After we had turned over the family’s 2023 Hyundai Elantra to my daughter, we became a household of four drivers and three cars. Action needed to be taken, starting with my wife’s ride. We would end up with a 2023 Mazda CX-5, a generation of cars she hadn’t liked at first, but that, once tried, turned out to fit like an old shoe. The CX-5 also came at a pretty good price, adding another positive spin to the purchase.
As much as my wife had loved her 2013 CX-5, the car had crested 140,000 miles and we agreed that the next car should be hers. I think the breaking point was when the right-front control arm broke in the parking lot as she was leaving work, missing an appointment with the cardiologist. My mechanic said we were good until the next oil change. He was wrong. As we’d driven the car to Rhode Island and back the day before, we considered ourselves extremely lucky that this didn’t happen on the highway. However, it was interesting seeing the front wheels facing in two different directions.
Electrics, plug-in and traditional hybrids were at the top of the list since she hates gas stations. As much as I liked the Tesla Model Y, owning a car from a company run by Elon Musk was out of the question for her. None of the other electrics tickled her fancy.
After I discovered that our local Hyundai dealer rented cars, I procured a Tucson plug-in hybrid for a weekend trip up to Manchester, NH to see Rascal Flatts. I liked it – not a surprise since I was a big fan of our Elantra – but my wife thought it was too big.
The SUV I was sure would win her over was the CX-50, newly available with Toyota’s hybrid system. And she did. My daughter was along for the test drive, and she and her mother have a deep psychic connection. Just before we pulled back into the dealer, my daughter said, “She likes this car, but she doesn’t love it.” My wife then confirmed the sentiment. She also didn’t like anything else on the market and did not want to buy a new car that wasn’t at least somewhat electrified. Now what?
Knowing that new CX-5 and RAV4 hybrids were coming, I posited, “Why don’t we buy another CPO vehicle for now and look again in a couple of years?” Luckily, she was open to that idea.
While we were at the Mazda dealer, my wife noted a newer CX-5 in Eternal Blue Mica waiting for servicing and exclaimed, “That’s a pretty car!” Back at home, I checked to see if there were any CPO CX-5s in that color. Just half an hour away was a 2023 model with a little under 20k miles at an attractive price. As my wife likes cloth interiors, the only trim with that and all the features we wanted was the S Select. Since I like to have more than one choice, I looked around for others. There was not another within 1,000 miles. It turns out that 2023 was the last year you could get both Eternal Blue Mica and the suede-insert seats. The others in that color were either 2024 models, which had all-synthetic leather seats, or older models that were not CPO. This was clearly going to be fun.
I reached out to the dealer and made an appointment for the following weekend. I asked my wife how much we should offer, and she responded, “We shouldn’t pay any more than $1,000 under the asking price.” Coincidentally, the dealer dropped the price $1,000 during that week.
The beauty of making an appointment is that the dealer, if they’re smart, will have the car cleaned and waiting out front for you when you pull in. They did, and it made a huge impression on my wife. It was a sunny day, and you could see the sparkle in that clean Eternal Blue Mica paint. At the end of my earlier post on our 2013 model, I’d mentioned that my wife didn’t like the second generation; turns out she just needed to see it in the right color to appreciate it.
Per tradition, I drove first. Many reviewers accuse the 187-horsepower, 2.5-liter engine and six-speed automatic of not quite being powerful enough for the CX-5 or having enough gears. One of the advantages of having one of the few CX-5s with the 2.0-liter engine was that even in the heavier 2nd generation with all-wheel drive, I could appreciate the performance of this more powerful combo. The other thing that I noticed was how much quieter the new one was. There was clearly far more sound deadening than in the original.
We stopped in an empty parking lot, did a thorough walkaround, then my wife took the wheel. After the Tucson and CX-50, she finally felt like she was home. There was no question that we were buying this car.
Back at the dealer, especially since they dropped the price, there was no room for hard negotiation. We did at least get them to throw in a retractable cargo cover.
I’d found a reputable mechanic just down the street from the dealer for the pre-purchase inspection. Unlike the previous year with the Elantra, we were told to come right over. Also, unlike the previous year, the mechanic did the full kit and kaboodle, spending a good hour going over the CX-5. He finally came out, looked at us, and said, “This is a nice car.” Paying $150 for peace of mind is a small price in the scheme of things. We grabbed a quick lunch at McDonald’s, then returned to the dealer and made an appointment to pick up the car the following Saturday.
The day after we were scheduled to pick up the car was my wife’s birthday. I racked my brain for a day or two, then it hit me that she would really like the optional day/night review mirror with built in garage door opener. I called our saleswoman (whom we liked because she didn’t give off an ounce of the slimy salesman vibe) and asked if we could add the mirror, hopefully at a reduced price. The price she came back with was full retail. When I asked if it was possible to get a discount, she responded with, “Well, we sell these at cost, so there is no way we can discount the price.” I guess even the most upstanding salespeople can’t help lying sometimes. I also didn’t care for the way she added the license and registration to the price of the car, which meant we had to pay sales tax on it. However, I’m sure it added a few bucks to her commission. Unintentionally, I got my revenge when I pointed out the new mirror through the window before she was able to come out of the showroom to give us the walkthrough. She really wanted to be there for it.
I did mention to her before we left in “Ellie” that this was the only CPO CX-5 so equipped within 1,000 miles. She replied, “I know.”
The second generation CX-5 arrived in the fall of 2016 for the 2017 model year, just four short years after the introduction of the first generation. In these days of six+ year cycles, this was surprising, especially for a small company like Mazda. It helped that the powertrain, and pretty much the whole architecture, was carried over. The changes consisted of some plastic surgery to the outside, such as smaller taillights, a 1988 Buick Century-like forward-thrusting hood extending over the grill, and one-piece rear side windows that can no longer roll all the way down, much to the consternation of my children. It’s difficult to tell the two generations apart unless they’re side-by-side (which, in my garage, they are).
More effort was put into the interior. While the first generation’s interior was basic but elegant, the second generation’s interior is more upscale. The basic cloth covering the seats of our 2013 Touring have been replaced by leatherette with suede inserts. Soft touch materials abound, and everything just looks and feels nice. The centerpiece, Mazda’s 10.25-inch infotainment display, is operated by a controller located in the console – a setup that’s reviled by most automotive journalists and loved by nearly every owner.
Note that I’m describing the interior of the S Select, which is the second trim from the bottom. Above the S Select are the S Preferred, S Carbon Addition, S Premium, S Premium Plus, Turbo and Turbo Signature, but my wife still feels she’s sitting in the lap of luxury. Not that the base S is a stripper: 17-inch alloys, rain-sensing wipers, push-button start, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, speed-sensing cruise control, and all the safety stuff. The S Select adds hands-free keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, one-touch windows, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, six-speaker sound system, rear air conditioning vents and rear USB charging ports. Higher trims get well into Lexus territory. This may not sound like a lot to people who lease cars every two or three years, but it is for someone stepping up after 12+ years.
I believe the plan was for the CX-50 to ultimately replace the CX-5, although Mazda never admitted this publicly. This strategy (and new naming convention) worked just fine for the CX-30, which replaced the CX-3, and the CX-70 and 90, which replaced the CX-9. However, the CX-5 has outsold the 50 every year since its introduction, which is the main reason why the second generation has hung around seemingly forever. This reality finally forced Mazda’s hand, and the CX-5 has finally been redesigned for 2026 and it, uh, looks pretty much the same. And it still has the same powertrain.
There will be a Mazda-designed and -engineered hybrid for 2027, but that doesn’t matter to us. Even though this purchase was a temporary solution, my wife has no intention of getting rid of this car anytime soon.
And me? With my six-mile commute, ability to work from home if needed, and drop off the car at our mechanic and walk to work when required, it only made sense for me to take the old CX-5. It’s needed roughly $2,500 worth of work over the last year that I’ve driven it, but that pales in comparison to the cost of a new or CPO car. At nearly 147,000 miles, it’s managing its retirement career like a champ.
It’s funny the way things work out sometimes. I ended up spending somewhat more than I planned on a car for my daughter, and considerably less on this one. Wouldn’t it be nice if everything worked out that way?
We went from a RAV4 to a CX-5 two years ago and haven’t looked back. Splurged on top of the line Michelin tires last fall. Friends have a deluxe CX-5 with a red leather interior, one of few times recently I’ve had car envy.
I love the color. Mazda needs more good colors besides just Soul Red Pearl, and replacing Eternal Blue with a darker and more muted blue was a step in the wrong direction.
Happy CX-5, Adam and family! This essay served as a sort of tutorial for me in terms of a smart approach to a dealership purchase. Without question, that $150 for your mechanic was money well spent. I like that your daughter was up front about her mom’s impression of the car you didn’t buy. LOL
There are a few other things I had made a mental not to comment on, but I’m afraid to scroll up and lose my comment. I can add that I have friends and coworkers with this generation of Mazda products and they have nothing but good things to say about them. My rental Mazda was also a great ride.
And I confess that I had to look up “CPO”. Haha
Thanks Joseph! I shouldn’t have made the assumption (“ass-u-me” and all :-)) and just spelled out “Certified Pre-Owned” at least once in the article.
Very pretty color and a nice design. Our very particular son ( a nuclear physicist with Agilent who also has a full electric Mini) likes his ’18 CX 5 very much.
I don’t think I’d have spent 150$ for an independent mechanic to check out a 20k mile CPO from the dealer that also sold them new, they’re pretty much very well checked over and typically have full warranty coverage… ymmv, for extra peace of mind.
Thanks Randerson. I’m just way too paranoid about undisclosed damage, especially after that mechanic told me about his brother wrecking his leased Civic and the guy and a friend repairing it themselves – as cheaply as possible – so it won’t have an accident history. It may have not gone back on the lot as CPO, but it may have. Just because the dealer checks them over, doesn’t mean they’re going to address what they find if it’s not readily noticeable.
My current DD is the first of this generation, a 2017 CX-5 FWD in the mid-level Touring trim. I bought it about 18 months ago when it had under 44k miles. It now has 53k.
I agree with all of your points. The added bonus of a used Mazda is that they depreciate a bit faster than rivals from Honda or Toyota, so a CX-5 that’s a few years older is quite a bit cheaper than its crosstown rivals.
I got the darker blue, called Crystal Blue Mica. I had to search for a while to find one in that color, and without AWD. Starting around 2021 or 22, they all got AWD. I have no need for that.
Some say the 2.5 engine is underpowered and six gears are not enough? Who are these critics? We have a 2018 3 which has the 2.0 engine and six speed. For what my wife does it is perfectly fine. The only time one might want a bit more power is making the climb, with three in the car, up 80 through the Sierras to Reno in a few spots. The 2.5 engine would have zero issues. Transmission wise it does just fine besides I prefer not to have the more complicated 8-9 speed transmissions.
As for the previous car with the broken right control arm, something I have never seen at that age if ever, why? The arm crack or break at one of the three connection points?
The critics are mostly automotive journalists who are used to torquier turbocharged engines – even in base models – and those 7/8/9/10-speed transmissions in Mazda’s competition. I’m not entirely sure that any other automaker still sells a vehicle with an automatic transmission of less than 7 speeds in the U.S.
“Who are these critics?”
People who have driven more powerful vehicles and appreciate that. Pretty simple. I’ve tried one of these and it’s a very nice car, but it weighs a bit, the 2.5 is low on torque and needs to rev, and the numerous hybrid CUVs provide more low end power and better fuel economy.
I see no issue with the 6 speed, though. Six is enough.
These remain in the small number of new cars that interest me. That the CX-50 was to replace the CX-5 was my understanding too. But in my are, I don’t see many 50s while 5s are everywhere.
I love the color!
Thanks JP! There are a good amount of CX-50s up here, but a lot more CX-5s.
My wife has a 2021, same colour and slightly higher trim level maybe. At ~100,000 km it’s being replaced but running through the entire gamut of mid sized SUV’s she is back to buying another CX-5 it seems.
She came close with a Nissan Rogue but didnt enjoy driving it, and the CX5 is a pretty fun car to drive.
We had some issues with odd transmission shifting, some sensor issues for the forward looking collision system but overall nothing different than any other COVID timeframe build (better than my 2022 F350 certainly)
Price and availability can’t be beat and after a couple of months of shopping I suspect another one very similar to the 2021 will be in the driveway soon
Thanks for the write up, well done
Thank you very much. Good luck on your hunt!
Nice-looking car, and it’s great that you wound up with a successful purchase after following what sounds like a pretty stringent set of vehicle expectations.
I think that $150 is money well-invested in the pre-purchase inspection, although I too am not sure I would have done that with a genuine CPO car with only 20K miles on it. I also am generally not so choosy as to whether the car is CPO or not (although if “not”, then the pre-purchase is essential). There are lots of reasons why low mileage used cars do not wind up in a CPO program, which usually adds to their cost relative to simply being a used car. I got my daily driver as a 20K mile used car (so it still had about half its warranty left) and purchased it from a non-BMW dealer which had taken it in on trade and figured (likely correctly) that they could make more selling it on their own lot vs. selling it to BMW.
Anyhow, sharp-looking Mazda!
Oh, and your comment about your wife “hating gas stations” cracks me up 🙂 I’ve never really thought about anyone hating gas stations.
I’d think waiting around for a charge would be far worse! It’s clear why apt dwellers may avoid electrics. If you have a home charger it wouldn’t be at all onerous however, and a hybrid would pretty much avoid the problem as well.
Fortunately, we have solar panels and wouldn’t have used the car for long trips. Plug it in at night, “full tank” in the morning.
Thanks Jeff. Like I mentioned to Randerson above, it’s the possibility that there was damage that the dealer didn’t disclose. If you Google the issue, there are many cases of people buying CPO vehicles and their mechanic breaking the bad news at the first oil change. If you try to bring it back, how would you prove you didn’t do it?
Also, my wife is a tough customer. This is the first time there wasn’t “the car” on the market (like our Pontiac Vibe and the first CX-5) and I was lucky that we found something even though it wasn’t electrified. However, now that she has a Costco card and can fill up across the street from work during her lunch break, she’s much happier about filling up.
I like how you factor in that repairs to your current car are cheaper that replacing the car before it’s time, especially if you have a short commute. Better the devil you know.
I meant to comment on that as well. It’s refreshing to read about someone making that calculation and deciding as Adam has. I’ve done similar things based on just doing the math, and all too often people – who haven’t done the math – have commented on “why put money into that old car?”. (Those would be people in the real world…CC’ers tend to get it 😉 )
Whenever my mechanic hits me with a big bill and expecting me to freak out, that’s always my response. With the average new car over $49k and the average payment almost $800 per month, a $1,200 auto repair bill doesn’t seem like much. The last time I said that, he told me about a customer who asked him to do a pre-purchase inspection on a used $61k Silverado. Used!
I haven’t paid a monthly car payment for nearly 20 years, but when I did, it was about $300/month. In today’s dollars, that’s about $500/month. That tends to make acceptable most repairs that cost less than $6000 assuming that they are once in a lifetime (or once in maybe 3 to 6 years) things. That said, I’ve never spent more than about $3000 in annual repairs. So, I think I’m still shiny side up.
“As much as I liked the Tesla Model Y, owning a car from a company run by Elon Musk was out of the question for her.” Preach!
Congrats on the sharp buy! The new CX-5 remains a great looker and is certainly upscale inside, but they got rid of most physical controls for an iPad. That is a step backwards in my opinion. Subaru learned their lesson and added physical controls back in for the new Outback (but certainly lost the plot with the new exterior design, once again in my opinion).
I had a CX-5 for 2 weeks when my truck was being repaired – really enjoyed it. Drove great, was quiet, and the 2.5 had no trouble keeping up in the daily Houston 500. Some friends were shopping for an entry-level compact CUV from a luxury brand and were a little exasperated with this or that with each brand. I suggested checking out the CX-50 Premium Plus, which they loved and bought. Mazda builds a great vehicle; it’ll be interesting to see how their in-house hybrid system shakes out.
What quadrant of Connecticut are you from? I’m originally from the New Haven area; can’t spend enough time up there when I’m off, usually 3-4 weeks ayear. If you’re a car enthusiast, check out the Dream Ride every August up in Farmington. It’s amazing!
Thanks Dave! We’re in Hartford County and those in my car club (https://www.valleycollectorcarclub.org/) who actually have classic cars frequently participate in the Dream Ride.
The CX-5 is Mazda’s most popular model, and has been for a while. I think that is because it hits the sweet spot of footprint, interior volume, performance, looks, features, and price. It can haul four adults and their stuff for a long trip, in comfort. We got ours because, among other things, we could put a soft dog crate in the back seat. That didn’t work with some other SUVs we looked at; we would need to move up in size and price to get that capability from other car makers. I think the CX-50 drives and looks great, but it is noticeably tighter inside. That’s why it never replaced the CX-5.
Exactly!
These would be high on the list for a replacement for Stephanie’s TSX wagon. But it’s a bit hard to think of ditching the TSX, as it’s never had an issue in 100k miles and is such a great driving car.
And there will be plenty to choose from when the time comes. As long as Stephanie is not too picky with the color or interior materials, of course.
Nothing but good things to say about our CX-5. I bought my wife the one pictured below a couple of years ago at CARMAX and the only issue we have is the sometimes glitchy infotainment system when using Apple CarPlay. I may just have the touch screen replaced as it has a small crack in the lower left corner. FWIW, I hate the knob too. FWIU, the 2026 has corrected this and it is a complete touchscreen now.
Ours is a 2019 in the Grand Touring trim which was a notch or two below the top of the range for that model year. My wife, like yours, loves it and has no intention of ever parting with it. She too would have preferred blue, but didn’t like the darker blue offering. If it was in the shade of your 2023 however, she may’ve liked that. She threatens to have it wrapped in Electric Blue (like her old Octane Blue 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer), but I’d prefer that she keeps the Mazda in its original “Soul Red”.
I love the Soul Red, but we apparently have a “blue car only” thing going on in my family.
By the way, you hate the knob (as I do) because it’s your wife’s car. If you drove it every day, you would love it as well.
I happen to see your license plates & took note, I live in Connecticut too. Ironically about a half hour south of where you live. I have been a reader for about ten years & never knew a journalist of this worthy publication would have someone close to us?
I read your article not knowing until the end that we are distant neighbors.
Very small world.
And Jeff Sun is just a little further north in Massachusetts!
I bought my 2022 CX5 mainly based on Mazda’s reputation for build quality and reliability. It also didn’t hurt that, in my area (Northern VA), they were the only dealerships with anything on the lots during the chip shortage.
As nice of a ride that it is, I find the interior to be very cramped compared to the CRV or RAV4.
The center console is way too tall and intrusive. Reviews of the CX5 have noted this for years. Mazda must be aware of this problem and just doesn’t care to fix it. Visibility out of the car is pretty bad as well. Maybe not Camaro bad, but still bad.
When the CX-5 was first introduced, it was roughly the same size inside and out as the RAV4 and CR-V. However, those two have grown considerably in size through two redesigns. The CX-5 is now closer in size to the Corolla Cross and HR-X. The CX-50 is close in exterior dimensions, but not interior. The 2026 CX-5 should fix all that.
I got my mom one of these brand-new, almost four years ago to the day (it was April 5, 2022). It was an S Carbon Edition.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-2022-mazda-cx-5-2-5-s-carbon-edition-for-mom/
Over the last four years, it’s held up amazingly. I just saw it yesterday, because she came to town to visit, and it’s got right around 60K miles. The interior is holding up perfectly and so is the paint. It still gets compliments. Other than the mirror position dipping down during car washes (a niggle that has since resolved itself), the only thing that happened is that the battery needed replacing. That’s it.
I think it’s a very impressive car, especially the design and materials choices. I also realized the other day that it has laminated/double-pane front door glass, a feature that is normally reserved for luxury-brand cars (and not always!). I hadn’t realized that when I bought it.
I think you and your wife will be thrilled with your gen. 2.
Eternal blue was the way to go for me, especially with the body-color cladding. I purchased an off-lease 2022 Turbo Signature with an oddly-low 7,600 miles on it a year and a half ago, and still have only about doubled that (yes, I’m old).
It’s a beautiful car (real wood and leather inside) with all the luxury I could want. If I’d had a choice (the color and condition being a must for me, I didn’t) I wouldn’t have gotten the turbo, though. Highway MPG is 26 at best, which hurts with Californian fuel prices …
I liked the way the CX-5 Turbo drove, for sure. Went with the CR-V for overall useability, space and convenience. It’s a 2023 with a tweaked drivetrain which is a bit more responsive than our 2018.
If Honda would listen to this converted BMW driver, they’d stick a 2 litre turbo 4 in the CR-V and call it a CR-V R maybe.
I’m glad the CX-5 fit your wife like an old shoe. My wife always complained about the driving position of our 2016 CX-5, which is why it was replaced with a Fiat 500. I liked the car although it was less efficiently packaged than the Mazda5 it replaced and I though the 2.5 Skyactiv was plenty of power and a useful bump over the 2.3. I also used the AWD and 8″ ground clearance on road trips to places like Hole In The Ground and Steens Mountain. I still recommend the CX-5 and one of my son’s friends took my advice. I’m less enthusiastic about the latest generation with touchscreen heater controls. I thought the HVAC knobs and the “iDrive” knob meant we used the touch screen 3 times in 8 years of ownership.
One correction, the 2nd generation was a late introduction and in Oregon wasn’t in dealers until April 2017 so the 2016 with the facelifted interior was available until early 17. Our Soul Red Sport AWD was manufactured in November of 2016 and we leased it in March 2017 when there were good discounts to clear the last ones.
Nice car, Adam, and in a really lovely color. I’ve driven and ridden in several (who hasn’t, these are everywhere for good reason) and the general refinement is well above what I’d expect from the class.
It looks like Mazda made some substantial changes in the new CX-5, some good and some bad to my eye. I’m not sure the new interior lives up to the standard of yours, and a lot of functions are now nested into the large touchscreen.
Mazda just flat-out builds great vehicles. They punch above their weight in terms of driving fun, quality of materials, and fit and finish. I only wish they hadn’t ruined the looks of the Mazda3, because I’d have bought one to replace my Protege5 after it finally died with almost a quarter-million miles on the odometer.