[EnintyToo]

Anyone have a personal review of the CX 5 (i.e. own one)? Helping a friend get a new medium-sized SUV. She's got an old Subie Forrester, but my research shows the Mazda is probably a better choice.

Inputs much appreciated.

TIA

[aaaaah]

Not a personal review, I know several people who own the newest model and they love them, especially the interior as it feels much more expensive than the car is.

[Tuxedo]

I just ended my car selling position for Mazda last Saturday. I start at the BMW dealership around the corner this Monday. I own a e88 and in the past had a diff e88 and e46, currently lease a CX-3. The CX-5 and most Mazda lineup if you like drivers cars is a very well built well engineered slightly under powered car. I like NA over turbo and CX-5 has more then enough power for this light of a nimble feeling crossover. CX-5 is very much like a modern e46 inline6 2.5l I had cept bigger and AWD.

Mazda CX-5 AWD value best trim Touring w/pkg. This car comes with all the safety and luxury of a fully loaded for about $29,800MSRP depending on color. Grand Touring for $2200 more adds leather, fog lights, accent led headlights, XM, power pass seat w/driver mem. GT w/pkg adds $1400 gets HUD, windshield de-icer, heated steering wheel, rear heated seats. in red the most the car can sticker for is $33,980 unless added accessories.

Quality is far better to the main CX-5 competition, just open and close the doors to a Subaru to here/feel the difference. Friends don't let friends drive CVT... CX-5 6-speed Auto is perfect. Best deal is about $400-700 below invoice however getting to it takes work on a dealers BDC or Sales Mgr part. Now thru Monday a touring w/pkg base color inc rebates $27,127 and GT $28,971 if she wants the 60x0% apr $1500 adds to these prices. Mazda Loyalty gets you additional $500 rebate if you have a Mazda registered at the same address you'd title the new one at also not inc in these prices. If Mazda announced any 4th of July incentives starting today also not included in these numbers.

Mazda had a issue with a airbag part and held cars at the port for about a month making inventory lower then normal, this has been remedied but ramp up is slow. Selection maybe limited advise being open to color and instock inventory to get the best deal.

[CarPoor]

We owned one a couple years back and would agree they are far superior to the Forester. Better MPG, better build quality, felt like higher end vehicle, and great handling.

[F30inthe6ix]

I've got one...great car, much better than any non WRX/STI Subie...

I've got a GS with the 2.5 SkyActiv engine and she serves me great. Decent fuel economy and a fun little car to drive. After almost two years of ownership (mine is a 2014 model) I've had zero issues.

[EnintyToo]

Originally Posted by Tuxedo

I just ended my car selling position for Mazda last Saturday. I start at the BMW dealership around the corner this Monday. I own a e88 and in the past had a diff e88 and e46, currently lease a CX-3. The CX-5 and most Mazda lineup if you like drivers cars is a very well built well engineered slightly under powered car. I like NA over turbo and CX-5 has more then enough power for this light of a nimble feeling crossover. CX-5 is very much like a modern e46 inline6 2.5l I had cept bigger and AWD.

Mazda CX-5 AWD value best trim Touring w/pkg. This car comes with all the safety and luxury of a fully loaded for about $29,800MSRP depending on color. Grand Touring for $2200 more adds leather, fog lights, accent led headlights, XM, power pass seat w/driver mem. GT w/pkg adds $1400 gets HUD, windshield de-icer, heated steering wheel, rear heated seats. in red the most the car can sticker for is $33,980 unless added accessories.

Quality is far better to the main CX-5 competition, just open and close the doors to a Subaru to here/feel the difference. Friends don't let friends drive CVT... CX-5 6-speed Auto is perfect. Best deal is about $400-700 below invoice however getting to it takes work on a dealers BDC or Sales Mgr part. Now thru Monday a touring w/pkg base color inc rebates $27,127 and GT $28,971 if she wants the 60x0% apr $1500 adds to these prices. Mazda Loyalty gets you additional $500 rebate if you have a Mazda registered at the same address you'd title the new one at also not inc in these prices. If Mazda announced any 4th of July incentives starting today also not included in these numbers.

Mazda had a issue with a airbag part and held cars at the port for about a month making inventory lower then normal, this has been remedied but ramp up is slow. Selection maybe limited advise being open to color and instock inventory to get the best deal.

Hey thanks man. Exactly the info I needed. I'm concerned she'll not like the Subie with a boxer and CVT. When she asked "Why a Mazda?" I replied "It's the BMW of Japanese brands", SOLD! If she went the lease route, for a Touring with the preferred package, think $250 lease is out of the question?

Again, appreciate the info, it helps me much.

[FC4]

Personally would never be in the market for such a car, but the CX-5 does strike me as the best looking option amongst its competitors.

[Tuxedo]

Originally Posted by EnintyToo

Hey thanks man. Exactly the info I needed. I'm concerned she'll not like the Subie with a boxer and CVT. When she asked "Why a Mazda?" I replied "It's the BMW of Japanese brands", SOLD! If she went the lease route, for a Touring with the preferred package, think $250 lease is out of the question?

Again, appreciate the info, it helps me much.

I'd only know the leases here in the Chicago Market. tax, residual and incentive would be different. the numbers I gave also don't matter on the lease. best guess you'd go in expect 1st payment $3500 for touring w/pkg to get close to $250mox35. most important advise drive and make sure who your helping like/loves the car.

doing thumb math sign and drive numbers $28mo x per $1000 diff in sticker the advertised car is Sport FWD about $25,200, touring AWD w/pkg diff $4500 calc diff $126mo more advertised 249 + 126 = $375mo
total due at sign $375 + plates? + fees? = ?600ish

see how fast that got complicated

[EnintyToo]

Originally Posted by Tuxedo

I'd only know the leases here in the Chicago Market. tax, residual and incentive would be different. the numbers I gave also don't matter on the lease. best guess you'd go in expect 1st payment $3500 for touring w/pkg to get close to $250mox35. most important advise drive and make sure who your helping like/loves the car.

doing thumb math sign and drive numbers $28mo x per $1000 diff in sticker the advertised car is Sport FWD about $25,200, touring AWD w/pkg diff $4500 calc diff $126mo more advertised 249 + 126 = $375mo
total due at sign $375 + plates? + fees? = ?600ish

see how fast that got complicated

Dealership in question is advertising the CX 5 Sport trim at $219/month with $2K at signing. Doing a simple ratio a Touring comes in at $265/month for a $30.5K MSRP. I'm thinking I can get in at $250/month pretty easy.

Thanks for the data points.

[Germanauto]

Really nice looking car...interior looks like a luxury car (although I'm sure material quality is more in line with the price).

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

Really nice looking car...interior looks like a luxury car (although I'm sure material quality is more in line with the price).

Don't be so sure. My old Mazda 3 has better material quality than either our F30 or my GTI. The nav system is appalling bad and the 2.5L was absolutely garbage, but the handling and interior design and quality were top notch.

[cjb762]

This is probably moot, but I am fully on board the CX-5 train. We have a 2015 Grand Touring and almost everything about it is awesome. I find the engine to actually be really peppy, and the automatic transmission is light years better than the E90 I had when we bought it. I find all the interior materials to be as good as, or better than the E90 also. The peeling of the soft touch coatings in the E90 always irked me.

The only complaint I have is that the paint appears to be really, really thin. Light scratches go straight through to the primer way too easily, and we already have a few spots above the windshield that looks like rust is creeping underneath the paint - and we live in Hawaii.

Other than that, super awesome car.

[Red Bread]

Yeah, should have mentioned my 3 was a manual, I think that the engine was poorly mated to that transmission. It's almost certainly got to be better with an automatic. It didn't like to rev above about 4K rpm, which is less of an issue with an auto. It also got lousy mileage, but that's likely user error.

[EnintyToo]

So just to close this up...

My friend ended up getting the CX-5. She pretty much went on my word about it and bought it sight unseen. Dark Crystal Blue Metallic over Silk Beige (white) interior. Impressive machine by all accounts. It provides a level of styling near to a European design theme and sporty precise handling. She loves it.

Kudos to Mazda for sticking with a naturally aspirated engine and 6-sp auto trans (with locking clutches). Most every thing else in the class is 4-banger turbo and CVT.

Thanks for all the input.

[Circuit Hunter]

My wife and I heavily considered the CX-5 but when we found out that the rear side impact crash test did not receive five stars, when just about every other car does, we didn’t move forward with the purchase. Being a parent five stars is a must especially where they are sitting.

[ThinkRevolutionx]

I don't own one, but having played around with a few of them at various auto shows and once at a Mazda dealer - it always struck me as one of the best bang for your buck vehicles out there. Looks and feels much much more expensive then it actually is.