2024 MAZDA CX-5 Consumer Reviews
Review Summary
Most Helpful Reviews
Positive Review
I just purchased a 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD with all the bells and whistles and I must say - wow - color me very impressed. I have only put about 150 miles on it so far, but in this short time it has been nothing short of stunning. This vehicle hits way above its weight class, it feels more like an 80k SUV rather than a 40k SUV. In typical Mazda fashion (and like the previous generation CX-5), the driving dynamics are simply spectacular for a crossover. It handles like it weighs a thousand lbs less than it does, the electric-steering actually has some tactile feedback that most other numb electric steering vehicles simply lack, and bonus - the ride is substantially improved over the last generation CX-5. No more jolting shots through the spine when hitting a bump or a pot hole. But that handling - wow. Slicing through the Colorado canyons is a blast, it feels like a sports car. But this is nothing new for Mazda. Then there is all the little things - refinement details that only a small company like a Mazda can do that the large companies seem to miss for the same price category; great soft interior materials all around, excellent french stitching, perfectly centered steering wheel, well placed knobs and buttons, multiple USB ports both front and back, heated seats, heated mirrors, heated steering wheel, and everything inside just feels like it was designed to revolve around the driver. The amount of sound deadening they used vs the previous gen has really paid off as well, as the road noise is basically nill and the engine noise is lessened. The 2.5L Skyactiv naturally-aspirated inline 4 in this refresh has a beautiful throaty sound for a 4-banger, and it pulls very linearly on both ends. Throttle response from a dead stop is a bit laggy requiring more throttle than I prefer, but I am hoping a custom tune helps with that. Other than that, this engine has plenty of pickup, so I am not really quite sure why it gets panned so much for not having enough power - it has plenty to move this machine around. Oh and the transmission has been excellent so far - very firm quick shifts without a hint of harshness. Where it really stands out over the previous gen though is in the technology. Beautiful 7 widescreen display on the dash operated by a dial on the center console (simply the easiest way to use such a system), backup camera and GPS navigation that shows on display, stop & go radar that really works, automatic high/low beam LED adaptive headlights that bend with the turn, and an active heads-up display that projects the vehicle speed onto the windshield. It will even display upcoming road signs on the windshield, as well as upcoming turns and distance until target for the navigation. It has lane-assist and blind spot technology too, but I find most of that to be more annoying than helpful. Thankfully nearly everything can be enabled or disabled in the settings, along with various sensitivity settings. Overall after spending many years previously driving boring and bland crossovers, this SUV just makes driving FUN again. Do yourself a favor - even if have a recent previous gen CX-5 - and run over to your local Mazda dealer for a test drive. You wont regret it.
VS
Critical Review
Because of all the great online reviews and hype, I really wanted to love this car but I ended up trading it after only 2 months. This is the only car I have ever traded so soon after buying it. I usually keep my cars for 8-10 years. Thinking that my old BMW could have potential engine problems, I traded it for the CX-5 signature thinking that is was a good choice and great value for all the features. But I soon found out that I was so wrong. The CX-5 features starting getting on my nerves. The heads-up display was distracting, the beeping from the safety features were annoying (I don't like a bossy car!), the non-touch screen was frustrating, the cup holders were in a bad place, the armrest was too short that I couldn't use it--it's positioned too far back for a female driver, the seats are too straight that I would slide while making turns, the window line is too high--it's too small going through a drive-thru as there is not a good clearance to receive orders, the back windows do not fully roll down, it does not have knee airbags, the heated steering wheel only partially heats—I would touch cold parts during backing out, the key fob is a cheap quality with small buttons on the side that are difficult to see, the car is a gas guzzler with a small gas tank (I didn't like all the extra stops for gas and the flimsy gas lid), the turbo lags, the ride is bumpy, the interior paint around the inside doors is cheap and does not have a gloss coat like the car exterior, the wheel wells have cheap felt inside them making them difficult to clean, the interior lighting is poor even with the included floor lighting in the signature, and the driver's side leather seat was starting to wrinkle after only 2 months! Also, I did not like the goofy grin on the grill of the car. The worst part was the dark and depressing interior. The size of the sunroof was incredibly disappointing. I didn't realize how much I'd miss having a panoramic sunroof. I honestly started to hate this car and could not wait to get rid of it. I looked at several luxury SUVs, and ended up trading the CX-5 for another (new) BMW X3. Thankfully, I pay cash for my cars so it was an easy trade-in. The BMW drives like a dream with a smoother transmission and ride, much better build quality, has a light interior with lots of lighting including ambient, a panoramic sunroof, and a bigger gas tank with better gas mileage. I'm so happy driving it! Got a great deal. It didn't cost much more than a CX-5 signature. I'd rather have a true luxury vehicle for this price range. I won't make that mistake again.
2024 CX-5 Reviews
Showing 8 of 174 reviews.
When a car is nearly perfect, it is simply superior, not perfectly superior ;-) The 2018 CX-5 has been overwhelmingly my best and favorite vehicle of all time - I have had 10+. It's quick, it handles very well, provides great feedback to the driver, is super quiet, super comfortable - have driven long, long trips in it multiple times (NM to Utah, NM to WY, NM to MI, MI to WI, WI to NM). It's a delight in the snow, rain, dry pavement. The sound system is outstanding, the utility is excellent (slightly smaller than my 2013 RAV-4 but SO MUCH BETTER and that was a really good vehicle). Everything just works and always works. I got mine retro-fitted for Apple Car Play and it works great. I had a 1983 Mazda 626 and it was awesome! I had a 2004 or 2005? Mazda 5 and it was awesome! I have had a VW and it was NOT awesome. I have had a Ford and it was NOT awesome. I had a Toyota 4Runner and it was NOT awesome. My 2013 RAV-4 was really good! But I like AWESOME :-) So my next vehicle will be...drum roll... a Mazda!
The positives,drives nice looks nice good gas mileage nice headlights. The bad, whenever it's hot or cold out the interior if this car creaks,rattles pops ticks and clicks. The driver seat in this car is terrible,the bottom cushion is hard narrow and uncomfortable, driving position is narrow,rear seat leg room is tight,cup holders are in a terrible spot, radio controls are confusing and takes multiple steps to do simple things like change radio stations.driver safety sensors are flaky and oversensitive,will beep for no reason or when you are nowhere near the lines on the road or other cars. Sensors get errors and malfunction on a routine basis.Have owned 4 Mazdas this will be my last one.
This 2025 model year marks an transitional year after incremental improvments since its inception in 2013 - Still having physical buttons, switches and knobs instead of fully integrated settings in a virtual screen . Mazda is one of a few that still has a naturally aspirated engine without turbos and a real 6 speed geared transmission with a torque converter and timing chain . Only avaliable in AWD this drivetrain is bulletproof and reliable. Many newer vehicles have timing belts which require expensive service every 60-80k and you wilk feel that in your wallet - dealers love it because when owners realize this they balk and consider trading in the vehicle they thought was a lifer - So Mazda has an impeccable interior which rivals any vehicle at any price . If you use premium fuel in the non-turbo it boosts the power to a perfect level around 200hp - - these engines are 13:1 compression ratio which are fundamentally built to diesel specs to have this - which delivers excellent gas mileage - great low rpm torque and once you get familiar - a precision power delivery drivetrain thats unbelievably responsive - Its reliable to an absurd level , fit and finish is spectacular - and it handles like a sports car - as well better than anything in its class - How is possible at this price ?? Its the lineage of continually improving the vehicle with incremental changes year to year - nothing radical - thus rhe dies and presses that make this vehicle are already paid for -thus going back to college business class - the first " widget " is the most expensive ....the last is the least ...thus we have Mazda having low production costs due to limited engineering changes - but 2026 will be very different and 2025 in my opinion is the last in its legacy of many factors - . 2026 gets longer , wider , has integrated most switches into a giant tesla esque touch screen - and nore making 26 a departure from the long run of this masterpiece .
Comfortable
The cracks and crevices get dirty easily & are kinda hard to clean
I loved my Mazda very much! She was such a smooth ride & very comfy to be in. I had her for over 4 years & I loved her until the very end.
Good condition Body clean no. Dents Brakes needs serviceing only mechanical issue Benefit from an interior dettailing
Comfort and safety
Automatically locks the doors too quickly
This is my 2nd CX-5 and I bought it due to the excellent experience with our 1st CX-5 that we owned for the last five years.
Heated seats. Smooth ride. Nice handling. Bose sound system. AWD. Intuitive controls.
Lack of individual tire pressure readings. Odd placement for the cup holders.
I recently bought the CX-5 after months of researching. I found that it checked off all the boxes. Good gas mileage, not too bulky, reliable, not very expensive, AWD, and fun to drive. I did go with the Carbon Edition because I wanted the power seats and sun/moon roof.
Features, SAFETY, blind spot monitoring, cruise adjusts to vehicles ahead to prevent wreck, heated seats in front and rear, heated steering wheel, back up camera, speed traveling and speed limit shows on windshield. Many more features but those are my favorite so far!
Paint chips, small chips but still chips
I previously had a 2016 Grand Touring that I loved. I bought my daughter a 2015 CX-5. In a little over two years I totaled my 2016 (safe vehicle). I knew that my next vehicle would be a CX-5 as well. I do not ever see me purchasing anything other that a CX5. I am sold with the looks, features, and safety! The only downside is no factory remote start on the models I've had but that is an easy add. The 2015 did not come with the navigation "brain" but could be installed. The 2016 had an occasional glitch with the screen where it would adjust my navigation sound on its own. And the 2018 the paint is chipping in spots. All are great cars that I am very pleased with! The bells and whistles on the 2018 have me amazed. As a side note I did a lot of research on all the vehicles and there models over a 10+ year time span through Consumer Reports. There magazine has all the information reported. And there is a lot!
