2017~2024 Toyota Mechanic reviews CX-5

It's a 30 min video but it does have timestamps, so I just skipped to the "Things I Don't Like" part as that was what I was most interested in.

Basically, he doesn't like that there's no touchscreen for AA/ACP. He doesn't like that the keyless entry buttons on the door handles are outdated. And he dislikes the new keyfob design because the buttons on the side were too easy for him to accidentally press. In the later parts of the video he mentions that the A-pillar is a bit too large.

I do find it funny that he says the RAV4 is loud because Toyota and Lexus need to have a distinction between the two brands, as if Toyota designed it to be loud.
 
I do find it funny that he says the RAV4 is loud because Toyota and Lexus need to have a distinction between the two brands, as if Toyota designed it to be loud.

In a way, they probably did, by leaving out some soundproofing or fancier engine/transmission mounts on the Toyota.

This kind of crap happens all over the automotive industry and it is very frustrating. Go look at a Ford, for instance - they won't make an interior "too nice" to protect Lincoln. Back when the CX-9 and the Ford Edge were built on the same platform, I was amazed at how much nicer the Mazda was inside, until I remembered that Ford wanted you to step up to an MKX.
 
He makes some really good points.
1) Touchscreen AA/ACP. Dials are "perfectly fine" but a touchscreen would be nice for stuff like address input.
2) Keyless entry. I am okay with pressing a button on the door handle to unlock the doors, in fact it barely makes a difference in real life. That being said, if a 2006 Toyota RAV4 doesn't need a button press to unlock the doors, neither should a 2022 CX-5.
On a Toyota, the doors unlock when you pull the handle but you need to press a button to lock. Mazdas are the other way around (except the CX-50 I think) I prefer auto-lock as opposed to auto-unlock, but ideally I would like both :)
3) I accidentally pressed the trunk button on my fob at least 3 times since I got the car. Including mine, we have 4 CX-5s at the office and the same thing happened to two of my colleagues. It's funny, we have more CX-5s than they do at a Mazda dealership :)

He also makes an excellent point about Ford-Lincoln or Toyota-Lexus relationship. I feel like the RAV4 actively tries not to step on the Lexus counterpart. Ford Escape is another story; I never thought there would be that much hard plastic on a $40000 (Canadian) SUV.
 
He makes some really good points.
1) Touchscreen AA/ACP. Dials are "perfectly fine" but a touchscreen would be nice for stuff like address input.
2) Keyless entry. I am okay with pressing a button on the door handle to unlock the doors, in fact it barely makes a difference in real life. That being said, if a 2006 Toyota RAV4 doesn't need a button press to unlock the doors, neither should a 2022 CX-5.
On a Toyota, the doors unlock when you pull the handle but you need to press a button to lock. Mazdas are the other way around (except the CX-50 I think) I prefer auto-lock as opposed to auto-unlock, but ideally I would like both :)
3) I accidentally pressed the trunk button on my fob at least 3 times since I got the car. Including mine, we have 4 CX-5s at the office and the same thing happened to two of my colleagues. It's funny, we have more CX-5s than they do at a Mazda dealership :)

He also makes an excellent point about Ford-Lincoln or Toyota-Lexus relationship. I feel like the RAV4 actively tries not to step on the Lexus counterpart. Ford Escape is another story; I never thought there would be that much hard plastic on a $40000 (Canadian) SUV.
You should be able to 'touch' enter addresses as long as you're not moving. Kinda crazy to be driving and inputting unless passenger was doing the inputting.
 
Interesting review of 2022 CX-5 by a Toyota mechanic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIxjBDlVkc

I just watched the last half of this and this review goes a bit off the rails about the Ford/Mazda relationship. Mazda was in bad shape when Ford bought it and probably saved the company. The idea that Ford "ruined" Mazda is laughable. Ford kind of left them alone and actually left Mazda in charge of small car development for a long time, and rebadged small Mazda's as Fords.

He also is clearly ignorant of the current 2.5T issues, as he talks about the reliably improving after Ford divested its Mazda shares.
 
I just watched the last half of this and this review goes a bit off the rails about the Ford/Mazda relationship. Mazda was in bad shape when Ford bought it and probably saved the company. The idea that Ford "ruined" Mazda is laughable. Ford kind of left them alone and actually left Mazda in charge of small car development for a long time, and rebadged small Mazda's as Fords.

He also is clearly ignorant of the current 2.5T issues, as he talks about the reliably improving after Ford divested its Mazda shares.
The 2.5L NA to my knowledge has been very reliable. It and the 2.0L were really the first Mazda did after the split from Ford.

I haven't been keeping up with what's been going on with the 2.5T in terms of issues. Is it just standard turbo stuff, or something else?
 
The 2.5L NA to my knowledge has been very reliable. It and the 2.0L were really the first Mazda did after the split from Ford.

I haven't been keeping up with what's been going on with the 2.5T in terms of issues. Is it just standard turbo stuff, or something else?

The 2.5T has started to exhibit cylinder head cracking issues. It's hard to say how often this is happening but there is a TSB out there for this issue, so it is not a once in a blue moon occurrence. Mazda updated the design so this shouldn't be an issue anymore, but the first 5 model years of the CX-9 could be impacted.

There are reports of oil consumption on the newer models, probably caused by a batch of bad valve guides.
 
You should be able to 'touch' enter addresses as long as you're not moving. Kinda crazy to be driving and inputting unless passenger was doing the inputting.
No more touch screen, even when you are not moving.
 
Mazda was in bad shape when Ford bought it and probably saved the company. The idea that Ford "ruined" Mazda is laughable. Ford kind of left them alone and actually left Mazda in charge of small car development for a long time, and rebadged small Mazda's as Fords.
Yes, agreed!
 
One of the reasons I purchased a Mazda was because they don’t do things like every other car maker. I don’t get lost in the unimportant details, (OMG no touch screen!), I just enjoy the zoomzoom factor, which still does differentiate Mazda from the competition.
 
The 2.5T has started to exhibit cylinder head cracking issues. It's hard to say how often this is happening but there is a TSB out there for this issue, so it is not a once in a blue moon occurrence. Mazda updated the design so this shouldn't be an issue anymore, but the first 5 model years of the CX-9 could be impacted.
IMO, it’s too early to tell if the redesign of the cylinder head on the 2.5T has truly fixed the cracking issue.

There are reports of oil consumption on the newer models, probably caused by a batch of bad valve guides.
Based on the TSB, Mazda redesigned the valve guide seal on the 2.5T for some reason, then found the failure rate is very high (oil consumption) after several thousand miles. Mazda then “redesigned” the seal again, and in the process of finding a better way to replace the problematic seals without costing them to much for warranty repair.
 
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One of the reasons I purchased a Mazda was because they don’t do things like every other car maker. I don’t get lost in the unimportant details, (OMG no touch screen!), I just enjoy the zoomzoom factor, which still does differentiate Mazda from the competition.
To an extent. I've had two gen 2 loaner CX-5's now (one a GT and one a Touring, different model years), and frankly I did not like them nearly as much as my own gen 1. That included said zoom zoom factor. The Gen 2's feel far less zoom zoomy. If something happened to my CX-5, I am really not sure what I would replace it with.
 
One of the reasons I purchased a Mazda was because they don’t do things like every other car maker. I don’t get lost in the unimportant details, (OMG no touch screen!), I just enjoy the zoomzoom factor, which still does differentiate Mazda from the competition.
IMO, this’s only applicable to Gen-1 CX-5. Gen-2 CX-5 has lost its original Kodo design aspect and Zoom-Zoom performance. Not to mention Mazda has added historically problematic and complicated cylinder deactivation feature to its 2.5L NA where nobody else is interested in using it in the US for a 4-cylinder engine due to very minimum MPG gain.
 
To an extent. I've had two gen 2 loaner CX-5's now (one a GT and one a Touring, different model years), and frankly I did not like them nearly as much as my own gen 1. That included said zoom zoom factor. The Gen 2's feel far less zoom zoomy. If something happened to my CX-5, I am really not sure what I would replace it with.
I agree. We have a 16 Touring and a 19 GTR and I kinda enjoy driving the 16 more than the turbo.
It just feels more nimble although the turbo has way more power.
 
IMO, this’s only applicable to Gen-1 CX-5. Gen-2 CX-5 has lost its original Kodo design aspect and Zoom-Zoom performance. Not to mention Mazda has added historically problematic and complicated cylinder deactivation feature to its 2.5L NA where nobody else is interested in using it in the US for a 4-cylinder engine due to very minimum MPG gain.
Yep, my nephew has a 2019 CX-5, not sure what trim, but he got hit with an issue related to the cylinder deactivation and dealer wants to replace his cylinders 1 and 4 hydraulic lash adjusters. This was a while back so I'll have to ask him how it went. Huge turn off for me.
I agree. We have a 16 Touring and a 19 GTR and I kinda enjoy driving the 16 more than the turbo.
It just feels more nimble although the turbo has way more power.
Granted I haven't tried the turbo, but you are right. The Gen 2 felt far heavier and bigger than my Gen 1, and definitely lent to that feeling of not being as nimble. I also don't think it would fit in my tiny garage with how they widened it.
 
I forgot the name of the Canadian show but they raced the na 4wd gen 1 and gen 2 same model cx-5 and each time gen 1 beat the gen 2 by about 3/4 of a car length. But for me, I test drove the gen 2 NA before I test drove the turbo and hands down the pull of the turbo (even on regular gas) was a no brained as I like to speed and would be punish the NA and getting really poor mpg’s in the NA compared to the turbo. Also, the girl I was with didn’t mind me driving her car so I had extended seat time in the NA before I got my turbo cx-5. The 22 NA had 18” rim with fat tires compared to the 19 GTR with 19” rims on mine and her car handled slightly better.

Once I put on a front strut bar, front and rear anti-roll bars (possibly), coil overs, light weight 18” rims and my car will run circles around hers. I don’t plan on dropping the car. Mainly want the coil overs so if/when I go mild off roading I will have better clearance/approach angles.

I used to own a speed 6 then a speed3 and not trying to turn my cx-5 into that but definitely want to get some better handling, tune (get me close to the 300hp), meth injection kit, better spare-tire subwoofer and paddle shifters (can’t believe Mazda skimped out on that feature on the GTR).
 
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I forgot the name of the Canadian show but they raced the na 4wd gen 1 and gen 2 same model cx-5 and each time gen 1 beat the gen 2 by about 3/4 of a car length. But for me, I test drove the gen 2 NA before I test drove the turbo and hands down the pull of the turbo (even on regular gas) was a no brained as I like to speed and would be punish the NA and getting really poor mpg’s in the NA compared to the turbo. Also, the girl I was with didn’t mind me driving her car so I had extended seat time in the NA before I got my turbo cx-5. The 22 NA had 18” rim with fat tires compared to the 19 GTR with 19” rims on mine and her car handled slightly better.

Once I put on a front strut bar, front and rear anti-roll bars (possibly), coil overs, light weight 18” rims and my car will run circles around hers. I don’t plan on dropping the car. Mainly want the coil overs so if/when I go mild off roading I will have better clearance/approach angles.

I used to own a speed 6 then a speed3 and not trying to turn my cx-5 into that but definitely want to get some better handling, tune (get me close to the 300hp), meth injection kit, better spare-tire subwoofer and paddle shifters (can’t believe Mazda skimped out on that feature on the GTR).
Like a lot of features, they added paddle shifters later in the run. Our '21 has them. I have probably used them once or twice in the 2 yrs I have owned my car.
 
Like a lot of features, they added paddle shifters later in the run. Our '21 has them. I have probably used them once or twice in the 2 yrs I have owned my car.
A handy paddle feature is the ability to downshift when in Sport mode, which I prefer to using the paddles in Manual mode. I'm spoiled by the lovely 6-speed shifter and higher-revving engine in my MX-5 ND2; manually working the CX-5 autobox on the Turbo Signature feels more like busy work and Mazda has done a better job of tuning the Sport mode to match the power train than I am able to do when fiddling with the paddles.
 
Based on the TSB, Mazda redesigned the value guide seal on the 2.5L NA for some reason, then found the failure rate is very high (oil consumption) after several thousand miles. Mazda then “redesigned” the seal again, and is in the process of finding a better way to replace the problematic seals without costing them too much for warranty repair.
@yrwei52 - Thanks for posting that. Do you know if currently-manufactured 2023 CX-5 has seals that allow oil consumption? Please advise. Many thanks.
 
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