Car and Driver doesnt seem to think the RAV4 beats the CX-5

I completely agree. I owned a redesigned 2013 Rav4 Limited and after an accident, ended up buying a CX-9. I was a lifetime Toyota driver. Now I realize the Rav4 was a "dependable POS."

The Toyota started up every morning and got me point A to point B with no issues. However, the cheap plastic, rattling interior, appaling infotainment system, harsh suspension, hard seats and lackluster engine performance were negatives. The Limited line didn't even have real leather seats.

Of course, the blame is on me for buying the Rav4 to begin with. Honestly, I had a truly blind, ignorant allegiance to a car company that used to make higher quality cars. At that time, Mazda was never on my radar. It wasn't until after the wreck that I started deeply exploring other car brands. I'm so glad I did! ����

Nothing wrong with brand loyalty. It's not like you go out and buy a new car every day (not most of us, anyway) -- it's a big purchase, and usually your most reliable information is your own experience. If you've had good experience with a brand and you've been happy with your purchases, deep research and curiosity are the only things that would drive you away. Even with a good test drive, you just don't know everything about how a vehicle will perform for you day to day until you've used it day to day.

I'm on my second Mazda now, and there's a very good chance there will be a third in a few years, because these two have been great. Before that I had three MINI's, which might have been more had the 2013 Paceman not been one of the worst vehicles I'd ever owned. But that's the way it goes -- one bad apple just soured me on the whole brand.
 
The C6Z06 (which is the generation I own) the nannies are intrusive. The C7Z06 is much less intrusive.

Example for the C6Z06. Try trail braking to point the car and the nannies try to corrected the trail brake you dialed in...not fun. I'm not Randy but not too shabby after 20 years of competitive racing and instructing. Plus I rather be the driver and rely on my own knowledge and instinct than having some blind computer that can't see the edges of a track.

This is my prefernece for my own driving. When I used to do right seat coaching i never let any students turn off the nannies when I was I the car. So it's not that I dont beleive they don't work but they are not the fastest way around a track. Nor do I use them on the street as there are times I want to have fun.

C6 had amazing PTM if you got the right packaging for it, otherwise, yeah, with the base model system, not so hot. It was the C6 model that Pobst barely edged out the PTM in, as in, fractionally, with his ability, but if you don't have PTM, I can see it not being the best given your experience level. I kick myself every time for not sacking up and getting the Z07 package. Then, I sold the car a year after I bought it, so "meh", but I didn't track it either, it was just a fun weekend cruiser. The MRC suspension is amazing t hough.
 
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C6 had amazing PTM if you got the right packaging for it, otherwise, yeah, with the base model system, not so hot. It was the C6 model that Pobst barely edged out the PTM in, as in, fractionally, with his ability, but if you don't have PTM, I can see it not being the best given your experience level. I kick myself every time for not sacking up and getting the Z07 package. Then, I sold the car a year after I bought it, so "meh", but I didn't track it either, it was just a fun weekend cruiser. The MRC suspension is amazing t hough.

C6 PTM was better than the C5 but they really didnt get it right until the C7. The processing power on the C7 is so much faster. Driving them back to back on track and you can really feel the difference between the 2. Love magnetic ride but was not available for my 2006 Z06, nor was the Z07 package. The Z06 is the best performance car around. Drive the snot out of it and doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. Also fun to spank Porsches on track :)
 
C6 PTM was better than the C5 but they really didnt get it right until the C7. The processing power on the C7 is so much faster. Driving them back to back on track and you can really feel the difference between the 2. Love magnetic ride but was not available for my 2006 Z06, nor was the Z07 package. The Z06 is the best performance car around. Drive the snot out of it and doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. Also fun to spank Porsches on track :)

Agreed. I simply didn't track mine, and so it became a very expensive Cobalt 95% of the time. My 370Z also pulled WAY more attention/looks, which really confused and frustrated me, lol! (Bought a b rand new 2011 C6Z, and a 2012 370Z, it's not like I got the 370 on its US launch date or anything).
 
Agreed. I simply didn't track mine, and so it became a very expensive Cobalt 95% of the time. My 370Z also pulled WAY more attention/looks, which really confused and frustrated me, lol! (Bought a b rand new 2011 C6Z, and a 2012 370Z, it's not like I got the 370 on its US launch date or anything).

"Not my feeling" but I often hear a lot of non-car people say the Vette is a mid life crisis car so for some younger people that may be the turn off.
 
"Not my feeling" but I often hear a lot of non-car people say the Vette is a mid life crisis car so for some younger people that may be the turn off.

LOL Ive heard that. I dont know what it is but the Vette never appealed to me. Not saying its not a great sports car. Just all my life its been the 911 in my dreams. Someday!
 
"Not my feeling" but I often hear a lot of non-car people say the Vette is a mid life crisis car so for some younger people that may be the turn off.

Literally noone but 1 young guy and 1 cougar were into it the whole time I had it. The 370z had everyone all about it to the point of randos walking up at the gas station to talk about it.
 
Rav4 still on are radar but I think the CX-5 took top spot. CRV isn't even on our radar no longer. I am intrigued by an electric jeep though!!
 
Still wishing Mazda would drop a turbo in that Chinese CX 4, and bring it to the States - maybe in a few years?
 
So, was reading about the new Ford Escape on Car and Driver and it looks very similar to the CX-5. What I found interesting was when they listed the Escape competition, they mentioned the useful CR-V, RAV4 and Rogue but not the CX-5. A little surprised but do Car and Driver really believe the CX-5 has moved out of class?

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a...e-ford-hopes-those-sedan-buyers-will-migrate/

"Competition: Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Rogue, Toyota RAV4."
 
A little surprised but do Car and Driver really believe the CX-5 has moved out of class?

"This all adds up to a vehicle that can hardly even be considered in the same conversation as Toyotas and Hondas anymore. Frankly, the CX-5 Signature is nicerto drive, to look at, and to sit inthan some similarly sized crossovers with full-on premium badges (we're looking at you, Cadillac XT4 and Acura RDX). " {they said that here} fwiw
 
A co-worker of mine has an RDX that hes not thrilled with and has been talking to me about what he should get. I keep telling him to check out the CX-5 but he seems to be struggling with it not being a premium badge.
 
A co-worker of mine has an RDX that he*s not thrilled with and has been talking to me about what he should get. I keep telling him to check out the CX-5 but he seems to be struggling with it not being a premium badge.

The agony of appearances.
 
A co-worker of mine has an RDX that he*s not thrilled with and has been talking to me about what he should get. I keep telling him to check out the CX-5 but he seems to be struggling with it not being a premium badge.

I'll be honest that I am still struggling thinking that the CX-5 is premium.
Even though they have refined the newer CX-5 I still view it as an economy class CUV.

I may still consider the CX-5 though. Regardless of how I see it classed it has an exceptional bang for the buck.
Besides I am having trouble convincing my wife to let me get a Macan S.
 
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