Anyone in S. Californiia get AWD for your CX-5?

I was just wondering if people in Southern California got AWD for those that already bought their CX-5 and what their reasons were.

I guess I'm trying get a reason to get AWD even though I don't really need it. I do the occasional snow trip up the local mountains about twice per season and maybe thinking of doing some off roading (very little) even though the CX-5 may not be made for it. Anyway, if you are in SoCal and have AWD I want to hear from you.

While I haven't bought a cx-5 yet (waiting for the 2.5L or diesel), I will definitely be getting AWD, even though I live in S. Cali.

I know people say 95% of drivers don't need AWD, but I believe it's that one time you do need it (hitting an oil slick or taking trips to the local mountains heh), it'll pay for itself.

If you're already mindset in getting the AWD, you might as well get it or you'll regret it every step of the way.

xwedge said:

I know people say 95% of drivers don't need AWD, but I believe it's that one time you do need it (hitting an oil slick or taking trips to the local mountains heh), it'll pay for itself.

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The AWD works very well for climbing icy roads and getting out of an uphill parking spot in the snow/ice but it's not going to do a bit of good when hitting an oil slick unless you need to climb an oily road that's about a 20% grade (unrealistic situation). The normal dynamic stability control (on all models) is what will help if you hit an oil slick. AWD is not necessary for most people and, even in snow/ice, a FWD CX-5 equipped with snow tires is a very capable snow vehicle and it will dance all over an AWD CX-5 with all season radials. Some people think AWD is a good substitute for snow tires but that is nothing but a mistake.

I lived in Socal for a few years. For me, it makes more sense to buy the car to do what it will be doing 95% of the time. As well, if you pop one tire in an AWD car, you may have to replace all 4 tires. :S

For the couple times a year you visit the slopes, just put tire cables on.

you could get the AWD if you want the extra weight.

(rockon)

Good question. I, too, wavered between the AWD and the FWD. Ultimately I settled on the FWD for the following reasons (in no particular order):

1. The dealer didn't have a Sport AWD available and I didn't want a higher trim;
2. CX-5 already has stability and traction control;
3. The AWD model I test-drove seemed less nimble and sluggish compared to the FWD;
4. FWD gets better gas mileage;
5. AWD transmissions are more complex and therefore more expensive to fix if something goes wrong;
6. I live in Tucson - seriously, do I really need AWD?

I've come to the conclusion that AWD is mostly marketing hype although it *might* come in handy if you live in snow country. But even then I'm not so sure.

Years ago we drove up north in my husband's 4WD truck and he almost slid off the road because he drove too fast for conditions. I can see where AWD or 4WD gives the driver a false sense of security and ultimately results in LESS control than a FWD vehicle being driven sensibly.

MikeM. said:

The AWD works very well for climbing icy roads and getting out of an uphill parking spot in the snow/ice but it's not going to do a bit of good when hitting an oil slick unless you need to climb an oily road that's about a 20% grade (unrealistic situation). The normal dynamic stability control (on all models) is what will help if you hit an oil slick. AWD is not necessary for most people and, even in snow/ice, a FWD CX-5 equipped with snow tires is a very capable snow vehicle and it will dance all over an AWD CX-5 with all season radials. Some people think AWD is a good substitute for snow tires but that is nothing but a mistake.

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Couldn't have said it better myself. This is coming from someone that has an AWD CX-5. If my CX-5 was located in Cali (be it NorCal or SoCal), it would WITHOUT a doubt be a FWD.

I'm on my third consecutive AWD car, frankly i wouldn't consider a 2wd.

AWD comes into its own in wet conditions, it gives the traction on grass required in a wet muddy field towing a caravan.
And gives me total confidence that the car will launch when a opening appears on a congested round about, or road junction.
None of the cars have had traction control.

SayNoToPistons said:

Couldn't have said it better myself. This is coming from someone that has an AWD CX-5. If my CX-5 was located in Cali (be it NorCal or SoCal), it would WITHOUT a doubt be a FWD.

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The problem with cali is that whenever a couple of inches of snowfall in the mountains the highway patrol sets up checkpoints,
and only allows AWD/4WD to proceed without installing chains.

Often, with the FWD car you have to pull over, install chains and proceed to drive 20 miles on almost bare pavement while your brand new car pretty much shakes itself to bits.

I understand the need for this enforecement (especially to prevent the RWD pickups with 22 inch summer tires and no weight in the back from blocking the highway), but most of the time a FWD with all season tires can handle the mild grades of california mountain highways even when slick with ice..
I do not recommend lying to the highway patrol that your FWD CX-5 really has AWD, but I am contemplating installing an AWD badge on my 6MT CX-5 before my next trip to the snow (just in case the officer doesn't notice the rear differential on my car.

Besides allowing one to pass through the chain control checkpoints, the other benefit of AWD in cali would be off-road. Personally, in my old protege5 I have never encountered a situation where the lack of AWD kept me from getting to a campsite or trailhead.. the problem has always been ground clearence issues. With the higher clearence of the CX-5 I think I might find myself wishing for the AWD on occasion, but I still chose to get the manual FWD model.

piotrek91 said:

I do not recommend lying to the highway patrol that your FWD CX-5 really has AWD, but I am contemplating installing an AWD badge on my 6MT CX-5 before my next trip to the snow (just in case the officer doesn't notice the rear differential on my car.

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I've wondered about people adding 4wd badges and just how far it would get them. Are the cops going to lean under and look? The CX5 doesn't seem to be as obvious as some cars where you can see an open spot from the back where a rear diff would be.

Several years ago we took our Protege5 to Yosemite in the spring and woke up to snow as we headed up from the hotel to the park. After driving through the entrance of the park it hit me that there was a sign that said "chains required". The roads weren't bad at all and we weren't having any trouble. We got a little more into the park and there was a shuttle pulled over putting on chains. We didn't have chains and I wondered why the lady at the gate didn't say anything. My only guess was she thought the P5 was a Subaru with it's larger fog lights and appearance. We pulled off and were asking the shuttle driver about who all had to have chains, since the road didn't look bad at all and as we did that a plow came by and said it was all clear ahead.
But I couldn't help but wonder what the fine would have been if we had just kept going and chains had been required and would anyone have noticed.

In all honesty if the CX5 we bought had been an AWD it would have been fine with me just for those times when we head up to Tahoe or like the Yosemite one where it was raining when we got there and snowed the next day. I don't know that we will ever really need AWD and with the miles I put on it any hit to the MPG was a bad thing but it would be nice knowing it was there for a winter or early spring trip over the hills.

Trevor
HandA-Accessories

piotrek91 said:

The problem with cali is that whenever a couple of inches of snowfall in the mountains the highway patrol sets up checkpoints,
and only allows AWD/4WD to proceed without installing chains.

Often, with the FWD car you have to pull over, install chains and proceed to drive 20 miles on almost bare pavement while your brand new car pretty much shakes itself to bits.

I understand the need for this enforecement (especially to prevent the RWD pickups with 22 inch summer tires and no weight in the back from blocking the highway), but most of the time a FWD with all season tires can handle the mild grades of california mountain highways even when slick with ice..
I do not recommend lying to the highway patrol that your FWD CX-5 really has AWD, but I am contemplating installing an AWD badge on my 6MT CX-5 before my next trip to the snow (just in case the officer doesn't notice the rear differential on my car.

Besides allowing one to pass through the chain control checkpoints, the other benefit of AWD in cali would be off-road. Personally, in my old protege5 I have never encountered a situation where the lack of AWD kept me from getting to a campsite or trailhead.. the problem has always been ground clearence issues. With the higher clearence of the CX-5 I think I might find myself wishing for the AWD on occasion, but I still chose to get the manual FWD model.

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Yes, that's the case in California over the major Sierra mountain highways. Many a non-4WD SUV/non-AWD SUV has been waved-through without chains because it looked like a AWD/4WD vehicle. I have a friend with a Jeep Cheroke rwd that has actually experienced this.

So for frequent skier/boarders in CA, AWD/4WD is a must simply to avoid putting on chains. And much of the additional purchase price premium is recovered at resale, since the demand is higher for AWD/4WD SUVs in CA.

Going to the Sierra, Caltrans enforces chains/cables on 2WD vehicles after a snow storm. Driving with cables is an annoying experience, especially when they plow the roads so well. In fact, there has been only one time when I drove with cables and it felt like they sink a little bit into the snow and at all other times it felt like every single screw in the vehicle will become loose and the car will fall apart.
If I could do without AWD, I'd be definitely not be getting a CUV but a sedan or, preferably, a wagon which gets much better mileage and drives like a car (because it is one).