Used 2021 Mazda CX-5 Consumer Reviews
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If your elderly or handicapped don't buy
Martin, 08/31/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
20 of 39 people found this review helpful
Started out at the dealer. Test drove the cx 5 GT signature and ended up getting it home and noticed pathetic performance as it didn't have the turbo and the seats were too hard. took it back to the dealer and upgraded to the reserve thinking it was the same as the car we test drove. Turn out it had the same seats as the other and the signature had upgraded seats. I loved the acceleration with the turbo and the windshield display but that's where it ended. the seats were too hard and driving a short distance my back was on fire, when the fuel light came on you only had a few miles to find gas and not having a touch screen was not desirable. The biggest disappointment was the height of the rocker panel. It was too high off the ground and when you had to literally climb in and the floor pan was so deep it was like getting into a swimming pool. My wife had an artificial hip and it took her several minutes just to get in and out. Installing running boards didn't even help We drove it for about three months and couldn't take it no more. We realized why drive a car that you hate. We started checking out other cars thoroughly and decided on a Honda CR-V. We took a huge hit but I'm now in a car that I thoroughly enjoy, we can get in and out of it with no problem at all and the seats are very comfortable
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Not ageing well on me
tata, 04/21/2021
updated 04/25/2025
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
44 of 92 people found this review helpful
Bought new in Jan.21. Wife wanted vehicle I was initially ok with it but have come to the decision that it wasn't the best for our money. Interior space is not up to the best. Interior color and black leather make for really dark,drab interior. Seats are very uncomfortable for me even with all the adjustabilty. To narrow and hit me in all kinds of pressure points.Sunroof is small. Wind noise while driving with windows down very irritable, Gas mileage ok but not great (28mpg). Acceleration adequate with standard engine. Value for price adequate. Everyone loves steering, I find it uninspiring and steering wheel to thin. Whoever designed the interface for using all the car's features should be forced to use them everyday to get their pay and food; horribly laid out and frustrating. Palette of exterior colors not very appealing. This is my 3rd Mazda and although time will tell on dependability I expect it to be good. 84k miles on vehicle now and no untoward dependability issues except for brakes. It tends to eat them. Visibility not up to the best in class. Vehicle looks are subjective but it's decent. Doing your own oil changes not the easiest I've seen. Truly this vehicle should have about a 3 day tutorial from Mazda on how to get the most from it. On the positive side it doesn't have the dreaded CVT tranny. Gets excellent safety ratings. Comes with a real temp.spare tire. AWD system again not the best but adequate for 90% of people. Warranty adequate but not the best. Adequate seems to be the word of the day and I was wishing for delightful,fun and enjoyable. The auto press is enamored with this vehicle, me, I wish Suzuki was still here, Subaru hadn't become PC and expensive and the new Mitsu Outlander had been available a couple of months sooner. That or I could have talked the wife into another Chrysler minivan with all of its utility, comfort and ease of access. But minivans are not cool to the female set. Sad. Ok, have now owned for 4+ years and put 84k on it. Dependability as expected excellent. Still finding it irritating and somewhat uncomfortable. Sunroof is useless without some sort of wind blocker which it does not have. Same for driving with windows down, going to have to get wind blockers for them too. Mileage a bit better at 29 but drive mostly highway. Back up camera is constantly dirty or covered in water or crud so a bit irritating. Just not feeling it as the ZOOM ZOOM as hip people say. As long as it remains reliable my rating would move up to 3.5. New CX-50 really intrigues me, seems better laid out and more room. Wish it was available in 1/21. Reliability and dependability been very good but it seems like brakes wear out quickly and still act a bit mushy. Seats are truly uncomfortable and designed for narrow tiny butts. Seat heaters will warm your butt good but not much on back. Overall continues to be adequate.
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2021 Mazda CX-5 for sale near you
3 of 166 listings
- Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUVMSRP: $24,8882 mi away
- Touring 4dr SUVMSRP: $22,3912 mi away
- Sport 4dr SUVMSRP: $21,9909 mi away
See all 166 listings
Wanted to like it…
Laurie P., 07/12/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
8 of 16 people found this review helpful
We test drove the Mazda CX-5 with the intention to buy it, based on favorable reviews we had read. We felt, however, that the backseat was too cramped for our three young adult sons, the engine lacked pep, and the interior was nothing special. We went with the Honda CR-V and are very pleased that we did.
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This Bobcat Is Now A Huge Mazda FAN!
Bobcat Jim, 05/16/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 10 people found this review helpful
We are ecstatic about our CX-5. We color we chose is a red that looks like no other and white interior that makes it pop! We love our new car and now huge Mazda fans!!!
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Piece of Junk
Jesse C. , 09/16/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
16 of 36 people found this review helpful
I purchased this vehicle mostly based on its safety features, but I’ve quickly grown to hate driving my 2021 CX-5. The main problem is the automatic transmission. Shifting in/out of low gear(s) is horrible, accompanied by lurching and thumping, when starting or stopping but especially when cornering. The shifting is too frequent and way too rough. Aside from that, the engine (Touring) is slightly under-powered, and the braking is substantially under-powered. So this CX-5 takes forever to catch up to traffic from a stop light, then you have to press the brake pedal too much to slow to a stop, while the rough transmission is jerking the vehicle around. Unfortunately the 2021 CX-5 is garbage and I’m sad that I’m stuck with this piece of junk until it’s paid off, but I’m so glad we hung onto our older (2016) CX-3 so I can just leave this horrible CX-5 in my garage until I can get a better replacement vehicle … I doubt I will ever consider buying another Mazda after owning this CX-5, despite being quite happy with our Mazda CX-3, CX-9 and MPV. It’s just too awful.
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An SUV sports car
Davideyes, 01/02/2022
2021 Mazda CX-5 Signature 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
1-2 months ago I bought a CX5. A large part of my getting this SUV is because with my age and arthritis a car which is higher off the ground is easier to get in and out of than a sedan which is low to the ground. My decision was also based on my having read in Consumer Reports magazine that Mazda as a company was rated first place in their cars' reliability. Reviews in car magazines mentioned that the CX5's turbo-charger gives it a 0-60 mph time of about 6 seconds which pins me to the seat when I stomp on the accelerator in a highway entrance ramp. it also handles like it's glued to the road, which is in part a characteristic of the 4 wheel drive and the large tires. I have the top of the line "signature" model. It's heads up display is great and you can even alter the position of where on the lower windshield the display is projected - it can be moved vertically and horizontally. Another great option is that the accessory computer display is not a touch screen. My wife's car has a touch screen and I have to reach for it which takes my eyes off the road. The CX5's display is controlled by a 2.5 inch rotary knob which is just behind the gear-shift. That knob not only turns, but also tilts side to side, making selecting options easier than a touch screen. Right next to that knob is a small rotary knob which controls the radio's volume - pushing on it vertically turns the radio on or off. That display always shows the time. The doors lock automatically when the car reaches about 10 mph. There's two seat position memory buttons. The windshield wipers turn on automatically in the rain. The arm rest box has two USB-A outlets. The front seats can be heated or cooled. The steering wheel can be heated. The side rear view mirrors can be folded in and they also do so when you turn the car off. The center display can show you a 360 degree view, and automatically shows a front view when you're near something ahead like when I park in my home's garage it prevents me from running into the garbage pails. I'm not keen in the very large size of the key fob and its buttons are too small and are too easily pushed unintentionally, but it contains a conventional key inside of it, and you can easily replace the internal button battery. The headlights have an enormous lateral field of view. There's little room for an adult to fit in the back seats, but I bought the car as if it were a two seat car.
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My Mazda
Beezer, 02/02/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
So many SUV's to chose from. I made the best decision. Exceeds my expectations!
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Best value for the money
Mark , 04/29/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
7 of 16 people found this review helpful
Bmw and Mercedes should be concerned.
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Traded it after only 2 months
Avid Driver, 04/18/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Signature 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
73 of 183 people found this review helpful
The Mazda CX-5 signature is great car for the value, but it is no luxury vehicle. I traded my old BMW for this car thinking it was good choice. But I was so wrong. The CX-5 features starting getting on my nerves. The heads-up display was distracting, the beeping from safety features were annoying, and the driver’s seat leather started to wrinkle after only 2 months. The worst part was the dark and depressing interior. The size of the sunroof was incredibly disappointing. I didn’t realize how much I’d miss having a panoramic sunroof. I honestly started to hate this car. Thankfully. I paid cash for the CX-5. I looked at several luxury vehicles and traded it for another (new) BMW X3. The BMW drives like a dream, has light interior and a panoramic sunroof. I’m so happy driving it! Got a great deal. It didn’t cost much more than the signature. I’d rather have a true luxury vehicle for that price range. I won’t make that mistake again.
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Over rated toy car.
Ken W., 05/21/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
32 of 83 people found this review helpful
I test drove the Touring trim. Drive was not impressive; engine lacked power of other similar sized SUVs, suspension lacked refinement and comfort, and seats are designed for little people. Exterior and interior design was ho hum. I returned to the dealership after a test drive, grabbed my trade-in key and moved on. It is way over rated compared to other SUVs in the same market.
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