My story is a little different in the respect that I just came from a loaded 2021 F150 Lariat Powerboost. The reason that I got into the trucks in the first place was for towing our boat and we had a second beach property in coastal Rhode Island. While the truck was quite luxurious, it was plagued with issues right from the first week I owned it. After 14 total quality defects, I finally punted. We sold our boat and decided that our future camper purchase was going to be a camper van and not a trailer. With that said, I had no need for a big bloated truck any longer.
Mazda offered my $5k for my truck than anybody else, and after extensive research I found that the CX5 was the best bang for the buck out there. I got 23 Turbo and it has been an absolute joy to drive. The fit and finish, and overall tightness, is way beyond what I was used to. I live the way it drives, feels, looks and behaves. This is a steal in today’s overpriced market. We also have a 2020 Honda Accord Turbo Touring, and Honda hit their plateau with that model. It is an amazing car, and at $32k was a bargain. Honda greed and cost cutting measures have since made many models too expensive for what they offer. I was originally looking to get a Passport, but decided on the Mazda at about $8k less. I have never looked back. The CX5 has been fine tuned to near perfection for this product level.
Time will tell on the longevity, but initial quality is the best bang for your buck out there. IMHO