Anybody here have a CX-5 and a CX-30?

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2019 CX5 Reserve AWD
We currently have a 16 Touring and a 19 GTR. My wife drives the GTR. I'm thinking of downsizing her into a CX-30 since she has trouble driving the CX-5.
She's sideswiped the garage post exiting the garage and last week she sideswiped the mailbox post.
I think she has a problem with spatial awareness. She has difficulty judging where the CX-5 is in relationship to other objects when reversing.
She never had any problems in her CR-V which was/seems to be smaller than the CX-5.

She likes all the amenities like heated/ventilated seats, heated steering wheel, XM radio, etc. She doesn't care about the HUD or radar cruise control.

We would probably go with the CX-30 Premium which has the turbo.

If you have both or had a CX-5 and now have a CX-30 what do you see as any downside.

Thanks
 
I came across these links that might be helpful.



 
The OP’s wife’s issue may be more to do with visible external cues than with size. If she can see the corners of the vehicle better then she can better avoid the solid obstacles. How a vehicle “handles” or what suspension it has probably has little to do with her particular issues. I haven’t driven a 30 so can’t comment on how well one can judge the corners.
 
The rear view out the back of the cx5 is terrible. The cx30 is lower in back, isn't it? Can it be any better? Maybe a miata, with the top down she could see all four corners.
 
I'm with your wife, in that its very difficult for me to judge the corners of the car, especially the front. But I compensate for that by giving more cushion.
 
CX-30 has awful rear visibility. I'd argue that she'd be more likely to hit something simply because she can's see it, despite the car being smaller
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For comparison, here's a Subaru Forester, about the same size as the CX-5.
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We just bought the wife a CX-30. I have a CX-5 myself. When I took the 30 for a drive I almost immediately pulled over and took off the middle headrest on the back seat. It really helps and we'll never have 5 peeps in the car anyway.

But the rear visibility definitely is limited compared to my 5, and it isn't all that great either...
 
Wow, big difference with that Forester!
I do think the Forrester has the best visibility of any of the compact SUVs.

If only they still had the turbo...but rumor has it, there were few takers for turbos for that generation of Forrester. Subaru was selling as many NA Forresters as they could make, so the turbo was just causing them logistical issues...and that was years before the global chip shortage.

But my wife is quite happy with her 21 CX5. One thing I did not appreciate was the 360 degree camera until we had it. I have to say that not being my primary driver, the CX5 was a chore to get into our garage (double garage but two separate doors) and I, too, was not sure where the front corners were, but the 360 degree cameras really helped with getting acclimated to the car.
 
We just bought the wife a CX-30. I have a CX-5 myself. When I took the 30 for a drive I almost immediately pulled over and took off the middle headrest on the back seat. It really helps and we'll never have 5 peeps in the car anyway.

But the rear visibility definitely is limited compared to my 5, and it isn't all that great either...
Like CX-5, if you do some research and you’ll find the rear headrests for Japanese domestic market on CX-30 are much lower profile and will block the rear view much less. And you don’t have to remove those JDM low-profile rear headrests when you fold the seat backs.

Here’re threads discussing JDM low-profile rear headrests on CX-5 if you’re interested.

How To Acquire Non-US Spec Head Restraints for a US-spec CX-5

JDM rear low profile headrests
 
Like CX-5, if you do some research and you’ll find the rear headrests for Japanese domestic market on CX-30 are much lower profile and will block the rear view much less. And you don’t have to remove those JDM low-profile rear headrests when you fold the seat backs.
I swapped the rear headrests in my CX-5 for the 1st generation JDM lower profile ones over a year ago. IMO it helps with the rear visibility. Not having to remove them to fold down the seat backs is a bonus.

That would definitely help in the CX-30 if the JDM ones are similar to the CX-5.
 
I swapped the rear headrests in my CX-5 for the 1st generation JDM lower profile ones over a year ago. IMO it helps with the rear visibility. Not having to remove them to fold down the seat backs is a bonus.

That would definitely help in the CX-30 if the JDM ones are similar to the CX-5.
These are JDM rear headrests in CX-30 from Taiwan. Not sure how lower profile than US version, but you definitely can fold the seat-backs without removing them.

Notice that the headrest has been pulled up in the pictures when the guy is planning to get in and sit.

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Does she ignore the beeping and display from the rear parking sensors? Are the side mirrors adjusted properly to minimize the blind spots?
 
I have both a CX5 and a CX30. We keep the back seat down in the CX30 for better visibility.

Overall, the CX30 is easier to park, and back out of the garage as it is a little smaller.
 
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