AWD system is kinda crappy...

[buyingconstant7]

Here's an outlander without the smart AWD (likely the same system that OP thinks is better than the CX-5's)
It cannot make it up the incline without a running start.

That's an Outlander Sport. It has the same AWD system as the Lancer. It is not the same as the regular Outlander, since it's missing the rear LSD and AYC. Obviously the Mitsu System is better from an offroad standpoint, I've had first hand experience of it. Maybe from a performance standpoint doing high speed cornering, rain, snow, ice, etc. the Mazda system may do better, but Mitsu's new SAWC system is pretty awesome. My uncle has a 2014 Outlander with the SAWC system and it's pretty incredible what it can do. Too bad it's in the body of a Mitsubishi...

Just because we are on a Mazda enthusiast forum, doesn't mean we can't have an open mind and accept there are some pitfalls in Mazda, where other brands are a bit better at, for instance: AWD.

 

[Unobtanium]

The thing is.. a little tiny bit of momentum and line choice can make a huge difference in how a diagonal situation turns out.
Check out this Subaru forester dealing with a similar situation. He couldn't get through until he tried a slightly different approach angle.
Your friend in the Outlander simply choose a better line through the rut and made it seem effortless.. but really it sounds like he just got unlucky in the CX-5.

The terrible approach angle of the CX-5 makes picking a line rather problematic at times.

 

[CX5_Pete]

In other news, I was able to drift after leaving a car wash. At least 120* left and then as I straightened out the dsc kicked in but it was pretty cool while it lasted.

Ya know what, thats one thing I noticed about the CX-5. I can accelerate out of turns pretty hard, squeal the tires and lose the back end a little bit before the safeties kick in. One time at Big Sur, I was trying to outrun a modern Challenger, and I took this one off camber turn really hard, hit a bump midway, got bump-oversteer, but didn't feel anything correcting me or cutting off throttle response. It's a really unobtrusive system. I like it so far.

 

[buyingconstant7]

The thing is.. a little tiny bit of momentum and line choice can make a huge difference in how a diagonal situation turns out.
Check out this Subaru forester dealing with a similar situation. He couldn't get through until he tried a slightly different approach angle.
Your friend in the Outlander simply choose a better line through the rut and made it seem effortless.. but really it sounds like he just got unlucky in the CX-5.

Absolutely, momentum is your best friend, but at that point, it's the skill of the driver, not the AWD system. At slow speeds, it's a true test of the AWD system. That's what I remember we did for the Outlander, and we definitely did that for the CX-5. There were no different ruts we could've chosen, it was either you're in the twist ditch, or your not. There is no different way to approach it thanks to the narrow road. I got out of the Outlander when the two wheels were off the ground since I was laughing at my friend thinking we were stuck. He didn't even gas it that much, maybe 25%, and it took a solid 3 seconds of slip, before you could see the wheels planted on the ground, gain power, as they slightly jolted forward and the car went forward. The Mazda could not do that. Next time we're on the trail(could be soon), or possibly on our acreage where we have lots of twist ditch-like places, I will try everything to get the car moving. Maybe I'll make a video...

 

[piotrek91]

The terrible approach angle of the CX-5 makes picking a line rather problematic at times.

no doubt about that.
Heck.. I'm kind of impressed that OP was even able to get his CX-5 into a situation where the AWD system was the limiting factor and not approach angle/ground clearance.

 

[CX5_Pete]

That's an Outlander Sport. It has the same AWD system as the Lancer. It is not the same as the regular Outlander, since it's missing the rear LSD and AYC. Obviously the Mitsu System is better from an offroad standpoint, I've had first hand experience of it. Maybe from a performance standpoint doing high speed cornering, rain, snow, ice, etc. the Mazda system may do better, but Mitsu's new SAWC system is pretty awesome. My uncle has a 2014 Outlander with the SAWC system and it's pretty incredible what it can do. Too bad it's in the body of a Mitsubishi...

Just because we are on a Mazda enthusiast forum, doesn't mean we can't have an open mind and accept there are some pitfalls in Mazda, where other brands are a bit better at, for instance: AWD.

I don't know, after watching those two vids side by side, both the Outland and the CX-5 performed similarly. Looking forward to your unbiased video.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Starting at about 12:04 in this video is similar with two wheels apparently off ground.

 

[buyingconstant7]

I don't know, after watching those two vids side by side, both the Outland and the CX-5 performed similarly. Looking forward to your unbiased video.

Well now I have to do a video. Theres an incline on my acreage where it would take two wheels off the ground. What should I do to get up it? Wipers? TC on or off?

 

[tbone63]

Get a real 4wd and put lockers on it.

 

[CX5_Pete]

Well now I have to do a video. Theres an incline on my acreage where it would take two wheels off the ground. What should I do to get up it? Wipers? TC on or off?

Whatever it takes. It would be interesting to see how the performance and effort differs with the Outlander vs the CX-5.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Really interested to see some videos. I'm very curious to see if I can replicate... that being said I have heard the Mitsubishi system is pretty good as well... or are they calling them Nissans now ;-)

 

[buyingconstant7]

Whatever it takes. It would be interesting to see how the performance and effort differs with the Outlander vs the CX-5.

Trust me, the Mitsu system is out of this world. I hate Mitsubishi's, but they really did a fantastic job on their AWD systems. Too bad they can't put that effort into the rest of the car...

 

[CX5_Pete]

Trust me, the Mitsu system is out of this world. I hate Mitsubishi's, but they really did a fantastic job on their AWD systems. Too bad they can't put that effort into the rest of the car...

I was a big fan of Mitsibishi during the late 90s. My dream car at the time was an Eclipse GSX. Then they redesigned it and I think that was the beginning of Mistu's downfall. After the introduction of the iMev, I didn't have much hope left for the company. However, now they seem to be bouncing back. I considered the Outlander when I was cross shopping, great value, but I was concerned about the company tanking.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

My first car was an '84 Mitsubish Cordia Turbo Nissan is basically saving Mitsubishi at this point...with their 34% stake in the automaker. At the highpoint in the 90's Ford had just shy at 33.4% in Mazda.

Mitsubishi is going through their own emissions scandal at home.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nissan-mitsubishimotors-investment-idUSKCN0Y227F
http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/26/news/companies/mitsubishi-cheating-fuel-tests-25-years/

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Mitsubishi is one of the largest corporations anywhere. Pretty much every Jap car has Mitsu components. Some Mazdas have Mitsu ECUS, our keys are too. Mitsu motors does pretty well on a global scale.

 

[Kedis82ZE8]

Just a Wikipedia article.... but Mitsubishi Motors is just a small piece of the overall corporation sharing the name...

"In 2011, Mitsubishi Motors was the sixth biggest Japanese automaker and the sixteenth biggest worldwide by production.[6] As of June 2016, Mitsubishi was majority-owned by Nissan, and thus a part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Besides being part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, it is also a part of Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, through the corporation's minority 20% stake in Mitsubishi Motors, and the company was originally formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.[7]

Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation was formerly a part of of Mitsubishi Motors, but is now separate from Mitsubishi Motors, which builds commercial grade trucks, buses and heavy construction equipment, and is owned by Daimler AG ."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Motors


EDIT: The Nissan infusion though will probably be a good thing though IMO

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mitsubishimotors-scandal-overhaul-idUSKCN0YW12S

 

[CX5_Pete]

My first car was an '84 Mitsubish Cordia Turbo Nissan is basically saving Mitsubishi at this point...with their 34% stake in the automaker. At the highpoint in the 90's Ford had just shy at 33.4% in Mazda.

Mitsubishi is going through their own emissions scandal at home.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nissan-mitsubishimotors-investment-idUSKCN0Y227F
http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/26/news/companies/mitsubishi-cheating-fuel-tests-25-years/

I look forward to see what will come to fruition in their new partnership.

 

[ALafya]

There are many vehicles which will not pass some type of wheel on ice/rollers test.
See this video (In Russian, which I don't understand):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpp5tW71qYI

Even Torsen LSD, found in some Audi Quattros, will fail wheel on rollers test, as long as there is 0 or very low torque on the free spinning wheel.
As you can see in the video, some Subarus fail the test as well.
This is typically justified by saying that the scenarios where the vehicle will freely spin their wheels, where there is not even minimal amount of grip, are not likely.

That said, I don't know if the CX-5 will fail diagonal test. The above videos suggest that it does succeed in a reasonable way.
Mitsubishi has long tradition of Rally racing and I would not be surprised if they have a more capable system. However, I think it is now a mistake to buy anything Mitsubishi, unfortunately and they also currently offer sub-par vehicles.