my test drive impressions: white/black GT automatic AWD

:
New Jersey
Hello All,

I drove the CX5 today and overall i liked it. Positives are the white paint was beautiful. It reminded me of the '89 Porsche 911 Turbo pearl, outstanding in the bright sunshine, lots going on, my favorite by far. [also saw liquid, the color of my NC2, black, dark red and dark blue. I also loved the modern interior, the black leather was trimmed with red, very cool, the buttons felt great, steering wheel is better than my NC2 by a long shot, AC worked great, windows/locks etc all moved with authority if that makes sense. The car also drove and handled great, so much more in tune with the road than my 08 Pilot.

Now the things i didn't like. At first the seat felt very hard, later i didn't notice it. The back seats don't recline, the fixed position is too straight for me by a small margin, not an issue cause i wouldn't be back there on trips. The car at 65 MPH on a very smooth hway had a slight vibration/jiggle felt through the steering wheel. I'm sure I'd be in the very small majority of people who would feel this, but it was annoying to me. If my miata had this, i'd be relentless in finding a fix. My first thought was prep forgot to adjust the tire pressure down from the 50 + lbs the car is shipped with but the air pressure measured 35 psi back at the shop. Perhaps this is the cost of the 19" rim package. And on the topic of the wheels, they are damn ugly imho. When the car is viewed from behind, the tires are so skinny and rest inches inside the wheel well, pretty awful. When i turned the wheel to full lock and put my fingers inside the wheel well, there is barely any room. If someone is going to upgrade the wheels, careful attention has to be paid to stock offset and width [114.3 x 5 with 50 offset per parts guy] Lastly, the parts guy told me Mazda will only supply a class 1 hitch. I need a class 3 to pull my waverunners [i'd buy a diesel if i got a CX5].

So imaging buying a diesel for around $33.5, installing some enkeis and tires +$2000 and by some miracle installing a proper hitch, wiring and trailer brakes +$800, looks like no possible way i'd buy this car. Overall i think it's a huge win for mazda but it doesn't fit our needs. IMHO, sweet spot for this ute is 5 speed, add some wheels, keep it under $25K if you can. Also, Samsone1 auto mall is charging a $3000 "market adjustment" to all CX5s. lmao
 
Class 1 hitch wtf??? I guess we'll have to buy an aftermarket hitch assembly, I would think at least a class 2 hitch?

Damn I really wanted to mount my Yakima hitch mount on but it requires at least a class II/III hitch.
 
check the other thread about the hitch, our australian friend says Mazda Au has a hitch that handles the 1800 kgs. i crawled under the car yesterday and have no clue where a "proper" hitch attaches to the frame. my guess is it will work out but perhaps not be legal here in the US.
 
check the other thread about the hitch, our australian friend says Mazda Au has a hitch that handles the 1800 kgs. i crawled under the car yesterday and have no clue where a "proper" hitch attaches to the frame. my guess is it will work out but perhaps not be legal here in the US.

Fairly sure your "hitches" have to comply with US set standards, and our "towbars" have to comply with our standards.
I doubt they're too dissimilar though. Easy enough to buy an Australian towbar and have it shipped.

What are the towbars like in Canada and Mexico? I am sure they vary too.
 
Class 1 hitch wtf??? I guess we'll have to buy an aftermarket hitch assembly, I would think at least a class 2 hitch?

Damn I really wanted to mount my Yakima hitch mount on but it requires at least a class II/III hitch.

JTNY - yea...that's kinda why i was leaning towards no hitch. It's only Class I right now...the roof rack seems to be a better way to go with a 165lb limit...gives you the opportunity to throw a cargo box up there. I do prefer hitch mounts, and to an extent class I hitches should be fine for most applications including the rear cargo boxes (200lb limit), but i've seen my old class I hitch on the jetta bend precariously while going over a hump and that almost made me pee in my pants...haha
 
but i need this rig to replace my pilot. i gotta tow the waverunners. hope this get addressed one way or another before the diesel comes to the usa. inodes, slap a hitch on that bad boy and get some stuff to tow around, i'll buy you some beers whenever you come stateside.(drinks)
 
I had a Jetta too and used the roof mounts, I honestly dont like them b/c if you mess up you can easily dent/scratch up the paint should a bike tip over.

Since I only plan on halling 2-3 bikes tops, I don't see why a 200 lb limit should limit me from getting a hitch mount carried only for the reason that the class 1 receiver looks so wimpy compared to a class 2-3 hitch receiver. However, if I were to get an aftermarket receiver, i might go for a class 2.







JTNY - yea...that's kinda why i was leaning towards no hitch. It's only Class I right now...the roof rack seems to be a better way to go with a 165lb limit...gives you the opportunity to throw a cargo box up there. I do prefer hitch mounts, and to an extent class I hitches should be fine for most applications including the rear cargo boxes (200lb limit), but i've seen my old class I hitch on the jetta bend precariously while going over a hump and that almost made me pee in my pants...haha
 
The vibration you felt was probably a tire balance issue. I personally like the GT wheels. Also there is a reason why Mazda will only certify a Class 1 hitch. The CX-5 is a small SUV with a small engine and a higher center of gravity as well as a suspension tuned for performance not heavy duty tasks. Having it tow something that could possibly overload it's chassis would be a safety concern. And there are MANY people out there who would try and tow more than a car is engineered to handle- and then die and sue the company for their stupidity. Some of the comments here are scary. It's not the class of hitch that gates how much you can tow but the capability of the vehicle. The CX-5 may look like a truck/SUV, but it's really a car.
 
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Valid statement, however, I wanted a Class 2 hitch just so I can mount a hitch mounted bike rack. There arent many selections for Class 1 bike hitches vs. Class 2 or even 3.

I totally agree it would be dumb to tow a boat or whatever, but lets say 3 bikes at 20-30 lbs each attached to a bike hitch tied to a class 2 receiver shouldn't compromise the safety of the car don't you think>?



The vibration you felt was probably a tire balance issue. I personally like the GT wheels. Also there is a reason why Mazda will only certify a Class 1 hitch. The CX-5 is a small SUV with a small engine and a higher center of gravity as well as a suspension tuned for performance not heavy duty tasks. Having it tow something that could possibly overload it's chassis would be a safety concern. And there are MANY people out there who would try and tow more than a car is engineered to handle- and then die and sue the company for their stupidity. Some of the comments here are scary. It's not the class of hitch that gates how much you can tow but the capability of the vehicle. The CX-5 may look like a truck/SUV, but it's really a car.
 
Valid statement, however, I wanted a Class 2 hitch just so I can mount a hitch mounted bike rack. There arent many selections for Class 1 bike hitches vs. Class 2 or even 3.

I totally agree it would be dumb to tow a boat or whatever, but lets say 3 bikes at 20-30 lbs each attached to a bike hitch tied to a class 2 receiver shouldn't compromise the safety of the car don't you think>?

You can buy a class 1 to 2-3 hitch adapter if all you need is the larger receiver. Should work fine for light duty Bike carriers..

Here's one: http://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Accessories/Hidden-Hitch/80303.html

80303_spec.jpg
 
The issue is that whomever gets the car after you used, may not be as educated when it comes to the differences between hitches and if the hitch says 5000lbs will attempt to tow 5000 pounds. The adapter mentioned above would be a better option IMO. It's sad but in a world full of Camry owners who sued Toyota for something that was driver error, manufacturers can't chance being sued for stupid things. Remember it isn't the manufacturer who chooses to make all these restrictions but those individuals who prove Darwin correct and ultimately drive lawyers to protect a company's best interest.
 
in response to the post concerning the chassis not being able to handle towing medium sized loads, that's just silly. is the australian cx5 chassis beefier than ours? probably not, the issue is the US has traditionally underrated towing capacities and because it may keep me from buying the cx5, this conservative stance is pissing me off. also, wheelbase is an important consideration, the cx5 and my 08 pilot have identical WBs, 106". the pilot, which is really just a glorified minivan, is rated at 3500 lbs [4500 lbs if the load is shaped like a boat] and tows my skis with ease.

Australia let's you tow 3965 lbs, USA let's you tow 2000 lbs. ridiculous.
 
Australia let's you tow 3965 lbs, USA let's you tow 2000 lbs. ridiculous.
No it's not. Consider that CX-5 weights only 3200 lbs (empty). Imagine situation where you have 4000lbs boat on the hook and you have to slam the brakes. There is no way that rear axle will keep traction and the slightest misalignment of the set will jack knife the whole set. On top of that the bigger the trailer the more tongue weight will be put on the rear axle effectively unloading front one and potentially causing loss of traction in turns. I'd say 2000lbs is just about right for cx-5. Of course I'd be the first to tow 2200 if I needed to but I would seriously think three times before putting 3965 behind my car.
 
No it's not. Consider that CX-5 weights only 3200 lbs (empty).

I wouldn't tow with it, but Sydney is a boat city. Every man and their dog wants to throw a boat on the numerous rivers, harbours and waterways we have here. It's typical around Australia actually.

The 1800kg towing was set after government tests were done on the vehicle, and complies with a very long list of Australian standards (the specifications for towing is a 40+ page document).
To tow this much, the trailer must have it's own braking system. That's the only limitation.

But if it's been tested and confirmed as okay.... then I can't see there being an issue.
 
UK towing and presumably European values are: Braked 12% gradient = 1800kg for the petrol/gas. For the diesel, 2000kg
 
UK towing and presumably European values are: Braked 12% gradient = 1800kg for the petrol/gas. For the diesel, 2000kg
So basically identical to Australia. I'd like to see what the figures are for Japan and New Zealand.
 
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