Cambridgehank
Member
- :
- CX5
Just picked up our 2018 CX-5 Touring model. What should I know about this car? Traded in a RAV4 needed a change.
Hello from Northern VA
- Thread starter Cambridgehank
- Start date
Cambridgehank
Member
- :
- CX5
I asked on another Mazda community forum. That one is more dead than alive. We have been testing all the competitors in the region. My wife is 6 foot tall and did not fit into many of them. What I was asking, is what have people experienced in owning this car? I am in Mercedes Benz, Prius and RAV4 forums. That is a common question in each.
We finally got rid of our '06 RAV4 for an '18 CX5 Touring two weeks ago. FANTASTIC decision 
We also test drove RAV4, CRV, and used Audi, Mercedes, and Lexus. The CX5 was just hands-down the winner...no question. IMO, it's essentially a luxury vehicle at a reasonable price. Anyway, I'm not sure what year your RAV4 was or how much you've played around with the tech, but here's a couple things from our first two weeks:
1) If you're an Android user and not afraid of a little hacking, I most definitely recommend getting the AIO tweaks package on your infotainment system to use Android Auto. It's amazing.
2) Adaptive cruise control is a revelation to me -- and it works so well on this car. I thought it would be totally unecessary when we bought it, but I find myself using it all the time. We do about 80% highway driving and love just coasting up to exits and the like.
3) Keep an eye on the paint, especially if you have red. Some on this board have noted that Mazda may have skimped a bit in this area leading to frequent tiny chips -- especially on the hood. I never had this problem on my RAV4 but already noticed a chip on our Mazda. If it gets bad in the first 1k miles or so, I definitely plan to contact Mazda as at least one other person on this board has done.
4) As fun as this car is to drive with the frequent downshifts and zippy handling, we're getting amazing gas mileage on our FWD by driving it sensibly and using cruise a lot. Our last tank of gas was over 32 MPG with about 80% hwy miles. BUT, it really is fun to drive -- totally different from a Toyota So once you've put a few hundred miles on it, do go push it to the limit on a windy road or something.
We also test drove RAV4, CRV, and used Audi, Mercedes, and Lexus. The CX5 was just hands-down the winner...no question. IMO, it's essentially a luxury vehicle at a reasonable price. Anyway, I'm not sure what year your RAV4 was or how much you've played around with the tech, but here's a couple things from our first two weeks:1) If you're an Android user and not afraid of a little hacking, I most definitely recommend getting the AIO tweaks package on your infotainment system to use Android Auto. It's amazing.
2) Adaptive cruise control is a revelation to me -- and it works so well on this car. I thought it would be totally unecessary when we bought it, but I find myself using it all the time. We do about 80% highway driving and love just coasting up to exits and the like.
3) Keep an eye on the paint, especially if you have red. Some on this board have noted that Mazda may have skimped a bit in this area leading to frequent tiny chips -- especially on the hood. I never had this problem on my RAV4 but already noticed a chip on our Mazda. If it gets bad in the first 1k miles or so, I definitely plan to contact Mazda as at least one other person on this board has done.
4) As fun as this car is to drive with the frequent downshifts and zippy handling, we're getting amazing gas mileage on our FWD by driving it sensibly and using cruise a lot. Our last tank of gas was over 32 MPG with about 80% hwy miles. BUT, it really is fun to drive -- totally different from a Toyota
So once you've put a few hundred miles on it, do go push it to the limit on a windy road or something.
7eregrine
The man, the myth, the legend
- :
- Land of Cleve
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- 2016.5 CX5
See, but that's the thing? What have people experienced? A fun to drive, teched out car that is so far proving pretty reliable. Not many downsides. This is why you aren't getting a lot of comments to the question. Nothing to really "look out for" except the paint.
Oh, I got one...try not to open doors with your ring fingered hand. Could scratch the paint there. Though not seeing many complaints there. Could just be me.
Oh, I got one...try not to open doors with your ring fingered hand. Could scratch the paint there. Though not seeing many complaints there. Could just be me.
I've owned mine for just over a week and so far it's been very good.
Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop"n" Go has been awesome. Picks up vehicles with ease.
It's much quieter than my previous 2015 Mazda 6 even over concrete roads.
Seats are comfortable .
Fuel economy has been within my expectations.
Cambridgehank
Member
- :
- CX5
I was not asking for only the downside. What interest me is the things that occur with a car, not in the manual. Driving the car must have shown some nuances about it. For example, in the mbworld.org forum I learned that if i held down the open switch on the fob, all the windows and the moonroof open. Good thing to know during a heat wave. So what things have you and others learned that you would like to share?
A tidbit for you.
CX-5's with a power tailgate, to the right of the tailgate button, just above the number plate, there is another button so that after you have closed the tailgate, you press it and the whole CX-5 locks.
Saves you from taking out the key fob/transponder or going to the drivers/passenger door and pressing the button to lock it.
7eregrine
The man, the myth, the legend
- :
- Land of Cleve
- :
- 2016.5 CX5
Ok, but that should be in the manual, the all windows down thing. I found that in my Volvo manual.
But I get it. Here's one that isn't in the manual: when on a FM or AM. Station if you push and hold the Commander Knob, it adds it to your favorites.
But I get it. Here's one that isn't in the manual: when on a FM or AM. Station if you push and hold the Commander Knob, it adds it to your favorites.
I liked that feature!
Here's another one.
Auto lock when leaving the CX-5. When you walk away, it will in most cases automatically lock all the doors
- :
- Plano, Texas, USA
Go to your infotainment and pull up "Vehicle Status Monitor" under "Application". Check your current "Oil Life" in "Oil Change" under "Maintenance". Your "Setting Interval" should be "Flexible" from factory. Depending on how long your CX-5 has been sitting in the dealer's lot, your "Oil Life" should be around 6,000 miles. Flexible oil change interval for 2018 CX-5 is up to 7,500 miles or 12 months whichever comes first. If you see 7,500 miles on oil life, it means the oil life Monitor has been reset again from factory and it now shows incorrect oil life.
Do check driving tips during the first 600-mile break-in period in your owner's manual.
Cambridgehank
Member
- :
- CX5
Thanks, that is what I was talking about. I set it up for the wife and she is pleased with me for now.
(thumb)
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- Carless
Be careful and learn how it works as there have been times I went to bed and the next morning my doors were unlocked due to me not triggering the walk away and lock properly. Since then I’ve been using the key fob to lock it manually
You don't have the button on the doors/tailgate to lock it (uhm)
- :
- Carless
We do it just doesn’t work for me all the time. Maybe it’s cus I walk by the back hatch but either way I would just manually lock it now
