Mazda CX-5

Update: 5 Dec 2025 (#1 - Auto Start-Stop function default is always ON and unless I turn this anoying feature off EACH TIME I START the vehicle, it will always turn the motor off at a stop. I find this feature unsafe because if I need to take off… Read more

to merge into traffic, I have to wait a few seconds for the engine to turn back on and then I can proceed. With heavy traffic, sometimes you need to dart into traffic or folks won't let you in. This Auto Start-Stop causes a few seconds delay in this necessity to quickly get into busy traffic. I have to always manually turn this feature OFF. (#2 - In order to have the clock display, the radio MUST be on too. How st>pid. The clock should be allowed to always display REGARDLESS if the radio is turned ON or OFF). INITIAL REVIEW: Looks great and modern, BUT: Why the tiny key buttons, why so small and in an inconvenient location (see picture) - And do not drop the weird CX-5 key on a hard surface because the cheap plastic covers will crack, pop-off, and you'll have difficulty trying to make sure the TINY lock or unlock buttons actually did their job. Plus, WHO DESIGNED THE SKINY BUTT SEATS? The right raised seat flange hurts my right thigh and disturbs working after a long drive. Additionally, the driver seat is positioned TOO much to the left which positions my legs and feet to be turned towards the right in order to point straight towards the control pedals. UNCOMFORTABLE! Hey Mazada engineers, couldn't you have increased the two front seats a few more centimetres wide rather than accomodating comfort for a skinny person? Moreover, it appears that the Mazada CX-5 designers smashed the front seats right up next to the centre console and left 50 cm on the left side of the seat between the door. Here is an idea - Centre the seats. And what about the forward pointing head rest causing my head to ALWAYS have to bend forward. I had a VW Golf and it took up less space in the garage and had a lot of space under the rear panel for storage, but the Mazada can't hold everything I used to store in the Golf. What the.....? Although the CX-5 takes up more room in the garage than the VW Golf, the Engineers seemed to be fixated on compacting the inside. If that wasn't enough describing my experience with this Mini-me inside CX-5, even the glove compartment is MUCH smaller than the Golf and does NOT accomodate the same items that were in the Golf's glove box. Darn! Plus, I miss the fuel efficiency of the Golf 1.9 LT engine as this small CX-5 2.0 LT engine is NOTICEABLY thirsty. Why did I get this Mazada CX-5, you may be asking? Well, happy partner, happy life exists as well as "Happy wife, happy life." If it were totally my choice, there wouldn't be a compactanized Mazada CX-5 in the Garage. FUEL ECONOMY: The Auto Start/Stop feature to save fuel is a joke because this CX-5 seems to use just as much fuel with the Auto-stop on. In my opinion, the only thing this Auto Start/Stop is doing is moving the repair/replacement date of the starter sooner. There is NO BIG DEAL with fuel economy with this Auto Stop feature on.

As far as small SUVs go, it's hard to beat the CX-5 for power, features and space – Mazda’s build quality is certainly above par. Mazda’s solid construction helps make it feel more luxurious than the likes of Subaru and Toyota, especially when it comes to the materials and finishes used in the CX-5. Our ‘Akera’ model of the CX-5 had some additional flair in the form of Nappa leather seats. However, the door handles, climate… Read more

controls and volume buttons all added to a higher sense of build quality. The way these elements felt weighty, crisp and slick to engage with were the reasons why the CX-5 felt like it had a superior quality to its construction.

Compared to a Subaru, the Mazda oozes attention to detail making it more appealing to those who would appreciate that. The small interactions with this car scratch a certain itch in my mind, like adjusting the temperature with high quality metal dials that turn with a satisfying ‘click’.

The AWD Akera trim of the CX-5 starts from $55,842 drive away.

To be honest, that’s a fair price for the features you’re getting and the amount of car you’re receiving. I appreciate Mazda restraining from heading north of the $60,000 range.

You can start the range for $45,190 drive-away with the entry-level Maxx Sport trim, but I’d recommend getting the most out of your CX-5 with something like the GT SP or the Akera.

Mazda offers a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty with the CX-5, and 5 capped price services.

Servicing intervals are 10,000km apart, which can seem a little short compared to the likes of Subaru.

Despite featuring twin tail pipes and a turbocharged motor, this is just as quiet as you’d expect a family SUV to be.

I absolutely adored the sound isolation provided by the CX-5. It was levels above its competition, preventing outside noise from bleeding into the cabin.

The upgraded speakers inside were a delight to listen to, but I’m not sure that should be the sole reason why you’d spend more money on going up the CX-5 range.

It was clear the CX-5 was trying to emulate the buttery braking experience found in the CX-8 and MX-30 Electric. It didn’t quite achieve that same status.

Rather, pushing the brake pedal felt predictable and perfectly responsive to your inputs, but there was a bit more pitch in the body when decelerating.

This CX-5 was fitted with the most powerful engine option you can get: a 2.5L turbocharged petrol four-cylinder.

Producing 170kW and 420Nm, with power being sent through all four wheels, this is one of the faster SUVs in its class. VW and Cupra take the crown when it comes to the quickest SUV options at this price point.

With more power than cars like the Subaru Outback and the RAV 4, you can ride the wave of torque without having to dig deep into the accelerator pedal.

The 6-speed automatic transmission provides smooth and seamless shifts, but is lacking a few gears that are usually found in other SUVs.

A 6-speed seems a little lacking on paper, but I never found the CX-5 to be high in the rev range at highway speeds. The ratios are clearly tuned for optimal efficiency and power delivery, seeing as it’s not ultra exciting to engage with.

Riding on larger 19-inch alloy wheels, the road can be felt just that little bit more through the cabin. It’s a lot better than some other SUVs that opt for 20-inch wheels, but it’s going to feel a little more stiff than 18-inch wheel options.

The CX-5 feels more sporty and engaging than other SUVs in this category thanks to the suspension and steering. It’s clear why most people consider Mazda more fun to drive.

Corners can be a bit of entertainment too. However, I can’t help but feel there’s just a little lacking in the driving experience from the engine and gearbox.

There’s enough ground clearance to confidently head into Off-Road mode too. It’s not enough to traverse over really deep mud ruts or get lost on the beach, but is rather a handy mode to head to a farm house or your favourite campground.

This SkyActiv motor returned figures around the 10L per 100km mark. That’s a fine and respectable figure for an SUV of this size and power.

The Mazda CX-5 doesn’t have an interior as visually striking as Kia’s new cars, but it has a restrained and minimalist finish that hones in on the right things.

There are three displays, a drivers display (flanked by analogue dials) and a central 10.12-inch infotainment non-touch screen.

The interior is simple, but effective. The controls are easy to navigate and understand, and there’s little to no learning curve to using them.

I love the clean, parallel lines and the back to basics approach of the interior. More impressive though is the use of materials; rich Nappa leather, stitching, and high quality switchgear elevate the interior design, pushing it above the likes of Toyota.

The Subaru Forester has the upper hand when it comes to interior storage, but the CX-5 isn’t too far behind.

An automatic tailgate reveals a boxy, flat load area. That’s good enough for 438L of cargo. Fold the seats down in a 40:20:40 configuration, and you’ll see just over 1,340L of cargo space. It’s not the biggest SUV, but at least you can make the most of the internal space by folding just that middle seat down.

However, there’s a slight problem by just folding that middle seat, or having someone sit in it, as the controls for the rear heated seats and USB port are found in the centre arm rest. It’s a strange oversight from the company that pays great attention to the small details in their cars.

Certainly consider it against the likes of the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV 4 and VW Tiguan, as the CX-5 might not appeal to all. You might need more boot space (Forester), prefer more power (Tiguan) or want a hybrid drivetrain (RAV 4). But for the best blend of all of the above, the CX-5 is the ideal ‘just right’ option for many.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.

this is a crap car – this car is full of crap never buy Mazda one of the worst buy ever in my life always breakdown in 100 km such is piece of crap hit Show details

Mazda CX-5 buyer beware – My partners car Mazda CX-5 2016 KE 11. Regularly serviced by Mazda Penrith, 154,000 klms, 6 months out of warranty. Blown head gasket. Original owner. Will never buy another Mazda. Nil response from Mazda.Paid $48,000. Air bubbles in the videos are exhaust gases pushing thru into coolant, dirty brown coolant is exhaust gas contamination. Show details

Nice vehicle, great quality control, good features and enjoyable to drive. The 2.5L is powerful but fuel economy could be better, maybe with better gearing to improve economy when driving on highways and there are some features that I am not a fan of. It is great however that the driving sensors are not too sensitive, in other cars they can be annoying. Competent vehicle for towing too. Show details

Magnificent Mazda - Zoom Zoom! – Absolutely love our CX5 touring! The car drives beautifully, very low cabin noise (Oct 2021 model). The colour is Soul Crystal Red that looks spectacular! (its the vibrant red you can't miss when driving around (i've always wanted this colour). We have just had a week of rain and the car looks like its been freshly polished (does not show the… Read more ·  2

dirt!).

We chose the CX5 touring AWD 2.5 petrol as we do a mix of city and country driving and wanted the extra mumbo of the 2.5 on the open road. Also the touring has the 17" wheels that provide a comfortable ride when compared to the 19" wheels on the other models.

I love the way the car is so zippy and fun to drive around, but still has plenty of room for 4-5 people and the boot is a nice generous size. The rear seats can be folded flat, via a small lever on the side of the boot (its works well) which provides loads of room for bikes etc. The rear seat folds 3 ways (there is a centre part that folds flat for long items like skiis which is really handy if you have 2 people in the back). My kids also love the rear a/c vents and usb ports (note: on my touring, the USB ports are on the small fold down centre part, drink holder inside the seat, if you're looking for them).

Fuel economy is remarkable, I just did a run at around 80km/h and achieved 5.9l/100km (see photo attached). Adding in a few traffic lights, it went up to 6.5l/100km. There is no need to buy a $60k hybrid! The car gets along very well, accelerates quickly to 100km/h. The motor is super quiet and refined and the 6 speed gearbox changes quickly and smoothly. Open road driving is also a pleasure with plenty of go go, even with 4 people on board. Mazda motors are happy to rev and it provides a sporty and confident drive.

The interior is of high quality, nice seats and all the buttons have a nice "feel" of luxury (almost BMW quality).

We looked into Hybrids and electric cars but they are very expensive and don't save you anything. For example, we paid $30k for the CX5 (21 model), but to buy a hybrid at $60,000 you would need to keep the car for 80 years to pay back the minis cure fuel saving. Hybrids are very complex and will need a new battery after 8 years at $10,000 (ouch!!). Better to invest your money into a 12% return ETF rather than blowing your money on a car that will be worthless in 10 years, or better still, put down a deposit on an investment unit.

Electric cars are also $60K+ and even after paying petrol for the CX5 i'm miles ahead. EV's will need a new $25k battery in 8 years, but the CX5 will easily get 20+ years and 300,000km of driving. Also, there are many reports of Telsas only getting 220km of range, when they should get 455km (spec sheet) when open road driving and drivers selling them to go back to petrol (I couldn't even drive to Sydney without hunting around for a charger).

The CX5 uses a simple 4 cylinder 2.5l motor with maintenance free timing chain. The motor is so smooth and refined you can hardly hear it running. The transmission is a conventional 6 speed (not CVTs or DSGs like most manufacturers that are cheap and use a belt to push you along. I prefer gears any day). My friend at work has 420,000 Km on his Mazda and still buzzing along.

I would avoid the diesel in this model (many reports of issues, see reviews below) - the small fuel saving is quickly lost by repair costs. Most negative reviews relate to the diesel so just buy the petrol.

The entertainment system works well, with Navigation, USB Ipod, Bluetooth, Apple carplay and android auto. You can use the touch screen, or there is an nice button selector near the gearshift that is easy to access while driving.

The car has flappy paddle gear shifters. I liking being able to just click the paddle down a gear when travelling downhill, then the system reverts to auto mode again. Its very nice and works well.

This is my 3rd Mazda and they are all been very good. My last Mazda went for 220,000km and still going strong (only sold it for a new one, not because of any issues).

Servicing every 10,000km or 1 yearly.

We compared the CX3 and CX5 in the car yard, and the CX3 roof line is substantially lower, shorter and is very small. You would fill up the CX3 boot with a week of groceries. I would recommend the CX5 for most people, it provides a practical car that can easily do short town runs, but large enough for touring/day trips/camping etc.

My only hesitation (at first) with this vehicle was the engine stop/start Istop (this basically stops the engine at traffic lights). I feel that starting/stopping motors generates the most wear on cam shafts/bearings etc to save 2 drops of fuel. However, the engine only stops when you press the brake pedal "hard" whilst stopped, so if you are gentle on the brake pedal, the motor will stay running. There is also a button you can press, to keep the engine running, but not sure why the car does not hold this setting for the next startup (the button needs to be pressed on the next start). In summary, I'm happy with the Istop and has not been an issue at all (with light brake press the motor stays running, and no need to press the button).

Mazdas have always been a high quantity, reliable, and great value Japanese made cars, without paying $20k more for a Toyota.

Purchased 3weeks ago through a private sale ,Nice tidy, clean well presented had a vehicle inspection done, seemed to have ticked all the boxes. First week alls well then 2rd week suddenly the brake pedal became solid and hard to stop we took to our mechanic , they informed us that it is a common issue with the MazdaCX5’s vacuum control Pump… Read more

wear out its not creating any vacuum to the Brake booster so will need to changed it @ part cost$736 from Mazda to fix the issue. Our mechanic also found that the camshaft that drive the pump is also damaged due to lack of Insufficient oil pressure and we should replace that which also from mazda $974.plus gaskets engine flush etc, but wait, the fuel injections are that badly contaminated by clogged up carbon hence low oil pressure, injections are $638each So $4400 in parts 8hours labour $1320 Total close to $5800 later it runs fine now The up side is unfortunately its cost a bit to fix properly but hey It is what it is cheers

Mazda, No Zoom, Zoom, No Care – This is about Mazda appalling customer care and even worse dealership service. I like the car, second one I have owned, it will be the last because of this. The Mazda is two years old, 5 year warranty, low mileage. The rear wheel trim came loose, flapping around in the wind. I secured it with duct tape, and replaced a screw fitting that had come… Read more

out in order to eliminate further damage and the whole trim ripping off. I went to Mazda dealership at South Nowra, asked for it to be repaired under warranty. We will take a look, take some photos and forward to Mazda for approval the dealership said. Should be ok as it doesn’t indicate any wilful damage. We will repair it next service. 2 months later I have received no call back, service is due so I phoned up. We haven’t heard back from Mazda was the reply. Bring in the car for service, we’ll fix it. I turn up, there’s a new Service Manager. No we cannot fix it I will have to refer it to Mazda I’m advised abruptly. Service carried out, no we haven’t submitted the claim you will have to come back. We can replace it for around $500. But it’s clearly a warranty issue I say. No we cannot fix it unless approved by Mazda. We will send the photos again showing there is no obvious wilful damage. I follow up again 2 months on, still no reply. It’s now 12 months and 4 follow ups since I reported the fault. I have no resolution, never received a call except those I made and the Nowra dealership refuses to address it. Very, very sad Mazda. I shall continue to relate this lack of customer care and warranty failure until I receive at least a call why this is not being addressed.

Awful – All of the Mazda CX5 have a bowed dashboard. It has a large gap where it it not joined properly. It is an obvious ugly fault and gives me anxiety every single time I get in it to drive it. Mazda have refused to fix it stating it is a mass produced car and nothing can be done. 58k for a terrible interior finish. It looks awful and broken. Not happy. Would not recommend. Show details

Not as promised! – Mazda promised 5 years free service but this is not true. It was actually 5 times free service. In fact, for one of my brake problem they did it as part of the service where I lost one of the service privilege. Further they would send emails or texts every six months saying your service is due but that was not the case. If you do it every six… Read more

months then your 5 services will end in 2 and half years. I had to pay for my fifth one ($350+) because, as I said above, they have used one service for a brake service which is a warranty problem. When I disputed about this, the receptionist at the Liverpool NSW car service was rude and nonchalant. I stopped sending my car to them. They did not specific it was five free service when I bought the car but said it was 5 years free service. This is unfair!

Almost perfect – This car is excellent. I purchased a Mazda CX5 Grand Touring in 2018 and have no regrets. The car is low mileage but still drives like new. The build quality has been great and the service pricing is reasonable. I would have given 5 stars apart from poor post-sales service. Mazda really needs to invest in its customer experience. If you contact… Read more

Mazda via email don't expect a response. If you phone them you'll get routed to someone who'll take your message and tell you they'll get someone to call you back. Don't expect a response!

I recently had to pay $220 for a replacement battery that was covered under warranty (a common fault on the CX5) as the earliest date any dealer within 50Km could give me was 2-3 months away.

I was planning on upgrading to a CX9 this year but will probably now hold off and buy an electric vehicle next year.

To summarize, If you're looking for a great family SUV that is reasonably priced, reliable and of good build quality you won't go wrong with a Mazda CX5. However, in the unlikely instance, you need to contact Mazda (or a dealer) for help Good luck!