Mazda CX-5 KE.I (2012-2014)

Great car but not perfect – Our Mazda CX-5 is a GT, top of the line when we purchased it in 2012. It is used for everyday commuting to and from work or shops. It has also done lots of long distance driving between Southeast Queensland, Sydney and Southern NSW. Overall, the CX-5 drives really well, is really fuel efficient and comfortable. The CX-5 is designed really well,… Read more

thought was given to the rear cargo cover being retractable and being easily removed. The seating position is great, which makes it comfortable for long drives, and heated seats which is nice for the lower back. Servicing has been reasonable throughout the 11 years of ownership and Mazda has always let us know of any mechanical concerns that we might want attended to, without being overly pushy. The only negative feedback I have is that there were a couple of parts that failed outside of manufacturer warranty that Mazda were aware could fail, and we had to pay for those replacements. Some of the plastic trimming in the CX-5 has warped over time, despite the car being garaged and us always using a sun shield when parked, and the car just was not designed with thought of a child seat in mind as the front passenger has to have their knee just about touching the dashboard to ensure the baby/child seat fits correctly and with enough room.

Otherwise, the Mazda CX-5 is a great vehicle that serves its purpose very well.

A good car with some noticeable niggles – For context, my previous car was a 2012 VW Golf GTD (diesel) which is a pretty tough act to follow. Firstly, as nice a build quality as the 2012 CX-5 MAXX Sport diesel may be compared to other Japanese and Korean cars, do not expect German quality. The interior metal rails and fixings have light surface corrosion and the plastic trims do not age… Read more

quite as gracefully either. The Bluetooth is hopelessly laggy and you can expect a 1-2 second delay between the phone and car speakers - I've resigned myself to using a good old fashioned aux cable. The seats are quite firm on the posterior for any drives longer than 1.5hrs and the angled headrest is dreadfully annoying, poking into the back of the front occupants' heads. The i-stop automatic engine shutoff system seems to be more of a frustrating novelty than a benefit and I'd highly question the amount of fuel savings it offers the daily commuter. The auto transmission is occasionally clunky and the leather trim on the steering wheel wasn't made to last (unless the previous owner was a particularly strong white-knuckler) and of course, as you've hopefully heard by now, the engine recall for the diesel model was certainly an inconvenience for those who had to go through it.

Okay, now that I've had my belly-ache, time for the positives. That diesel engine! Fuel efficient, even in comparison to a diesel sedan or hatch of half its grunt, and a surprising amount of power off the mark too. While my CX-5 is an auto, I can only imagine how much fun the manual variant must be. The 4WD is great (although bear in mind this is my first 4WD so it's my only reference point) and the car feels very sturdy and at-home in a light off-road setting, confidently tackling steep hills, small boulders and a grassy embankment or two. Towing is a breeze and it feels that much safer than a sedan over rougher terrain with a trailer.

While not all of the CX-5's parts are up to par quality-wise, it still has a reasonable quality feel. The door gives you that satisfying 'thud' when you close it and there's no rattling or buzzing from poorly-fitting plastics to speak of.

The interior design is sporty enough, albeit lagging hopelessly behind the styling of the European car market, but it's the design of the rear seats' fold-down that wins the day. Surprisingly large amounts of space, except for that frustrating "roller blind" bar that cuts straight across the boot.

Looks are a very subjective topic but the exterior certainly still holds its own in 2021, maintaining the aggressive, angular European styling that most modern cars are going for.

Servicing has been affordable and comparable with most other sedans and hatches but we'll see how that goes when something in the transmission needs replacing, shall we?

Now the big question: do I recommend this car? Absolutely... Provided you can't find an equivalent VW or BMW (think Tiguan or X3) for a similar price. Which to be honest will be very hard to do! In hindsight I wish I'd held out for a Grand Touring version for the extra level of comfort and refinement but I don't see myself moving this little beauty on any time soon.

mixed bag – Bought this car to replace my Subaru Forester. Using it mainly for longer trips and camping out, have a smaller car for around town. The quality is good, though I dislike the automatic stop start feature that needs to be switched off each time manually, as well as the keyless entry / start. The best part is the fuel economy, a full 25% better… Read more

than the Subaru. The 4WD is not as capable and the ground clearance is less than the Subaru's. The cruise control is very accurate and smooth, the cabin is spacious and surprisingly roomy. I love the flat cargo space with a clever folding down arrangement of the rear seats. Service every 10,000km is more frequent than other cars, but costs indicated should be much less than for the Subaru.

My first SUV, and I've never felt happier or safer – We bought a 2013 Mazda cx-5, 6-speed manual back in 2017. It was a one-owner car before we bought it, they having purchased it brand new. Prior to purchasing, we had test-driven a Kia, Rav4, Hyundai Tuscon, and a Mitsubishi. While I don't have anything particularly bad to say about those cars, once I jumped into the Mazda, I felt comfortable,… Read more

safe, and didn't want to get out. It's now 2021, we still have the car. No issues have presented themselves thus far. I still feel safe in it. It has so much space in it for our family, for holidays and road trips. Drop the backseats and remove the privacy screen from the boot, and you can fit absolutely anything in the car (I use it for a business that requires me to cart a lot of decorations around to events, and I've never had an issue with running out of room). When I am ready to upgrade it will be into a newer model Mazda SUV, no doubt about it.

Awesome SUV – We love this car and use it with two kids and two adults. We have the 2.5 litre petrol AWD maxx sport. Two baby seats fitted plus a factory tow bar and after market roof racks. Had family trips , I regularly tow a small boat, been to the snow, out west on road trips, commuting etc. always serviced - we have no major issues. We have replaced things like brake pads, tyres etc but nothing major. Show details

Families beware, CX5 Extremely Unsafe Diesel Engine – Major Safety Concerns for a young family, Mazda Australia has shown little care to date. We really enjoyed our CX5 diesel which has been in the family since new (1 of 5 new Mazda's bought from Hornsby Mazda). Early in 2021 the car started stalling without showing any warning lights. The car has stalled at an intersection with mum and daughter,… Read more

picking up the kids from pre-school and the worst, entering the highway at 100km with the whole family. The car is extremely dangerious to our family and other motorists. After each stall, the car was returned to a Mazda Dealership and we were advised the problem was fixed. In total, the car has been unusable for 2+ months (this is our main family car). The alternator, oil filter, manifolds and now turbo have been reported as the problem with the total repair bill at $11k (60% of the car's value) with no guarrantee that this issue will be fixed. We do not want to be forced to sell a car that is unsafe for another family. Mazda Australia has sought to blame age and KM's. If the car was a Kia, it would still be in warranty. I have been very disaapointed in the disregard for our families safety from Mazda Australia with a car that is ready to stall again and cause a major accident. I had expected better support from a Japanese OEM. Mazda Australia is due to report back this Friday (6 long weeks after initial notice). I will update the thread on the outcome.

Never buy a Mazda!!! – Had a Toyota Camry for 17 years. Never one issue, no rust, nothing broke, only needed normal services. Upgrade to a brand new Mazda CX-5. So many problems. Aside from services not done properly, needing to be returned to get redone; Rust in roof when under warranty but Mazda refuse to accept responsibility saying a stone chip caused it, even… Read more

though there is no stone chip, a smash repairer confirmed there was no stone chip and Mazda did not see the car in flesh, just looked a a photo taken of a mobile phone. Then the fan for air con/air making a ratty noise, but just out of warranty so we are forced to pay for new one; and the latest, my mobile phone will not work properly on the Hands Free/Bluetooth entertainement system. Worked fine for a year, then suddenly not working. Reason according to Mazda, as it worked fine before, a new software upgrade on phone has caused it to stop working with the old software in car. Cannot upgrade car software, so cannot use handsfree/infotainment system other than the radio. Pay over $35000 for a car that is having issues only weeks out of warranty. Never will I buy a Mazda again!!!!

Be warned – Stay far far away!!! Our Mazda CX-5 was the diesel max sport purchased in 2013. What a piece of crap. Don’t get me wrong, whilst it was drivable we loved it, but be warned: DON’T skip or be late on a single service or Mazda will eat you alive. Our engine stopped working. We were 10000 late for its service. Life gets busy with little ones. The… Read more

engine stopped working due to the oil being a clag filled mess. They blamed it on us using the wrong oil or the fact that it was “heavily neglected”. I wouldn’t think that 10000 over would class as “heavily neglected”. Long story short we are left with a 24k bill for a new engine. Stay away from diesel. I was way too nervous to buy the diesel to begin with in 2013 due to this concern. Unless you will never run late on a service and will take in on large hour long drives each day- stay clear away. Screw yoh Mazda.

Trash car for eve – I had mazda cx5 diesel 2.2 Trash car for ever Blow headgasket a few times Many issues with this cars . No mazda anymore

Such a great family car – We love our cx 5 it is perfect for our little family and has been very reliable and comes with such fantastic safety features We have 3 children in car seats across the back so it’s a squishy fit but works for now The boot space is enough for prams and such but for holidays we have found a roof pod is necessary for all the luggage Fuel economy… Read more

is pretty good and the car drives really well * update * We’ve had our Mazda CX-5 for almost 9 years now and it has been such a good family car for us, very reliable and comfortable for city driving and country drives for holidays.

Love my CX-5 and Mazda's customer service is second to none – I have a 2012 CX-5 since it was 18 months old. Excellent car, love every aspect. Use it for short trips: everyday drop offs, long highway trips (melb to central Aus & back again), camping trips towing a small box trailer and the occasional All wheel drive rocky mountain climb. Our driveway is also a menace which is why I had to sell my Mazda3 for… Read more

the CX-5 - So I could get up our driveway! Cx5 's clearance is excellent, haven't had an issue going anywhere, ever. I can stop on the steepest incline or decline and move off smoothly every time without throwing a single stone. Can't say the same for our other car! Love the automatic traction control. The i-stop is something you need to get used to but seems to do its job. I've had a new engine after 110,000km. Mazda customer service were truly amazing. It was Easter holidays and we expected to tow our trailer to our destination when the old Diesel engine was diagnosed as faulty. I was lent a brand new top of the range CX-5 with 7km on tacco to make my trip. FTG Mazda also fitted a tow bar so my holiday wasn't spoiled. I service my Mazda every 10,000km and at 140,000km it's still got a lot of life left. I have had a drive belt snap at about 90,000km just before it was due to be changed but my local dealer have always helped me out in my time of need. Had a few faulty sensors and the wrong size dipstick but again my dealer have always been on top of everything and changed most things over, some even free of charge. I will always service at a Mazda.

Great reliable car – This is our second Mazda. I find the car functional, reliable and looks good. I gave 4 Stars because the back doesn’t quite fit 3 baby seats comfortably so we now have to consider another suv which would. Show details

Terrible car ! Do NOT buy it – The only good thing about Mazda CX5 is that it is a beautiful sporty car. Otherwise, the maintenance costs are way too high! Maintenance costs are comparable to that of BMW or even Mercedes Benz specially after you drive over and around 100,000 kilometers with your car ! I hate my CX5 with passion! Would buy a proper reliable German car instead of buying a rubbish Japanese car ! Show details

Radio headset – The entertainment unit whe n playing music from usb memory always restarts thebsame song every time the car is resarted. Divers you insane. Car is fantastic for towing our van. Economy is great.Good driving position. But the door closure warning light does not indicate which door is not closed properly.  Show details

Decent car – We bought the CX 5 Max sport model for its ungraded features. We found that the tint that the installation team added was below par so I would recommend you do that aspect yourself. Overall a smooth drive, not jerky with the breaks. We have owned it for over 5 years and with regular services we haven’t had a problem. In fact the low tyre… Read more

pressure warning system saved my life on an outback drive one year, if this had not have gone off I would have been stranded heavily pregnant in the middle of nowhere.

Best Car I Have Ever Bought – Purchased my Mazda CX5 in August 2014 from John Newel Mazda - Alexandria. Comfortable, easy to drive, very economical on fuel. The interior is luxurious without the price tag. It is a medium size SUV, providing adequate legroom, boot storage and a feeling of being a sturdy safe car. After service at John Newel brilliant....high focus on customer… Read more

experience. I will continue to purchase Mazda vehicles from this dealership in future as will my family.

Such a good mum car – I love this car. We bought it when we found out I was pregnant as an upgrade from my small Elantra. I love driving this car around, it is so smooth, comfortable and spacious. The pram fits in the boot with plenty of room to spare. I love having a reverse camera too. Very happy with this purchase!  Show details

Still loving my Mazda – 6 years on Im still loving my cx5. Its economic on petrol and the big boot has been handy with the kids bikes and trips away. Its the second Mazda I've bought and they are so reliable and they drive well.  Show details

Lemon is an understatement – Long term review for anyone that wants to purchase a Mazda CX-5. Save your money and purchase something else. Numerous sensor faults causing the car to limp or stop. At 80,000 KM blew a turbo. Not a single service they pick another fault from ruptured common rail fuel lines at a cost of $1000 to repair. The car is just at 130000 km engine mount… Read more

bolts have ruptured and power steering is about to go according to the service department. Nothing but drama with the CX-5 and all Mazda could offer was one free service and an extended 12 months warranty. Wasn’t really worth the year off the road over 5 years.

Superb service – Simply just so enjoy driving this car - driving is fun again - even better with the new quiet EfficientGrip tyres....excellent smooth cornering, easy to drive, and unlike some of the bigger SUVs, easy to park. Fuel costs less than our previous hybrid! Clearly warrants the Car of the Year position it has held over the last few years. I am… Read more ·  1

193cm, excellent leg and head room with clear view through windscreen as driver or passenger. We tow a 1.4tonne caravan- with ease and economy (can tow up to 1.8 -it is the only mid sized SUV we could find with towing OVER 1.5) .... and then there is the first class customer centred service from Pakenham Mazda, a welcome change form our previous car's dealers! ....

We often find ourselves commenting on how much we enjoy this car while driving somewhere ..... when last month, a valve went in the Turbo with the car 12 months out of warranty: appreciated the loan car, but worry relieved when the Dealer had Mazda replace the turbo, all without any cost or fuss! Result: our son is taking delivery of a new CX5 Akera this week!

Comfortable family car – This is a nice and comfortable family car. For a medium sized car it’s actually quite roomy inside. The cargo area has lots of room and is easy to reach into. It takes a cargo barrier so you can transport your pets in the back securely. The leather seats are very comfortable and the heated front seats add an element of luxury.  Show details

Hate hate hate! – I had a 2013 MY14 CX5 and had problems from day dot. From a faulty battery, to a faulty sunroof button which meant I couldn’t close the roof to a faulty sensor which made the engine stall (it was an automatic!) to blowing a head gasket and needing a whole new engine! Mazda put me through hell and back and wouldn’t cover it under warranty because… Read more

my car was serviced through 2 different Mazda dealerships!! I would never recommend nor would I buy a CX5 again!

Fab car no issues so far great small SUV – Great car highly recommended, no issues in 3.5 years great drive. Good quality, easy to maintain, minimal servicing . Good fuel economy, smooth driving .. Show details

Good car – It handles very well for a SUV almost like a sedan but with the high driving position. The fuel efficiency is very good at about 7.6l per 100km. The features are very good for the price which is why it is so popular. The downside is there is not much room for rear passengers and there is no aircon for rear passengers.  Show details

Excellent car for families – Excellent vehicle. Not a fan of the auto though some times the revs kick in real slow and all of a sudden the car is screaming. I was able to hack the Live Traffic Updates for free using some online websites and replacing the software on the SD card so now the wife gets free live updates from Tom Tom. Very spacious. If they fix the auto computer that'd be a 5/5.  Show details

Super – I bought this more than 5 years ego. So far I love this. Can't leave this. You may see so many SUVs in the market but this one was more cheaper and better value for the money. A perfect family car. Pickup was good and I had no issues so far.  Show details

Decent family car – We are quite happy we upgraded to our CX5. The driving experience is fine. All accessories are great but would like some air vent to the back seats. There is a good amount of space but not as big as we need for 1 child & a dog. With a pram in the back there is not much more space for other things unless we leave it out. Overall though, good small family car.  Show details

Best care I have ever owned – The Mazda CX-5 is a pleasure to drive, I have the diesel sport model and it has plenty of guts and is still extremely economical. I went from a V6 Kluger to the Mazda CX5 and have never looked back. It is perfect for us as a family of 4, with various kids always in and out of it. There is heaps of room in the boot and we never feel cramped in the… Read more

cabin. Many years ago I had a Mazda 3 which I loved but, I prefer being higher off the road. I purchased the car second hand at the end of a friends lease, and it drives and feels like a new car still

Love this car but not very roomy – I love this car and the its the top of the line model. I drove a CRV for years and when my son was younger and I'm glad I didn't have the CX5 then because the boot space is too small for a pram. Its a zippy little vehicle and good to drive but the space near the transmission etc is not as roomy as the Honda. The Cx5 drives better than the Honda,… Read more

but it does lack space. I also find that I'm so comfortable in this car that it could be dangerous ie I'm too relaxed in it. I have the turbo diesel model so it has that nice rumbly truck noise, but others may not enjoy that. I love the lane departure warning system which helps me concentrate better. The heated seats are most welcome during winter. I do wish the Akera had a colour display system for speed etc rather than the paler yellow but I gather the newer models may have that. the automatic headlight system is easy to use. it dips when its sees another car approaching and goes to high beam automatically after they've passed. The headlights also follow the direction of your travel, but I haven't noticed a lot of difference with that. This car would have sold for well over $52k plus in 2014 but there's no way I would've spent that on it. Great second hand vehicle for me at this stage of my life, but if my son was smaller it would've been a bit crowded.

Amazing! – Love the car! The interior is very nice and the seating is way beyond comfortable. It’s speed is great and even has an extra little button to push on the pedal to go faster! It has USB plugs and aux to play my music through the speakers. I love the phone features and makes my drives easy!  Show details

perfect family car – It drives well, I've driven dozens of cars and this has a great feel. Responsive, fast acceleration, very fuel efficient, comfortable. Its big enough to fit the family, dog and groceries but not so big that you struggle to fit through indoor car parks. Alot of the SUVs on the market are just monsters. This is a compact SUV, just perfect.  Show details

Love it! – Very comfortable seats, enough head room for tall person to drive. Good leg room in front, a bit limited in the back seat but not uncomfortable for longer legs. Smooth driving and quiet with minimal road noise. Great fuel economy around town, excellent over distance - 420-480 L/km. Seat slide adjustment gets stuck at times and can become annoying.… Read more

Got all features you need, individual air con, phone charging points, Bluetooth, etc. No engine problems in 5yrs. The only significant "fault" is the battery. When it starts to decline, different alerts pop up on dashboard, which is annoying as it is intermittent and relates to I-stop system. (Fuel saving system) Costs $600 to replace battery which is not divulged at pre sale. Otherwise a nice looking car, with all modern systems, fuel efficient, comfortable for family of four young adults (would be a bit tight for family of five). Looks great too!