2020 Mazda CX-5 review & buyer's guide
If you want one of the best driving, most luxurious and surprisingly capable five-seat SUVs in the market, don’t blow your cash-load on an elitist rip-off…
If you’re looking at the Mazda CX-5 then your requirements for an SUV have grown beyond its smaller siblings, and you’re ready for the big time.
Shopping for a CX-5 is a balance between features you need and what you want to spend, because Mazda’s pricing is up there and you’re not getting a car that isn’t worth it.
But do be warned, Mazda has updated the CX-5 for 2020 with two very poorly thought-through features, if you can call them that >>
Firstly, the Mazda brand value has greater gravitational pull than ever before. I’d say it’s even stronger than Honda’s was in the 1990s.
There’s a good reason Mazda is number two car brand in Australia - people have woken up to the bullshit they were being fed by Holden and Ford for starters - and Mazda has ramped up its game ten fold in the last decade.
Mazda CX-5 takes an étron on Audi Q5 for value.
The engines are excellent, their interiors are better than a Mercedes, the build quality is higher than anything the Germans can manage and the pricing doesn’t give you pinkeye like the Brexitanian-come-Hindu crap Jaguar Land Rover tries to pass off as worth it.
The CX-5 is the perfect case in point - there’s nothing about the top-spec Akera at $48k which can’t convince a rational human being not to shovel their money into the federal government’s Luxury Car Tax coffer.
CX-5, granted, is $7000 more than the smaller CX-3 at $38k, and dimensionally it’s the same story.
CX-3 is brushing its tummy on tall grass at just 180mm high, it’s 1765mm wide, and 4275mm long with a 2570mm wheelbase - exactly 270mm shorter than the CX-5’s 2700mm wheelbase - hence the superior leg room for anybody over five-foot-seven. But, if you’re a driver like me, CX-3 is 1346kg (kerb) - 300kg lighter than the CX-5 which comes in at 1682kg (kerb) - so if you’re living a minimalist existence (no kids, apartment, still going out clubbing) then don’t bother with a CX-5.
*Whinging, chai-latte sipping Millennial moochers not to scale with CX-3.
But if you need the mid-size SUV with the most amount of ultimate cabin space for you and your human kind, CX-5 has the longest wheelbase of the main competitors at exactly 2.7m. In fact, the rear wheels almost look like they’re right under the rear bumper, such do they sit right in the rear corners of the car. It’s a difference of 30mm at most, but if you’re trying, you’ll notice it.
If you do need everything up-sized, to match your income, the amount of food the weeds eat (as they reach puberty), and the trips to the beach etc you’re planning, then you’re probably about to join the nearly 1900 others who opted into a CX-5 in 2019. If you’re looking at three kids all in that child-seat era, consider the CX-9 or possibly a Kia Carnival if you need ample room for prams, additional adults, bikes, bags en masse etc.
Top 10 Medium SUV sales 2019
Unfortunately there are still thousands of people sucked in by the likes of Nissan, Volkswagen, Honda and the turkeys that are Ford’s products which barely had a pulse in 2019.
So let’s talk about why the Mazda CX-5 makes sense forsaking (nearly) all others.
CX-5 is definitely one of the best-equipped five-seat SUVs on sale right now…
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Love
2.5-litre petrol turbo four-cylinder is well engineered and delivers excellent performance
Back seats are far from just add-on derriere parking bays
Tyre pressure monitoring standard across the range
Proper 1.8 tonne braked towing capacity + 11m turning circle
Finally Mazda catches up with the world and includes Apple CarPlay & Android Auto standard
Five-star ANCAP safety rating; strong crash performance
Decent boot space at 442L (rear seats up)
Nappa leather (Akera) is downright sexy
Nappa leather: who’s premium now, Chermans?
Hate
MZD Connect and rotary dial: fiddly and distracting to use while driving
Pricey. CX-5, like it’s bigger sister CX-9, is expensive in every model grade
Tolerating a space saver spare wheel at 80km/h in that moment you have a flat is not luxurious
360 degree monitor needs work, obscures vehicle’s corners (the most important bit of visual information you need when reversing)
Five model grades is too many; four at most
Diesel engine not available with FWD: only AWD from second-tier Maxx Sport up
I-stop stop/start ignition is annoying on two levels: 1. It’s standard; 2. it defaults to on every time you start the car afresh
Rotary dials are not ergonomic while driving.
Mazda camera system needs to show corners.
Over throne
The point I made in my CX-9 report still stands with the CX-5 regarding that time long, long ago, in an automotive galaxy far, far away, when luxury and mass-market cars were polar opposites.
Luxury was an unattainable palace on the hill where kings and queens gazed out across the sodden farmlands as the poor lived in squalor, ploughing the fields, trying to make ends meet. Mazda and Kia have slain the uber-comfortable German Hochadel, whom seem to have fallen asleep while eating on the throne.
The CX-5 range goes thus: Maxx and Maxx Sport in front-wheel drive, and then Maxx and Maxx Sport (again), Touring, GT and Akera in all-wheel drive.
Makes sense?
Mazda’s all-wheel drive system is on-demand only (so don’t go driving on the beach or up the soggy camping trail lest you get stuck, break your SUV and void your warranty), and that AWD system adds a whopping $5000 to the base model Maxx’s $35k starting price. Which puts it right into the firing line of one of the biggest badges in the all-wheel drive business: Subaru. In particular, the Forester.
Right here and now, I’ll say it. If you’re forced into a tight budget and you absolutely need all-wheel drive because you frequent dodgy roads, then don’t bother with a CX-5 Maxx at $40k. Go straight for a Subaru Forester with a much better permanent AWD system, hill descent control etc (part of X-Mode), and a much bigger boot 498L vs 442).
Natural aspiration
Mazda calls its engines ‘SkyActiv’, which is just a sub-brand that means they’ve put a lot of engineering development work into making them good.
There are two engines. A 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder which is naturally aspirated, offering a pretty high compression ratio of 14:1, power of 115kW @ 6000rpm and torque 200Nm @ 4000rpm which is good enough for those shopping in the budget aisle for afront-wheel drive only CX-5 with a good boot, great safety and adequate performance (still with that 1800kg braked towing) with change to spend on more wholesome things like food or insurance. The 2.0-litre is available in six-speed auto or manual.
But if you need an on-demand AWD , you’ll be getting the 2.5-litre four-cylinder SKyActiv powerplant and that’s good.
Good in the sense that the 2.5 has proven pretty reliable in-service with minimal problems (if any), offering potent performance thanks to the addition of a turbocharger.
The 2.5’s figures go like this: 140kW at 5000rpm and 252Nm of torque from 4000 revs - both engines running on regular 91 octane.
And the diesel offers
If you want to know what it is that makes Mazda’s motors sparkle (and no, it’s not the weird “horse and man become one” euphemism poorly translated from “jinba-ittai”), here it is:
“Conventional internal combustion engines are only able to harness around 30% of fuels potential energy. By pushing the limits of internal combustion, Mazda has developed the SKYACTIV family of engines which can deliver much greater fuel efficiency than conventional engines.
Simply put, SKYACTIV engines can compress the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders to an extraordinary degree, squeezing far more energy from every drop of fuel.
With their compression ratio of 14:1, unparalleled among mass production engines…resulting in 15 percent increases in fuel efficiency and torque (for second-generation SkyActiv-G engine).
What I appreciate about Mazda publishing information about its engines is it instils confidence in the product, both for you in the brand, and the brand in itself and its products.
A brand which hides and weasels its way around technical problems suggests they probably haven’t properly baked their R&D, at least it does to me. At the very least it’s what they’re not saying that raises eyebrows.
Happily, Mazda continues, talking not just the good, but also the “challenges” they faced. Namely, using such a high compression ratio of 14.0:1 means dealing with knocking - the premature combustion of the air-fuel mixture caused by high compression and temperature - which is more likely to occur at “top dead centre” of the combustion chamber the higher the compression ratio.
Cylinder deactivation will also see two cylinders shut down during low-load requirements such as high-gear freeway driving to save fuel. This idea has been around for some time, and in mid-2019 Mazda did issue a recall for the software managing that process, but I understand it was a precautionary measure, not a reactionary one.
I think as a menial fuel-saving measure it beats the shit out of stop-start systems - which I hate - for refinement and saving premature wear on ignition batteries.
You can read about the petrol engine in greater insomnia-curing detail on Mazda’s website >> or do the same for the SkyActiv-D diesel engine here >>
Shifting sands
It’s also easy to decide on how to have your CX-5 served because you’re not choosing from a list of different types and configurations of transmission because there’s one.
You get a typical six-speed cyclical sports-auto transmission which doesn’t do anything poorly in its duties and comes in either a typical sport-shifting automatic, or the pov-pack, ultra old-school, tri-pedal manual (FWD Maxx only with 2.0-litre engine).
Mazda has chosen to make a really smooth-shifting, intuitive transmission here (which they also couldn’t resist branding “SkyActiv” too), rather than make you deliberate further when you change FWD to AWD, or petrol to diesel, or even when you pick the top-shelf model.
Other brands could learn something here. Bamboozling consumers with engines, gearboxes and drivetrains is exhausting. Keep it simple. Good gearbox anyway.
What is noticeably unrefined is Mazda’s i-Stop engine stop/start system which, like virtually every other system of its kind, jolts the car upon restart at the lights or when turning out of an intersection. It does activate pretty quickly, which is good, but it spoils the whole experience in what is an otherwise nice engine and drivetrain to use. And, while you can turn it off, it defaults to on every single time you start the car from scratch.
In the CX-9 however, it’s almost seamless. You barely notice it.
Taking a punt
In traffic, the CX-5 isn’t just quick off the line for an SUV, it’s punchy full-stop. There are moments when you put your foot down gently to enter a freeway or simply overtake and you need to immediately back off before putting yourself in the crosshairs of the constabulary.
Against the 2.4L petrol engine in the Kia Sportage the CX-5 is a nose in front on refinement, but it’s line-ball against the 1.6 turbo in the Hyundai Tuscon which also gives the CX-5 a jab to the ribs with the seven-speed dual-clutch. There are moments where the CX-5 wants to keep revving in the same gear when you want it to settle down, which you don’t get with the DCT. Know your transmission here >>
The Tuscon makes its power lower in the rev range than both the Mazda and the Kia, but they’re all pretty close on power-to-weight here - although the CX-5 wins overall on 83kW/t against the 82 in Sportage and 80 in Tuscon respectively. The Sportage 2.2 diesel is ideal if you’re a regional or rural buyer with a need for 1900kg of towing capacity (although I caution against putting that sort of weight behind a 1700kg vehicle).
Mazda’s hybrid CX-5 is years away, so your only option in this regard is the Toyota RAV4 which you can study here >>
Model line-up
CX-5 Maxx - petrol, naturally aspirated, FWD manual: $31,990 | petrol FWD auto: $33,990 | 2.5L petrol AWD: $36,990
Standard features:
CX-5 Maxx looks gaunt beside Akera, but gets good standard kit.
Adaptive radar cruise control + autonomous emergency braking (urban, up to 30km/h) forward & reverse
Rear parking sensors + reversing camera + blind spot monitoring + rear cross-traffic alert
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto + seven-inch infotainment screen + DAB+ digital radio
16-inch alloys, tyre pressure monitoring
2.5-litre petrol engine (AWD only, +$5000 over FWD, N/A petrol)
CX-5 Maxx Sport - petrol AWD: $39,990 | petrol, naturally aspirated FWD $40,400 | diesel AWD $42,990
Added features:
17-inch charcoal alloys + satnav + dual-zone climate control
2.2-litre diesel (AWD only) - additional 156kg kerb weight (1715kg) choosing diesel over over N/A petrol
CX-5 Touring - petrol, naturally aspirated, AWD: $45,300 | diesel AWD: $45,500
Added features:
Front parking sensors (in addition to rear)
Heads-up display (windscreen) + traffic speed sign recognition +
Synthetic suede seats + heated door mirrors
CX-5 GT - petrol, naturally aspirated, AWD: $47,700 | add $2500 for turbo: $50,200 | diesel AWD: $53,500
CX-5 GT: the best all-round compromise on price/features.
Added features:
Sunroof + power tailgate + adaptive front-lighting system (swivels based on steering input)
19-inch polished charcoal alloys (up from 17-inch) + 55mm profile tyres (up from 65mm) - increased ride height from 193mm to 200mm
Heated front seats (now leather) with power adjustment (plus driver lumbar)
Premium BOSE® audio w/ 10 speakers
Additional 41kg kerb weight (1756kg) over N/A petrol choosing diesel
CX-5 Akera - petrol, naturally aspirated, AWD: $50,500 | add $3000 for turbo-petrol, AWD: $53,500 | diesel AWD: $54,000
Adaptive LED headlights + LCD driver dash cluster screen + frameless rearview mirror
Heated rear outer seats + heated steering wheel + Nappa leather seats + ventilated (cooled) front seats
360-degree camera system
LED boot lighting
+30Nm of torque w diesel over turbo-petrol + variable geometry turbo w diesel (incl. all diesel variants)
Safety net
Once again the ANCAP rating system proves confusing for ordinary people to understand, but remains important for you to be aware of.
The 2019-rated Subaru Forester scores 94% for adult occupant protection (the important tests for being in an actual crash), despite being an incrementally better performer against the 2017-rated CX-5 which scored 95% under slightly less strict protocols.
ANCAP has been encouraging people to get into the safest vehicle they can afford, while also using a three-year rolling period in which to shop for new cars. Technically then, the CX-5 wouldn’t fit into that period, yet to the consumer, looks like the safer vehicle against the newer, safer Forester.
See CX-5’s technical report here >>
And get Forester’s technical report here >>
Either way, both vehicles are inherently some of the safest vehicles on the road which punters can buy, so don’t sweat it too much.
Some points to consider include the blind-spot detection system which picks up vehicles well out of the danger zone one would normally associate with being too close to merge, change lanes or whatever. About 1.5 vehicle lengths in front of the car behind is a pretty safe margin, but the CX-5 seems to beep at about 2-2.5 car lengths which is a bit excessive.
According to ANCAP’s report, the “The standard-fit autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system performed well in tests of its effectiveness at highway speeds, with all collisions avoided or mitigated".
Except that statement is misleading and makes you think all is perfect, when in fact it’s not. At 45km/h the AEB system managed to reduce the vehicle’s speed to 16km/h as it detected a child pedestrian stepping out from behind parked cars on the right-hand side.
The dummy was still hit doing 16km/h and certainly, the AEB system mitigated the crash to be less severe by reducing speed significantly, which is a warning to anybody thinking they can buy all the collision avoidance features and switch off behind the wheel. The Forester in the same test passed without hitting the dummy.
The five-seat mid-size competition
Here is the good and bad about each of CX-5’s main competitors for the quin-occupant SUV contest:
Toyota RAV4 Edge: from $52,333 before on-road costs:
The all-rounder which leans slightly toward rough, and less rouge.
I like the cut of the RAV’s jib, offering petrol-only or hybrid powertrains for the primary use of most school-run SUVs: the school run, followed by the work commute. Taller than Tuscon, Sportage and CX-5, bigger wheelbase (2.69m) and therefore more cabin space than the rest bar Jeep, power-to-weight of 91.0kW/t is third behind Jeep and CX-5, but no diesel option shows any significant demanding towing is not in its portfolio - best leave that to the Tuscon, Sportage, CX-5 or Mitsubishi Outlander.
Hyundai Tuscon Highlander: from $53,819 driveaway:
Possibly the best value mid-size SUV in this distinguished company, depending on where you sit on the luxury scale.
The Hyundai/Kia 2.2 diesel is unbelievably good for heavy-ish towing up to two tonnes thanks to a strong 400Nm from 2750rpm, offering superb long-distance fuel economy quoted at 6.4L/100km on the combined laboratory bench test cycle. Decent fuel tank at 62L, 2250kg payload and full-size spare wheel beats RAV4 Edge, however the Toyota comes with a knee airbag and the Hyundai does not. Highlander does give you all the safety gear, from adaptive cruise to auto emergency braking etc., 245/45R19 tyres are slightly wider than 235/55R19s on the RAV4 Edge offering better lateral grip on-road. Excellent customer service.
Kia Sportage GT-Line: from $49,490 driveaway:
Not quite as duck-down silky smooth as the CX-5, but certainly a close second.
Kia’s 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel comes with lockable all-wheel-drive, 1900kg towing capacity (2.4 petrol - 1500kg). On the road it’s really well sorted out, dynamically, it’s well damped and agile when you’re on the move without feeling bulky and cumbersome. It’s a fair old hike uphill to Sportage GT Line, compared with its more affordable sub-variants, but you get trimmings: 19-inch alloys (with matching spare), proxy key, flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle-shift, front powered seats, bi-xenon lights, LED foglamps, powered tailgate, wireless phone charging, all the collision avoidance gear (incl adaptive cruise) and auto parking. A strong on-road-only all-rounder. Look for good deals on current model soon to be succeeded.
Subaru Forester 2.5i-S: from $47,966 driveaway:
Go almost anywhere, take plenty (but not too much) with you.
Undoubtedly the most off-road competent SUV without spending up to get a low-range gearbox, locking differentials and talking about breakover angles. X-Mode, combined with Subaru’s renowned symmetrical all-wheel drive is excellent for light to moderate conditions like wet compacted sand, dirt and gravel tracks, traipsing up and down slippery slopes and heading up to the snow without chains (but definitely with an air compressor) aboard.
Best ride height: 220mm and superb ergonomics between driver and EyeSight safety suite; 498L boot space, although a wide compartment, can’t match RAV4 for sheer boot space at 580L. A full-size spare treats your safety with greater importance, which is always nice, and so too is the Subaru CVT. If you’re the regular camping type who likes to bugger off every second weekend, Forester is a hot contender. Now with hybrid option in 2020.
Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk: from $50,000-$54,400k before on-road costs:
Dead sexy, understandably desirable, but don’t do this to yourself.
Jeep and its parent company Fiat Chrysler Australia are infamous for making up every excuse in the book for not treating customers with the basic decency expected for stray dogs. Having said that, Jeep does have a solid reputation for off-road capability and the Trailhawk gets tough off-road suspension, a mechanically lockable rear differential with low-range gearset, and a terrain management system with rock-climbing mode, two hyper-masculine tow hooks up-front, plus a wading depth of 480mm (with extra water sealing).
And the 3.2L Pentastar V6 offers a heady 200kW and 315Nm of torque which Jeep claims will haul up to 2.2 tonnes. Shame about the properly shit customer service you’ll receive (on the balance of probability) when something goes ping. Expensive servicing costs and park brake derived from early portable barbecues and shopping trolleys is stereotypically ‘Merican. If only they could get their act together commercially because I love what Jeep stands for, and I want a Trailhawk. I do. We all do.
Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed: from $46,190 driveaway:
Respectable in almost every sense, except where aesthetics are concerned. That face.
But, if you can remember that you never have to see yourself driving it, and you want practicality in spades, the only seven-seater in this group is the Outlander. If you can’t stomach (nor afford) to push $60k for a lumbering seven-seat SUV like Santa Fe, Sorento, CX-9 or you’re not joining Club Breeder en mass to warrant a Kia Carnival, then Outlander Exceed with a third row is a clever choice. You get a 2.2L direct-injection diesel, six-speed CVT auto with paddle-shift, good equipment levels including entertainment and safety” adaptive cruise, auto emergency braking and the rest, plus a pretty good boot space at 477L (third row down). There’s also a petrol option if you’re more of a city dweller which will save you $3000. PHEV plug-in hybrid option has been recently updated too.
Cage match
The gravitational pull of the big German Wurstküche is hard to look past, an Audi draws your eye like cocaine on a size 8 derriere. But it’s a slippery slope into the toothed sandworm’s jaws when it comes to value for money.
Audi Q5:
from $65,900 to $99,990 before ORC
Diesel 2.0L: 140kW / 400Nm (power-to-weight: 69.5 kW/t)
3.0 diesel 210kW / 620Nm /
petrol: 185kW / 370NmBoot space: 550L / 1550L
Length: 4.66m Wheelbase: 2.8m
Towing capacity (braked): 2000kg
Lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, cyclist alert all standard
Forward/reverse autonomous emergency braking
Tri-zone climate (in a five-seater)
Fuel: premium 95RON or higher (petrol 45 TFSI)
360-degree camera (optional) $884
Cargo rails $350
Panoramic sunroof $2400
Metallic+pearl paint $1530
Heated, folding door mirrors; electric front seats w memory (comfort package $2500)
Heads-up display (tecknik package $2500 incl paddle shift, 8.3in display)
8 speaker stereo: (Bang & Olufsen 3D Sound System, 19 speakers optional)
Mazda CX-5 Akera:
$53k driveaway
Diesel: 140kW / 252Nm | turbo-petrol: 140kW / 450Nm (power-to-weight: 98.8 kW/t)
Boot space: 442L / 1342L
Length: 4.55m Wheelbase: 2.7m
Towing capacity (braked): 2000kg
Lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, rear-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, cyclist alert all standard
Forward/reverse autonomous emergency braking
Dual-zone climate for five-seater
360-degree camera
Fuel: 91RON unleaded
Metallic+pearl paint $495
Heated (and cooled) seats front driver & passenger, heated steering wheel
Heads-up display
Sunroof
Heated, folding door mirrors; electric front seats w memory
Auto, adaptive LED headlights
10 speaker Bose stereo
Conclusion
The Mazda CX-5 does so many things right it’s hard to justify to any rational human being why “luxury” brands get to keep such categorisation.
It puts the comforts of 2020 motoring within conceivable reach of mere mortals like you and I, without having to be given the reach-around by brands seemingly disconnected with reality.
CX-5 certainly puts style and plushness before ruggedness and dirt-road prowess, but for the majority of the car-buying public, that’s exactly what you need - and the sales results prove that.
It isn’t perfect, and certainly things like the 360-degree camera and the space-saver spare need rethinking, but if you want to tow more than most and do it from the leather-wrapped grace of a top-spec Akera, you should do that. But if it’s kids and budget first, grab yourself a Touring or maybe GT if you can step up to that level cash-wise.
But that’s what Mazda has done very well here - even if you can’t reach a Touring or GT in affordability terms - the base models still pack plenty of bang-for-your-buck.
Either way, you’re getting a brand with historically good customer support at the dealership level too, and Mazda definitely takes pride (not arrogance) in its products as far as I’m aware.
And when it’s all said and done, at least you can stand back and think happily, “Yeah, it is better-looking than the RAV4, and I didn’t have to spend Audi money”. So that’s nice.
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