Mazda CX-5 FWD vs AWD My One Month Review / Personal Opinion

[Soba1]

After driving my new AWD for a little over a month now
this is my take on the tow systems.
It really comes down to preference and each has its own quality that the other doesn’t.
For old school FB fans it’s kind of like choosing between Gayle Sayers or Jim Brown.

The FWD is like Sayers it’s lighter gets up to speed a tad quicker and it’s easier to maintain a gas saving cruising speed.
It has a quick agility to it changing lanes etc. Better gas mileage slightly over all but

The AWD is Jim Brown it has a certain heft to it when you drive it. The closed I come come it’s has more of a substantial feel.
I push it ever so slightly and to me it does seem to handle curves better. Changing lanes turning accelerating out of the turns.
it overall has a better balance

For me knowing that I will be on a fixed income in a few years. I plan on switching back to and FWD simply because of the cheaper maintenance.
More than likely it will be a Mazda, I love the styling and the Stereos and I can get decent mileage out of these things. For the money you pay they offer a lot.

I changed the air filter it seems to have helped in the mileage etc.

 

[speedbird1]

@Soba1 that was an informative little review. Having mine for nearly a month I just completed my first "real" drive of 500 miles and it felt great, sturdy and well poised. Having never had AWD previously I had no idea what to expect but so far i love it.
By the way I got easily 50mpg doing motorway speeds.

 

[Soba1]

@Soba1 that was an informative little review. Having mine for nearly a month I just completed my first "real" drive of 500 miles and it felt great, sturdy and well poised. Having never had AWD previously I had no idea what to expect but so far i love it.
By the way I got easily 50mpg doing motorway speeds.

Thanks yes you can get pretty decent mpg’s on your AWD depending on how you drive. Though I do like my AWD my goal is to go back to FWD because of cheaper maintenance. It comes down to preference

 

[181962]

By the way I got easily 50 mpg doing motorway speeds.

That's Imperial gallons as noted elsewhere, and in a diesel version.

 

[Soba1]

That's Imperial gallons as noted elsewhere, and in a diesel version.

Going from So Ca (LA) to the bay I would use because of the incline going up the grapevine maybe close to half a tank. How ever once I passed that there is a good chance the rest of the trip after a fill up I could make it all the way. I’m just guesstimating SF is 371 mi north of me. The firs stop would be after I went over the grapevine 70mi. That would leave 300mi for the rest of the trip
My AWD has a 15gal tank. On the highway let’s say I average 34 mpg. I could make it up the rest of the trip with 10 maybe 12 gallons.
For a non hybrid and not being touted for their mpg’s that’s actually not that bad. I dare say some parts of that trip I could average 39mpg. Especially driving when weather is not too hot using no A/C
Thanks for the clarification