Mazda CX5 compact crossover SUV?

[rationaloptimism]

What are the mustachian pros and cons of the Mazda CX5 compact crossover SUV?

[JLee]

My roommate has one. It's quite nice (the adaptive HID headlights are incredible), but they're newer/more expensive than I would buy myself.

[Roboturner]

we looked at the CX5, ended up going with the Mazda3 Hatch instead, we absolutely love it, personally i think the hatch has more than enough room for hauling etc.


So i suppose the real question is what are you using it for? commute only? hauling? Mazda's are super fun :)

[neo von retorch]

I owned a 2013 FWD Sport Manual for 2 years. The nice thing  then was that they cost $20,500... now they start at $22,750!

I averaged 31.2 mpg over 36,000 miles of driving. Traded it for $16,200, so $0.119 / mile depreciation.

In comparing to a Fit (the model I'd buy, because I'm not 100% frugal...), it's not bad, except for the initial price difference. Great mileage and a lot more space behind the rear seats.

Year   Make   Model Trim     MSRP    HP   lb/ft   Weight   lb/hp   City   Highway   Comb.   Tank   Range   CU FT   (folded)
2016   Honda Fit EX           17800   130   114   2573        19.8   29   37           32           10.6   339.2   16.6           52.7
2016   Mazda CX-5 Sport    21795   155   150   3212        20.7   26   35           29           14.8   429.2   34.1           64.8

[ketchup]

Without knowing too much about it:

Mustachian Pros:
Available with manual transmission
Somewhat reasonable gas mileage despite weight
Hatchback, so presumably decent cargo capacity
Mazda tends to be reliable

Mustachian Cons:
Oldest year is 2013, so it is expensive
Oldest year is 2013, so its long-term reliability is a wildcard
Oldest year is 2013, so there's less of a selection

It could be an OK option for you; it could be a laughably horrible option for you.  Your own personal situation matters a lot more than if it's "Mustachian" in a frictionless vacuum.

[RelaxedGal]

My husband chose between a Mazda CX-5, Honda CR-V, and Ford Escape.  I pushed for the Mazda because it had the best fuel economy of the three, he strongly considered the Ford because he can get A-Plan pricing, in the end went with the CR-V because it was the best fit for him.

Drives like a car, has a roof rack for hauling things, reasonable mpg (30ish highway).

IIRC the Mazda was similar but he didn't how it drove quite as well.  And the Ford felt like a truck.

As far as Mustachian pros and cons... Um, it's a huge gas guzzler, get thee a 10 year old Prius/Yaris/Fit.  Mr Money Mustache would tell you that you can haul things on top of any of those.  Or even better: on your bike trailer.  You only need something that big if you are hauling 5 people and 16 bags of groceries every day. 

[Giro]

I drove one of these recently for a business trip.  They have NO power.  Going up a hill was excruciating.  Getting passed by a heavy semi truck literally slowed me down by 10 mph.  I couldn't believe it. 

If you are using it for a flat commute, it might be okay.  If you need any power, it sucks eggs.

[JLee]

I drove one of these recently for a business trip.  They have NO power.  Going up a hill was excruciating.  Getting passed by a heavy semi truck literally slowed me down by 10 mph.  I couldn't believe it. 

If you are using it for a flat commute, it might be okay.  If you need any power, it sucks eggs.

Was something wrong with it?  My perception of 'fast' is twisted, as my car is approaching a very unmustachian 500hp, but I drive the CX5 fairly frequently and have never noticed a power problem.

[JLee]

If you are open to other models, consider having a look at the Ford C-Max.  I bought one in August after also considering a Prius V and a Subaru Crosstrek.   Liked the design of the C-Max much better than the Prius (driver's seat has adjustable height feature, which is great because I am short, and a HUGE front windshield -- best visibility of any car I've ever driven), and the price was much cheaper (I got them down to just under $18k + tax, got a $2k discount for signing up for dealer financing, paid the whole thing off before the first payment was due and paid under $100 in interest).  I do mostly city driving and have been getting 42 mpg.  Lots of storage space, especially when you fold the back seats down.

It's funny you say that....because my other roommate has a C-Max Energi.

I quite like it, more so than the CX-5, I think. The Energi is the plug-in hybrid and has a surprising amount of pep, but storage space suffers substantially due to the battery pack.

[neo von retorch]

As far as power goes - I drove it loaded with camping gear up Route 487 in Northeast Pennsylvania (near Rickett's Glen.) If you've ever been there, you know what kind of hill it is. Insane. It was great. Then again, so was my 2008 Fit with 109 HP. Yes, I had to downshift. Oh the humanity. But they are quick (as opposed to outright fast). Of course, you should get the 155HP 2.0 Manual for best fuel mileage - if you get a 2014+ auto, you'll get the 185HP 2.5 which actually gets nearly the same gas mileage... but AWD will definitely reduce it. The gears are low enough that you can have fun, but that's not why you're considering it.

One major advantage is the suspension. It's rated for 1000 lb payload. The 2008 Fit is pretty awful. I load it often, but it hurts from it... the back sags down. Just 8 bags of mulch was enough to put a serious hurt on it. The CX-5 wouldn't flinch at that sort of load. So if you do a lot of DIY that might involve bringing heavy things home in your car, keep that in mind. I don't mind moving small furniture and odds and ends in the Fit - even a king sized Ikea bed frame and rolled up foam mattress were great fits. But heavier stuff and bigger furniture is a no go. With the CX-5, I managed to move a love seat (2 cushion) and sofa (3 cushion) which was pretty neat. Of course, it was hanging out the back with the hatch up, but for a short trip, and $50 for the set... it was worth it!

[chemistk]

My wife and I own a 2014 Touring (with the 2.5l engine). You should not look at new cars if you're trying to think mustachian. Period. With a new car, you eat the depreciation once you drive off the lot. Used CX5's are holding value in the market so I would not look yet for one.

I'll give you my quick thoughts though:
-Fantastic for road trips. We have averaged around 34mpg with the cruise set and only stopping when necessary. The seats are very comfortable.
-Great driving dynamics for a car it's size. It hardly feels like a CUV, more like a small hatch. The steering is very responsive and you can really push it.
-It's been incredibly reliable for us. Regular oil changes and a new set of tires are all we've had to do.

From a mustachian perspective, the CX5 Is a terrible choice. If you're in the market for a CUV and you will not consider another option, it's the best you can buy.

[Giro]

My fast might be a little off too.  My car is now around 700hp at the wheel. 

Idk if anything was wrong with the one I drove.  It was new with out 4000 miles on it.  Could've been a lemon or could've been fine and I'm a speed-crazed lunatic.

[HPstache]

One of the sexiest Crossover's out there IMHO... hoping to get one when they get down to the $10K mark

[lbmustache]

Personally, I test drove a few and I found them to be great looking and driving, but really uncomfortable.  The seats hurt my back.  I adjusted them and adjusted them, tried both leather and cloth, but to no avail.  I was really disappointed because I loved it otherwise.  I ended up with a Honda HR-V instead, which I absolutely love.

I have a HR-V too that I really like! Driving conservatively on the freeway will get you ~40mpg :)

[use2betrix]

My wife and I own a 2014 Touring (with the 2.5l engine). You should not look at new cars if you're trying to think mustachian. Period. With a new car, you eat the depreciation once you drive off the lot. Used CX5's are holding value in the market so I would not look yet for one.

I'll give you my quick thoughts though:
-Fantastic for road trips. We have averaged around 34mpg with the cruise set and only stopping when necessary. The seats are very comfortable.
-Great driving dynamics for a car it's size. It hardly feels like a CUV, more like a small hatch. The steering is very responsive and you can really push it.
-It's been incredibly reliable for us. Regular oil changes and a new set of tires are all we've had to do.

From a mustachian perspective, the CX5 Is a terrible choice. If you're in the market for a CUV and you will not consider another option, it's the best you can buy.

For those with modest loads to tow the cx5 tow capacity does make it a great purchase. Many here unsafely and illegally tow with vehicles not equipped to do such and haul loads much greater than the gvwr. While saving is key, it should not come at the expense of the safety for others around you.

My next vehicle for my wife will likely be something I can find with good mileage and is rated to tow a small trailer. Her "mustachian" vehicle I bought her 2.5 years ago has hardly been mustachian. 99 Camry with 88k miles. Now has about 115k and the amount of money to keep fixing things is getting out of hand.

[SoccerLounge]

What are the mustachian pros and cons of the Mazda CX5 compact crossover SUV?

Pros: Nothing.

Cons: It's expensive, too new, and you don't need it.

There. ;)

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

If you are open to other models, consider having a look at the Ford C-Max.  I bought one in August after also considering a Prius V and a Subaru Crosstrek.   Liked the design of the C-Max much better than the Prius (driver's seat has adjustable height feature, which is great because I am short, and a HUGE front windshield -- best visibility of any car I've ever driven), and the price was much cheaper (I got them down to just under $18k + tax, got a $2k discount for signing up for dealer financing, paid the whole thing off before the first payment was due and paid under $100 in interest).  I do mostly city driving and have been getting 42 mpg.  Lots of storage space, especially when you fold the back seats down.

The used C-Max Energis are the same price as the hybrids; there's no premium for the plug-in. We've had a 2013 for a month and so far it's fantastic. At something like 95% EV driving so far.

It's funny you say that....because my other roommate has a C-Max Energi.

I quite like it, more so than the CX-5, I think. The Energi is the plug-in hybrid and has a surprising amount of pep, but storage space suffers substantially due to the battery pack.