Interior durability?

Desertsp

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TBD
Looking at buying a used 2014 or 2015 CX-5, either Touring or Grand Touring. Wondering how the interior holds up to abuse.

I have dogs, go hiking, and sometimes haul lumber and construction equipment. Picture a dozen 2x4's against the dash, bags of landscaping rocks, and a portable saw. Will the interior stand up to that? Guessing not......but how does it look once "broken in"? Is the leather thick or thin? Does the fabric pill? Do soft-touch plastics dent easily? Do hard plastics scratch easily and are the scratches really obvious?

I'm also looking at a 2014 Forester, but leaning towards the Mazda. However, if the interior looks like crap after a few years, but the Subaru instead looks like it has developed "character".....then I might lean towards the Subaru instead.
 
Yeah it definitely would, but only for the days I need to haul stuff. 9/10 days a pickup is would be too much. I actually rarely have an issue with cargo space in my current car (Toyota Corolla sedan) but the interior is banged up a bit. I dont mind because you cant tell unless you look close....the fabrics and plastics have a way of hiding damage. So people can ride in it without feeling like its an old rundown car.

But the corolla is starting to get rust problems and I want a CUV anyways for other reasons.

I probably have different standards than most people lol 😆
 
Looking at buying a used 2014 or 2015 CX-5, either Touring or Grand Touring. Wondering how the interior holds up to abuse.

I have dogs, go hiking, and sometimes haul lumber and construction equipment. Picture a dozen 2x4's against the dash, bags of landscaping rocks, and a portable saw. Will the interior stand up to that? Guessing not......but how does it look once "broken in"? Is the leather thick or thin? Does the fabric pill? Do soft-touch plastics dent easily? Do hard plastics scratch easily and are the scratches really obvious?

I'm also looking at a 2014 Forester, but leaning towards the Mazda. However, if the interior looks like crap after a few years, but the Subaru instead looks like it has developed "character".....then I might lean towards the Subaru instead.

I have a 2015 with 79,XXX miles on it. If you were to vacuum it out and clean it, it would look nearly new inside. Then again, I take good care of things. I have a squirt-gun that is now 20 years old, and it works fine, and is 100% functional, too (CPS-2000, by Larami, bought it when I was around 9).

Interiors are made of soft things that look like crap when they get damaged. They don't "gain character". My .02
 
I mean if youre gonna throw 2x4s against the dash you should have a blanket or something to put underneath them. Doesnt matter what car youre in.

Having said that, the Cx5 should hold up to just about the standards of any other car in terms of interior durability. It couldnt hurt to buy some seat covers too.
 
Bought my '13 GT with sand leather new in '12. It has 60k km. I carry lumber, scaffolding, boat winter cover and frame, pressure washer, odds 'n sods. I do this by removing the front passenger headrest, moving that seat full forward, dropping the rear seat forward then the front seat-back hard down atop it. I purchased a long piece of rubber/fabric winter carpet runner - the type you find when you enter public buildings in the winter in Ottawa. This runs from the cargo area to the dash with a cut-out for the shifter. I have the OEM rubber tray in the boot, and the OEM metal bumper cover installed.

The sides of the boot are hard black plastic and after theses years looks a tad battered as it scratches easily. I have the retractable cargo cover so I don't much see it. The cabin interior looks pretty much like new with the exception of a small scratch thru the windshield tint low on the passenger side from one careless trip with the winter cover frame. It does not annoy. The interior is vacuumed regularly except in winter. The leather is cleaned and conditioned spring and fall. Carpet gets a spring clean due to salt. I do not travel with animals or children. Your results may vary.

Brian
 
Looking at buying a used 2014 or 2015 CX-5, either Touring or Grand Touring. Wondering how the interior holds up to abuse.

I have dogs, go hiking, and sometimes haul lumber and construction equipment. Picture a dozen 2x4's against the dash, bags of landscaping rocks, and a portable saw. Will the interior stand up to that? Guessing not......but how does it look once "broken in"? Is the leather thick or thin? Does the fabric pill? Do soft-touch plastics dent easily? Do hard plastics scratch easily and are the scratches really obvious?

I'm also looking at a 2014 Forester, but leaning towards the Mazda. However, if the interior looks like crap after a few years, but the Subaru instead looks like it has developed "character".....then I might lean towards the Subaru instead.

The "character" of the Subaru sounds more like you are ok with scuffs and stains on the hard plastics. To me, a worn cargo area is worn in any car. The big difference with the Subaru interior is that it starts with cheaper feeling plastics. Critics have dinged it for this for years, and the major reason i have not bought one.

I say, get the vehicle you like best, then get one of the cargo area covers that extends up the back seats and walls of the cargo space. This way you have some protection regardless of vehicle or load.

I think the Mazda will hold up as well as the Subaru. The hard plastics in most vehicles are the same. Small scratches won't show, gouges will. Luckily most parts are easily replaceable.
 
6 of 1, half dozen of the other.

Interior materials will certainly scratch if you allow them too. Whether you think it looks like crap or "character", who knows.

Just be smart about it. Use blankets or something to protect the dash against 2x4s.

My 2014 (bought in Apr 2013), for the most part would look as good as it did brand new if I removed the seats and shampooed the carpet. Aside from 2 things (scratched steering wheel cover, more like a gouge really, minor scratches on black dashboard piece the rest of it looks great and has held up well over the past 5 years I have owned it.
 
On my 2006 corolla thats not needed, a 2x4 will not leave a mark on the dash. But I do try to wrap the ends in towels anyways to be sure.
 
I have a 2015 with 79,XXX miles on it. If you were to vacuum it out and clean it, it would look nearly new inside. Then again, I take good care of things. I have a squirt-gun that is now 20 years old, and it works fine, and is 100% functional, too (CPS-2000, by Larami, bought it when I was around 9).

Interiors are made of soft things that look like crap when they get damaged. They don't "gain character". My .02

I had the CPS-1000. But doesn't your rubber bladder get less elastic with time? I couldn't find anything to replace that part and it lost its constant pressure characteristic.

I still have my two XP-75s. I consider them the best made because of the quick attach/detach bottle mechanism (refill time is critical), and that you could unscrew the nozzle for unrestricted discharge. So basically I had one long range water gun, and if people got close, blast them with a shotgun-like torrent of water from the other gun.
 
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Sounds like a double cab pickup like the Tacoma would fit you better.


I agree and I would also recommend this:

https://www.mazdanyparts.com/oem-pa...NM9uqrL8pVrK2vumcHvo2S3ZcPpf1asEaAmJaEALw_wcB

It is a liner that goes on the back area and covers the back of the seats. When the seats are down and you are putting stuff in and out, it protects them from getting ripped up.

I have not hauled wood but routinely throw my mountain bike in the back and this has helped a ton. I have also found the ceiling cover (carpet?) easy to clean with a Mr. Clean sponge.
 
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I agree with this but I would also recommend this:

https://www.mazdanyparts.com/oem-pa...NM9uqrL8pVrK2vumcHvo2S3ZcPpf1asEaAmJaEALw_wcB

It is a liner that goes on the back area and covers the back of the seats. When the seats are down and you are putting stuff in and out, it protects them from getting ripped up.

I have no hauled wood but routinely throw my mountain bike in the back and this has helped a ton. I have also found the ceiling cover (carpet?) easy to clean with a Mr. Clean sponge.

That's not a bad idea, thanks for the link.
 
I agree with this but I would also recommend this:

https://www.mazdanyparts.com/oem-pa...NM9uqrL8pVrK2vumcHvo2S3ZcPpf1asEaAmJaEALw_wcB

It is a liner that goes on the back area and covers the back of the seats. When the seats are down and you are putting stuff in and out, it protects them from getting ripped up.

I have no hauled wood but routinely throw my mountain bike in the back and this has helped a ton. I have also found the ceiling cover (carpet?) easy to clean with a Mr. Clean sponge.



That is a good idea. It fits well onto the back of the seats and it has the bumper protector apron too.
 
One of these padded setups would offer the most protection.

High-quality-Full-Rear-Trunk-Tray-Liner-Cargo-Mat-Floor-Protector-foot-pad-mats-case-for.jpg
 
I have a 2013 Sport that I bought new. 130k miles now. Cloth interior so I can't comment on leather. I'd wager that I've used mine more intensely than anyone else here. It always had the cargo area full of boxes, catalogs, samples, duffles. Seat up and down as kids and cargo are always competing. Loaded to the ceiling with bike racks, skis, coolers, etc that are for show use. I have a small cut/tear in the center armrest from my dog's claw, a couple scratches in the window tint and plenty of scuffs but no real dents or damage. I used large cardboard sheets to protect the seatbacks and cargo floor. Cheap and functional, not pretty though. The biggest hassle is the rear seat headrests. They are too bulky and hit the front seatbacks. They've been removed for 4 years.
 
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