Need Help: Considering 2016 CX-5 Purchase, Have Questions!!

[katmar]

question about the AFS swiveling mount: new 2016 CX-9 owners are posting that their AFS headlights are shaking a lot almost to the point that they feel loose when going over bumps, is that true for the CX-5 ?

I haven't noticed any shaking with either our 2013 or 2016.5 AFS lights.

 

[Kaps]

On the 17s I'm not sure what I think about the new "lower" stance. I wonder how much ground clearance they will be sacrificing. Also, whether or not cargo volume, which is already a bit small for my liking, will go down even more with the new interior.

Right I could get a used 2016 CX-5 Touring (no bose package) with 40k miles for around $17k - $18k. $6,000 more for a new one doesn't seem so bad on the face of it, but the I hate the idea of taking a depreciation hit.

18 K for 40K run CX-5. hmmm I would think hard about avoiding it - you need to get some coverage for windshields and rear brake problems if any. Plus at 40K mostly it has stock tires and brakes etc. which will be needed fixed in 10K miles. The 17 is lower true but will likely gain its rated mpg. Plus the ground clearance thingy is overrated if u drive city and are buying a FWD, the ground clearance is not really needed. The stance isn't that much higher or doesn't feel the extra inch taller than Rav4 which has lesser Ground clearance.
17 >>> 16.5 in all aspects unless you are not buying this as a "dad" car and just buying as enthusiast.

 

[cx5smurf]

question about the AFS swiveling mount: new 2016 CX-9 owners are posting that their AFS headlights are shaking a lot almost to the point that they feel loose when going over bumps, is that true for the CX-5 ?

They jump a little bit - I think they are self leveling.

 

[yrwei52]

This may not be true. NHTSA Frontal Barrier Crash Ratings on passenger side listed on window sticker for 2016(.5) Mazda CX-5 has only 3 stars, whereas 2012 Toyota RAV4 has 4. The overall crash ratings are about the same between the two.

True, though IIHS has it as a Top Safety Pick + for the CX-5. The old RAV4 I have a hard time believing would have passed the small overlap test that the 2013 failed...that was the first year of their "new and improved" design.

For IIHS small overlap front crash test, Toyota simply added some reinforcement on driver side for mid-year production change on 2014 RAV4 which then performed well under the same test. In fact, many car manufactures did the same thing when they failed on small overlap front crash at the first time as the test was new back then and the structure design of the vehicle didn't cover that area well. What I don't understand is Mazda CX-5 performed very well in NHTSA Frontal Barrier Crash test for MY's prior to 2016, 5 stars on both driver and passenger sides, but somehow someone at Mazda changed something on passenger side for 2016 CX-5 which screwed up the NHTSA crash rating! We want to see a vehicle performing well in both NHTSA, which is an official government crash test rating and listed on window sticker, and IIHS tests, as both tests are designed for different crash situations.

 

[Tccox]

question about the AFS swiveling mount: new 2016 CX-9 owners are posting that their AFS headlights are shaking a lot almost to the point that they feel loose when going over bumps, is that true for the CX-5 ?

Absolutely not. This is the best option you can get on a CX-5. Of course my morning commute is in pitch black , curvy country roads conditions with lots of deer on the move. Visibility really important to me

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

I don't know how the non-LED lights are on CX-5s, but I have the iActiveSense + Tech package on my GT, and for an example, my mother, who is 76 years old and stopped driving at night 5 years ago due to lack of being able to see, is very comfortable seeing at night now with these pivoting LEDs. They're bright and vision is super clear.

 

[Dermochelys]

Along with the LED headlights, the Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS) is fantastic if you drive at night along twisty, rural roads. They swivel to point into turns, which is great for spotting deer and other wildlife at night. It's one of my favorite features.

This is a feature that I am interested in, thanks for reminding me about the AFS system that goes along with the LEDs.

18 K for 40K run CX-5. hmmm I would think hard about avoiding it - you need to get some coverage for windshields and rear brake problems if any. Plus at 40K mostly it has stock tires and brakes etc. which will be needed fixed in 10K miles. The 17 is lower true but will likely gain its rated mpg. Plus the ground clearance thingy is overrated if u drive city and are buying a FWD, the ground clearance is not really needed. The stance isn't that much higher or doesn't feel the extra inch taller than Rav4 which has lesser Ground clearance.
17 >>> 16.5 in all aspects unless you are not buying this as a "dad" car and just buying as enthusiast.

Windshield and rear brake problems? I'm new on here, so I'm not 100% up-to-date on what the CX-5 weak points are, can you elaborate? I should mention, the 40k mile car I drove does come as a "Mazda Certified Pre-owned" so there is some extra coverage on that particular car. It was a former rental car, thus the high mileage. I do drive on dirt roads, so ground clearance to me is an important factor. I'm more worried about the approach angle on the CX-5 which isn't very good compared to the competition, I see that as a major weak point on this car.

What I don't understand is Mazda CX-5 performed very well in NHTSA Frontal Barrier Crash test for MY's prior to 2016, 5 stars on both driver and passenger sides, but somehow someone at Mazda changed something on passenger side for 2016 CX-5 which screwed up the NHTSA crash rating! We want to see a vehicle performing well in both NHTSA, which is an official government crash test rating and listed on window sticker, and IIHS tests, as both tests are designed for different crash situations.

I totally agree, it's strange that it lost some stars in 2016. Perhaps the test changed somehow?

I don't know how the non-LED lights are on CX-5s, but I have the iActiveSense + Tech package on my GT, and for an example, my mother, who is 76 years old and stopped driving at night 5 years ago due to lack of being able to see, is very comfortable seeing at night now with these pivoting LEDs. They're bright and vision is super clear.

Thanks for sharing, I think I'm going to try and get a dealer to park a LED and non-LED model side by side at night behind the dealership building where it's dark and flip on the lights on both to see what the real difference is.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

I'm more worried about the approach angle on the CX-5 which isn't very good compared to the competition, I see that as a major weak point on this car.

It's fine if you are careful.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=CX-5+offroad

 

[Kaps]

Windshield cracks have been reported. I assume you will be at more risk on rattling roads. Rear brake issue should not happen if this is certified. There are few other nick nacks.

How is Mazda certifying a rental car? If warranty is 2 year 24 k... That's cool.

Otherwise the car is pure joy. Financially you know your choice better. Gl

 

[Dermochelys]

How is Mazda certifying a rental car? If warranty is 2 year 24 k... That's cool.

I don't know all of the logistics of how car companies decide on what they certify in pre-owned cars. But this is a quote from the add

"Mazda Certified Pre-Owned means you not only get the reassurance of a 12mo/12,000 mile Limited Warranty, and up to a 7-Year/100,000 mile Limited Powertrain Warranty, but also a 160-point inspection/reconditioning, 24/7 roadside assistance, and a vehicle history report."

 

[Kaps]

100k warranty .. that is awesome. Great if you want to have long term ownership. Test drive it thoroughly though.

 

[sternsi]

Speaking from my own experience with a 2016 cx5 i would opt to buy any other car you're looking at. I am getting rid of ours as soon as my wife and I decide on the next vehicle. The reasons so far, 30k miles in and its been nothing but a pita. Trans noises, led headlights jave white inner haze, windshield chips are aweful, seat warmers are about worthless, nav unit sucks. I think we will move to a wrx, rav, or a santa fe.

 

[Dermochelys]

Speaking from my own experience with a 2016 cx5 i would opt to buy any other car you're looking at. I am getting rid of ours as soon as my wife and I decide on the next vehicle. The reasons so far, 30k miles in and its been nothing but a pita. Trans noises, led headlights jave white inner haze, windshield chips are aweful, seat warmers are about worthless, nav unit sucks. I think we will move to a wrx, rav, or a santa fe.

I'm sorry to hear that you've had trouble with yours. Some friends of mine have had excellent experiences with theirs, it's one of the main reasons I started looking into getting one. I guess everyone has their own experiences, I'll keep yours in mind.

 

[Mazdauser100]

Just throwing this out here
Hyundai Tucson Sport can be had for 22.5-23K USD I think. Test drove it. Seats felt hard and it has hard plastic everywhere (behind front seats as well) but otherwise it felt nice. Rear seats recline. 3 or 4 12v outlets, rear air vents, ratcheting/forward-tilting headrests ), heated mirrors and front seats, quieter cabin, bigger tire (more expensive) a little less mileage.. Sunroof only available in the Limited trim. 5 yr b2b Warranty is nice.

I am 6 ft tall. CX-5 front seats felt more roomy and it is more comfy. Tucson front seat felt smaller. Tucson sport power liftgate is stupid and need to be turned off in settings or it will get opened by mistake.

Overall visibility felt better in CX-5. Think Tucson trunk is more well laid out with hooks and stuff.

 

[Unobtanium]

I'm considering the purchase of a 2016 CX-5 Touring (used), but I have a few questions I was hoping to get some answers for here on the forum.

1) Does anyone know if the 2017 CX-5 will have a manual transmission with the 2.5L engine? I REALLY want a manual and I would wait for the 2017 if it comes with one in the 2.5L. I know you can get it in the Sport trim, but for other reasons (which I won't get in to) that doesn't work for me. Getting a AT will be really hard for me, but my options in a manual for this category of car is very limited (see below).
No manual.

2) Do people feel the Bose / Moonroof and Technology packages are worth it? I like the idea of the better headlights if they truly are better as I do drive at night quite a bit. On the flip side though, I want to be able to transport a very large dog, and the moonroof really cuts into the headroom, so I'm not sure it's worth it or not....thoughts?
I have a Touring, which is the most stripped down car I've owned in half a decade. I really don't mind it though. It has everything I need, nothing I don't. I bought it on a whim because it was on the lot. If it had been a GT w/Tech, I would have bought that. If it had been between the two, I would have said "Who cares?" and bought the GT/Tech because what's $30mo? or whatever.

3) While on a test drive I found the blind-spot monitoring light in the driver's mirror very distracting. Is there a way to permanently turn off this system? I understand you can hit the button, but that you would have to do that every time you drive because it resets every time the car is turned off. I also have heard you can turn the beeper off, is that true? I don't trust driving aids / new newfangled technology (see still wanting a manual above) that much, I don't want to get lazy with checking my blind-spots, or become dependent on something electronic that could fail.

4) I'm not so sure about the 2016 radio set-up. If I don't like it and want to get an aftermarket stereo, would it work with the commander's knob system, or would that all just become redundant? I'd really like to get Android Auto in my next car, so going for a used 2016 would be a compromise on that part.
No idea, I have a 2015. All of the entertainment systems in Mazda are crap compared to anything anyone else but Subaru is doing form what I understand.

I think that's it for now, I may think of more questions later. I've been shopping for a car for a long time and I've test driven just about everything out there with 5 doors in a hatchback or SUV...and I really do mean just about everything!! I've narrowed it down to the CX-5 or a 2017 manual transmission Forester Premium trim. The Forester I can get with the manual, but I've heard of alot of oil consumption issues with that car that have me nervous and I find the seats in the Forester have too much lumbar for me. Also, I don't "need" AWD. The CX-5 seats are better, but not great, so I'm hoping I would just get used to them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

AWD is nice. Have you owned it before? I hadn't until I had a HEMI powered Jeep. I quickly began to appreciate it. It really is a game changer.

I personally would buy a Forester 2.0XT, or no forester at all. You talk about wanting a manual, I assume it's for your enjoyment of driving. The regular Forester cannot be made fun with just an addition of a manual, vs. the CX-5

 

[Unobtanium]

I'm sorry to hear that you've had trouble with yours. Some friends of mine have had excellent experiences with theirs, it's one of the main reasons I started looking into getting one. I guess everyone has their own experiences, I'll keep yours in mind.

NAV has always sucked, Windshields in this car DO suck, but the white haze and transmission should have been handled by the dealer. As to "trans noises", well, we don't know if the poster is being whiny and the noises are normal, or if they are a legit not-cool thing. Can't really make a judgement based on that.

 

[sternsi]

Dealer keeps telling me there is no superseeded part for the headlight issue and they know its a problem. I was a mechanic for 10 years, so i understand trans noises vs being whiny. When a trans clunks when downshifting going down a hill thats not normal. When you pull out and it vibrates thats not normal either. Problem is the dealer doesnt have any hills around it to replicate the problem. When i worked at VW we would take cars home for the weekend to try and replicate the issue, Mazda will not do that which is stupid.

 

[yrwei52]

Dealer keeps telling me there is no superseeded part for the headlight issue and they know its a problem. I was a mechanic for 10 years, so i understand trans noises vs being whiny. When a trans clunks when downshifting going down a hill thats not normal. When you pull out and it vibrates thats not normal either. Problem is the dealer doesnt have any hills around it to replicate the problem. When i worked at VW we would take cars home for the weekend to try and replicate the issue, Mazda will not do that which is stupid.

To be fair, this is the dealer problem not the Mazda. There're many CX-5 owners had transmission replaced under warranty due to different noise issue. The same on hazed LED headlights. You should either try another Mazda dealer or call Customer Experience Center of Mazda North American Operations to get your issues resolved.

 

[Mazdauser100]

One thing with Forester is that the doors won't auto lock. There is no option for that. Can be a plus or minus depending on perspective. Some people find out after they make the purchase.

 

[Dermochelys]

I personally would buy a Forester 2.0XT, or no forester at all. You talk about wanting a manual, I assume it's for your enjoyment of driving. The regular Forester cannot be made fun with just an addition of a manual, vs. the CX-5

Wow, you really hit the nail on the head with this comment, that's exactly what I'm coming to realize.

I like manuals because they are more fun to drive, you have more control, and I feel they are more reliable. That being said, a manual doesn't magically make any vehicle fun to drive. I know driving a school bus probably wouldn't be more fun with a manual transmission. There aren't any MT Foresters in the Premium trim in my area, but once one shows up I'm going to give it one last shot in a head-to-head with the CX-5 on "fun" factor. I want to stay away from turbos if I can for reliability reasons, so the used XT Forester are out and I can't afford a new one.