CX 5 GS Snow Handling

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Mazda CX5 GS
How does the CX GS handle in snow? Just regular driving - city streets. Will I need to buy snow tires?
 
How does the CX GS handle in snow? Just regular driving - city streets. Will I need to buy snow tires?

FWD or AWD? If its usually cleaner road, AWD is better and now with so many technologies like TCS, etc things are better but no matter what, Winter tires make the difference.

It is recommended to handle the snow, ice, slush.

It may seem to be an expense but note that it extends your all-season tires' life, prevents from the typical winter time accidents (initiated by your skiding car) and may reduce your insurance premium.
 
Expecting some in a couple days though. Seems today is the last day of double digit here in Mississauga.

Anyone in GTA area considering changing to snow tire? I have no experience owning a AWD SUV. Is it necessary to change tires here?
 
It would be nice to hear from CX-5 owners that have actually driven CX-5 in snow...
 
I have put winter tires on my GT AWD. I have done this for any other 2WD car I have owned as well. I think it is necessary to put winter tires on any car where you get any accumulation of snow unless you have the option of some other form of transportation whenever it snows (or gets cold/icy). Go take a look at videos showing the handling differences when you have winter tires compared to All Season tires. Think of All Seasons like your Running Shoes... gets you around for most of the year... and yes in winter too.. but then your feet get cold, more soaked, and you slip and slide all over the place. Whereas the Winter Boot keeps your feet warm, dry, and the materials of the boots sole/winter tire stay softer in cold providing you more 'traction/grip in the conditions. The GTA may not always have to worry about a lot of snow on the ground... but that doesn't mean there isn't any ice patches on the roads either.

In any case.. you might also get a discount off your insurance if you tell them you have winter tires.
 
Living in Calgary,Alberta we get some good snow & ice! I have the Goodyear Ice grip wrt! The CX5 has been awesome in the snow!
 
I have put winter tires on my GT AWD. I have done this for any other 2WD car I have owned as well. I think it is necessary to put winter tires on any car where you get any accumulation of snow unless you have the option of some other form of transportation whenever it snows (or gets cold/icy). Go take a look at videos showing the handling differences when you have winter tires compared to All Season tires. Think of All Seasons like your Running Shoes... gets you around for most of the year... and yes in winter too.. but then your feet get cold, more soaked, and you slip and slide all over the place. Whereas the Winter Boot keeps your feet warm, dry, and the materials of the boots sole/winter tire stay softer in cold providing you more 'traction/grip in the conditions. The GTA may not always have to worry about a lot of snow on the ground... but that doesn't mean there isn't any ice patches on the roads either.

In any case.. you might also get a discount off your insurance if you tell them you have winter tires.

(iagree)
 
Great handling in snow! (and this is coming from someone living in Austria :))

As said many times, CX-5 is great for all-weather drive, not for all-terrain drive - HUGE difference. Even Owner's manual clearly states CX-5 is NOT to be used for off-road drive:
Do not drive the vehicle off-road: Driving your Mazda off-road is dangerous because the vehicle has not been designed to do so. Driving the vehicle off-road could prevent the air bag crash
sensor system from accurately detecting a collision or roll-over accident resulting in incorrect or unexpected air bag deployment and the possibility of serious injuries.

Anyways, here are some snow vids:




Cheers,
Miki
 
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Anyone in GTA area considering changing to snow tire? I have no experience owning a AWD SUV. Is it necessary to change tires here?

Done last week. I drive a FWD GS model, mostly Mississauga city driving. Last year I was unfortunate but lucky that I could not stop at the lights and the cop got me. He left me with the warning but I had decided that I would get winter tires this year. Thepersonal gave me 5% discount on the insurance.
 
I put mine on for 850$
16" steel rims
looks are odd but bearable

Which ones did you get?

I went across the border while visiting my family and got the icept EVO which is the best all-round tires according to CR (on the RFD forum). For 950 I actually got the 17" allow package.
 
On snow...soon

How does the CX GS handle in snow? Just regular driving - city streets. Will I need to buy snow tires?

I'm getting my cx-5 sport d, hopefully before christmas. Black btw. I have high hopes that it will kick ass on snow because i drive a lot between Oslo and Trondheim, which is two cities(rather small in your scale) in Norway. Thats a 500 km ride in pitch black and snowy roades. Anyways. We get snow that last from about now til march(hopefully) so I'm looking forward to testing it during a long and cold winter. I can get back to you on that, lets see, a couple of days in to christmas, cause, let's face it, I ain't got time celebrating, just driving this year:)
 
When we had that snowstorm a few weeks ago here in NY/NJ I took the CX-5 out for a spin to test AWD and overall handling and I could not be more pleased. Great vehicle all around.
 
So far I have no issues with studded winter tires on icy/snowy conditions city driving. No off-roading yet, I'm curious how it will perform. I could go through deep snow in my '97 legacy outback though, but different AWD system so who knows what will happen...
 
where you still running the stock tires?

Yes, stock 19's. Not planning on changing them for snow tires either. But then again we don't have as bad winters as you do in many parts of Canada. I went out before they got to lay the salt down. There's a steep upgrade around the block from my development I took it there to test it out and it went up that hill with minimal slipping. Very happy with it.
 
Yeah. Its not only the amount of snow in some parts of canada but also the temperature. At -35C, which it gets down to here often, regular all seasons are hard as a rock. The winters are a softer more grippy rubber at colder temps.
 
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