2015 Noise Level vs Newer Editions

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Fmr CX5 Touring
So, I have a 2015 CX5 Touring, 40K miles with original tires. Because, California, I drive a fair amount of freeway, some of it on not very good freeway, and my ears are starting to hurt. A lot of that is a specific stretch of freeway but frankly the little fella gets kind of loud at 65/70.

Anyways, my question is simply how much have the new editions improved on this? Did the 2016.5 improve or is most of the improvement in the 2017? I'm guessing I'd see an improvement with new tires but I really don't have a sense of how much. I remember when I bought the car, it was not the quietest critter around and the tires aren't that worn despite the mileage.

I really like the car but something is going to give and I'd rather it not be my ears.
 
I believe the new model has better sound deadening items like better glass, insulation, driveline components.
That said, I think you could get great improvements in noise reduction with quieter tires and a visit to your local stereo install shop. They have spray in sound deadening stuff you can put on door metal, firewall, inner fenders, floorboards, etc.
 
One thing that can happen, if the tires are only rotated front to back is that eventually the tires can get very noisy from the tire tread blocks uneven wear. When you run your hand across the direction of the tread it will feel smooth one direction, and sharp and scale like in the other direction.

My recommendation since you say that you have some tread still left, would be to try and swap tires and wheels from the left to right.

Also as the tire ages and the rubber firms up, the tire road noise will also tend to get louder.

the 2016 CX-5 added some sound improvements, but the 2017 model had noise reduction as a priority and much further attention was paid on cabin quietness.
 
Thanks for the replies. I may test drive a 2017 over the weekend just to see the difference.

I downloaded a db meter on my phone, took it out during lunch, and it was running about 82/83 on the freeway where I work. It ran 62 in idle, mid 70's around 40. My commute is noisier. I have no idea if the app is accurate but it'll give me a comparison.

I couldn't tell if tire noise or not. A couple of parts I'd say maybe yes, others, wind/engine noise took the lead.
 
Did the 2016.5 improve or is most of the improvement in the 2017? I'm guessing I'd see an improvement with new tires but I really don't have a sense of how much.

I believe the new model has better sound deadening items like better glass, insulation, driveline components.

Here's a brief explanation by Mazda engineer regarding the sound deadening done to the 2017 model:

http://www.autoblog.com/short-cuts/2017-mazda-cx-5-sound-reduction-tricks_58c32c9cbbbb0a33b44ce786/
 
So, I test drove the 2016.5 and the 2017.

The 2016.5 was quieter but hardly enough to upgrade. It's not even enough to think about really, especially given I'm still paying for the 2015.

The 2017, well, that's a different animal. It's absolutely quieter. I don't know how to describe it, it's just tighter and quieter. I'm not sure how it'd wear on me day after day, and I didn't get it up to 70, but it's absolutely an improvement over my 2015, and it's a significant one. There's a lot less engine and wind noise in the cabin.

The one thing which felt like a negative is that it seemed heavier. I'm not saying physical weight, per se, I think it's heavier but it felt heavier to drive. The 2015 is agile for this kind of car and the 2017 felt less so. I only drove it for 10 minutes, and didn't spin it in circles or anything so it's hard to judge but the couple of turns I made felt less responsive.

But, I gotta say, they absolutely made it quieter.
 
So, I test drove the 2016.5 and the 2017.

The 2016.5 was quieter but hardly enough to upgrade. It's not even enough to think about really, especially given I'm still paying for the 2015.

The 2017, well, that's a different animal. It's absolutely quieter. I don't know how to describe it, it's just tighter and quieter. I'm not sure how it'd wear on me day after day, and I didn't get it up to 70, but it's absolutely an improvement over my 2015, and it's a significant one. There's a lot less engine and wind noise in the cabin.

The one thing which felt like a negative is that it seemed heavier. I'm not saying physical weight, per se, I think it's heavier but it felt heavier to drive. The 2015 is agile for this kind of car and the 2017 felt less so. I only drove it for 10 minutes, and didn't spin it in circles or anything so it's hard to judge but the couple of turns I made felt less responsive.

But, I gotta say, they absolutely made it quieter.


It is 15% stiffer in the chassis not to mention the extra weight of this new model.

Did you mean less responsive engine wise or to your steering inputs?
 
So, I test drove the 2016.5 and the 2017.

The 2016.5 was quieter but hardly enough to upgrade. It's not even enough to think about really, especially given I'm still paying for the 2015.

The 2017, well, that's a different animal. It's absolutely quieter. I don't know how to describe it, it's just tighter and quieter. I'm not sure how it'd wear on me day after day, and I didn't get it up to 70, but it's absolutely an improvement over my 2015, and it's a significant one. There's a lot less engine and wind noise in the cabin.

The one thing which felt like a negative is that it seemed heavier. I'm not saying physical weight, per se, I think it's heavier but it felt heavier to drive. The 2015 is agile for this kind of car and the 2017 felt less so. I only drove it for 10 minutes, and didn't spin it in circles or anything so it's hard to judge but the couple of turns I made felt less responsive.

But, I gotta say, they absolutely made it quieter.

Replacing a 2015 is almost a financial suicide. Since you say wind noise is your problem I recommend this : I will try it myself but I just dont get time to do it.
It will cost you $15 and maybe 40 mins or less.
Buy a Foam backing / caulking rod at Lowe's - if its really cheap get 1/2 and 3/8 inch diameter.
But some lubricant - 303 / talcum powder may work.

Step 1 : Insert the backing foam spraying lubricant on it on the DOOR - SEALs - all 4 doors. You may need to remove the seals fully from the doors and put the foam in and re-install.

Step 2 : Repeat step 1 for the Trunk. Again use 1/2 or 3/8 based on what fits easily and can be stuffed in. All to get a tighter fit.

Step 3 : Roll your windows down - pull back the seals - measure proper length on the backer rods. cut the 1/2 or 3/8 inch in half - the full wont fit in. Put the Foam backer rod in your windows - you may want to do some 3M double side tape if you want to make sure its not going to fall down or out - again 3M tape needs to be thin / small. Install the seals around your window - test the window up and down to ensure it slides smoothly.

Its going to cost you less - than a new 2017. specially if you have no reliability problems with your 15. As a scientific way of testing: go to one of those touchless washes and see if you can ask them to just turn on the blower - inside your car use a db meter when the blower is running. Its not perfect but is controlled environment and you can after doing the steps above take it to the same washer and re-record the sound levels when travelling through the blower. See your max / average db levels.

If you do your commute daily you should be able to figure out soon if this helped. Now if you really want 2017 levels of insulation - get a 17 which will reduce wind and other noise levels.
 
It is 15% stiffer in the chassis not to mention the extra weight of this new model.

Did you mean less responsive engine wise or to your steering inputs?

Steering! I didn't really notice any speed lag but I didn't really test it out for either. It was just a feeling I noticed.
 
Steering! I didn't really notice any speed lag but I didn't really test it out for either. It was just a feeling I noticed.
Have read one review that mentioned the steering was heavy at low speeds

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
Replacing a 2015 is almost a financial suicide. Since you say wind noise is your problem I recommend this : I will try it myself but I just dont get time to do it.

The key word here is "almost". It's definitely not a move that would win a spot on the Suze Orman show. :)
 
I changed from a 2013 to a late 2015, it is quieter and heavier, the 2017 improves on both again, so its heavier and uses more fuel. I was also very pleased with what the upgrade cost considering I moved from the manual to a auto, change cost just over 8K trade in was 2.5 years old.

Fun handling has always been with lightweight cars (think Miata), the cx5 is being pushed upmarket, so loss of driving pleasure will be the result. I'm happy to tolerate some noise for driving pleasure, having had a upmarket car previously while it was peerless on the motorway the driving pleasure was low.

I don't do a lot of motorway miles but if I did it wouldn't be in a cx5, there are lots of cars more suitable for that purpose IMO.

Naturally I expect lots of opposing views.
 
I changed from a 2013 to a late 2015, it is quieter and heavier, the 2017 improves on both again, so its heavier and uses more fuel. I was also very pleased with what the upgrade cost considering I moved from the manual to a auto, change cost just over 8K trade in was 2.5 years old.

Fun handling has always been with lightweight cars (think Miata), the cx5 is being pushed upmarket, so loss of driving pleasure will be the result. I'm happy to tolerate some noise for driving pleasure, having had a upmarket car previously while it was peerless on the motorway the driving pleasure was low.

I don't do a lot of motorway miles but if I did it wouldn't be in a cx5, there are lots of cars more suitable for that purpose IMO.

Naturally I expect lots of opposing views.

Reviewers here state new model seems to have lost none of it's driving pleasure from the previous model but has matured
 
In the UK the base FWD petrol was noted for being the best for handling. And value for money.
Old model.
 
Just to clarify a few thoughts.

I can't really speak to the performance. I noticed it on one turn, where I was late making the turn for the onramp to the freeway, it didn't respond like my CX5 did, and it felt heavy. Everything else felt fine. It's hard to really know without an extensive test drive in the hills which is hard to get absent renting one. The dealer test drive is almost useless.

As far as noise goes, there are 4 sources of noise that I can discern: engine, road, wind and radio. I include radio because I have to crank it to get it above the other 3 so it doesn't really count. What I noticed driving in is that road noise was the biggest culprit (it's windier in the afternoon), until I hit new pavement, then it's wind noise unless I rev the engine. A new set of tires would probably help but I didn't get the sense that it would make a giant difference. It's just a noisy car.
 
Just to clarify a few thoughts.

I can't really speak to the performance. I noticed it on one turn, where I was late making the turn for the onramp to the freeway, it didn't respond like my CX5 did, and it felt heavy. Everything else felt fine. It's hard to really know without an extensive test drive in the hills which is hard to get absent renting one. The dealer test drive is almost useless.

That's strange because rolling acceleration seems OK judging by this POV clip (see 4:18 mark)


If you also look at 15:07 mark, the driver turns into a corner then gives it some throttle and performs OK.

Maybe like you said you need a longer test drive.
 
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