Overview & Reviews

When it comes to small crossover SUVs, the Mazda CX-5 is a relative newcomer. But Mazda has done an excellent job designing the CX-5, and it's quickly become one of our favorite models. Like other competitors, it offers plenty of versatility, high fuel economy and value. But the CX-5 is also uncommonly enjoyable to drive, which could very well give it the edge with car shoppers who want something a little extra from their small crossover.

Current Mazda CX-5
The five-passenger Mazda CX-5 is currently offered with two different engines: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque or a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, and all-wheel drive is optional. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on models with the 2.0-liter engine and front-wheel drive; a six-speed automatic is optional. All other CX-5s have a six-speed automatic.

There are three CX-5 trim levels: Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. Standard equipment for the Sport includes full power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a four-speaker sound system with a USB port. The Touring trim brings keyless ignition and entry, a color screen to the center stack, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a power driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Grand Touring trim adds leather seat trim, automatic climate control, an upgraded audio system and automatic climate control. Popular options, depending on the trim level, adaptive xenon headlights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, satellite radio and a navigation system.

In reviews, we've found the Mazda CX-5 nimble and enjoyable to drive. The brakes, suspension and steering are uncommonly capable, and in general the CX-5 is downright fun and confidence-inspiring to drive around corners. The 2.0-liter engine's on-paper specs won't blow you away, but there's a suitable amount of power for real-world driving.

Inside the CX-5, things are attractive, modern and functional. There are lots of high-quality materials and classy trim details to please the eye. Seating is comfortable both front and rear. The rear seat does not slide fore and aft, a handy feature some competitors offer, but it does fold easily. Furthermore, the upper trims offer a 40/20/40 split, allowing a useful amount of cargo-and-people-hauling combinations.

Used Mazda CX-5 Models
The Mazda CX-5 was introduced for 2013. It effectively replaced the now-defunct Ford Escape-based Mazda Tribute. In its first year, the CX-5 was only available with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but in 2014 the larger, more-powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine was introduced.

User Reviews:

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  Great looking, but needs work - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By carzcville - August 9 - 7:21 am

  I own a 2014 Touring. The new engine is a big improvement over the 2013 - smooth with good power. Fit and finish are excellent with comfortable cloth seats. Problems noted take a lot away from this car: the door ledge is at a right angle rather than rounded like most vehicles and is not well-padded making it extremely uncomfortable to rest left arm while driving. Similarly, the center console/armrest is too low and not well-padded, making resting your right arm/elbow difficult. The base stereo speakers are awful - much worse than stock speakers on other cars Ive owned. The projector headlights bounce far more than other cars and are distracting. CX-5 is great looking but needs work.

• 

  Fun, But Missing Something - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By tlxxtl - August 2 - 2:27 am

  Ok, I read all of the reviews on all of the RAV4, CRV, Rogue and Escape and I purchased a CX-5 Why? MY wife liked it best, I loved the Escape but it had to much stuff! 15000 commands and I could not program a command, Hmmm. Rav4 just felt old and did the CRV. The Rogue simply was the victim of its own delays and timing, Nissan kept delaying shipments to sell off remaining 2013s so We could not drive and compare a 2014 to the CX-5. Back to the CX-5, 2014 GT runs like it was stolen with the peppy 2.5L and CVT, inside the reviewers got it mostly correct. The NAV is the best once you get past its slow speed. P.S. Forester Boring yet capable if you stay awake.

• 

  Brake Problems/MPG decline - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By gryphon84 - July 12 - 5:12 am

  I loved this car but after 18 months the brake pads went bad. According to the dealer there was no reason and since the warranty on those expires at 12,000 miles or 12 months we were stuck with having to pay for all new rear brake pads and rotors. There is no reason they should have failed and Mazda Customer Service said "Too bad not under warranty". The MPG has also steadily declined after 6 months even with regular maintenance. I am disappointed since we bought it for its supposed fuel efficiency and safety. After this experience I do not expect this to be a reliable long lived car and will not buy a Mazda in the future.

• 

  Good car with transmission problem - 2015 Mazda CX-5
  By Timothy - July 8 - 12:32 pm

  Cars transmission had problems after 300 miles. There would be a delay in its initiation when I went from park to drive, reverse to drive or stopped to drive. It caused the car not to move for about 2 seconds then the car would jerk forward. After it got going it seemed fine. Took about 10 days to fix. I couldnt get a loaner car for 4 days. Car seems to slightly jerk ever so slightly since then when stopped in drive mode, but barely noticeable. Car handles great, has sufficient power for flat pavement. Nice quality/trim inside. Nice speaker/sound system.

• 

  CX-5 PROBLEMS - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By ubaldovarela - June 20 - 11:06 am

  I had this car for 3 month 10,000 miles So far many problems showing up Excessive gas consumption is not as dealers told me from 11.0l/km to 11.0km/h in the city without AC an only driver In emergency situation you can go over 160km/h only down hill you can get 180km/h although limit in the car is 190km/h The battery will discharge after couple hrs. when youre in music and you will need AAA to restart your car A lot of noises inside of the car seems like old car and the noise of the engine is like a oil issue The blind spot monitor is not good to trust because sometimes can not detect a big truck in one side of you or sometimes stay active all time without cars in the sides & more.

• 

  Great SUV! - 2014 Mazda CX-5
  By lchoate - June 7 - 2:27 pm

  Ive bought my 2013 CX-5 in 2012. So I have 13 months on the car now. I drive 5 days a week 60 miles round trip and average 30 mpg. I drive half city and half highway. I wanted a vehicle that saved me money on gas and had the height I needed to drive on the Houston roads when it rains and floods. It has made me feel very safe with the sensors in the side mirrors and I truly believe all car makers should make this feature a standard feature on all makes and models in the future. This has saved me on a daily basis from running infront of other cars when I could not see them and it also alerts me when another car is near by. I love the fact it has 6 airbags. Great car, easy handling.

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  My 2013 CX 5 - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By skn2012 - May 25 - 1:30 pm

  Hi, Got my Silver metalic CX-5 sport model two months back. Ride quality is very good. Acceleration feels slightly under powered as it feels little sluggish while changing lanes or moving after a stop light, the brighter side its fuel efficient. No regrets. Love it so far.

• 

  Feels more expensive than it is, still... a few bugs - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By leda1 - May 20 - 11:24 am

  Fully loaded CX5 GT AWD is fun to drive and feels higher lux than youd expect. 19" wheels give a stiffer ride than I hoped - Mazda should offer 18"s I think as an option. Since April 2012, 28 MPG city. Need to carefully modulate gas pedal to optimize performance without slipping into passing gear, but even so, good accelleration. Overall, nice. Problems: A/C fuse blown at purchase - blew warm air at idle- Fixed. Noticed a gear slip, momentary RPM redline, and "clunk" when engaging passing gear at highway speeds - Not Fixed yet. Ordered rear sensing system - beeps constantly in Reverse - Not Fixed yet. Could use better TomTom nav controls (zoom lock) and a constant compass readout somewhere.

• 

  21005 miles so far - 2013 Mazda CX-5
  By monicacath - May 10 - 7:38 am

  Ive owned this vehicle since April. It now has 21005 miles on it. The following is my experience with this CX5 Grand Touring FWD. Mazda, the Tom Tom navigation system is a HUGE disappointment. Ive updated the maps (twice) using Tom Tom home (which one must be able to do on their own home computer- you out of luck if you’re not tech savvy), and it factory reset 4 time ( based on the recommendation of the Tom Tom support staff) This hasn’t helped. The GPS has lead me down dead end roads, constantly lost the GPS signal in the middle of a route, routed traffic the absolutely longest route possible, instructed me to turn with no road, jumped off the route into neighborhoods along the interstate and navigated thru neighborhoods I’d rather have not visited. The navigation system has limited ability to zoom out so one could see a “short cut” or the way to the nears main road. Once zoomed out, it loses the small roads. It has been in the Mazda shop twice. Today, they are putting a new antenna on the vehicle. I no longer trust the navigation system, (which is one reason I bought this vehicle) . I keep my Droid phone available and a paper map. This was never an issue when I owned a Honda Touring Van- with maps on it from 2007. Next, when programing the GSP ( BECAUSE OF SAFETY LOCK IT CAN ONLY BE PROGRAMED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN MOTION) this is a HUGE safety issue for me. At times, I just want to get out of a neighborhood, as a home health nurse. I’ve learned don’t keep driving somewhere I don’t know, however, stopping is not such a good plan either. While programing the GPS, the air conditioner vent freezes my hand. There is no back air, so people sitting in the back seat are forced to sweat while the air is turned off, or the one programming the GSP must take breaks to warm their hands to keep them from freezing. The driver’s seat has clips which are supposed to hold the leather material clipped to the underneath side of the seat. These clips continually come unattached causing the seat material to slide around. This will have to be replaced. There is no arm rest for the driver’s seat right side. The left arm can use the door. I’ve had to use a pillow to support my arm on long trips. Obviously I have driven quite a bit since late April with 21005 miles. A back light at the hatchback would be MOST helpful while loading and unloading at night. The little lights in the front and middle do not offer enough light for the rear of the car. My tire sensor has gone off, indicating a low tire. Which one?? Who knows! There is no indication of which tire, so each and every tire must be checked. The mechanic who checked it in a small town in northern Arkansas said each tire had exactly the specified air. Mazda hooked it up to the computer and I was told that my tire was low, however it was fine now. I added no air, and did not have the tires rotated (which may cause a problem I’ was told). But now, miraculously, the air has been restored. I wonder if there is a faulty sensor? Gas mileage has been between 26 and 30 in the city (I have lots of hills here) and 30 – 33 on the highway. It takes a little umph to get this car moving to pass. These are all little things – except the navigation system-. I love my heated seats, automatic garage door opener, the sporty style, the amazing rocking sound system and the overall drive. Would I buy it again…. Maybe Update: Mazda dealership bent over backwards, lending me a Garmin to attach to the dashboard and after several attempts, including replacing the GPS system and antenna, the GPS is working. It occasionally loses signal and goes into the searching for GPS signal mode, however this is rare. The Tom Tom system isn’t as user friendly as the Honda system, Google maps or a Garmin, however using Tom Tom and Google maps, I have an accurate map.

• 

  Good overall - 2016 Mazda CX-5
  By susanchicago - April 3 - 1:38 pm

  I traded in my 2015 Mazda Touring with Technology package for this GT AWD and couldnt be happier. I am a college student in Illinois and AWD gives me better confidence in snow, but I really wish there could be a way I can manually turn on the AWD. This car is also good for student, I can turn the car into a bed if I fold down the rear seats. The biggest improvement is the infotainment system and it does make a big difference. The new wheels look great. In general, I found the look very attractive and the gas milage to be great. The 2016 model seems to be more solidly built, as the interior plastic is better assembled, whereas the plastic in my 2015 fall off within weeks.