearly every time I get in. Usually I have to move the recline up or slide the seat forward. I am the only one who drives the Mazda. My previous Subarus, and Hondas all held the position I set FOREVER! I never have to readjust the driving position in my wife's Pilot.

 

[craigo]

So in Feb of 2014 I bought a CPO 2014 CX-5 Touring in that electric blue. It had 9900 miles and after market Katzkin leather. I asked the dealer - Suburban Mazda of Farmington Hills, MI - to add heated seats and the nav option. I paid $24500 for the car. The CPO warranty extended the warranty well beyond what you got by buying it new. I was (and still am) happy!

I've had no issues (zero, zip, zilch, none) with the car. I live in the Detroit metro area and our roads are so bad that I occasionally have to avoid the burrow tours emerging from the potholes. And through all of this I still have no significant squeaks or rattles.

I've recently replaced the OEM tires with Conti True Contacts (48k miles). The ride and grip dramatically improved!
I've replaced the brake pads myself on all 4 corners without any issues. I used OEM pads.
The aftermarket butt-warmers are fantastic! Low setting is comfortable, high setting is like a sauna!
The nav works adequately. An inexpensive Garmin (or Waze0 is better, but then you have to deal with cords.
I find the Bose system pretty decent. Not great, but better than I've had in past cars.
My mileage is around 27 in the summer and 25 in the winter. I have a 20 mile commute that is a mix of suburban and highway driving.

My only real complaint is the power seats. I'd like to be able to raise the front of the seat separate rear. And the big gripe - the seats don't hold their position! I have to readjust the seat nearly every time I get in. Usually I have to move the recline up or slide the seat forward. I am the only one who drives the Mazda. My previous Subarus, and Hondas all held the position I set FOREVER! I never have to readjust the driving position in my wife's Pilot.

Weird, the power seats on my '14 GT do this. Are they different in the touring?

 

[ALafya]

Happy to hear you have an overall good experience with the vehicle!

My only real complaint is the power seats. I'd like to be able to raise the front of the seat separate rear. And the big gripe - the seats don't hold their position! I have to readjust the seat nearly every time I get in. Usually I have to move the recline up or slide the seat forward. I am the only one who drives the Mazda.

Mine does not move.
However, I did notice that, mostly when you exit the vehicle, it is possible to be touching the controls with your hip/leg and causing it to move, especially the seat back. Perhaps this is what happens to you?

 

[ALafya]

Weird, the power seats on my '14 GT do this. Are they different in the touring?

Yes. The Touring is 6-way, GT is 8-way.
Strangely, when you bring the seat up, it does not just lift it up vertically but instead causes the back of the bottom cushion to be raised more than the front. So, if you raise the seat too much the bottom cushion becomes more flat.

 

[rickprins]

Happy to hear you have an overall good experience with the vehicle!



Mine does not move.
However, I did notice that, mostly when you exit the vehicle, it is possible to be touching the controls with your hip/leg and causing it to move, especially the seat back. Perhaps this is what happens to you?

Yeah... it's been suggested before. But I am very careful because of how much it p*sses me off! I've read about this (possibly in this forum?) occurring with others.

 

[rickprins]

Yes. The Touring is 6-way, GT is 8-way.
Strangely, when you bring the seat up, it does not just lift it up vertically but instead causes the back of the bottom cushion to be raised more than the front. So, if you raise the seat too much the bottom cushion becomes more flat.

That's the only other real complaint I have. I'd like to be able to adjust the thigh height independent of the butt height.

Otherwise I really enjoy the car. The AWD is nice in the winter. It's not quite up to Subaru's AWD, but it gets the job done.

 

[yrwei52]

Yes. The Touring is 6-way, GT is 8-way.
Strangely, when you bring the seat up, it does not just lift it up vertically but instead causes the back of the bottom cushion to be raised more than the front. So, if you raise the seat too much the bottom cushion becomes more flat.

This is exactly what the driver seat does on new 2016 Mazda CX-9 even if it's the top-of-line $45K+ Signature trim! Strangely Mazda still claims it's a "8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar support"...

 

[craigo]

This is exactly what the driver seat does on new 2016 Mazda CX-9 even if it's the top-of-line $45K+ Signature trim! Strangely Mazda still claims it's a "8-way power driver's seat with power lumbar support"...

The 8-way (in mine, at least) has separate levels for thigh and butt.

 

[Unobtanium]

That's the only other real complaint I have. I'd like to be able to adjust the thigh height independent of the butt height.

Otherwise I really enjoy the car. The AWD is nice in the winter. It's not quite up to Subaru's AWD, but it gets the job done.

What do you base this on? The reason I ask, is that I previously had zero respect for Mazda's AWD system, but once mine broke, I saw just how much it actually DID do. It was so quick and seamless and required no power-damping that I noted, and I thought it was never doing anything. I was wrong. Now, I have not driven in snow, but have driven on wet slick roads, and it's amazingly responsive to conditions, even quicker than my Grand Jeep Cherokee was with it's 100% power-shift to any one tire capabilities. It isn't as robust or useful in rough conditions, but for wet roads, I actually find the Mazda system superior. Have not been in snow, though, as stated, with the Mazda.