Those of you who follow my posts will recall that early in the year, I published an update of the previous cars making up the family fleet, and how these were reduced to a single vehicle that replaced them both. In that post, I already revealed it as a 2023 Mazda CX-5, but as it was too early to COAL, I held on to a dedicated review. Now, after a year with the family, the time has come to share my experience and thoughts with you.
There’s really not much I can add to countless words written about the Mazda CX-5; “the car that saved Mazda” and “best handling SUV” are just a few superlatives that I’ve read before. The first generation was a worldwide resounding success, as was the second generation which, at the time of writing, is still being manufactured and sold worldwide even though you could argue that a replacement –the CX-50– is already present. As it stands, it seems the CX-5 brings a complete and competent package to the table, enough to suit many costumers.
In my linked post above, I’ve explained the reasoning behind the decision to move to a single family car, but why an SUV? And why a CX-5 specifically?
Well, you could first notch it up to the usual, er, “getting old” reason. I am 52 years old (going on 53, in fact) and although I don’t look it – I do feel it. In recent years, I’ve found the “drop-down to the seat” is getting… lower than expected. There’s no way around it – in both the Astra and the Civic mentioned above, you sat low – too low for my current taste. I mean, look at this:
Now, sitting low is fine when you want to be driving more vigorously than usual; but I hardly ever do that anymore, with traffic being the way it is, small(ish) kids in the back and frankly, less free time than ever. So I don’t really need a vehicle with sporting aspirations.
The other reason behind a C-segment (Israeli mid-size) SUV is just that at 8 and 5 years old, our small kids are rapidly growing. Both my wife and I are tall people so we need a bigger car than before, yet I still want a hatchback’s five door body style I find so convenient.
The final reason behind an SUV purchase is simply because that’s what is available. Like most countries, Israel is also overrun by SUVs in recent years, and if you want your car to be tradable in the future you better go with the flow.
But why a Mazda CX-5 in particular? Well, I’d already made up my mind the decision should fall between three SUVs: The CX-5, the Subaru Forester and the Toyota RAV4. Much like the decision-making that was explained in my Honda Civic Tourer post, I wanted an SUV that would be as reliable as possible (which all three are). All hold their value well and are highly regarded locally, much more than their European counterparts. The only real contenders they have are the Hyundai Tucson and its sister, the Kia Sportage.
I am reminded of the mechanical simplicity I was after when I was set on the Civic: no turbo, no robotic/sequential gearbox- just a simple, atmospheric engine with a planetary torque-converter gearbox, in preferably a solid-rock reliable chassis. Ok, the RAV4 is a hybrid and the Forester is 4X4, but after running these drivetrains for more than a couple of decades, these are now as reliable as anything.
Even if all three are Japanese SUVs, they are all different from each other. The Subaru is a 4X4 with genuine off-road capabilities; The RAV4 is, well, a Toyota and has superb fuel economy thanks to its hybrid drivetrain; and the CX-5 has reliability covered with an atmospheric engine and a planetary torque-converter gearbox.
And CX-5s are practically everywhere, which is a test of their durability –there are plenty of first gen CX-5s, not to mention early second gen cars. Here’s an example of a base spec 2017 second gen CX-5:
And another, 2018 mid-spec CX-5, where the only real exterior difference can be told by larger, two-tone wheels:
After a tour of their respective showrooms, the CX-5 really presented itself; cheapest of the three, was available in stock and had the best interior build quality by some margin – of all three, it was the nicest place to sit in, right from the entry trim level. And I was sold on its proven reliability.
Here’s another pre-facelift second gen CX-5, a 2021 and a yet higher spec level than the previous two above (this one belongs to a neighbor – we’ll get to that later):
About a month later, we returned to reserve a CX-5 and discovered they now had a new campaign: buy any trim/luxury level and pay the price of the one below that. being the CX-5 is well-equipped right from the base level, we settled on the second trim level, dubbed “Executive”, that adds sun/moon roof and leather seats to the base level.
Engine choice? You can only choose between two atmospheric petrol Skyactive-G displacements: either 2.0 or 2.5 liters. All 4X4s get a 2.5 liter as standard, but around 99% of 4X2 are sold with the 2.0, which is what we chose. It’s not much of a performance difference between it and the 2.5, but it’s certainly cheaper.
With most of my wife’s driving taking place in heavy traffic, I saw no reason to increase fuel economy that’s already worse than the aforementioned RAV4. We added an installment of anti-theft system (essential to get the car insured) plus front and rear parking sensors that this trim level came without.
As for the color, I chose white leather for the seats to help lower interior temperatures in what is mostly a hot country, and the ubiquitous silver for the exterior. I’ve had my fair share of trying to maintain dark-colored cars, and it just doesn’t work in the Israeli climate. I think Mazda’s silver looks better, “deeper” than other car makers’ silver, and even though it’s metallic, doesn’t cost extra.
So in August, we were invited to the delivery center, where you get to do a ceremonial unveiling of your new car. I spared you the entire video, but you get the idea from the above snapshot. We were given explanations of its systems and went outside:
Even if a somewhat bulbous shape, I find it rather “dignified”‘ and certainly smarted up by those wheels. Let’s add more photos and discuss the exterior:
My wife says about it: “It’s not a pretty car, and anyway, I prefer the Forester/RAV4 styling, because they’re more JEEPy.” Well, yes, they are. Add in the Skoda Kodiak – these follow styling cues set by the Grand Cherokee of older generations, whilst the CX-5 is more of a pumped-up hatchback. As things go, it’s not ugly – but I can certainly see my wife’s point.
The biggest visual change post-facelifted CX-5s got were restyled front and rear with new light clusters. Notice how the parking/DRL use double Cs at the front, that are mimicked at the rear:
Very nice and the LEDs add to the luxury feel of the car, but would you believe I prefer the style of the pre-facelifted CX-5? Let’s compare:
Ok, deleting the fog lights at the edges of the “mustache” gave a cleaner look to the fascia. But along with the shortened chrome trim, the front now looks narrower, less pronounced. Changing the headlight cluster’s design also means they lost the signature bulb-in-circle styling that carries the all-important family resemblance.
Same thing happens at the back- they lost that bulb-in-circle. And now I notice they enlarged the black plastic trim under the bumper. This makes the CX-5 look higher, but is it really an improvement? I just think it’s less of a cohesive styling than before.
Having a brand-new vehicle in the family meant investing in some accessories that go a long way to make life easier. I started off with “bathtub-type” rubber mats, to replace the carpeted-like items that the CX-5 is sold with:
I never understood car makers placing “cloth” mats in cars – this may be soft and pleasant on your feet, but completely unpractical in a car. They’re harder to clean, take longer to dry when wet and in time, start to smell (I had these in the Civic). It’s a car, not a living room.
Another important accessory in a hot country such as Israel is a heavy-duty sunshade. For years I had various types of cheap shades, but no more. I invested in a heavy, multi layered sunshade that isn’t as easy to handle as the accordion types, but is custom fit to the CX-5s windshield and really lowers the temperatures down.
Another now mandatory accessory (for me), was the installment of a dashcam. I invested in a double cam kit, in which the front cam controls the rear, with one memory card that records all footage, including during parking. Look at the photo and you’ll also see the Astra:
And this is the rear camera. I’ll spare you the install process, that I stupidly decided to do on what turned out as the hottest, most humid and dusty day of 2023… But I do like how it neatly turned out. It’s quite discreet from the outside – you don’t really see unless you know where to look:
It also seems as if Mazda left a special spot to mount the dashcam at the top of the windshield and close to the driver’s control:
If we’re into the interior, let’s step inside fully. Here’s a better view of the driver\passenger area:
You can tell they definitely had a lot of work done over the interior, with various styling cues placed throughout the cabin. take the center console, for example:
Besides the obligatory cup-holders and the Mazda control wheel, notice the chrome highlights and the piano-black finish around the gear lever. Yes, it’s not practical, but it does add to the interior styling. Here’s another example:
The styled brushed “aluminum” air-vents’ surrounds and the stitching above it are moving into premium territory, and that’s what I meant about the difference between the CX-5s interior and the RAV4\Forrester’s. In the Mazda, I WANTED to be seated, unlike the other two.
The instrument cluster is a hybrid of “real” clocks and a center on-screen display that cleverly hides behind a clock’s contour and adopts the displayed info accordingly. The center clock displays changeable info that can be rotated pressing button on the steering wheel:
At the press of said button we’ve moved to “next service” info, with further information as you press.
Now for some not-so-good features (never mind the stupid code-pad that insurance in Israel STILL insists on –any startup car thief bypasses this immediately). But see the Mazda DNA of old (in fact, any Japanese car maker): the random arraignment of buttons, specifically the three just under the code-pad. Note blanking plugs that suggest a further three buttons might be present on higher trim levels. The whole six-button cluster doesn’t even sit centered inside its rectangle indentation.
Want another example? How about the locking mechanism that’s just like my grandfather’s 1983 Subaru DL? If I’m correct, in the US the CX-5 is sold with a “modern” locking electric button, that can also be programmed to lock all doors when you start driving. Yes, you heard right – the above locking mechanism cannot be programmed at all. The car does lock as you walk away, but that has to do with the proximity of the key fob and not the locking mechanism itself.
Here’s another bad; the old Mazda multimedia system. I was sure that all post-facelift CX-5s gained the new layout and larger screen system that any US and GB cars get – not in Israel. All trim levels get the same old multimedia, and even less so:
Don’t believe that message above – this isn’t available at all in Israel. Never mind, I’ve become so accustomed to Google’s Android Auto, I have no need for anything else:
I hardly ever use the old Mazda menu, but it can be accessed through the main Android Auto screen:
Press the Mazda “app” and you’re out of Android Auto.
But the seats are great – really comfy, without being too soft or squishy. I was hesitant to choose white, but the other alternative was black, and THAT I didn’t want no matter what. Cleaning leather seats is a breeze, and as for the kids, you can see a form of protection under their safety seats.
But how does it drive? Well, as expected, nowhere near as road-hugging as, say, the Opel Astra was. Not that the Astra was a hot hatch, but it did have some sporty aspirations, and a surprisingly communicative chassis, which would hold nicely through corners – you can’t beat physics, and low center of gravity will always triumph over a high one.
The CX-5 does not willingly lend itself to hard cornering, but it did surprise me when I was pressing it more than you would, going up an interchange’s ramp. Suddenly that Lexus RX 450h that was right alongside me entering the ramp, got smaller in the rear-view mirror. As for the ride, it’s more German than you’d think; maybe that’s the trade-off for better-than-average-SUV handling. However, it’s not uncomfortable by any standards and rather emphasizes the round package that is the CX-5.
As the CX-5 being the sole car in the family, the kilometers stack up and so, it had its first service in May 2024. Off I went to the nearest official Mazda’s service center. It’s been a while since I posted a video on CC, so here’s one for your pleasure:
Obviously, I’ve shortened the original video but left intact the “test drive” that took place after they were done. It didn’t take long (you can literally count the seconds) …
The CX-5 was kept clean and washed with detailing procedures in mind. Here are very recent “post-clean” photos that even with the shaded parts, still prove I’ve made the right decision choosing silver – at least I think so.
About a month ago, I came down to the building’s parking lot and found this at the neighbor’s pre-facelift CX-5 parking spot:
Yes, it’s a brand new 2024 CX-5 of the (currently) highest trim available in Israel, called “Black Edition”. Apparently, that 2021 CX-5 he had was a leased car from his wife’s work since new and when the lease was up, they bought it from the leasing company and the wife got a new Leased CX-5.
If I had the money I’d love to have this trim level. But when we got the car, we couldn’t justify spending more money than what we eventually did, and as things go, this is not really THAT much of a difference.
Whichever way you look at it, another CX-5 has joined the parking lot, added to the older 2021, and yet another, 2012 first gen CX-5 that’s owned by another neighbor. Did I tell you these cars were everywhere? Oh, there’s another one that’s usually parked behind the wall on the right…
I think it’s time to draw this COAL post to an end; after a year with the Mazda CX-5, I can honestly say this was the right choice for the family and indeed, this is a car that does simply everything you ask of it, with very little concessions. Let’s see how long it will stay with us – I hope long.
Nice choice and an excellent mid-size (they used to be smaller iirc) SUV. Our son has a 2019 and it’s been very reliable so far. We also were in the market recently and a 4×4 was a must in NY & VT. The RAV4 still offers a non-turbo 2.5 4 cyl and real (not cvt) 8 speed Aisin-Warner transmission in a non-hybrid with very decent gas mileage. It’s, about as simple as it gets these days, not considering all the computerized junk and a zillion motors. We’re hoping it lives up to the stone-reliable and durable reputation Toyota has deservedly earned and retains it’s top of the class resale value. It’s a used 2020 but only 40k miles on it, so we hope it’s our faithful auto companion for years to come. Hope the same for your CX-5… wonder why they make the 2 versions (CX-50) simultaneously?
ooops sorry for the sideways pic, don’t know how to fix it.
Wow, the CX-5 does seem to be popular around here. Glad you are enjoying it and the silver looks good on it. Being roughly a year younger than you, you are not alone in your realization of the drop to enter a traditional sedan.
Your determination to avoid a black interior is good to see. Mrs. Jason and I have been car shopping ourselves and black interiors seem to have become way too common. I’ve had some lively discussions with car salesmen about black interiors.
May you have many good miles with your Mazda!
A CX-5 was at the top of my short list recently, before we zagged hard off the beaten path and bought the Charger. I personally like the exterior styling quite a bit. And I am generally no fan of silver cars, but these look good in that paint color. If only they offered the silver exterior with the red leather!
There are a bunch of these in my area, so anyone looking for a used one will have lots to choose from.
Great to see an update of this car, and that you made the right choice with this car. The CX-5 sure appears to be practically everywhere here in the US as well. Just this week I was stopped at a traffic light and noticed there were two CX-5s in front of me. Like you note here, it’s a package that suits a variety of customers.
I like the ceremonial new-car unveiling – never seen that before. I can see the idea of that getting a bit old, but at least for the first time, it’s a clever idea.
I’m a similar age as you, and I’ve noticed that I’ve begun sighing when I get into a car… so yes, not having to stoop down is an advantage. And like you, I rarely drive vigorously any longer. Funny how aging changes one’s priorities.
Incidentally, I also make it a point now of immediately purchasing aftermarket floor mats, and a custom-fit sunshade for my cars. Both are worthwhile investments. And I also bought dashcams for our cars this year – now it’s hard to think that I’d lived without them for so long! It’s also mildly amusing to see how often my wife panic-stops when driving, thus setting off the dashcam’s Incident Detector. That’s resulted in some interesting family discussions.
I wish more cars had programmable locking mechanisms. When/if/how to lock doors is a personal preference, and few people tend to agree with whatever the factory setup is. What’s so hard about giving people choices here??
Again – thanks for this update!
The CX-5 is on my (very) short list as well. I don’t believe the US ever got the 2.0, and AWD became standard around 2023, so I’m looking at earlier models with low miles and FWD.
For a couple years we could also get the CX-30 with FWD. It’s slightly smaller and lighter with the same drivetrain, so it should be a touch more sprightly, and I really don’t need anything bigger. I’d prefer the 30, but they’re fairly rare.
Plenty of CX-30s in Israel – these provide another great package on a smaller scale than the CX-5. I’m told their only real drawback is a cramped rear passenger space, and also somewhat claustrophobic, due to narrow rear windows.
My sister has a 2023 CX5 in a red metallic looks great, BIL informs me Mazda is the last Japanese holdout with an actual automatic trans and they no longer build ‘export’ cars so ex JDM match what was sold here new, But they have a diesel engine choice which gives a lot of trouble under warranty, Very very popular cars and brand in NZ.
It’s always interesting to see other market’s versions of your car. We have a 2016 CX-5 Sport, which is the facelifted first generation with the 2.5, automatic and AWD. Between snow and ice when skiing and frequent excursions on dirt roads we actually get good use from the AWD system. I don’t understand the hate for Mazda’s older screen, but then I listen to CD’s and rely on my phone for navigation.
The rear styling changes on the facelifted 2nd generation CX-5 make it look more like the first generation, too bad they did not do the same up front, the 2nd generation looks blank faced and beady eyed to me with the narrow headlights above blank sheet metal. It does not detract from the reliability, so my son’s friend bought a used 2020 and I’m gently prodding my father-in-law to replace his Audi Q3 with a Mazda. At 59 years I think climbing up into a car is more comfortable, which explained the popularity of the Scion xB and PT Cruiser with the older demographics. I certainly notice the difference when driving our other car, a 2003 Buick LeSabre. This has me rethinking a sports car.
My son recently bought a CX50 after a couple of years of deliberation where he seemed to vacillate between the CX5 (and then the CX50) and a VW Golf GTI. I’ve ridden in it a few times; comfortable and roomy but getting in is literally a step down compared to our Ford Transit or even my Tacoma 😀.
Late to the party here, Yohai, but welcome to Club Zoom-Zoom. 😉
We absolutely love our 2019 Mazda CX-5. I bought this about a year and a half ago for my wife to use to replace her Mitsubishi Lancer that she gave to our granddaughter.
I have to agree that the second generation, pre-facelift, is more attractive, but the current one looks good too.
Interesting that yours has the 2.0L, as the US spec version is not offered that way. The 2.0L was the base Mazda 3 engine in like 2012 or so. My stepson had one and it was very reliable. I’m hopeful that our normally aspirated 2.5L will turn out to be just as reliable.
Not sure about the current Israeli spec trim levels, but ours is a middle of the road trim called a Grand Touring. In 2019, this was highest trim you could get before crossing over to the turbocharged version of the 2.5L. Ours does have the AWD however.
Anyway, hopefully you’ll get many happy miles/kilometers out of yours. Enjoy!
I had to find a smaller sized picture, as my first choice was way too big to upload.
You mentioned getting older and getting in and out of a lower to the ground car. I hear you. I’m 64 now, and getting in and out of my Civic or Mustang ain’t getting any easier. The CX-5 ingress and egress is much easier. Now I see why older folks like them, and my wife appreciates the enhanced visibility at only 5’4” high.
At least it still handles good like a car.
Ours is in Mazda’s signature color, Soul Red….
Even though I’m not a fan of red(ish) colored cars (my wife practically hates it), I think this is the best color of the Mazda palette. They have some amazing colors altogether.
Thanks for all your comments, great info is further added to my post.
🙂
Great to read an extended Mazda ownership story – the Mazda 3 and CX-30 are on my possible list (in soul red!) and it’s good to read that the positive first and short impressions I’ve read elsewhere are carried through.
Biggest issue I have seen is the dark (grey and/or black) interiors, including the roof lining, unless you go for an expensive trim. Why? And with smallish and dark tint windows and no sunroof. Puzzles to be honest.
Nice to read another CX-5 review. I have been vacillating between one of these and a Dodge Charger (long story, and since car dealers scare me I haven’t tried getting in and out of the Charger yet). Unfortunately in the U.S. they are all AWD now and to have a top trim level (with the 360-degree camera) a turbo is mandatory too.
Like Roger above I find the dark interiors gloomy. Even the Signature Turbo I’d buy is all black inside except for the seats, whose brown is so dark it almost looks black anyway. Plus, they discontinued the lighter of two blue exterior colors for 2025.
At least Dodge offers real colors. A green Forester with brown interior is nice too. But I’m not sure I can face a CVT and giving up driving fun completely ….