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Used 2016 Mazda CX-5 SUV Consumer Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
302 reviews

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Pros
Cons
5 out of 5 stars

It doesn't get better than this!

DAP, 05/08/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
11 of 11 people found this review helpful

Go for the Grand Touring. More expensive but it has the safety features & bells & whistles. Great ride and typical Mazda fun performance. Great storage and a perfect size for a small SUV or cross over. The size is easy to maneuver and the sitting position puts you in a good position to see the road. I love the safety features and the integrated control consol is easy to use and great integrated technology. The ride is good and steering excellent. 2.5 liter is solid and has nice power. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

Great Ride, Awful Navigation (No Live Traffic)

Ranggaz, 06/07/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
25 of 27 people found this review helpful

Pros: The 2016.5 CX 5 is a solid car. This car is very fun to drive, the steering is very accurate and acceleration is excellent. The interior of the Grand Touring trim is beautiful with high end materials. Cons: - A HUGE con is the navigation system. Mazda introduced the Navteq based navigation as a standard feature for their 2016 model. It does NOT have live traffic. The car is capable of live traffic however the navigation is not connected to the live traffic information. This is very disappointing. - Bluetooth sometimes drops and you end up risking yourself by reaching for your phone in your pocket.

Technology
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

Feature filled small SUV built for any weather.

DanW, 07/11/2016
updated 01/11/2017
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
38 of 42 people found this review helpful

We owned a 2014 CX-5 AWD vehicle for 2 years that my wife drove, and liked it so much, we got the 2016 CX-5 AWD for me to drive (you can call them his/hers transportation). Both times we purchased, we compared it against the Toyota Rav4, the Honda CR-V, and the Nissan Rogue. Though the competition was close, the Mazda hit better then each competitor in at least one area and that made it the overall winner. It has the best mix of mileage, all weather control, fun features, peppiness, and durability that put it ahead of the rest. With that said, the 2016 revision to the Infotainment system has been a real miss. The combination of it's location high in the instrument cluster, the black color of the dash, and summer sun makes it prone to failure when parked in even the slightest bit of sunshine. If you plan on buying one, plan on also buying a dash window shade to protect it's fragile electronics. 1/2017 Update: We still love the vehicle, and stand by our choice. Our combined mileage is off a bit, as we seem to be doing more city driving these days than highway. We still love all the features on the car, and there's been no change in handling or comfort characteristics. We are however, less than impressed with the Pandora interface. It rarely works properly. To be fair, Pandora has agreed that the problem is on their side, but they seem to have no interest in fixing it. We've been forced to use the Bluetooth connection and ignore the car's built in Pandora interface. The CX-5 is still a great choice in this segment.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
4 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
3 out of 5 stars
Value
4 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Leap of faith, better than expected!

Daniel Lind, 10/11/2015
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
24 of 26 people found this review helpful

After driving a 2011 Toyota Sienna SE for the last four years, I was ready for something different. Prior to getting the Sienna, I had a 2004 CRV, 2007 Fit and a 2008 CRV. Both CRV's were good cars, don't get me wrong. The 2004 was a Japanese version that I specifically ordered. It was a tough little car and protected my family when we were involved in a six car pile up on Route 93 one night. We were in the middle, and everyone walked away unharmed. Aside from that, the two biggest issues with that car was ride comfort and a completely dead driving experience. The Fit was awful. As for the 2008 CRV, it was ok, but the quality was not good, with squeaks and rattles everywhere. The foreward-angled headrest was also so annoying due to the inability to adjust it fore and aft. Then I got the Sienna. I was not sure I wanted such a big minivan. The SE, being the sportier version turned out to be quite good. But I found it hard to park, not great on fuel economy and when anything broke, it was very expensive to fix. This was one of the main reasons I wanted out of the vehicle. So as I started my hunt for a replacement, I really wanted something that was fun to drive and had enough utility to address the needs of a four person, plus one dog, family. I looked at the new Pilot and the current model of Highlander. I was shocked how cheap the Pilot looked. I didn't want another CRV, especially since I did not want a CVT. I kept coming back to the CX-5. I was in Japan this summer and had a ride in an older version of the CX-5 and I liked it. The owner liked it too. We were able to fit five people and all their luggage! Then I had a chance to drive a US version, again a couple of years old. I wasn't too impressed with the smaller 2.0L, but overall, I liked the vehicle. I finally took a test drive in a GT 2016 and I really liked it. But I still was unsure if I could go from such a big minivan to a smaller SUV. The price of a Pilot with all the options I wanted was about 10K more than the Mazda! The Highlander was in the same range. I also came close to getting a Subaru Outback. But that car had so many little things I didn't like. So after reading many reviews about each one of the cars I was considering, I decided to take a leap of faith and go for a 2016 AWD GT. It has taken a little getting used to. As a family, we have had to streamline our array of junk we keep in the vehicle. We also had to get a turbo booster for my four year old, due to that lack of space in the back for a convertible child seat. He did fit, but the seat was very close to the back of the front seat. The first 600 miles were not impressive in the CX-5. But once the break-in was over, the car came alive! I still think it is not completely broken in at 800 miles, but seems to be getting better each day I drive it. Two points I would like to share. First is the sport button. Not sure why this is not highlighted more. It really isn't something to use consistently, but when you need a little more juice, it works great. You can toggle it on and off as needed with no worries. Another point about the sport switch is that it works in manual mode! I don't know why no one ever mentions this, but when you switch on the sport button and put it in manual mode, watch out! Mazda uses a locking torque converter that locks up about 80% of the time as apposed to 20-40% in many other vehicles, and not at all in a CVT. It also locks into each gear so if you know how to shift a manual transmission, you can really utilize the power of the engine. You won't win too many drag races, but the output of the engine is really impressive when needed. In normal automatic mode with the sport button off, it is much more composed. But this is all programed and actuated via drive-by-wire, in the name of improved fuel economy. Another item is the Bose entertainment system. One of the factors that almost prevented me from getting this vehicle was the negative reviews for the Bose system. The reality is that it is really very good. But you have to make adjustments in the menu to get the most out of the system. Also, the source is important. XM works great and sounds great. HD FM is ok, but is not as dynamic as XM. Finally Bluetooth is also quite good, but again need a bit of adjustment to sound correct. The age of the recording seems to have a sizable impact on the performance as well. Some classic hits tend to sound a little flat. But dynamic modern recordings sound awesome! Also, it seems that just like the engine and the transmission, the Bose speakers needed a little break-in before sounding right. The CX-5 is so much more fun to drive than the two CRV's I had. The price is right for what you get. I am so glad I didn't get a Pilot or Highlander. I do miss the intimidation factor the Sienna had, as it was an SE and in black. But the Mazda has proven to be the right choice, and I like it more every day!

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

You have to drive it to understand.

Joe, 07/09/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful

A lot of people did not understand my choice of the CX-5. Even my wife did not like it, until she drove it. Now she loves it. At lot of the cars in this category are the same, boring. But this one is different, you will actually enjoy driving and owning this car.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars

No Sirius/xm radio in touring model w/o getting ex

Gerry, 03/11/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful

Love the car(just got it today). Only disappointment is that XM radio listed in music selections but cannot access it because we didn't get tech pack. We do have navigation! Also, no instrumentation of temperature controls!

Performance
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Thumbs Up

Rich Kimball, 04/06/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful

First I'd like to comment about reliability since I can't really respond to that yet as I have under 1000 miles on the car at this point and hope that it is as reliable as my Toyota Corolla was. However, I can say that so far, I love this car. The Grand Touring model with the metallic white paint, roof racks, fancy 19" wheels with alloy rims really makes the car look sharp and a little sporty. I test drove a couple of other SUVs (like the Nissan Rogue) and settled on the Mazda. I'm finding no issues with acceleration. It's easy to get in an out of and the seats are quite comfortable. The backup camera is great for parking in tight spots in Boston. So a big thumbs up from me so far.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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4.88 out of 5 stars

Loving my CX-5

mms1486, 04/30/2015
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
29 of 32 people found this review helpful

I previously drove a 03 Toyota Matrix which I loved. It had no flares but was reliable. I have no kids and wanted a car that was young and fun, but also big enough for future kids. Needs were AWD, moonroof in a CUV or hatch. I drove the crosstrek which was nice, but too small. I also looked at the rouge, Rav 4, and forester. All nice options but I feel like they aged me 10 years. The style of the cx5 was sporty. It drives like a car just higher up. Quiet drive and quiet engine. Love the LED lights and auto wipers. Safety features and technology are great for a car in this price range. GT has moonroof and Bose. Love the moonroof but the Bose seem weak. Nav system upgraded from past years.

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5 out of 5 stars

Mazda is on to something here

sportyrides, 03/30/2015
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 01/16 (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
48 of 54 people found this review helpful

My new vehicle criteria: No CVT, preferably no turbo, good handling, comfortable and pretty quiet. I held off on a 2015 after hearing about the 2016 changes. While the 2015 was (and is) a great vehicle, the 2016 is quieter and handles choppy pavement better. Even with the larger GT wheels. The infotainment is great so far. This CX-5 replaces a Miata, and I don't think any SUV/CUV comes closer to capturing that spirit. OK, the Macan would... I cross shopped against RAV4, X1, Forester, and Mazda3 hatch. RAV4 is good, but "meh" ride/handling; Forester a bit better. X1 was great, but didn't love interior or owning a turbo. 3 hatch too small, not as nice inside, otherwise good+

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5 out of 5 stars

Fun to drive for seniors that like it sporty

Kay M., 07/26/2016
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful

I initially went looking for this SUV for the safety features since I am getting to that age (over 65) where the more help one can get to ensure my safety & others on the road is worth the price. Besides getting all the bells & whistles with a Grand Touring model I also got a SUV that is fun to drive, really nice looking & didn't put a big dent in my pocketbook. There is plenty of room for cargo & since we travel to florida every year for several months packing way more than we need, this SUV handles it nicely. My husband likes it because the front seats are easy to get into, comfortable & are heated (I love that!). I like how driving it you don't feel like it is a "grandma" car but just a fun car overall!

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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