Turbo Premium Vs Turbo Premium Plus Trim

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Bay Area, CA
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CX50 PPT PMG/T
Is the Turbo Premium Plus trim worth it? I can pull the trigger now on a Turbo Premium trim. It does not have front and rear parking sensors according to the comparison on the Mazda website. Is that correct or am I missing something? I would’ve thought that’s standard. All the other stuff that comes with the Plus trim are nice to have but are they worth it?
 
Check out pg 4 in the attachment. For me, yes, only for the extra safety features due to what I was used to from my 2019 Signature trim CX-5, but ultimately that's up to the individual buyer.
 

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  • CX-50 2023 Spec Dec Feb 2022 Version.pdf
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So the Premium trim doesn’t have front and rear sensors. There is back up camera but it will not warn me how far the car is from an obstruction? It is odd that this feature is not standard. It’s standard on most cars at this price.
 
So the Premium trim doesn’t have front and rear sensors. There is back up camera but it will not warn me how far the car is from an obstruction? It is odd that this feature is not standard. It’s standard on most cars at this price.

Mazda does make some odd feature choices among trim levels, but the current 2022 CX-5 & CX-30 at least are the same way--only the topmost one has the rear sensors. Sensors are available as an accessory for the CX-5, so they could be added to the other trims apparently. I don't see that the CX-50 (or CX-30) offers the sensors as an accessory at least not currently.
 
Do the front and rear sensors provide just audible warning? If I’m backing up and the rear camera let’s me know how far I am from an obstruction, do I really need an audible warning?
 
Yes, essentially. The parking sensors are tied into the 360° view camera system (also a feature only on the PPT trim). The sensors themselves do provide variable audio warning sounds as you approach objects, and work with the 360 system to show warning color lines on the screen corresponding to the sensor location(s) being triggered. The user manual strangely shows what the display will look like without the 360 system when a sensor is activated, but that makes no sense to me since there's no US trimline with just the sensors.
 
Hopefully there will be a hack in the future to add these safety features the premium trim doesn’t have. Or is there hardware involved that would make it impossible to add?
 
The OEM sensors may be tied into the 360 degree camera system, so if that also isn't present, those sensors may not be able to be added. There are of course aftermarket sensors but not sure how integrated those could end up being and then it would just be an audible alert, I'd assume.

One reason I went for the PPT trim because I was used to the 360 & sensors from my 2019 CX-5 Sig. It really helps with parking in my garage due to limited space, and pulling in and out of public parking areas (particularly parallel parking, which I suck at). What's nice is that the camera and system in the CX-50 is significantly improved from my CX-5's--clearer and wider camera views, and the guidelines adjust with the car's movement. So, the added expense overall was worth it for me, but others may not feel the same way.
 
I really wanted the PPT trim but PT is all they have in the color combo I’m looking for. I haven’t bought it yet so I’m trying to justify if I’m missing a lot without those safety features which PPT trim have. Is it worth the extra $2K? IMO the parking sensors are the only feature that would be nice to have. Yes, its nice to have all those safety features but not a show stopper for me. I’m very careful when backing out anyway and don’t rely 100% on the car’s sensors. Front sensors would be great for pulling up to walls in a garage. How does it react when you’re in a traffic jam? Also, what is your opinion about the other safety features on the PPT trim?
 
Personally, I wouldn't pay the extra for just the parking sensors - those are readily available aftermarket. The thing I would want would be the 360 degree camera view, but mostly for the coolness factor :) . The problem for me is the bigger wheels (worse ride) and the sun/moonroof. Neither of which I want but which both come standard on that trim :(
 
Also, what is your opinion about the other safety features on the PPT trim?

Haven't used the Traffic Jam Assist yet, so can't speak to that but it sounds possibly useful for those often stuck in rush hour traffic.

Rear Smart Brake Support is a good safety feature to have in addition to the Rear Cross Traffic Alert present on all the other models. It actively applies the brakes for the driver if rear cross traffic/obstacle is detected and the vehicle is continuing to back up. My CX-5 had just the alert function and that alone was very useful along with the rear view cam.

Blind Spot prevention similarly will pull the car back into the lane if the driver is changing lanes and a vehicle in the other lane is detected. I haven't experienced that being activated yet, but I know my other half finds the similar feature on the Subaru Crosstrek a bit unnerving and too conservative.
 
Per the manual - Leaving TJA turned on when it is not in use is dangerous as it could operate unexpectedly, resulting in an accident.

It also suggests not leaving it on under certain conditions as it may result in an accident. So I guess the driver will be manually turning it on and off…LOL
 
Does PT trim have front camera? If so, would I be able to turn it on when parking in a garage to warn me how far the wall is?
 
Does PT trim have front camera? If so, would I be able to turn it on when parking in a garage to warn me how far the wall is?
The Premium Plus Turbo I think is the only trim with the front cam, as part of the overall 360 view system. Yes, it can be activated at will by the dash button and there are different views offered (front, wide front, rear, composite overhead view, etc). You can toggle through those by that same button, including while parking. At least some of the views even work while driving at speed. I've occasionally activated the rear at a stop light to see just how close that car behind me is while the driver is distractedly inching forward while on their phone. ;)


Oh, and the front cam will activate automatically if a pedestrian crosses ahead of the car and you are not fully stopped, and an alert will sound. That freaked me a bit out on the first drive home from the dealer.
 
The 360 cam is incredible. Those who don't have it will tell you they live perfectly fine without one. Those who have it. like me, will tell you it's not just cool, but actually used on practically every drive. It's not just the top down 360, but it's the forward facing camera and the side - where you can see how close you are to the curb. Highly under-rated feature

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I missed my 360* camera on my old juke Nismo RS. It didn’t have the sensor beeps but made it easier to avoid curbing my rims or pulling to far forward when parking with those parking cement blocks.

When I was looking at the CX-5 I couldn’t justify the extra costs for those features. On the juke it included upgraded sound system and touch screen.
 
The 360 view is worth it just to protect the rims from the curb. Also good for tight parking!
 
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