So, I've been lurking on this forum for a while, in anticipation of the diesel CX-5 in the US. I bought my Golf TDI about 6 months before all the turmoil, and have been debating ever since about what to do. I'd just get the fix, but I could use a bit more space and a bit more ground clearance, AWD, plus I'm unsure about the fix. I've been waiting for that CX-5. Finally bit the bullet and went to the local Chevy dealer and drove the diesel Equinox they have in stock. I've always had an aversion to GM (memories from my 70s childhood) but it seems like they at least don't look like complete blobs anymore.
So we drove it and actually liked it. Acceleration was fine for our needs - not as doggy as the Internet led us to believe. Interior isn't as bad as it sounded (better than Hubby's Focus ST). Went there expecting to hate it, and just cross it off the list. But it was great - I could actually see myself buying one. AWD can be turned off when not needed. Seats fold flat. Price was a lot better than MSRP. Dealer is 1/2 hour away, instead of the 3.5 hours to the nearest Mazda dealer (who I would never do business with, so more like 5 hours). Seemed weird that you can't get fog lights without going to the Premier. Anyway, the interior didn't look exactly like the one linked early in this thread. Seemed better.
Heading to Wisconsin in a couple weeks, and will test drive another gas CX-5, Forester, CR-V, Equinox, etc. Need a side-by-side comparison. I've been wondering if Mazda might hold off on the diesel to see what Trump does about tariffs. If they are going to do this, it would behoove them to do so before the last of us VW-types reach the end of the line for buybacks. Which is soon. But the tariff threat could kill the whole thing. Not that any car is truly American these days (Chevy Equinox: Mexico and Hungary).