Test drove 2019 CX-5. Disappointed

[pcardoza]

Grow up......... The hyperbole over this issue makes no sense, whatsoever. One guy says he loses 100hp in the cold weather, but needs a stopwatch to prove it out. Somehow, I would not need a stopwatch to figure out there was a 100hp issue with my GTR.

The turbo 2.5 has been out for over a year in the CX-5 and longer in the CX-9. If this were a real issue, there would be a revolution from owners by now.

I jump on the freeway every morning and have had my GTR since last February. I have never had an acceleration issue when merging spiritedly into traffic. I don't plan to be drag racing any CRV's or RAV-4's anytime soon, so I'll take the calmer approach. For me, if there's a power reduction while the engine is still well below operating temp, I would consider that a design feature to avoid premature engine wear and tear. Not the world ending crisis that I'm reading about here.

For goodness' sake.

-If the guy said "It seems as though..." he'd get beat up for a lack of empirical data.
-The guy gets empirical data and he gets beat up because he actually used a standard measuring device.

What the heck do you want..."One Mississippi, Two Mississippi..."?

 

[Unobtanium]

That's why I live in the middle of nowhere.

I do the same.

 

[Unobtanium]

Grow up......... The hyperbole over this issue makes no sense, whatsoever. One guy says he loses 100hp in the cold weather, but needs a stopwatch to prove it out. Somehow, I would not need a stopwatch to figure out there was a 100hp issue with my GTR.

The turbo 2.5 has been out for over a year in the CX-5 and longer in the CX-9. If this were a real issue, there would be a revolution from owners by now.

I jump on the freeway every morning and have had my GTR since last February. I have never had an acceleration issue when merging spiritedly into traffic. I don't plan to be drag racing any CRV's or RAV-4's anytime soon, so I'll take the calmer approach. For me, if there's a power reduction while the engine is still well below operating temp, I would consider that a design feature to avoid premature engine wear and tear. Not the world ending crisis that I'm reading about here.

Hmmm...if that's what you think this is about, then you're so far off in left field I got nothing for you. I'm also guessing you never really raced either street or strip/track, or had performance vehicles or ran with that crowed.

This reminds me of a friend of mine, who DID those things. Got a '68 camaro that would BURN the tires down. I mean smoke hard and kick you back in the seat. Amazeballs. Well he took it to the strip and ran 15.X's@93mph in it over and over...

You really have no idea how the human body can be tricked with various acceleration profiles + noise + visuals, etc. The human body is about the crappiest tool of measurement available for multi-sensory input things. Now when it comes to aligning parallel lines, etc? Human body got that on lockdown!

However, I bet I could design a tune that cost you a peak of 100hp and you'd not notice it one bit in daily driving without a stopwatch. Just keep the hit somewhat decent down low, bleed boost up top, the sound and speed would keep you content with the acceleration loss most likely. Apparently...I bet it has...but we will never know, because I also know that you, as a person, will never test it empirically, because it's just not who you are, so it will only be words and feelings from you about it.

 

[Avoidin Deer]

Grow up......... The hyperbole over this issue makes no sense, whatsoever. One guy says he loses 100hp in the cold weather, but needs a stopwatch to prove it out. Somehow, I would not need a stopwatch to figure out there was a 100hp issue with my GTR.

The turbo 2.5 has been out for over a year in the CX-5 and longer in the CX-9. If this were a real issue, there would be a revolution from owners by now.

I jump on the freeway every morning and have had my GTR since last February. I have never had an acceleration issue when merging spiritedly into traffic. I don't plan to be drag racing any CRV's or RAV-4's anytime soon, so I'll take the calmer approach. For me, if there's a power reduction while the engine is still well below operating temp, I would consider that a design feature to avoid premature engine wear and tear. Not the world ending crisis that I'm reading about here.

Just to restate my point (because it's the internet and the ink is free), we can't be putting each other in the no-win position of "Your observations are subjective" versus "It's not a problem if you need a stopwatch..."

People are told "Go get data," and when they do they are told "Man, you really go to extremes."

This thing is more about personalities than it is the underlying subject. And I guess that's OK. As I already said...it's the internet. See, I've already stopped caring...

 

[pcardoza]

Huh????? You do realize we're talking about a COMPACT SUV and not a dragster here, right? Why the desire to piss and moan about what really is an amazingly well designed and built vehicle?

Hmmm...if that's what you think this is about, then you're so far off in left field I got nothing for you. I'm also guessing you never really raced either street or strip/track, or had performance vehicles or ran with that crowed.

This reminds me of a friend of mine, who DID those things. Got a '68 camaro that would BURN the tires down. I mean smoke hard and kick you back in the seat. Amazeballs. Well he took it to the strip and ran 15.X's@93mph in it over and over...

You really have no idea how the human body can be tricked with various acceleration profiles + noise + visuals, etc. The human body is about the crappiest tool of measurement available for multi-sensory input things. Now when it comes to aligning parallel lines, etc? Human body got that on lockdown!

However, I bet I could design a tune that cost you a peak of 100hp and you'd not notice it one bit in daily driving without a stopwatch. Just keep the hit somewhat decent down low, bleed boost up top, the sound and speed would keep you content with the acceleration loss most likely. Apparently...I bet it has...but we will never know, because I also know that you, as a person, will never test it empirically, because it's just not who you are, so it will only be words and feelings from you about it.

 

[Avoidin Deer]

I do the same.

There you go.

I have a 32 HP Kubota to maintain my property and to get me to hard surface.

 

[sm1ke]

The power loss is total BS. Mazda should really step up and acknowledge it and either offer a technical explanation or fix it.

I agree. It seems that if enough people make a stink about it, they could retune the ECU to behave differently, or at least offer an explanation. I believe it's been done on other cars for things like correcting AWD issues (like the RAV4 "moose test" failure).

How long have you been driving your GT Reserve?

Cool excuse.

It's a problem and needs to be addressed.

The problem is that you don't know why it's happening. All you know is that it does. Would I like to know why there is a loss of power? Of course. Would it make any difference to me? Nope, because it hasn't affected my driving style. I understand the way you feel because it affects your driving style/commute. But the number of people who would even attempt to accelerate at WOT from a stop, in below freezing temps, is probably 1/20. That's why I suggested (and performed) a more practical acceleration test of a rolling start from 40 km. I still haven't done a comparison test because anytime it's been colder than -7c (20F) here, the roads are too slick for a credible WOT run, and that's with winter tires on. Hell, it's only -4c right now and the roads are still too icy for such a test.

I have to think Mazda tuned it this way to act as a nanny, to protect drivers from themselves. Maybe they did it because their cold weather testing with the OEM tires was poor. Maybe they did it to manage the high amount of torque in the smaller, lighter CX-5. I would like to find out why, but to me, this is not that big a deal because I don't drive it like you might. For you, it seems that it's more about the principle of paying for a 250 hp, 310 ft-lb car and being able to utilize all of it regardless of how or when you want to use it.

I have a device called "Ultragauge" that connects to the OOBCII computer port under the steering wheel. It can display up to 8 parameters from the ECU including horsepower. It might shed light on what is happening.

If you do perform any testing, could you also note the ignition timing (if available) when temps are above 20F and below 20F? The ECU pulls timing based on engine knock related to the octane of the fuel. I wonder if it also pulls timing based on ambient temps.

I personally think that's stupid, as well, but I recall Anchorman(?I think?) saying there was a TSB for the upgraded "housing" seal method in other countries, but not in America.

I believe Anchorman mentioned that the TSB didn't include NA because of different warranty procedure or something.

 

[Unobtanium]

Huh????? You do realize we're talking about a COMPACT SUV and not a dragster here, right? Why the desire to piss and moan about what really is an amazingly well designed and built vehicle?

Why the desire to put a 2.5L Turbo in it instead of the 2.0L?

 

[Sig cx-5]

Why the desire to put a 2.5L Turbo in it instead of the 2.0L?

So it can get out of its own way, not to race others.

 

[yrwei52]

Test drove 2019 CX-5. Disappointed

Cool story, but I paid for a 250hp car with 93, and a 227hp car with 87. Nowhere in the sales literature or info provided by Mazda or my dealer was data on a 150hp car in <20f weather. So its kindof unsat, regardless of your personal behavior or mine or anyone else's.

You should remember Mazda was guilty of exaggerating the hp number for its rotary RX-8 before. And when I purchased my 2016 CX-5 AWD, I should get a correct sized temporary spare tire T155/90 D18 according to the spec sheet published on Mazdas website, but what I actually received is a smaller T145/90 D16 spare which Id really hesitate to use as Im afraid of damaging my AWD drivetrain.

 

[Sig cx-5]

I used to have a 5.0gt. I raced a lot of people with 12-14 second cars. We all agreed my car hit and felt and competed as a mid 13 second car.

I took it to the strip and ran 14.7@99 w/2.15 60' on street tires.

You can feel any way you want about something, but until you got numbers on a clock or dyno, all you gots feelins

So, let me get this straight. You're saying your "seat of pants meter" felt like you were running mid 13 sec quarter miles on the street. You took it to the track and recorded a mid 14? How does this compare to what we're discussing? Mid 6's to mid 9's 0-60 is a huge discrepancy, that even my wife would notice. Mid 6's to mid 7's, not so much.

For the people that are experiencing the issue you're having, how many are running 87 octane? It's a simple question.

 

[Unobtanium]

Doubletap

 

[Unobtanium]

So, let me get this straight. You're saying your "seat of pants meter" felt like you were running mid 13 sec quarter miles on the street. You took it to the track and recorded a mid 14? How does this compare to what we're discussing? Mid 6's to mid 9's 0-60 is a huge discrepancy, that even my wife would notice. Mid 6's to mid 7's, not so much.

For the people that are experiencing the issue you're having, how many are running 87 octane? It's a simple question.

1 second 0-60 feels more different the lower the elapsed times get. 3.5 is far faster feeling than 4.5 for example. 8 vs 9 is nearly undetectable.

Thing is, you dont know if you or your wife would notice it. You need to say "I feel like..." because that's the stage you're in of this process. The feelings without data stage.

 

[Sig cx-5]

1 second 0-60 feels more different the lower the elapsed times get. 3.5 is far faster feeling than 4.5 for example. 8 vs 9 is nearly undetectable.

Thing is, you dont know if you or your wife would notice it. You need to say "I feel like..." because that's the stage you're in of this process. The feelings without data stage.

I have actual data, I'm just not the type that records myself driving. When you take a certain route on a daily basis, one that involves merging with traffic at a rapid pace, you learn the limits of your vehicle. It's a short commute which involves me driving my wife's CX to the train station and her driving it back home. We've been doing this for several years now. Her last vehicle was a CR-V, that had a 0-60 time that equals about what your GTR does when it's below 20f. So, I know what my limitations were as far as pulling out in traffic with the handicap you have. I truly hope you find a fix, or dump it for something that you can enjoy in all weather.

 

[Unobtanium]

I have actual data, I'm just not the type that records myself driving. When you take a certain route on a daily basis, one that involves merging with traffic at a rapid pace, you learn the limits of your vehicle. It's a short commute which involves me driving my wife's CX to the train station and her driving it back home. We've been doing this for several years now. Her last vehicle was a CR-V, that had a 0-60 time that equals about what your GTR does when it's below 20f. So, I know what my limitations were as far as pulling out in traffic with the handicap you have. I truly hope you find a fix, or dump it for something that you can enjoy in all weather.

Hrmmm...so you're comparing it to another vehicle you dont have anymore? Similar to my streetracing days I guess. The strip taught me more.

 

[Sig cx-5]

Hrmmm...so you're comparing it to another vehicle you dont have anymore? Similar to my streetracing days I guess. The strip taught me more.

Not at all similar, but if that works for you...

 

[Anchorman]

When you're talking about a company that makes turbo vehicles that run like ass in cold weather, NOTHING is too stupid to be beyond them.

Dont read too much into the heading. Im sure the fix is available for the US but there are differences in the administration of warranty issues that dont always cross over. You could be right and Mazda US just insist on complete mirrors. However, Im not convinced that the fix cures the problem. From the production dates in the TSB, mine should have been built with them and yet after 9 months and 8000 miles, mine started to play up. Ive had one CX3 and four CX5s and all of them have had the folding mirror fail. Always the left side but this time the dealer is insisting on modifying both sides. It goes in on the 28th Dec. The bill for these things must be astronomical.

 

[40752]

So your 2019 mirror has failed?

 

[Unobtanium]

So your 2019 mirror has failed?

Yeah, I got 17k out of the left, and 20k miles out of the right. I expect them to go out around 35 to 40k miles again. And again. Lol, mazda dropped the ball on it.

 

[Unobtanium]

Don*t read too much into the heading. I*m sure the fix is available for the US but there are differences in the administration of warranty issues that don*t always cross over. You could be right and Mazda US just insist on complete mirrors. However, I*m not convinced that the fix cures the problem. From the production dates in the TSB, mine should have been built with them and yet after 9 months and 8000 miles, mine started to play up. I*ve had one CX3 and four CX5s and all of them have had the folding mirror fail. Always the left side but this time the dealer is insisting on modifying both sides. It goes in on the 28th Dec. The bill for these things must be astronomical.

Yup. Like I said...you will likely need to get the extended warranty, wrench on it yourself, or budget $1500/20k miles to have them kept serviced by the dealer.