2014 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

2014 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds long-term update of the 2014 Mazda CX-5 includes discussion of the CX-5's high-altitude performance.

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7driver

HP loss is about 3% per 1000ft gain. Given that formula, it's interesting that you noticed the power loss at 8400ft instead of 5300ft (2.0L has 16% less HP than the 2.5L). I guess that speaks to the 2.5L's better delivery curve.

desmolicious

hmm, I've never heard a cute ute powered by a 4 cylinder motor called a rig before..
(i'm just jealous u got to go mountain biking while i'm at work)

agentorange

"HP loss is about 3% per 1000ft gain." I'm surprised it is as little as that. I drove a 160hp Isuzu Rodeo up to Cedar Breaks one time and the poor thing was pretty much DOA in terms of throttle response. The deer up there had nothing to fear as I could not catch them.

7driver

@agentorange, the ~3%/1000ft figure assumes a standard lapse rate. It could have been that it was a hot/humid day in your Isuzu ("hot" being 59 degrees Fahrenheit minus 3.5 degrees/1000ft above sea level). To get a more accurate number, you'd ha

agentorange

@7driver. In that case I was there on a "hot and high" day. Right now in Las Vegas the density altitude at the airport is reported as 5500 ft, while the physical elevation is about 2200 ft. So, another ~9% gone simply because of heat.

fordson1

And there is the fact that the Rodeo was gutless down at sea level - it's not like you were starting from a baseline of adequate performance with that thing.

craigist

The '14 and some '13s has a throttle kickdown switch that comes in handy for that kind of passing. If you push the pedal all the way, it can actually can go a little further and there will be a "click" you can feel. This drops the gears by 2 and zoom zoom you go...

explorerx4

I read the power loss was felt long before 8400 ft elevation.