Mazda 3 owner to possibly a CX-5 owner

Hello all! I have a 2010 Mazda 3 2.5L manual car for the past 3 years. Love the car to death but on long road trips it can be a pain. I live in phoenix and drive to LA, San Diego, Flagstaff, Las Vegas, and to Kansas City (parents). Now I love the car in normal phoenix highway and city traffic but on long trips it tends to get a little cramped up. I am looking to have a bit more space for all the stuff I pack for the trips and I take friends with as well so the extra space does help. I also get on my long drives 29 to 30 mpg and have a regular K&N filter in. Since it is a manual I do get better mpg's than they say I should get while I drive about 75 to 80.

I have a few questions with the sport manual cx-5. I have test driven one and liked it but did not get to really test it out. On long road trips since it is a bit wider and taller than the 3 how does it fair for extended periods of time (meaning comfort and ride)? I have not seen much on the mpg's of a sport manual other than comments hear and there so what is the average some people get on the highways or on long trips? If anyone as well has driven a 3 and the cx-5 how would you compare the power of each car? I know the torque is about 17 points off and I get worried that I love to zip around in my 3 that I wont be able to do much zipping around in the cx-5 since I have not been able to test drive that. Summer time in AZ the AC is always on so zipping coast a bit more so I don't do it as much.

If anyone does have experience driving both vehicles and can shed some light on how they fair driving it would be great help. I do know what the hp difference is but does anyone know if the zoom zoom factor is still there with the cx-5 at short burst with the manual. I have been researching the cx-5 since last year, test driven it, and am really interested just need to make sure it is smart in all aspects to buy one. THe extra space plus the better mpg's seam to outweigh the 3 but, I want to make sure the -17 hp and extra weight still makes it fun to drive in the city and on the long trips.

Thanks for any help and keep calm and ZOOM ZOOM on!!!

I just traded in my Mazda 3 for a CX5 I had AT's in both, the CX5 AT is not as zoom zoom as the 3's AT was but is still fun to drive. It is much more comfortable on trips and the gas mileage is great I'm glad I did the traded up in size and comfort. Hope this help even thou both mine have AT's

jb's thank you for that and it does help! What would you say the mpg difference is now compared to your 3?

Bought myself the 3 (on the road all the time), and the wife the CX-5...

Now I wished we had just bought a pair of CX-5s.

I traded in a 2010 3 GT for a 2013 CX GT. I think the gas mileage is comparable. Loved both vehicles, but the CX-5 is much more appropriate with greyhounds and triathlons. Good luck!

I also had a 2010 2.5 gt mazda3 (auto) and moved to the 2013 cx5 sport (auto). Im happy with the transition.

Thanks for all the feedback!

bcaniglia said:

jb's thank you for that and it does help! What would you say the mpg difference is now compared to your 3?

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So far with just over 1,000 miles on the car I getting 24.5 to 25 city driving. On a long trip I got 29.8 but that was in the first week
I'm sure now would be more that the engine has a few miles on it. So over all it's a little better than my Mazda 3 was but I was also driving a 2007 2.5l hatchback