First 1K - some thoughts

Shaendra, I don't know how you can drive in Houston traffic and not be an aggressive driver!! LOL!! i was born and raised in Clear Lake, and my last job there was downtown. The traffic and really bad drivers is part of the reason why I now live in the Hill Country instead! And my inner road warrior rises up any time I go to or through Houston.. My last trip was just a few weeks ago, had to go through there on I-10 on the way to Baton Rouge. Took me an hour and a half to get from the west side to the east side of town........... absolutely maddening.
 
I have floored mine once or twice (usually passing another vehicle or entering the freeway behind slow-moving idjits) and the whole FWD thing comes into effect - feels like it's about to come out from under me. How do you redline it and not lose it at the same time?
I just spent several days driving another CX-5 that was only FWD, instead of my usual AWD. What a difference it makes...I ended up peeling out several times with the FWD, where as I have never once spun the tires on the AWD. I really had to adjust and feather my throttle at takeoff on the FWD.

Shaendra : I understand, not everyone enjoys throwing a car around as much as I do/did... I am glad you are here to help balance us out...(drive2)

However to me, having a fun to drive car, and not putting it through its paces, is akin to going to the best steakhouse in town and ordering fish.
 
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Shaendra, I don't know how you can drive in Houston traffic and not be an aggressive driver!! LOL!! i was born and raised in Clear Lake, and my last job there was downtown. The traffic and really bad drivers is part of the reason why I now live in the Hill Country instead! And my inner road warrior rises up any time I go to or through Houston.. My last trip was just a few weeks ago, had to go through there on I-10 on the way to Baton Rouge. Took me an hour and a half to get from the west side to the east side of town........... absolutely maddening.

Lol, man. I grew up here. I live 1 mile north of downtown, and commute to the Galleria. My drive is Memorial, which is not stressful at all. Living central like this was a VERY conscious decision. I was out in the burbs for years, stuck in traffic getting to work and decided that was for the birds.


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Lol, man. I grew up here. I live 1 mile north of downtown, and commute to the Galleria. My drive is Memorial, which is not stressful at all. Living central like this was a VERY conscious decision. I was out in the burbs for years, stuck in traffic getting to work and decided that was for the birds.


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Don't blame you for not wanting that commute.

Never been to Houston, but just looking at maps, looks like you have a lot of burbs LOL!
 
Heading to Houston on the weekend leading up to the 4th of July. Taking the CX-5 because we need the cargo space. I'm dreading it LOL. Even in my Speed3, there were some pretty aggressive drivers with powerful cars that would make it a challenge. I still remember the Jeep SRT that tried to cut me off when I was trying to exit off the highway. And a few years ago, we got stuck in traffic at the end of the One Direction concert. Drivers were road raging everywhere it was alarming to me.

Anyways, I understand some people do not like to drive spiritedly and that is fine. Just know that, if for some reason you need to or want to ring out the engine and take it to the redline (which as many have stated, you don't technically get to), it is perfectly fine to do so.
 
My salesman talked me out of AWD, said I didn't need it in this part of the country. He was probably right, but I wondered if the drive was significantly different. Don't think I've ever had AWD, all I've ever driven before were trucks. My F250 is a FWD too - Four Wheeled Drive!
 
My salesman talked me out of AWD, said I didn't need it in this part of the country. He was probably right, but I wondered if the drive was significantly different. Don't think I've ever had AWD, all I've ever driven before were trucks. My F250 is a FWD too - Four Wheeled Drive!
Same thing happened to me, was talked out of getting AWD. I regret it every time it rains and I have to do a quick 90 degree turn from a stop. In the dry, it is not so much a big deal, but the inside wheel will still spin and I'm not a fan of that happening.
 
Bottoms out?
Suspension - yes, very rough pavement, jarring or bottoming. It's not really setup for offroad conditions. LOL

On normal roads it soaks everything up very nicely, is quiet, and comfortable.

Tailgate has a rattle inside. Only hear it with the rear seats down for the doggie. :)
 
Yeah, that has never been the case. Literally never for me. City driving with lights 80% of the time. The rest is highway/freeway with good steady flow.


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Then all is good :)
 
Suspension - yes, very rough pavement, jarring or bottoming. It's not really setup for offroad conditions. LOL

On normal roads it soaks everything up very nicely, is quiet, and comfortable.

Tailgate has a rattle inside. Only hear it with the rear seats down for the doggie. :)

Think this is common trait for Mazda. My 6 sometimes bottoms in large pot holes.

In relation to your tailgate, may want to get it checked at your next service.
 
I came to my cx-5 from a Jeep Compass with the CVT, and I hated pushing that car. It was too unresponsive. I'd floor it and get nowhere. I think that CVT and Compass made me too jumpy to push a car, lol.
 
Lol, man. I grew up here. I live 1 mile north of downtown, and commute to the Galleria. My drive is Memorial, which is not stressful at all. Living central like this was a VERY conscious decision. I was out in the burbs for years, stuck in traffic getting to work and decided that was for the birds.


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I live in Dallas, and the drivers here are pretty polite and sometimes painfully slow. People rarely use their horns here, which amazes me because I moved here from South Florida. Everyone here lines up in a lane like sheep when another lane is empty. Makes it really easy to get in front of everyone! I moved to Dallas 10 years ago to work from home because I couldn't take the 50-mile commute everyday from the burbs. Best decision ever.

I travel to Houston frequently on business (was just there a couple of weeks ago) and it is much more like South Florida. Drivers are aggressive and ride out the lane until it ends, honk their horns and cut you off like there was no tomorrow. I don't even rent a car. I take Uber everywhere. I stay around Post Oak Road, so I can understand why you live close to that area. Very nice area, and you don't have to deal with the freeway traffic. Houston is a different world for sure!
 
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No one driving a CUV needs AWD. If you are spinning the front wheels, learn how to modulate the throttle.

It's NICE to have AWD for towing up slippery slopes.
It's CALMING to have AWD when driving thru deep snow (even though it mainly ensures you'll be in deeper snow when you get stuck, or will crash at a higher rate of speed).

If you drive hard enough in corners to feel the difference, you are a danger to others.

I have AWD.
I drive thru deeper snow than I should, and have a shovel (which I have had to use).
I know how it feels to power-slide thru corners. Autocross, dirt bikes, and sleds have taught me how to do that. You still shouldn't do that. I don't do that, now that I know the car handles better than others that I have had.

My soapbox is taller than yours...
 
I can definitely appreciate HUD.... I have a fully loaded '17 RX 350 loaner that has feature while my GX is in the shop. I could get used to using the HUD. Not sure what all it shows on a Lexus. I notice so far speed, compass, posted speed limit, and radar cruise. I think there might be some lane departure stuff too. There could be more but I think I would need a day or two to figure the extensive tech in this rig. That being said.. the RX is a quiet, lifeless casket that aims to not cause a driver any increase in pulse rate. I wouldn't buy this vehicle myself. It really doesn't offer anything compelling for my lifestyle. At least the truck heritage of my GX lets me feel some of the road even if it won't carve a corner with any finesse and grace.
 
The convenience of not having to put chains on in the winter passes during the winter. I'm running Blizzaks now during the winter but even 4 snows and FWD... the WA DOT will require chains to be installed. This would be almost every weekend for me in the winter. AWD is exempted on all vehicles and I can't say I agree with this policy as there are a lot of vehicles with inadequate summer tires heading through the passes during the winter. I also tow a boat at times with mine on sandy/gravel beaches so AWD helps out there as well. Seen far too many people struggle at slippery boat launches with just FWD. Lots of gray area for AWD need and surely many don't really need it as well.


No one driving a CUV needs AWD. If you are spinning the front wheels, learn how to modulate the throttle.

It's NICE to have AWD for towing up slippery slopes.
It's CALMING to have AWD when driving thru deep snow (even though it mainly ensures you'll be in deeper snow when you get stuck, or will crash at a higher rate of speed).

If you drive hard enough in corners to feel the difference, you are a danger to others.

I have AWD.
I drive thru deeper snow than I should, and have a shovel (which I have had to use).
I know how it feels to power-slide thru corners. Autocross, dirt bikes, and sleds have taught me how to do that. You still shouldn't do that. I don't do that, now that I know the car handles better than others that I have had.

My soapbox is taller than yours...
 
That being said.. the RX is a quiet, lifeless casket that aims to not cause a driver any increase in pulse rate. I wouldn't buy this vehicle myself. It really doesn't offer anything compelling for my lifestyle.

True that. We had a '99 RX300, and it drove like a baked potato on wheels. Sounds like they haven't really upped the ante.
 
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