We’re spending 12 months with this Mazda CX-5, reviewing the full ownership experience with ongoing updates.
Time flies when you’re having fun
by Matt DeLorenzo on November 6, 2019
Price: $39,825 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 4,709 miles
Latest MPG: 22.8 mpg
Lifetime MPG: 20.73 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0
Days out of Service: 0
Late summer and early fall are a busy time here as we are in the throes of doing our annual Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards, evaluating dozens of new competitors along with last year’s category winners. As a result, our vehicle fleet swells and some of our long-term test vehicles like the Mazda CX-5 tend to sit on the sidelines.
Now that we’ve concluded Best Buys, we’re back in the saddle again and are quickly reminded how much fun the CX-5 is to drive and how comfortable it is as a daily commuter. The appeal of compact SUVs like the CX-5 shines through in everyday activities. It seamlessly works itself into your daily routine, whether its driving to work, shuttling kids around or putting groceries in the generous cargo area.
I think what Mazda has been able to accomplish in building a solid, quiet and easy driving vehicle is further enhanced by its attention to detail in both the cabin amenities and especially the exterior styling. On the inside, it may not be the roomiest vehicle in its class, but the more closely coupled cabin does reflect the car’s agility and the ergonomics (i.e., the reliance on buttons and controls rather than a touchscreen) makes using the vehicle intuitive. The driver is less prone to distraction when looking to turn a heated seat on or change a radio station.
But most of all, the exterior design of the CX-5 is what truly distinguishes it in the category. It’s one of those vehicles that you catch yourself looking over your shoulder at after parking it. The CX-5 has the classy look of a luxury vehicle holding its own when you compare it to the likes of an Acura RDX or Lexus NX.
Love those ventilated seats
by Frankie Rogers on August 19, 2019
Price: $39,825 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 2,675 miles
Latest MPG: 21.22 mpg
Lifetime MPG: 20.99 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0
Days out of Service: 0
With temperatures ranging from 80 degrees to 95 degrees during the summer in parts of Orange County, or triple digits in the Inland Empire where I live, staying cool while driving is almost a requirement. Luckily, our 2019 Mazda CX-5 is equipped with ventilated seats which is a feature that’s standard on the Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims.
Ventilated seats were introduced in the first-generation Saab 9-5. Saab’s design consisted of two electric fans, one in the seat and one in the seatback and there were three operating modes. The ventilated seats worked by drawing warm air trapped between the seat and the passenger through perforations and venting it underneath the seat bottom. Manufacturers today all use slightly different ways to ventilate, or cool, the seats but most place multiple fans within the seat that circulate air and then release it through perforations which cool the seat surface and the passenger. Mazda’s ventilated front seats work by wicking warm air away from the passenger’s back using a vacuum-type system rather than blowing cold air. This results in passengers maintaining cooler backs instead of blowing cool air into a space with hot, trapped air.
Mazda’s ventilated seats work very well at bringing relief to a hot and sweaty passenger. The air being released is very cool and helps to maintain a comfortable seat temperature, unlike some other manufacturer’s ventilated seats that simply recirculate warm air which doesn’t bring any relief when driving on a hot summer day.
The little cargo hold that could
by Frankie Rogers on August 5, 2019
Price: $39,825 | Price yours
Current Odometer: 2,000 miles
Latest MPG: 18.91 mpg
Lifetime MPG: 20.95 mpg
Maintenance/Service Costs: $0
Days out of Service: 0
We have had our long-term 2019 Mazda CX-5 for about a month and on a recent trip to the Home Depot found its cargo area to be very welcoming to some newly purchased lawn equipment. I recently decided to take on the task of mowing, trimming and edging my own lawn rather than paying someone else to do it. There are two main reasons for this. One, I will save money in the long run; and two, I could use the exercise that getting outdoors and pushing a lawn mower offers. There is also the added benefit of working on my tan.
While the Mazda CX-5 is considered a compact SUV crossover you wouldn’t know it when loading up a Ryobi 20-inch 40-volt Brushless Lithium-Ion lawn mower and trimmer. Yes, I decided to go with a cordless mower as opposed to a gas-operated version mainly to avoid having to deal with the gas, oil and smelly exhaust. The CX-5’s 59.6 cubic feet of cargo space, with the second row folded flat, allowed ample room for the large boxes of the mower and trimmer, plus it left room for a few more items had I purchased more.
We’ll have to see what else we can fit into the cargo area of the CX-5. I’m thinking of adding a rock border and buying a few bags of mulch for my next yard project, which will be a good weight test for the little Mazda SUV.
- Price: $39,825 | Price yours
- Powertrain: 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder
- All-wheel drive
- EPA fuel economy: 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway
The CX-5 was one of Mazda’s first production cars to feature the “KODO – Soul of Motion” design language. The essence of Mazda’s design language stipulates that a car is more than a hunk of metal and more like a living creature. It furthers that concept by suggesting an emotional bond is realized between the driver and their car. There’s no doubt that driving Mazda’s second-generation CX-5 is an engaging experience from its handling and power delivery to its comfortable ride and premium-like interior. And with 60,000 units sold during the first five months of 2019 it’s well on its way to being one of Mazda’s best-selling models.
We recently added a 2019 Mazda CX-5 to our long-term test fleet and will be spending the better part of a year with it. It became obvious right away how easy it will be to pick out our CX-5 in a crowded parking lot not only due to its beautifully sculpted body lines, but especially because of its Soul Red Crystal Metallic exterior paint, a $595 option, which is a paint scheme you would more likely find on a high-end European sports car. Furthering that sentiment our full review states, “This is arguably the best-looking vehicle in its class, especially in Soul Red Crystal paintwork, a production color so deep and glossy it’d do justice to an exotic Italian sports car.”
The CX-5 details
Our long-term CX-5 is the new higher-level Signature trim which comes standard with leather trimmed seats, genuine wood trim, 360-degree camera and front and rear parking sensors. It’s also equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that puts out 250 horsepower when fueled with 93-octane gasoline, 227 horsepower with regular, and is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
With an MSRP of $36,890 (not including the $1,045 destination fee) our 5-seat CX-5 features all-wheel drive, 19-inch alloy wheels, power moonroof, Mazda’s radar cruise control, a Bose 10-speaker audio system, heated and ventilated power front seats, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat — just in case you need to fit something long and narrow down the center of your compact crossover SUV.
Our Mazda CX-5 comes standard with host of safety features which include blind spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and a forward collision warning system with pedestrian detection.
CX-5 Signature key features and specs
Engine: 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 250 at 5,000 rpm (with 93-octane premium gasoline; 227 hp with regular gasoline)
Torque: 310 lb-ft
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power moonroof
Nappa leather-trimmed interior
Heated and ventilated front seats
Heated steering wheel
Heated rear seats
LED headlights and foglights
Blind-spot warning
Rear cross-traffic alert
Smart Brake Support
Lane-departure warning
Lane keep assist
360-view monitor
EPA fuel economy: 22 mpg city/27 mpg highway/24 mpg combined
We plan on putting the Mazda CX-5 through its paces as a commuter vehicle, road trip car, grocery getter, Home Depot hauler, and whatever else we can think of testing. There will be lots of miles to cover and a variety of driving topics to discuss. Check back often for updates.
