Potential New CX-5 Owner

Hello everyone!

I've been reading some of the posts on this forum to see how the CX-5 stacks up. I currently drive a 2008 Mazda5 GT 5-spd manual with 390,000km. I'm thinking that next summer I will trade it in for a CX-5, the Mazda unlimited km warranty will actually be in my favor due to the high km I put on each year.

I'm a little concerned though about the longevity of the CX-5. I love my current 5; it's been a very reliable hauler that is a joy to drive. I think AWD might be an advantage during the winter and that's why I'm leaning towards the CX-5 (plus, Mazda made the 5 ugly after 2011 and I think they are discontinuing it ... a shame). I've been reading about transmission issues and AWD not performing up to snuff. Are these general problems that are common, or are they just affecting a few owners and not really of statistical significance? Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

How are you CX-5 owners enjoying your rides? Is it a worthwhile purchase considering I will probably put 400,000km+ on it?

switz said:

Hello everyone!

I've been reading some of the posts on this forum to see how the CX-5 stacks up. I currently drive a 2008 Mazda5 GT 5-spd manual with 390,000km. I'm thinking that next summer I will trade it in for a CX-5, the Mazda unlimited km warranty will actually be in my favor due to the high km I put on each year.

I'm a little concerned though about the longevity of the CX-5. I love my current 5; it's been a very reliable hauler that is a joy to drive. I think AWD might be an advantage during the winter and that's why I'm leaning towards the CX-5 (plus, Mazda made the 5 ugly after 2011 and I think they are discontinuing it ... a shame). I've been reading about transmission issues and AWD not performing up to snuff. Are these general problems that are common, or are they just affecting a few owners and not really of statistical significance? Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

How are you CX-5 owners enjoying your rides? Is it a worthwhile purchase considering I will probably put 400,000km+ on it?

Click to expand...

For me the CX5 was the perfect balance of style, driveability, reliability, mpg, comfort, tech options, etc of all the CUVs out there. I researched/tested a ton (Tucson, Cherokee, Terrain, RAV4...) of them before actually first buying a certified 13' CRV and hugely regretted it after about a month. The main reason I got the CRV was my best friend got me a great deal on it as he worked at the dealer. The CRV lacked a "soul" so to speak and it was just "ok" at everything and I knew I had made a mistake buying it. So, I closed my eyes and took a small $ hit and traded it in for a 2016.5 CX5 GT and I absolutely love this car.

The CX5 is a fairly new model, only having been out since 2012 so long-term longevity is still up in the air. From all I've read on it and past Mazda owners, I feel the brand has proven its reliability and you're no more or less at risk than any other brand. I feel Mazda has an edge in style over many other brands not to mention the handling and driving dynamics. I don't see a ton on the road where I am and I love how that keeps mine somewhat more unique than the numb fleet of CRV's always rolling around.

What transmission issues are you referring to? All cars can have problems but the Skyactiv engines are really one of the nicer 6-speed engines IMO. Especially compared to the CVTs (not a fan of them personally) out there, worrisome Jeep 9-speed or even the Tucsons DCT which has reports of issues as well. AWD is subjective, if you're looking to off-road a ton, this isn't your car. But, if you're taking a trail every so often or fighting winter weather then the CX5 will do just fine for you.

I would say that depending on if you're in the US/European market I would def go for the larger engine 2.5 or who knows if they will have another option when you're ready to buy. The 2.0 I hear is just "adequate" but if you're looking at a Mazda I'm guessing you want some of that zoom zoom.

Yeah, I'm not going to be doing any serious off-roading. I just want a bit more capable machine on roads when it's snowy and icy. There is a huge-ass thread on "change the lifetime tranny oil or not" and it is debated forever. I have also read a few owners have had their transmission replaced, or that it shifts poorly. Just wondering if these are isolated cases (that virtually every manufacturer will have, not just Mazda) or are they typical of the automatic transmission in the CX-5?

switz said:

Yeah, I'm not going to be doing any serious off-roading. I just want a bit more capable machine on roads when it's snowy and icy. There is a huge-ass thread on "change the lifetime tranny oil or not" and it is debated forever. I have also read a few owners have had their transmission replaced, or that it shifts poorly. Just wondering if these are isolated cases (that virtually every manufacturer will have, not just Mazda) or are they typical of the automatic transmission in the CX-5?

Click to expand...

I'd consider those transmission failures on SkyActiv-Drive are isolated cases as Mazda North American Operations had admitted certain batch of bad parts got into the transmission assembly line which caused early failures on few 2016 CX-5's. But if you really concerned the longevity of transmission, do change the ATF, at least drain-and-fill, frequently and early.

switz said:

Hello everyone!

I've been reading some of the posts on this forum to see how the CX-5 stacks up. I currently drive a 2008 Mazda5 GT 5-spd manual with 390,000km. I'm thinking that next summer I will trade it in for a CX-5, the Mazda unlimited km warranty will actually be in my favor due to the high km I put on each year. Seriously? When did THAT warranty come out!?

I'm a little concerned though about the longevity of the CX-5. Honestly, none have been around very long at all. I don't think anyone can speak to it, as I don't think anyone has worn one out, nor have they had the chance to say they died too soon, either. I love my current 5; it's been a very reliable hauler that is a joy to drive. I think AWD might be an advantage during the winter and that's why I'm leaning towards the CX-5 (plus, Mazda made the 5 ugly after 2011 and I think they are discontinuing it ... a shame). I've been reading about transmission issues and AWD not performing up to snuff. Transmissions have had some issues, but over-all, a lot less than other brands, and they were all catastrophic failures rather early on. Not something like "Oh, man, such and such will wear out at around 80k, get ready..." The AWD system is meant for on-road or VERY LIGHT offroad situations. As a rock crawler, it sucks. As a snow-day vehicle, I read it does well. In the wet, it is amazing, IMO. Are these general problems that are common, or are they just affecting a few owners and not really of statistical significance? The transmission issues are insignificant. AWD is application based. Is there anything else I should be concerned about?

How are you CX-5 owners enjoying your rides? Is it a worthwhile purchase considering I will probably put 400,000km+ on it?

Click to expand...

I don't know what other vehicles you are pricing, or your needs specifically, but the CX-5 is a solid buy in my opinion. It is a bit less refined and a bit noisier in the ride department than others in its segment, at least my '15 Touring is, and the 16 GT with Tech was that I drove. However, it is also much more tactile and precise, as well. Over-all, I am very pleased with my CX-5, but I am not emotionally attached to it very much. It is an appliance to me, and I have zero qualms about admitting its flaws. Basically, what I'm saying, is that it's not some end-all-be-all to me, but that I have gotten what I wanted from it so far (reliable transportation that can be fun in the corners for a CUV, and pulls VERY WELL for an NA 4-banger). The AWD system has been very impressive regarding how it PREVENTS tire-spin in the wet. My Jeep reacted to tire spin, but the Mazda seems to predict it about 90% of the time. Anyway, my whole point is that I'm pleased and would buy it again.

switz said:

Yeah, I'm not going to be doing any serious off-roading. I just want a bit more capable machine on roads when it's snowy and icy. There is a huge-ass thread on "change the lifetime tranny oil or not" and it is debated forever. I have also read a few owners have had their transmission replaced, or that it shifts poorly. Just wondering if these are isolated cases (that virtually every manufacturer will have, not just Mazda) or are they typical of the automatic transmission in the CX-5?

Click to expand...

The CX-5's transmission has been a bit clunky for me, but over-all it has exceptional driveability, and is only flustered rarely regarding NVH/clunky shifts. It is superior to the 7AT I test-drove in a 370Z, and to that of my Grand Jeep Cherokee (545RFE). I have not driven any other newer automatics. Over-all, it is a very good transmission regarding drivability and predicting your needs.

Unobtanium said:

The CX-5's transmission has been a bit clunky for me, but over-all it has exceptional driveability, and is only flustered rarely regarding NVH/clunky shifts. It is superior to the 7AT I test-drove in a 370Z, and to that of my Grand Jeep Cherokee (545RFE). I have not driven any other newer automatics. Over-all, it is a very good transmission regarding drivability and predicting your needs.

Click to expand...

Are you referring to clunky in feel or sound? The VW DSG automatic transmissions were both. You actually hear and feel the clunks and in stop and go traffic. The skyactiv transmissions are butter smooth in traffic or in max acceleration. Only thing are the ratios are tuned too much for gas mileage in regular mode, too aggressive in sport mode. Forces you to learn to modulate the pedal to find a sweet spot.

Pretty much what I figured. If you drive it and like it, buy one.

Unobtanium - I just checked out the US brochure for the CX-5 and you Americans don't get the unlimited mileage warranty like we do up here in Canada! Weird. I guess they build Mazda's better for the Canadian market .... yeah right, lol!

What would happen if you bought a Mazda in Canada and took it across the border, would you still have the unlimited km warranty? ( ... oh no, I just derailed my own thread!)

CX-5um said:

Are you referring to clunky in feel or sound? The VW DSG automatic transmissions were both. You actually hear and feel the clunks and in stop and go traffic. The skyactiv transmissions are butter smooth in traffic or in max acceleration. Only thing are the ratios are tuned too much for gas mileage in regular mode, too aggressive in sport mode. Forces you to learn to modulate the pedal to find a sweet spot.

Click to expand...

Feel and sound. Extremely jerky sometimes, as though there is a lot of slop in the drive-line which results in a SLAM! (similar to randomly stabbing the clutch in/out real fast when applying 25% throttle to a manual vehicle, if you can imagine the violence) if you accelerate hard while coasting down an incline like coming off of a higher overpass or something, as well as accelerating when coming from a decelerating low-speed roll. It's likely due to the fact that no torque converter involvement exists to damp these things like it does in most other vehicles, as well as the fact that mazda could stand to tune things a bit better to alleviate this.

switz said:

Pretty much what I figured. If you drive it and like it, buy one.

Unobtanium - I just checked out the US brochure for the CX-5 and you Americans don't get the unlimited mileage warranty like we do up here in Canada! Weird. I guess they build Mazda's better for the Canadian market .... yeah right, lol!

What would happen if you bought a Mazda in Canada and took it across the border, would you still have the unlimited km warranty? ( ... oh no, I just derailed my own thread!)

Click to expand...

Good question! I do know it would be a very polite vehicle, though

I narrowed it down to the Mazda CX-5 and the Kia Sportage EX. Test drove the others (Ford Escape, Honda CRV, etc.). I agree the others don't have the soul that moJoe speaks of. I couldn't find a Kia Sportage AWD in my area, and to add all of the similar options that the CX-5 had standard would have cost about $30K. Plus, I just sold my 2013 CX-5 Touring AWD, so I knew what to expect. That is why I went with the 2016.5 CX-5 Touring AWD. You might find that you will use the AWD more than you think. Ski trips, mountain passes, muddy roads, and sandy beaches are a few of the times I have used it.

2ndCX-5 said:

I narrowed it down to the Mazda CX-5 and the Kia Sportage EX. Test drove the others (Ford Escape, Honda CRV, etc.). I agree the others don't have the soul that moJoe speaks of. I couldn't find a Kia Sportage AWD in my area, and to add all of the similar options that the CX-5 had standard would have cost about $30K. Plus, I just sold my 2013 CX-5 Touring AWD, so I knew what to expect. That is why I went with the 2016.5 CX-5 Touring AWD. You might find that you will use the AWD more than you think. Ski trips, mountain passes, muddy roads, and sandy beaches are a few of the times I have used it.

Click to expand...

I used it just this week in San Antonio. Slickest roads known to man on a dry hot day! Never once lost traction and was able to rapidly and confidently navigate during rush-hour.

Unobtanium said:

I used it just this week in San Antonio. Slickest roads known to man on a dry hot day! Never once lost traction and was able to rapidly and confidently navigate during rush-hour.

Click to expand...

Going back and forth between an AWD RAV4 V6 and my CX-5 (both on Yokohama YK580 tires) I definitely know what you mean about AWD helping in rush hour traffic.
When making a right turn into a small gap, thanks to the AWD, the RAV4 just goes.
The FWD CX-5 will sometimes spin the inside front tire wasting valuable milliseconds.

I have a 2016 CX-5 AWD GT. There are times I wish had about 20 more ponies and the Bose system could be a little better. However, I am extremely happy with my purchase. We have a 2007 Escalade and had a 2009 Maxima in our stable. The Escalade was my primary vehicle and I was really happy to get into the Mazda. The Caddy had plenty of power but the handling was horrible. I do things in the CX-5 that I would have never tried in the caddy and lets not talk about the difference in gas mileage. I wondered if I would miss the min 100 HP difference between the Mazda and my other vehicles and I will say 95% of the time the answer would be NO. Going into Sport mode when entering the highway makes all the difference. I feel like the Mazda is a very good value proposition when you can get one fully loaded for around 32k. The car shifts very well and makes me wonder how I dealt with the CVT of the Maxima (well I dealt with it by keeping it in Sports Mode as I hated the droning of the motor when you got on it). Anyway, not sure if this helps but two thumbs up for me.

piotrek91 said:

Going back and forth between an AWD RAV4 V6 and my CX-5 (both on Yokohama YK580 tires) I definitely know what you mean about AWD helping in rush hour traffic.
When making a right turn into a small gap, thanks to the AWD, the RAV4 just goes.
The FWD CX-5 will sometimes spin the inside front tire wasting valuable milliseconds.

Click to expand...

Yep, you couple that with where I live, and we have sand on the roads when it snows, then the next few days it's sunny, and you have fast-moving rush hour traffic + sand. AWD is the only way to go, in an SUV/CUV, IMO, even if you never drive it in snow.

dgraham2038 said:

I have a 2016 CX-5 AWD GT. There are times I wish had about 20 more ponies and the Bose system could be a little better. However, I am extremely happy with my purchase. We have a 2007 Escalade and had a 2009 Maxima in our stable. The Escalade was my primary vehicle and I was really happy to get into the Mazda. The Caddy had plenty of power but the handling was horrible. I do things in the CX-5 that I would have never tried in the caddy and lets not talk about the difference in gas mileage. I wondered if I would miss the min 100 HP difference between the Mazda and my other vehicles and I will say 95% of the time the answer would be NO. Going into Sport mode when entering the highway makes all the difference. I feel like the Mazda is a very good value proposition when you can get one fully loaded for around 32k. The car shifts very well and makes me wonder how I dealt with the CVT of the Maxima (well I dealt with it by keeping it in Sports Mode as I hated the droning of the motor when you got on it). Anyway, not sure if this helps but two thumbs up for me.

Click to expand...

I still don't understand what Sport Mode does when "entering the highway". I can understand that it's like the "tow mode" in most trucks, and locks out OD and makes twisties simpler if you're not going to manually select gears, but I can romp on the loud pedal with the best of 'em, and redline is redline, etc...