cgrucelski
Member
- :
- 2016 CX-5 AWD Grand Touring w/ Tech Pkg, Deep Crystal Blue Mica
Hi, all.
New, first-time Mazda owner (pending), and brand new forum member. My wife and I just returned from the dealer, having signed papers on a 2016 CX-5 AWD Grand Touring w/ Tech Pkg, Deep Crystal Blue Mica in color. We will be picking it up early next week, after insurance paperwork is finalized.
Earlier this week, my wife and daughter were in an accident in her 2009 RAV4 AWD V6 Limited, which we bought new originally. Another driver lost control of his VW Golf due to excessive speed and hit her on the drivers side, just behind the driver's door. It could have been much worse if he had hit 1-2 feet in the other direction, but fortunately, no one was hurt.
We spent the past few days researching and test driving the leading candidates in the small SUV field and decided the CX-5 was the best choice. I have a habit of researching purchases to death, whether minor or major, so I found and read everything I could find over the past 2-3 days: Car and Driver, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, Road & Track, etc. I also checked out the IIHS safety ratings for these models.
We test-drove all-wheel drive versions of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE, 2016 Honda CRV EX-L, 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring, and 2016 VW Tiguan SE. Before ultimately deciding to buy the Grand Touring version of the CX-5, we also test drove that model, to see if there was any noticeable handling differences due to the 19" wheels, as compared to the Touring model we drove earlier this week.
In addition to the 2009 RAV4, we also own a 1999 RAV4, so we're familiar with Toyota's quality and reliability. I also grew up driving VWs most of my life, and our daughter has a used 2007 VW Jetta, so I'm very familiar with VW's craftsmanship and quality. I didn't seriously consider other brands of small SUVs for various reasons, including reviews and IIHS safety ratings.
We were disappointed in the RAV4, as the handling felt "squishy" and the overall features were simply ordinary. Coming from the V6 in our 2009 RAV4, the 4 cylinder was a real dog in performance. When we drove the CRV, the cabin interior felt much roomier than the competition. In fact, it almost felt to me like we were sitting in a mini-van. But, we thought the cabin noise was louder and I was not a fan of the dash layout and lane detection camera technology.
The 200hp turbo-charged Tiguan definitely did not disappoint in terms of performance, but I didn't feel like it was that much better than the CX-5, and to me, it seemed as though it shifted rougher under hard acceleration. The Tiguan was also leaps ahead of all of the others in terms of interior finish, as it felt more like a luxury SUV to me. I was not disappointed by the solid 'thunk' of the doors that I am accustomed to with VWs, and the panoramic moon roof was cool. But, I just couldn't get past the sticker shock.
Overall, we felt like the CX-5 was the best option for us. In fact, it was actually no contest, when we considered the features we were getting for the money. We absolutely loved the sports-car-like handling and the safety and technology features on the CX-5. We were leaning towards the Touring model, with both the Moon Roof & Bose Premium Audio package and the Touring Technology package, but this combination of features wasn't that much less than the Grand Touring.
I'm looking forward to reading through the forums and participating in the community. If anyone has any suggestions for "must read" threads, let me know!
Calvin
New, first-time Mazda owner (pending), and brand new forum member. My wife and I just returned from the dealer, having signed papers on a 2016 CX-5 AWD Grand Touring w/ Tech Pkg, Deep Crystal Blue Mica in color. We will be picking it up early next week, after insurance paperwork is finalized.
Earlier this week, my wife and daughter were in an accident in her 2009 RAV4 AWD V6 Limited, which we bought new originally. Another driver lost control of his VW Golf due to excessive speed and hit her on the drivers side, just behind the driver's door. It could have been much worse if he had hit 1-2 feet in the other direction, but fortunately, no one was hurt.
We spent the past few days researching and test driving the leading candidates in the small SUV field and decided the CX-5 was the best choice. I have a habit of researching purchases to death, whether minor or major, so I found and read everything I could find over the past 2-3 days: Car and Driver, Consumer Reports, Edmunds, Road & Track, etc. I also checked out the IIHS safety ratings for these models.
We test-drove all-wheel drive versions of the 2015 Toyota RAV4 XLE, 2016 Honda CRV EX-L, 2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring, and 2016 VW Tiguan SE. Before ultimately deciding to buy the Grand Touring version of the CX-5, we also test drove that model, to see if there was any noticeable handling differences due to the 19" wheels, as compared to the Touring model we drove earlier this week.
In addition to the 2009 RAV4, we also own a 1999 RAV4, so we're familiar with Toyota's quality and reliability. I also grew up driving VWs most of my life, and our daughter has a used 2007 VW Jetta, so I'm very familiar with VW's craftsmanship and quality. I didn't seriously consider other brands of small SUVs for various reasons, including reviews and IIHS safety ratings.
We were disappointed in the RAV4, as the handling felt "squishy" and the overall features were simply ordinary. Coming from the V6 in our 2009 RAV4, the 4 cylinder was a real dog in performance. When we drove the CRV, the cabin interior felt much roomier than the competition. In fact, it almost felt to me like we were sitting in a mini-van. But, we thought the cabin noise was louder and I was not a fan of the dash layout and lane detection camera technology.
The 200hp turbo-charged Tiguan definitely did not disappoint in terms of performance, but I didn't feel like it was that much better than the CX-5, and to me, it seemed as though it shifted rougher under hard acceleration. The Tiguan was also leaps ahead of all of the others in terms of interior finish, as it felt more like a luxury SUV to me. I was not disappointed by the solid 'thunk' of the doors that I am accustomed to with VWs, and the panoramic moon roof was cool. But, I just couldn't get past the sticker shock.
Overall, we felt like the CX-5 was the best option for us. In fact, it was actually no contest, when we considered the features we were getting for the money. We absolutely loved the sports-car-like handling and the safety and technology features on the CX-5. We were leaning towards the Touring model, with both the Moon Roof & Bose Premium Audio package and the Touring Technology package, but this combination of features wasn't that much less than the Grand Touring.
I'm looking forward to reading through the forums and participating in the community. If anyone has any suggestions for "must read" threads, let me know!
Calvin
