Mazda CX-5 comparison test drives

J

Jack Rabbit

Banned
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18 Mazda CX5 AW
Started looking at other vehicles to possibly replace my 2018 CX-5 since they have tapping lifters and potential cylinder head cracks. May go with a newer turbo CX-5 but am testing everything.

Mazda CX-5 versus Honda CRV

Mazda had more power especially with 16 inch tires. Honda has lackluster acceleration from start.

Honda controls in similar location.

Mazda suprisingly more comfortable seating.

Honda drivers side door armrest ia better. Actually wide enough for armrest. Mazda too narrow.

Honda and Mazda middle armrest not long enough. Both fail to offer adequate support for right arm.

Mazda looks better. More stylish.

Honda interior look cheap.

To me, the honda feels like I imagine a yacht would feel like, slow and no fun. no Honda in the future.

EDIT:

Forgot to add.. test drive in evening as getting dark... Honda headlights are yellow and dim.

And couldn't find a cigarette lighter adapter to plug phone in. Its all stupid slow charging usb ports. sales rep said there was none.

Lastly, when car stops the engine shuts down at stoplights and then shudders when let off brake and accelerates slow. Definitely not in the same class as mazda or other 4 cylinder vehicles.

Plan to test drive Toyota rav4 Ford escape and Ford maverick next. Test drive a Hyundai tucson before and it was small and cramped with uncomfortable seating so will not test again.
 
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Jack Rabbit said:
Honda and Mazda middle armrest not long enough. Both fail to offer adequate support for right arm.
Click to expand...

I picked up one of these a few weeks back. It's brilliant.


61Mqa4A1cDL._AC_SL1500_.jpg


Now I am going to try one for the other side. ~$14 on Amazon.


61oaSKqBsXL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 
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Chocolate said:
The new CR-V price is just stupid.

$34,405? Are you kidding me?

Versus $27,975 for a base AWD CX-5. There is no comparison in value. The CX-5 is a way better deal, and thousands less than a comparable RAV4.
Click to expand...
I had to look that one up. It appears Honda cut the lower trims off the new CR-V. They start at the EX level now which was higher up the last time around. That being said, when I saw a new CR-V for the first time I was unimpressed. It looks very cheap compared to the last gen. Hard to explain but the way the exterior looks is low rent compared to the old car. The 23 tail lights for example look really chincy while the old ones are much more elegant. The interior also appeared really cheap when I watched an introductory video test. They seemed to cut down on standard features which were in the older version.
 
Frack Honda. I used to be a die-hard Honda guy for the vast majority of my life. Now, they corner you into a Hybrid Powertrain to get the upper trim level on the CRV, Civic, and Accord.
 
RedBaron said:
What about the CX-50? Or are you over Mazda now?

I've had my CX-50 since end December and love it.
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Thanks. Sounds good. If I stick with mazda, it will probably be a newer model CX series turbo as it appears they've fixed the problems(cracked heads, bad gaskets, etc.). Not so sure about the CD. Last time my purchase was rushed, so gonna test everything over next few months since still have some warranty left.
 
Jack Rabbit said:
Thanks. Sounds good. If I stick with mazda, it will probably be a newer model CX series turbo as it appears they've fixed the problems(cracked heads, bad gaskets, etc.). Not so sure about the CD. Last time my purchase was rushed, so gonna test everything over next few months since still have some warranty left.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear about your problems, been there done that before but it ended up costing me $$$ when I got rid of my 2004.5 Passat and my 2017.5 Murano my worst cars in recent history! My 2020 CX-5 has been flawless so far. Perhaps this can help you if you decide not to get another Mazda and are looking to keep the vehicle as long as possible.
www.motor1.com

Best New Car Warranties: Top 10 Providers (2023) | Motor1.com

Which manufacturer has the best new car warranty for your needs? Find out with our in-depth review of factory warranty coverage from the nation’s top brands.
www.motor1.com www.motor1.com
 
sm1ke said:
Probably the unsprung weight reduction from downsizing the heavy OEM 19s. It can make the car accelerate a tiny bit easier compared to the OEM 19s, so it feels more powerful.
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Yes. Lost alot of un-sprung weight. 16 inches made the vehicle acceleration alot faster.

However the honda acceleration is very lackluster, even compared to the CX-5 with 19 inch tires.
 
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jack rabbit, have you considered forester? they have gotten a lot nicer than they used to be. i haven't driven one of the newest generation models, but i have driven '14-17 models and had a '16 forester xt before the cx-5.
 
we recently had our crv touring taken out by a driver who thought stop signs were optional. We had planned on getting another Honda crv. the other person's insurance put us in a rental cx5 while they were waiting to see what our damages on the crv were. I ended up liking the cx 5 enough to test drive a new one in a turbo edition. We also tried looking at a new forester but none around even to sit in. We test drove a 2023 ex-l and 2023 touring hybrid and 2023 cx5 and cx5 trubo all within a few hours of each other.

our 2016 crv touring was purchased new and we took very good care of it and it had 60,000 miles on it and had a few rattles that we could never get rid of. the rental was a 2021 but also had 60,000 miles and while it was obvious it was used hard both interior and exterior had lots of dings and signs of hard use it did not have a single rattle.

I think the 2023 crv touring has some features that might me nicer but it still has the cvt which I hated in our old crv and I had forgotten how nice a real tranny felt in a smaller vehicle. I think maybe on a 1000 mile non stop drive the honda seats might be a bit more comfortable but I think over the fit and finish on the cx5 turbo is nicer to look at and nicer to the touch. I don't like the info system on the mazda but I guess it is something I will get used to. there is no comparison for driver feedback and overall feeling of performance. cx5 turbo wins hands down. Visually I think they are pretty close altho the Honda might age better. I did like the Mazda sales approach much better. Totally laid back and literally just threw me the keys to a 2023 cx5 and cx50 turbo and cx5 turbo. said take them out on the interstate and see you when you get back. Honda had to have a sales person in the backseat who every 10 seconds asked me "what do you think so far?" made me take a preplanned route etc and then when we got back was "I am ready to take your deposit now if you want one". I think the difference is Honda sales people are trained to sell the car and Mazda lets the car sell itself.

Oh I liked the CX50 turbo except the seats were terrible design. they have a strip of leather sewen right down the middle and while I have never worn a thong I can imagine it was the same type of feeling. I am a fit in shape guy and it was annoying and my wife said the same thing seats are not going to work out. the cx50 also did not come with heated steering wheel or cooled seats. They look nice in person and drove well if not for the leather strip running down the middle of the seats.

I think I will be happy with my cx5 turbo.
IMG_3146.jpg
IMG_3149.jpg
IMG_3151.jpg
 
This is the second time I have read about the strip in the CX-50's seat being uncomfortable. How did this get into production? I noticed the CX-90 appears to use the same design on its seats which is a concern as I am interested in a CX-70 and suspect it will share this seat design as well.
 

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chickdr said:
This is the second time I have read about the strip in the CX-50's seat being uncomfortable. How did this get into production? I noticed the CX-90 appears to use the same design on its seats which is a concern as I am interested in a CX-70 and suspect it will share this seat design as well.
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That strip flattens out after a short while in use. I've had my CX-50 for 2 months and can no longer tell that it's there.

My wife really likes the 50's seats and thinks they're more comfortable than her 2019 CX-5's. Mainly, I think, because of the better lumbar support.
 
chickdr said:
This is the second time I have read about the strip in the CX-50's seat being uncomfortable. How did this get into production? I noticed the CX-90 appears to use the same design on its seats which is a concern as I am interested in a CX-70 and suspect it will share this seat design as well.
Click to expand...

It was mentioned by a few auto reviewers as well. Good to hear that it wears in as @RedBaron mentioned, but this is not a concern for the CX-90 because the stitch is not exposed like it is on the CX-50. It's doesn't look as nice IMO but it should be much more forgiving to new bums :)

Here's a better pic of the 3rd row seating:
2024-mazda-cx-90_100873521_h.jpg
 
RedBaron said:
That strip flattens out after a short while in use. I've had my CX-50 for 2 months and can no longer tell that it's there.

My wife really likes the 50's seats and thinks they're more comfortable than her 2019 CX-5's. Mainly, I think, because of the better lumbar support.
Click to expand...
it is my understanding the seats on the 2019 cx5's had a few complaints and they were upgraded in 2022 maybe. good to hear they get better as during the test drive we were both like this is not going to work. also beside it feeling strange it looks like it might be an area that wears poorly but maybe not. I did like the looks of the cx50 from straight on. I think it has nicer body curves and I like the interior stitching on the dash I thought that looked cool.
 
When I think of CX-5 alternatives, the first thing that comes to my mind is the song "Nothing compares to you"; everybody's needs are different and for example while the RAV4 is the best selling compact SUV, I'm not sure I could stand the noisy engine under heavy acceleration but I guess it doesn't bother some people as much. I've had 2 vehicles with CVT and I prefer a traditional transmission. Everything is a compromise and finding the lesser of the evils is the goal here for the OP. Good luck, interesting thread even if I have no intention to change my CX-5 anytime soon!
 
chickdr said:
This is the second time I have read about the strip in the CX-50's seat being uncomfortable. How did this get into production? I noticed the CX-90 appears to use the same design on its seats which is a concern as I am interested in a CX-70 and suspect it will share this seat design as well.
Click to expand...
Maybe I have too fat of a backside, but when I test drove the Cx-50, I did not notice the seats.
 
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