Used 2021 Mazda CX-5 SUV Consumer Reviews
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First Mazda purchase. Highly Satisfied!
Dom, 02/07/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Picked up my Deep Blue Mica CX-5 back in 11/2021 after selling my Elantra to CarMax. It has close to 20k miles on the odometer, so let me tell you my impressions of this car. Exterior: Great styling, love the understated look of it. No crazy body lines or odd shapes. Just a sharp, angular looking vehicle. Headlamps are bright, and the license plate even came with LEDs instead of regular incandescent bulbs. Nice touch! Interior: Premium feeling materials throughout the cabin. Soft stitching on the dash, armrest, center console. Seats are a bit on the firm side and with my trim level, there is no lumbar adjustment... Cup holders are in a weird spot and the center console isn't adjustable so it's not the most intuitive use of space. You also cannot view individual TPMS readings unless you buy an aftermarket screen, which seems rather dumb why Mazda didn't put this information into the display. However, this is a minor gripe and not a dealbreaker. Infotainment is pretty good, and I now prefer using the dial over a touch screen. Apple Car Play works 98% of the time. HVAC controls seem solid. Nice and responsive and don't feel cheap. Driving: The reason I chose this over the competition is because of how it drives. The independent rear suspension makes the ride more enjoyable. I've driven it through the Smokies and it is fun to drive on twisty roads. Steering wheel feels good. Could use more telescoping distance to achieve a better driving position, but it's not bad. Driver tech is not as advanced as some of the competitors but I bought this car to drive it, not the other way around... Efficency: I'd say the EPA estimates are on par to real-world fuel economy. I average between 25-30 MPG. I've taken it on some long trips and the best MPG I've seen on the screen is 32 mpg. For the money and the reputation of the CX-5, I feel I made a good decision. Probably the last new car I will buy for a long time so I want to make it last. If they decide to release a new generation of CX-5s, here's what I would want personally: Use the instrument cluster similar to the ones found in the 3/30/50 Add TPMS readouts on the cluster Move cupholder position Ambient lighting strip across the dash with customizable colors Cargo net standard across all trims Replace piano black interior trim pieces with matte black or fo-carbon fiber trim pieces Adjustable Armrest A-pillar redesign to allow better visibility Improved driver-assist such as improved lane-centering, semi-autonomous driving Integrated usb ports into rear ac vents, instead of the foldable armrest, like on the 50 Trunk release on keyfob for non-powered hatch models
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Mazda CX5
Yerzky, 02/22/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great car overall!
2021 Mazda CX-5 for sale near you
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Excellent handling and very good looking
Warren , 04/01/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Vehicle handles well during its service period with me, approximately 45 days,no problems have occurred.
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5th Mazda and still a fan
TKC, 04/16/2023
updated 04/18/2024
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Still have this car and still love it! No problems ever! My 1st car was a Mazda GLC ("Great Little Car"), followed by three CX-5s and a Miata. They've all been problem free. I gave the 2017 CX-5 to my daughter and bought a 2021 model. I trust Mazda w/ my daughter and grandson. I feel safe and protected when driving in town and on remote highways.
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Very comfortable and fun to drive.
Jns1014, 04/28/2023
updated 05/03/2024
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Very solid and safety features work surprising well! I really enjoy driving this car!! Super Bose sound, and high quality interior add to the experience. Very highly recommended!
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Great car!
Jan, 06/14/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I love my CX-5! I don't have any complaints. It has been a great car so far. The extra steps that Mazda takes to make a sound-proof, comfortable ride, definitely show.
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Almost a great SUV
Liz , Hollywood, Florida, 09/19/2023
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
2021Mazda CX 5 handles nicely , great gas mileage . Issues with front windshield defroster-ineffective- windows remain foggy. Cabin road noise .
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Make the step up to a nice vehicle
Father Bob, 05/21/2024
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Much better build than any of the domestic competitors - comfort is good and handling great especially with the turbo.
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Three Year, No Regrets
JAM520, 06/23/2024
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I bought my Mazda CX-5 new in June 2021 - three years ago this month. I still absolutely love it! While I've only put ~22k miles on it, it has been a fantastic vehicle to drive. Despite others complaining about the seat position/comfort, I have not had any issue. I also like the technology that comes standard on this level and find it helpful rather than intrusive. For example, the slight vibration and nudge back into the lane you experience from the lane keep assist is just right. I also appreciate the blind-spot monitoring system (both the lights on the side mirrors and the ripple image on the instrument cluster) and love the adaptive cruise control. While my CX-5 is FWD and sans turbo, I find it plenty fast (especially when you activate sport mode) and have had no problems driving around southern Arizona. The keyless entry and keyless start systems work flawlessly, as does the power hatch. Lastly, while some bemoan the lack of touch screen, I find the knob/dial easy enough to use. It is also nice not to have to constantly wipe away finger prints from the screen, as is something I found myself doing frequently in my last vehicle. I do have a few gripes. For starters, I really wish the CX-5 came with the option to digitally display one's speed. I know, for example, that the CX-50 and CX-30 both have this. I'm not sure why Mazda didn't make this standard across all their vehicles. Also, the paint is less than ideal. I just had my car paint corrected and ceramic coated - the deep crystal blue mica shines like new again - but I now see all these paint chips on my hood (so many paint chips!). I recommend ceramic coating right away. While on the subject of paint, I should also note that I had to have hail damage repaired (via paintless dent repair at a Mazda dealership) last summer and while many cars also experienced hail damage in the storm, not all cars in the parking lot did which leads me to think that Mazda's metal might not be as strong as some of their competitors. Inside the car, the use of piano black plastic is terrible and scratches so easily it is ridiculous. I bought covers for all the piano black plastic on the doors and around the gear shift which has helped. I do also wish the sunroof was larger. As is, it's nice to have but somewhat underwhelming. Lastly, my front driver's side AC vent makes a rattling sound on rough roads. Two different dealerships have tried to correct this rattle three times over the past year to no avail. While annoying, as I stated at the open of this review, I still love my Mazda. To conclude, this has been a fantastic vehicle to own. I have experienced no mechanical issues and outside of an alignment just last month, have done nothing more than oil changes and tire rotations to date. I plan to keep and drive my CX-5 for a long time to come and when the time comes for a replacement, will definitely shop Mazda first. I know Mazda is planning to bring hybrids to market in the coming years which is exactly the sort of vehicle I want next, so the timing will be perfect.
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Bang For The Buck
Mickey, 02/12/2025
2021 Mazda CX-5 Carbon Edition Turbo 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased during the Covid epidemic when vehicles were in very short supply I got lucky and found this TURBO,4wd cx-5. It is luxury at a mid-level price. Leather interior and all the electronic gadgets of that year. It will run on any octane level with HP increasing as you go up the octane chain. It's a very quick SUV off the line and has more than enough acceleration to get you off and on the Interstate. Seats are great. Smooth ride and very quiet. Over three years later I have had no problems. MPG could be better, but I am a lead foot.This was my first Mazda, and one of the best vehicles I have had.
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One of the Best value for the Money!!!!
Larry, 04/02/2025
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I lost my old 2021 CX-5 GT-Reserve during an accident, after I test drive Lexus NX350(where did all the space gone?), audi q5(80% people lease, and trim with vent seat too expensive to lease so dealer don't carry them), bmw x3(........uuuuuuugggggglllllllyyyyyy), Acura RDX was ok.... feel very same as my old car, with little bit better suspensive, so after a week driving it.... 1. infortament system is way worse than Mazda, touch pad bad, answer call button confusing(on AA screen, answer is at left, hang up is right, but on car, push wheel to left is hang up, push right is answer.....). On mazda, 2 buttons... easy simple and no confusing. 2. The Cargo cover was ....... not smart.... my Old CX-5 has the retractable cover and hook directly to the trunk door, so when you open truck, it automatically life the cargo cover..... come on.... on the RDX, I have to manually retract it every time otherwise I can't see what I have in it.... 3. Manual shift is joke, 10 gears.... 9 for forward.... you never find good gear manually.... Mazda have 6 speed, 5 forward.... old school and works great. 4. Brake hold and hand brake are on the left hand side, gear shift is on right hand side... Keep forgetting to turn it on. Mazda's buttons is all next to the shifter, you shift and push buttons right next to each other...... 5. Mazda have a constant ON ciger power in the center console, which is perfect for DashCam parking mode..... RDX only have 1, and it's off when car is off...... 6. Storage is joke, no place to put stuffs.... bottom one is 'wireless charger' which so hard to put phone there, don't even think about using it while you driving, u need go down so much to reach it and you may crash the car, upper center console storage is so small..... Mazda have very traditional style, not big but everything easy to grab and charge all at same place. 7, RDX have NO place for phone mount, even the air vent shape weird, Mazda have so many places you can mount phones, they even have one that hook on top of hazard warning button and you can mount phone on top of hazard button and still accessable to the button!!!! much much much easier. RDX have big glass roof, better suspension for ride...... everything else....... not that much better compare to CX-5. In conclusion, Mazda designed their cars with driver in mind, whatever they have, much be easy for driver to access and to use!!! Acura..... fancy design but so confusing to use, they design for show, not for driver to use. Even the horse power, 272 HP but slower than CX-5 240 something because transmission and low torque. So I can say this, the Mazda CX-5 top trim is almost same or slightly better than Acura RDX with advance package according to my own experiences.(and much much bigger inside than Lexus NX)
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Mazda does not honor their warranty
Mark V, 05/26/2025
2021 Mazda CX-5 Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
I took my 2021 CX-5 to Hanover Mazda dealership's service department because my reputable mechanic found oil leaking from the bell housing area of the engine. I am still under the 5 year, 60,000 mile Mazda power train warranty. I provided the service department with documented proof from my mechanic that my vehicle has an active oil leak in the bellhousing, which IS COVERED under the Mazda warranty. The service department claimed they did an inspection and found that the leak (so they admitted there is a leak) is not SEVERE enough to do the repair. What do they want, the car to leak a river of oil before they honor the warranty? Can you imagine! I have a fairly new car under warranty that has an oil leak due to no fault of mine and this service department refuses to honor Mazda's warranty! OUTRAGIOUS!!! I have owned 4 Mazda’s in the past 30 years (4 vehicles) which shows my loyalty to Mazda and this is how this dealership treats it's customers! A very loyal Mazda customer at that. How SHAMEFUL! I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and I am escalading my complaint to Mazda HQ until I get them to honor the warranty Mazda provides its customers when you purchase one of their new vehicles. Based on my experience, I would not do business with this dealership Or buy another Mazda since they are untrustworthy and do not honor Mazda's warranty! This experience has soured me on Mazda's and if they treat one of their loyal customers this way I would never purchase another Mazda. Shame of this dealership!
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Sporty and Economical
Steve in PA, 10/04/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl 6A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I have the 2021 Grand Touring with the standard 2.5L. White exterior with black leather. This is our 4th CX-5 and is my favorite one so far. The standard 2.5 has plenty of punch for me. It is zippy around town and fun to drive with enough punch to get the job done on the highway. I really like the cylinder cut-off feature. With the display set to monitor the cylinder activation, it amazes me just how smoothly this car transitions from 4, to 2, to complete shut-off, and back to 4 cylinders. It is seamless. In my 2016 CX-5 the best I was able to get on the highway was about 32-33mpg. In this 2021 with the cylinder cut-off I just completed two trips on the highway and achieved 39.6 mpg and 41.5 mpg. This was a true measured calculation from fill-up to fill-up, with documented mileage. The pump was always stopped at the auto cut-off on each fill-up. I was extremely pleased with that performance. This was achieved with the air conditioner turned off, windows up and cruise control set at no more then 5mph over the limit. This engine really rewards you for smooth throttle input on the highway. I could not be more pleased. From our previous experience with the CX-5's, I know that the all wheel drive system is excellent on the road and I have always been pleased with the handling in light to moderate snowfalls here in PA. The newer models have stepped things up in the safety department with many welcome features geared towards keeping you safer on the road. Two thumbs up Mazda!!
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The replacement
J , 12/15/2021
2021 Mazda CX-5 Signature 4dr SUV AWD (2.5L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Needed a new car do to Kia engine replacement which takes 3 months. We had rented a cx5 over the summer. It is the nicer model in this small suv line up. The interior seems plush and refined compared to other models
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