PDA

View Full Version : The time for a new Vehicle arrived.



UNO
05-15-2019, 02:59 AM
I had always owned sports cars. I had a 1995 Trans Am in highschool, a 2001 Trans Am WS.6 in college, and bought a C6 Z06 as a graduation gift to myself, 8 months out of college, followed by a 370Z when I decided I didn't like paying for the Z06 when I didn't track it. Then came a move. I left the city and went rural, and that meant AWD. I traded my 370Z for a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/HEMI and QD2. It was nice, but like all Jeeps, it didn't last, and I needed to dump it before more expensive things broke, so I traded it for a Mazda cx5, 2015 Touring model with AWD. It was pretty bare bones. Cloth seats, etc. However, they offered me a GREAT deal on my Jeep, and sold me the Mazda at a good price, and Consumer Reports said it would b e a reliable ride.

It was reliable. I took it to 106K miles before something on it broke, that I didn't break (I flooded the rear diff once, not its fault). The high-pressure fuel pump went out. A total anomaly for the CX5, but I took it as an omen to move on. I didn't like my 2015 CX5 because:

-It was loud
-It was slow, 0-60 in 7.8 seconds
-It never matched EPA sticker rating for mpg
-It had no XM/Satellite radio, despite having an antenna for one.


Just that month, the 2019 CX5 Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature models dropped.

I had never had a vehicle as reliable as my CX5, and that really did a lot to push me back into t he Mazda fold, even if I was itching to get out of the car due to the above quibbles. I still needed a good AWD system, ground clearance of at least 7", and since I drive a fair distance (sometimes 100mi round trip) for work, decent mpg.

I ended up snagging a new CX5 Grand Touring Reserve.

Things that stood out about it to me:

-Inside dB of 68dB when cruising at 70...this thing is quiet!
-310# of torque at 2000rpm!
-Radar adaptive CC, smart braking, etc. along with satellite radio, weather, gas prices, etc., heated steering wheel and front and second row seats along with cooled front seats, HUD.

performance-wise, it is similar to a Subaru WRX, even! The turbo GETS IT!


C/D
TEST RESULTS
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.7 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 28.4 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.6 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.8 sec @ 95 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 173 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.79 g

-So far I've got about 6500mi on it. My lifetime average is 25.5mpg, and its climbing. I typically average 26-28mpg per tank, even though it's only rated at 27!

-The handling is phenomenal. It is probably one of the best-damped suspensions I've ever driven that was also firm! Refinement wise, it far exceeds my 370Z and is similar to what my Z06 was, albeit due to ride height and narrow tires its limits are lower than both, the suspension is one of the best behaved I've ever driven. Excellent on the twisties even over mid-corner bumps, which it just makes seem disappear, while still being very flat, etc.! It isn't the fastest, and surely not the most expensive of "coolest" ride I've owned, but it is probably the nicest, honestly. That 68dB at cruise is nice! The Bose sound system is pretty decent, and the XM radio has been sorely missed. Air conditioned seats are a huge plus after any kind of workout or in HOT weather.

As always though, people suck and I hate them. The last two photos show the helluva door ding some jealous POS left me, and the artistry of the PDR guy who made it much better.

57770577715777257773577745777557776

ZeroTA
05-15-2019, 10:03 AM
Very nice. We used to have a Mazda 6, and I couldn't really tell you the specs (not a gearhead) but I liked it. But I drive a Silverado work truck every day so any car feels like a race car after that. Ran fine for over 100k til we upsized to a 4runner.

UNO
05-15-2019, 06:05 PM
Very nice. We used to have a Mazda 6, and I couldn't really tell you the specs (not a gearhead) but I liked it. But I drive a Silverado work truck every day so any car feels like a race car after that. Ran fine for over 100k til we upsized to a 4runner.

Thanks! Mazda has probably got to be the "most improved in the last 10 years" brand out there, IMO. Literally nothing under $45K could touch this thing for features and "by the numbers" performance. Their new SkyActiv family of engines and transmissions is money. The transmission in my 2015 is literally THE ONLY automatic I've ever owned which made it to 100K miles with zero quirks, foibles, or signs of pending issue. Not sure how technical minded you are/care about such things, but over 10mph, it's 100% lock-up at the converter, and shuffles cogs like a DSG, kinda sorta. Coverter stays pretty much locked. Prevents heat build up like in most autos, and feels very "direct". The tuning is similar to how I drive a manual with regard to engine braking, etc. Very very very well-done. It puts the 370Z auto I drove to absolute shame, which says a lot, as that slushbox is very highly regarded for its performance mindedness.

Walk-Softly
05-17-2019, 08:07 PM
Several buddies have the CX-5 and they are enthusiastic about them. Positive on the long term durability and limited parts failure. My limited ride time is the interior is decent but a bit spartan.

A year ago I was looking for a new to me used CX-5. Effectively there was nothing on the market over several months of looking. Lots of Escapes, Hyundai’s and other comparables, but no one is turning over the Mazda’s.

UNO
05-27-2019, 01:51 AM
Several buddies have the CX-5 and they are enthusiastic about them. Positive on the long term durability and limited parts failure. My limited ride time is the interior is decent but a bit spartan.

A year ago I was looking for a new to me used CX-5. Effectively there was nothing on the market over several months of looking. Lots of Escapes, Hyundai’s and other comparables, but no one is turning over the Mazda’s.

The cx5 interior is very spartan until you get the upper trim level, then it is pretty function packed, but in minimalist format. Mine has, for example:

Hud
Heated steering wheel and all seats
Cooled front seats
Voice nav
Power hatch/lift gate
Radar CC
Sunroof
Touch screen nav with command knob (way better than touch screen and very intuitive! I hate touchscreen only, now)
Etc.

The only thing lacking until now was more power, and the turbo solved that. It is now a comprehensive option, if you need a small suv.