New car - first impressions

Ride92 said:

I think the whole thing where mazda offers different little options in different counties is in part due to that countries regulations. I know the UK has to have headlight washers for all HID lights and I'm sure the new LED lights as well. Like the OP said he doesn't have the option for a sun roof so Mazda, in there quest to keep the car in a certain price point has to limit what the car can get in different countries. I believe a few of our Ausie friends have chimed in that the fully loaded CX-5 down under is quite a bit more there then in the US. Would you want to give up a sun roof for headlight washers and a power lift gate or memory seats? I think if mazda offered all of the options available around the world, headlight washers, front parking sensors, memory seats, rear fog lights and anything else I didn't mention the price would be approaching 40K and that's getting into BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Acura levels of pricing. I think for under 35K fully loaded you get a great package. If I were looking to spend 40K+ I don't know if I'd be looking at the CX-5 anymore.

Click to expand...

Well, sorta, but you would get into the very basic entry level of said brands. When I built a Volvo XC60 on their website to the exact specs of my CX-5, I landed on a pricetag of $56.000, which is quite the jump from $39.000 I paid for my car. I would not mind spending another grand or two to get heated steering wheel, sun roof, heated back seats, power tailgate etc. But I guess some of the price increase for a Volvo is due to the fact that the Volvo is extremely customizable and thus it's more difficult to streamline the build-ship-and-sell process.

old-school said:

You hit the nail on the head, but BACKWARDS. Nice weather, drive like you're a kid - the 19" wheels stick, handle and make sense for a zoom-zoom attitude. The 17" for winter studded or studless tires. Cheaper, more options and tight handling isn't as much of an issue in crumby conditions - 17" rules.

Click to expand...

That's probably the case, the car handles extremely well for a crossover, and the grip is beyond expectations thanks to the overall tyre size. Compared to my old Volvo V70 it's a no-contest in all aspects save ride comfort, and that is without so much of a hint of the awd actually kicking in.

I took a slow test drive on a section of deep gravel where my Volvo struggles to go forward without digging in, and the CX-5 drove over it like it was asfalt, with just fwd. The cars are the same weight and everything. Totally amazing. Big wheels rock!

I've had my 2016 GT two weeks, driving 30 miles each way for work every day. So far, I absolutely love it. I suppose if I were going to pick a few nits, I could come up with a few.

I would love to have a memory setting for the power seats. It took me a while to get the seat perfect (I'm 6'5"). So far, I haven't let my wife drive it, but eventually I'll have to give in and let her which will ruin my perfect settings.

The biggest gripe I can think of is that it didn't come with a cargo cover. I didn't realize it until after the fact otherwise I would have haggled for it. I just assumed it would come with one as the last 3 cars I've purchased came with the cargo cover.

Anyway, I've not really found anything that really bothers me enough to complain about.

As far as the wheels go, I test drove both a touring and a grand touring (17" vs. 19", cloth vs. leather). Not surprisingly, I found the leather seats much more comfortable. I also liked the ride with the 19" wheels better. However, I may buy a set of 17" steel rims and tires for the winter. The diameter of the tire is the same for both, the 19" have lower profile tires (and btw look MUCH nicer IMHO).

The thing I probably like the most is the new infotainment control setup. I've always hated trying to manipulate a touch screen while driving. The new knob controls are amazing. It is significantly easier to navigate the infotainment system this way. It should be noted however that if you prefer the touchscreen, it's automatically disabled while driving. You can only use the control knobs while driving but that's fine for me.

Also, I would highly recommend getting the cargo mat (the rubber one, not the carpet one). I paid $70 for it and it's well worth it. It goes in and out easily and can be hosed down if it gets dirty. The other upside to it is that being made of rubber, things don't slide around the way they do on carpet.

dagfinn said:

I took a slow test drive on a section of deep gravel where my Volvo struggles to go forward without digging in, and the CX-5 drove over it like it was asfalt, with just fwd. The cars are the same weight and everything. Totally amazing. Big wheels rock!

Click to expand...

The 17" and 19" have the same contact patch, the same tread width and the same diameter tread. The wheels are bigger, not the tires so flotation in gravel will be very similar. And the cornering performance is not much different either when running appropriate air pressure. The most noticeable difference will be in the slightly smoother ride of the 17" tires.

I think if you take your vehicles to a scale you will find the Volvo is a bit heavier.

MikeM. said:

The 17" and 19" have the same contact patch, the same tread width and the same diameter tread. The wheels are bigger, not the tires so flotation in gravel will be very similar. And the cornering performance is not much different either when running appropriate air pressure. The most noticeable difference will be in the slightly smoother ride of the 17" tires.

I think if you take your vehicles to a scale you will find the Volvo is a bit heavier.

Click to expand...

I am well aware of the dimensions of rims vs rubber, I was comparing the smaller wheels on the Volvo to the bigger wheels on the Mazda, irregardless of rim size. However, you are wrong about the weight. In fact, my CX-5 is a few kilograms heavier.

old-school said:

...

IMHO 19" good times, 17" crumby times. Enjoy your tight ride of the 19" rims, it's a good thing!

Click to expand...

Why not get 22" then and get real for once?