I've grown to value my CX-5...

:
RDX Aspec Adv.
When I traded my Grand Jeep Cherokee in for my CX-5, I viewed it as an effeminate looking, slow, and stripped-down option for "basic transportation". I made the trade because I figured it would at least be more reliable than my Jeep, albeit not as fun and not nearly as well appointed, but would at least avoid the shop more.

It's been a little over a year, and 20,000 miles later, and I have slowly come to like my CX-5. I still prefer "blocky" SUV's like the last gen Pilot, the Grand Jeep Cherokee, Mercedes GLK350, and the Forester, as that's just how I view an SUV should look, but aside from that, I really have no complaints.

The 2.5L is not bad at all, really, and the AWD system has done very well in the rain so far. I look forward to seeing how it handles snow.
The cargo space has not limited me too badly.
I do miss a lot of the amenities my 2010 Jeep had, but the 2016.5 GT w/Tech is getting close to offering what it did, so owners of that model may well feel differently.

What I am really coming to like, though, is the LOW cost of operating my CX-5.

Fuel...it takes 87 octane!
Transmission...never change the fluid.
Spark Plugs...every 75k miles (and they aren't THAT hard to change...)
Diffs...28,800 miles, and that's it.

The thing is SUPER low cost to own.

Owning my CX-5 has allowed me to do and afford a lot of things that my Grand Jeep Cherokee prevented or made more troublesome. Road trips that would have cost me $2-300 in my Jeep only cost $<100 in my CX-5. Tires are $2-400 less. Driveline maintenance per year on my Jeep was around $500.

Over the time-span that I plan to keep my CX-5, it will allow me to buy around 10 cases of 5.56 ammo. Or go on a vacation to Europe. Or any number of other things. It also allows me to do more things, see more friends, and have more experiences.

It has become my opinion that if you have to budget for a vehicle (gas, payment, etc.) then a vehicle like the CX-5 will enhance your enjoyment of life. It certainly has mine. I now look kindof wantingly at the Prii(?) I see now and then...and think what I could afford with the extra money...
 
Hey if you come to Manchester, let me know and you can have a drive of a 2.2 liter turbo diesel. You might not be too thrilled with the location of the steering wheel but thankfully everybody else's is on the same side.

I must admit, I can find very little to criticise with my CX-5 so far.
 
Hey if you come to Manchester, let me know and you can have a drive of a 2.2 liter turbo diesel. You might not be too thrilled with the location of the steering wheel but thankfully everybody else's is on the same side.

I must admit, I can find very little to criticise with my CX-5 so far.

If I ever make it over there, I'll take you up on it!
 
Imo, blocky style SUVS are for offroad capable, strong vehicles, like the old style land cruisers, Isuzus, suburban etc.
 
We had a Trooper with the 2.3 eng years ago. It would go pretty much anywhere we wanted to go but S-L-O-W-L-Y. We saw one with a bumper sticker that read "0-60 in 8.4...minutes". (whistle)
 
I agree, and this is what I like...but not what currently best suits my needs.

I keep an old '00 Wrangler 4.0L 5-speed around when I want to go out on the real rough stuff. Only problem I've had with my Jeep is it likes to go through shocks. Pretty basic model though with everything manual and no AC. A 12K pound WARN winch and high lift jack to get me unstuck...that has been a while though.

A terrible vehicle to drive on the highway though.
 
Speaking of "blocky," you all reminded me (fondly) of my '73 International Harvester Scout, a true blue block of a machine I drove during my college days at Ohio U.
 
I enjoy my CX-5, and it has provided most of what I need, but I do wish there were still a lightweight, "blocky" compact SUV option from a reliable maker to suit outdoor and utility purposes.
I keep an older compact SUV around for that, hoping that someone fills that need eventually.

There is a market void between these small, urban, aerodynamic road crossovers and the extreme-duty, heavy body-on-frame SUVs that Chris mentioned above.
 
I enjoy my CX-5, and it has provided most of what I need, but I do wish there were still a lightweight, "blocky" compact SUV option from a reliable maker to suit outdoor and utility purposes.
I keep an older compact SUV around for that, hoping that someone fills that need eventually.

There is a market void between these small, urban, aerodynamic road crossovers and the extreme-duty, heavy body-on-frame SUVs that Chris mentioned above.

Pretty much a 4 door Heep Wrangler is the only option there
 
Options are definitely limited these days. On my Jeep a 4.0L motor or manual transmission replacement would be fairly cheap in the grand scheme of things as I think millions were made. That old 4.0L for what it lacks in refinement seems to be quite reliable. It feels far more comfortable taking a vehicle with some rough edges off the path than a new one. I don't have to worry about scratches or dents.
 
Right, I'm good with the CX-5. The Jeep is too crude and inefficient for a daily driver.

What I was talking about was the lightweight, unibody compact SUVs like the old RAV4s, CRVs, and Escapes. Lightweight, capable enough, but with little things you like when outdoors, like the rear bumper ledge and independently opening rear glass. Easy to see out of when backing up on a trail and so on. I know things move on, but that whole segment changed drastically and quickly.

I'm adapting. I just wish Toyota would have produced the rumored "mini-FJ Cruiser", it was supposed to be RAV4 sized, but more utility/rugged.

That said, I just took a trip in the CX-5, and it is great on the road and holds a respectable amount of cargo.
 
When I traded my Grand Jeep Cherokee in for my CX-5, I viewed it as an effeminate looking, slow, and stripped-down option for "basic transportation". I made the trade because I figured it would at least be more reliable than my Jeep, albeit not as fun and not nearly as well appointed, but would at least avoid the shop more.

It's been a little over a year, and 20,000 miles later, and I have slowly come to like my CX-5. I still prefer "blocky" SUV's like the last gen Pilot, the Grand Jeep Cherokee, Mercedes GLK350, and the Forester, as that's just how I view an SUV should look, but aside from that, I really have no complaints.

The 2.5L is not bad at all, really, and the AWD system has done very well in the rain so far. I look forward to seeing how it handles snow.
The cargo space has not limited me too badly.
I do miss a lot of the amenities my 2010 Jeep had, but the 2016.5 GT w/Tech is getting close to offering what it did, so owners of that model may well feel differently.

What I am really coming to like, though, is the LOW cost of operating my CX-5.

Fuel...it takes 87 octane!
Transmission...never change the fluid.
Spark Plugs...every 75k miles (and they aren't THAT hard to change...)
Diffs...28,800 miles, and that's it.

The thing is SUPER low cost to own.

Owning my CX-5 has allowed me to do and afford a lot of things that my Grand Jeep Cherokee prevented or made more troublesome. Road trips that would have cost me $2-300 in my Jeep only cost $<100 in my CX-5. Tires are $2-400 less. Driveline maintenance per year on my Jeep was around $500.

Over the time-span that I plan to keep my CX-5, it will allow me to buy around 10 cases of 5.56 ammo. Or go on a vacation to Europe. Or any number of other things. It also allows me to do more things, see more friends, and have more experiences.

It has become my opinion that if you have to budget for a vehicle (gas, payment, etc.) then a vehicle like the CX-5 will enhance your enjoyment of life. It certainly has mine. I now look kindof wantingly at the Prii(?) I see now and then...and think what I could afford with the extra money...

Mirage would be cheaper to own than a Prius and more aftermarket support as well.
 
I have access to Toyota 4Runner and I have found its a very reliable car. At 335,000 miles and still with original shocks. Only change had been brakes, rotors, tires, battery and s.belt.
 
You really can't beat a CX 5 as an all around package; compact yet comfy, fuel efficient, manageable in the city, very fun to drive, a solid value.
And a good trade in. Avg. BB and NADA trade value for my trim (FWD 2015 GT) is between $21 and $23K.
I paid $29,500 before tax ($1,900 below MSRP) for it twenty-six months ago and will get $24K trade in when the Honda truck arrives.
Probably got the $24K because I am paying MSRP for the new vehicle.

BTW, some on here want to portray the CX 5 lineup as a "cheap" or basic CUV. I couldn't disagree more with that limited viewpoint and now my experience with one as a trade confirms they are far from "cheap."
 
It does seem CX-5 is holding it's value pretty good... maybe regional thing but see similar numbers in Seattle area.

You really can't beat a CX 5 as an all around package; compact yet comfy, fuel efficient, manageable in the city, very fun to drive, a solid value.
And a good trade in. Avg. BB and NADA trade value for my trim (FWD 2015 GT) is between $21 and $23K.
I paid $29,500 before tax ($1,900 below MSRP) for it twenty-six months ago and will get $24K trade in when the Honda truck arrives.
Probably got the $24K because I am paying MSRP for the new vehicle.

BTW, some on here want to portray the CX 5 lineup as a "cheap" or basic CUV. I couldn't disagree more with that limited viewpoint and now my experience with one as a trade confirms they are far from "cheap."
 
You really can't beat a CX 5 as an all around package; compact yet comfy, fuel efficient, manageable in the city, very fun to drive, a solid value.
And a good trade in. Avg. BB and NADA trade value for my trim (FWD 2015 GT) is between $21 and $23K.
I paid $29,500 before tax ($1,900 below MSRP) for it twenty-six months ago and will get $24K trade in when the Honda truck arrives.
Probably got the $24K because I am paying MSRP for the new vehicle.

BTW, some on here want to portray the CX 5 lineup as a "cheap" or basic CUV. I couldn't disagree more with that limited viewpoint and now my experience with one as a trade confirms they are far from "cheap."

I view them as cheap. I bought mine for $7k under retail the same year it was marketed (2015 in 2015) with 28K miles on it,( I paid $22K) and KBB calculates my "instant cash offer" today at $14,051.The trade-in range tops out at $15,6XX. I am VERY GLAD that I bought GAP on this vehicle!

It's a cheap SUV. 1 year later it's worth in the mid/low teens.

It has no sound deadening to speak of.
The interior is cheap.
The exterior flexes and pops if you so much as lean against it.
The vehicle electronic interface is glitchy and chintzy


However...the vehicle dynamics are superb. The powertrain is great. The safety and economy of ownership is superlative. The "things that matter" are well done on this SUV. It's like the anti-chrysler with a great "core" and crappy accessories vs. amazing accessories and crappy "core". Great little CUV for the practical minded, but yes, it's "cheap".
 
Most vehicle lose half their value in the first three years. This Mazda of mine with its 2.2 diesel is the quietist I've ever owned and is as well made as many other brands. I had a fiddle with the infotainment in a new BMW the other day and it was rather better than the CX-5.
 
Most vehicle lose half their value in the first three years. This Mazda of mine with its 2.2 diesel is the quietist I've ever owned and is as well made as many other brands. I had a fiddle with the infotainment in a new BMW the other day and it was rather better than the CX-5.

Odd.
I paid $67K for my Z06 in 2011 (new). When I traded it for my new 2012 370Z, I believe I got $59K for it.
I paid $43K for my 370Z, and got $31K trade-in in 2014 with 35K miles for it when the vehicle I got for it, I got at KBB PP Retail, or $22K. It was a 2010 Grand Jeep Cherokee with 68K miles.
When I traded it in, I got $17K for it with 90K miles on it in 2015, and got my 2015 CX-5 with 28K miles for $22K.

Today with 50K miles, KBB says "high" trade in is $15.6K.

MSRP on my Z06 was 76K
MSRP on my 370Z was 43K
MSRP on my CX-5 was $27ishK
MSRP on my Grand Jeep Cherokee was around $40K.

5 years and 90K miles later, my Grand Jeep Cherokee is where my CX-5 is now, in only 1 year and 50K miles. The other vehicles fared better.The CX-5 is terrible for resale, at least according to KBB and my personal experiences, although if I took it to trade in, maybe they would offer me 5k more than KBB suggests?
 
Back