Impressions After A month with my 2019 GT - What's with the "Leather" Seats?

On the newer model years, seat size is one the negatives I noticed which I have mentioned before. They need to add thigh cushion or increase the length of the seat bottom. Compared to my 2016 Touring, seats on the newer ones feel smaller and cramped. I haven't measured them or anything yet. Think the clothing material on the 2016 Touring has to be one the better non-leather materials they have used on the seats.
Also need more horizontal leg room on the driver side so that the side of the right knee/leg won't always rub on the center console. I am 6ft and not really fat either.

Mazdauser100 said:

On the newer model years, seat size is one the negatives I noticed which I have mentioned before. They need to add thigh cushion or increase the length of the seat bottom. Compared to my 2016 Touring, seats on the newer ones feel smaller and cramped. I haven't measured them or anything yet. Think the clothing material on the 2016 Touring has to be one the better non-leather materials they have used on the seats.
Also need more horizontal leg room on the driver side so that the side of the right knee/leg won't always rub on the center console. I am 6ft and not really fat either.

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I started out liking the CX-9, but didnt like the drivers seat fixed pitch and lateral knee room. The 16.5 CX-5 has a seat angle adjustment that allows raising of the front, providing better leg support (Im 62). It also provides much better horizontal knee room. Unfortunately, the Gen 2 CX-5 has the same fixed pitch seat and knee room constraints as the -9.

If the cockpit was as comfortable for me as my 16.5, Id probably be looking at a GT-R or Sig for the power upgrade.

After more than a year of ownership the seats are by far my biggest disappointment too. I have no qualms about the quality of the leather, heck mine even has the infamous "bubble" that so many people were complaining about. I figure it's leather it's going to stretch.....

But the side bolster is just too constricting and it's deceiving because it doesn't seem like it would be. I've partially "fixed" this problem by losing weight, but the fundamental issue is that my hip bones drive into the hard stiff side bolster foam and it feels like I'm sitting between two bricks. When I bought my CX-5 I weighed almost 200 lbs. At 5"10" that's overweight but I certainly wouldn't call myself huge. Today I weight 172 lbs. and the seat is no more comfortable now than it was a year ago. There is less actual physical pain from my hips, but it still feels uncomfortable and unnatural to me and probably always will.

I really wanted this car to be "the one" that I kept until the mileage was high, but short of literally ripping the seat out and replacing it with a different one (which isn't happening) I see myself trading my CX-5 off in the future when I'm financially ready. The real problem in all of this is I honestly don't know what I would trade it off for. I bought what I felt was the best vehicle in the segment and if it weren't for the seat issue I would still say that's true. So in my mind I will be trading down into an inferior vehicle. I'm blue collar and can't afford to move up to the luxury segment. I think my biggest hope is that Mazda completely re-designs the seat in the next gen and I can just trade my CX-5 in for another one that hopefully I'll truly be happy with then.

This is exactly one of the area that's slowing me to buy a CX-5. I had a chance to try the seat while in the Chicago Auto Show. I got my butt off the Forester touring trim and then sat in the 2019 CX-5. The seat wasn't super comfortable. I am 5'7 average build and thought it was lacking the side support. My daily is a 2005 Acura TL and thought my ripped leather seat is even better than the one in the CX-5.

Two of my friends have the 2018 GT trim with premium package. I gotta try their seat again for another judgment.

The armrest is also a bit too low. Does anyone agree?

Does the 2019 turbo have cylinder deactivation? Or is it just in the non turbo models?

I've adjusted my seat to the optimal position for me and keeping my left leg straight the seat is okay, but the seat in my old car was a lot more comfortable. Both cars with cloth seats. Maybe the CX-5 seat is safer in an accident than plushier seats, who knows.

MyFirstMazda said:

Does the 2019 turbo have cylinder deactivation? Or is it just in the non turbo models?

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No cylinder deactivation in the turbos.

jmhumr said:

What numbers? They're more complicated, heavier, and have to shift more. Doesn't seem like a recipe for long-term reliability to me. "More is better" regarding gears is hardly a settled subject.

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Ford's AOD and AODE proves your hypotheses of gear count determining reliability to be false.
The numbers involving fuel economy and acceleration, namely, are what I refer to as justification for more gears is better.

That said, a good transmission is a good one, and a bad one is a bad one. Gear count is the last factor Id consider, here. In fact, one can also argue that more gears = longer lasting, because the rpm differentials that the clutch material in the transmission must overcome will be lesser, resulting in less stress. But that's BS too...engineering will carry the day. Not gear count.

Axesd said:

This is exactly one of the area that's slowing me to buy a CX-5. I had a chance to try the seat while in the Chicago Auto Show. I got my butt off the Forester touring trim and then sat in the 2019 CX-5. The seat wasn't super comfortable. I am 5'7 average build and thought it was lacking the side support. My daily is a 2005 Acura TL and thought my ripped leather seat is even better than the one in the CX-5.

Two of my friends have the 2018 GT trim with premium package. I gotta try their seat again for another judgment.

The armrest is also a bit too low. Does anyone agree?

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Seats have long been a complaint for me on the cx5, all models, all trims. But I live with it for the sake of the rest of the car.

The side bolsters on the seat bottoms dig into my quads. The side bolsters on the back, into my lats. The seat bottoms are too short. The seat as a whole could be a touch more cushy, but its middle of the road really.

Unobtanium said:

Seats have long been a complaint for me on the cx5, all models, all trims. But I live with it for the sake of the rest of the car.

The side bolsters on the seat bottoms dig into my quads. The side bolsters on the back, into my lats. The seat bottoms are too short. The seat as a whole could be a touch more cushy, but its middle of the road really.

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The seats are the main weakness from our test drive of the CX turbo cars. Too narrow. I'm a stocky build but not a huge butt either and neither is my wife but they side bolsters are tight on the front seats and seats cushions are short for an adult in back, not that we use a back seat that way. Volvo has great leather but no car that I want. VW has very nice leather in the higher trims as does other German and some domestic cars. The first of my four new Tundras was leather and very crappy stuff. The reality is that only afte some real use can one learn how the top coated leathers like the GTR will stand up. Even when regularly doped up with Lexol cleaners and conditioners, nothing makes a crummy leather better in use. It will last longer when maintained but still the coating may crack as it did with my Tundra. All our vehicles are non-city use so very little in and out on our seats. Other than fat bodies using them, city driving is the leather killer, excepting water and sun.
Softness of the Signature seat leather should not be a concern IMO, it's about willingness to spend more and liking the color or not. Good quality, top grain leathers in cowhide are suitable for the job. Thinner glove leathers can be top grain and proper for ones hands and not up to seating applications as they might wrinkle.

jmhumr said:

The take on tranny speeds is interesting. I think it*s falling a bit for a falsehood that more gears is always better. Mazda is very pragmatic and there*s likely a very agreeable reason for their 6-speed. Be wary of brands who advertise more speeds as something sporty or economical.

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Agreed. Look at the problems Toyota is having with its current 8 speed transmission. Look, this is an SUV, not a Ferrari, so exotic engines and transmissions should not even be a consideration. Sometimes, it's best to keep it simple and reliable.

I purchased a 2019 GTR a month ago and my biggest complaint is definitely the seats. Seat base is too small and hard. I'm 5'10" and 175 lbs and I've never had this issue with other cars. I know a lot of people have complained about this. Can people share their fixes? I've been looking at aftermarket seat base covers. Has anyone tried this? Taken seats to an upholsterer for modification? Did it help?

I sold mine was a pile