Observations Comparing My 2016 and 2019 CX-5

[Shortafoot]

Bought my daughter a 2016 Sport(96K miles) that was well maintained by an USAF pilot and a 2019 CX-5 Touring(98K miles) for my wife that was a well maintained single owner car. Both 2.5 NA's.
1. Love the way Mazda placed the oil filter near the oil drain. No oil pouring down the side of the block orfilter under the exhaust manifold. So convenient. Just place the drain pan in one spot and that is that

2. The 2016 without cylinder deactivation drives much smoother. The 2019 just seems to subtly pause or the torque converter unlocks less than smoothly during shifts. It is not real obvious but it is there. Not jerky but seems the computer is confused. I realize they are programmed to shift just above "lugging" to maximize MPG's but I just figured a 2019 would shift more seemlessly. The 2016 does not do this and my theory is that not having cylinder deactivation does this. Anyone else notice this?

3. Sport transmission mode just keeps the engine revving needlessly high when it should shift to a higher gear. I expected it to sharpen shifts a bit but all it seems to do is keep the engine in a lower gear needlessly. Would rather just shift it manumatic mode anyway.

4. Not impressed with the front seats. Not bucket enough. You sit on them and not in them. A far cry from the 2009 CX-9 seats. for sure. Maybe since the seats are so much smaller they couldn't put big bolsters on the sides?

5. Love the way they ride and handle. Still have the "Zoom Zoom" the CX-9 had!

 

[RedBaron]

2. The 2016 without cylinder deactivation drives much smoother. The 2019 just seems to subtly pause or the torque converter unlocks less than smoothly during shifts. It is not real obvious but it is there. Not jerky but seems the computer is confused. I realize they are programmed to shift just above "lugging" to maximize MPG's but I just figured a 2019 would shift more seemlessly. The 2016 does not do this and my theory is that not having cylinder deactivation does this.

Very unlikely to be the CD. That only comes into play in steady state cruising. It's more likely to be the lockup torque converter in the 2019.

 

[N7turbo]

I agree. The TC and/or shift logic could be different. It uses aggressive lockup and doesn't let go until under 10 mph.

Sport transmission mode just keeps the engine revving needlessly high when it should shift to a higher gear. I expected it to sharpen shifts a bit but all it seems to do is keep the engine in a lower gear needlessly. Would rather just shift it manumatic mode anyway.

I agree. It's really only useful if you want some of the manual shifting benefits without actually shifting yourself, but with the trade-off of the transmission never really knowing what you want so it can only do what it's programmed to do. I only use Sport these days for a specific moment, then flip back to Normal. But I'm more likely to just use M.