Is there something covering the front of the radiator?

[rponfick]

I just got a 2025 CX-50 Turbo plus and in looking in the grill, I cannot see the radiator/condenser fins. It appears there is some type of flaps that cover the radiator front. Are these operatable louvers that open as needed for cooling? I am confused.
Ralph

 

[N7turbo]

Yes, they are controlled by a motor that opens/closes them depending on, as far as I know, vehicle speed.

 

[leeharvey418]

You only need 100% of your radiator’s heat rejection capacity a very tiny fraction of the time. The rest of the time, the air flow that goes through the radiator is a major contributor to any vehicle’s coefficient of drag. The better job an OEM can do of metering the airflow through the radiator, the better your fuel economy will be while still having a functioning cooling system.

 

[rponfick]

So, is this new, or been around for awhile in autos? I know I have seen louvers on the radiators of 18 wheelers, but never knew that had been incorporated into passenger cars.

I hope it is fool proof, and not something else to possibly fail with catastrophic results.

Thanks, Ralph

 

[N7turbo]

It's a platform feature. The CX-5 does not have them, at least not in the U.S.

Brief explainer:

In action:

 

[rponfick]

Thanks, that is really "cool".

 

[RedBaron]

It's a platform feature. The CX-5 does not have them, at least not in the U.S.

You are incorrect. I just went outside and confirmed on our (US) 2019 CX-5, the CX-5 most definitely DOES have active shutters behind the lower grill.

 

[N7turbo]

You are incorrect. I just went outside and confirmed on our (US) 2019 CX-5, the CX-5 most definitely DOES have active shutters behind the lower grill.

Mine does not.

 

[Point37]

my 2025 cx-5 preferred does not have them either...i had installed the same style of upper grill (from amazon) into the lower openings in front of the radiator to help protect it a little more

 

[N7turbo]

My hunch expressed in another thread is that Mazda axed them due to reliability issues. But who knows.

 

[RedBaron]

Mine does not.

my 2025 cx-5 preferred does not have them either...i had installed the same style of upper grill (from amazon) into the lower openings in front of the radiator to help protect it a little more

Can you both please each take and post a picture from the front of (and inside) your lower grill?

 

[Point37]

Can you both please each take and post a picture from the front of (and inside) your lower grill?

my radiator was fully visible in the lower opening...

have since installed these...

https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)

not my image (image from above amazon review photos)...currently the front of my car looks like the bottom left side of this photo so there is nothing to see...the right side is what it used to look like where you can look straight through and see the radiator aside from the plate bracket and the vertical pins in the bumper which i zip tied the linked grill guards onto in addition to the adhesive tape

could this be a difference due to trim levels?...i have a lower end trim

 

[rponfick]

This is getting to be an interesting discussion. Curious when the louvers started and on what models or trim levels within a model series.
My brand new (week old) 2025 CX-5- Premium Plus has them, so I don't think discontinued, unless something going into 2026 models.

 

[BoomerZoomr]

My new 2025 CX-5 turbo (purchased in U.S.) has no shutters in front of the radiator.