Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I like to put it in manual mode when driving in undulating and/or curvy terrain, both for the greater control over gear selection, and for the increased fun factor. I have experienced what you described with mashing the pedal in full auto mode, where the RPMs go up without matching acceleration.
I believe when you switch to manual mode, it will tell you what gear you are in. This is standard practice with all the late model Mazda's.
This is correct. I've caught mine in 6th gear doing 35 MPH on a flat city road.
It is by design and let me explain why. First, the transmission is designed to achieve maximum economy, so at a cruising speed, you will see little to no change and the transmission is a little quick to up-shift to a higher gear, as long as you are not on an incline.
This transmission has (my perception) a 2-3 second lag from when the clutch disengages to when it reengages. If you are using cruise control and driving up hill, you will lose speed by the time it downshifts (typically 2+ gears in my experience over 2,000 miles).
If you floor the pedal, it will down shift several. It's all by design. Is it a little weird if you are not used to it? Absolutely. I found it strange myself too. Once you get used to driving the car, you know why it does what it does.
I've had it downshift 3 or more gears when goosing the gas, and again it takes 2-3 seconds before the transmission engages again. There's nothing normal about it. I find this to be the choppiest automatic transmission I've ever driven (with automatic transmissions, I've owned 2 Accords, an Elanta, had a 2010 Mazda3 prior to the CX-5, and I spent over 100 days driving rental cars last year).
I get that this transmission is designed to aggressively downshift to maximize fuel economy, but in my opinion there are many situations (e.g. highway passing, CC doing uphill) where the clutch lag makes this car UNSAFE to drive.
The manual mode allows you to control what gear it's in, but the clutch seems to pop as soon as you shift up or down. There's no smooth "letting the clutch out" when you downshift, it immediately over-revs. The downshift in manual has the same effect, it's like slamming the clutch in, shifting, and immediately letting it out without allowing the engine to equalize.
The CX-5 is really an incredible vehicle, which is rendered unfun and unsafe by its Skyactive automatic transmission.
Allow me, if I may for I own one too....
Mine has done no such thing, nor has any other owner or professional review notice such a thing either. The Skyactiv-Drive transmission has gotten nothing but rave reviews since it's debut several months ago.
What I do notice is multiple down shifts under "pedal to the metal" situations, which is normal. It does like to stay in a higher gear for economy reasons, again by design.
If your transmission is really taking 2-3 seconds to shift, you really should bring it to your dealer to have looked at. There might be a defect.
...... I am wondering if anyone noticed something awkward about the CRV though. When you lift the back tail gate it is really high up and very hard for a short person TO EVEN REACH IT TO PULL IT DOWN. I mentioned this negative to my salesperson and he said: " my mother uses a rope to pull her's down. " And, this is supposed to be a mom's car? I like the vehicle and it is still in contention so don't get me wrong. But, who thought or didn't think about this predicament for some?
I couldn't really tell if there is a driver side blind spot due to the huge price sticker, but I could see the passenger side just fine.
The dealer only offers a Class 1 hitch option (dealer-installed), but I am hoping for something bigger like a Class 2 or Class 3 hitch. He says he can send me to an afternmarket shop to get that added. Do any of you have experience with pulling a ton or so of trailer behind your CX-5? I've been doing this with a year-2000 Lexus RX-300 with V6 and AT, which has been "beefy enough" but certainly not overly high-powered for the task. I'm tired of the 18 MPG city and 15 MPG highway-while-pulling-trailer fuel consumption, plus it's getting a bit long in the tooth. I really want the higher mileage of the CX-5 as long as I'm not going to be putting my safety in jeopardy by pulling the trailer twice a year x 1200 miles... I'm also interested in knowing what is a reasonable expectation for an added roof rack. Not planning to load luggage on top while also pulling a trailer, the roof rack would be for "other" unrelated functions...
Thanks in advance for any helpful advice I can glean from all of you who've taken the plunge before me.
Also I wonder a bit about long-term reliability of that 13:1 compression engine especially if it has to work hard.
One thing to which I can testify: pulling a heavy trailer and/or stuff on the roof, you will get reduced mileage no matter what. It simply takes more energy. My current vehicle is a 98 Passat wagon, 4cyl 150hp turbo which gets typically 30mpg highway, but on a recent drive to Texas with a full load and a box on the roof at 75-80 mph through strong winds I got about 22.
Interested in hearing others' experiences with low-powered cars, auto transmissions, and loading them down.
It was in for service on 6/7. The service tech drove it and said it was fine. The service manager drove it, said it was driving as designed, and called me. I reviewed my issues with him, he downloaded whatever configuration information is stored in the car, compared to the baseline (identical), and sent it to his regional service director. He test drove another CX-5 (AWD but not GT iirc), and said it shifts identically to mine.
I wrote up a list of reproducible, unsafe scenarios I found myself in during a 1,000 mile road trip. The regional service director is coming down on Thursday to check it out, I'm dropping it off on Wednesday (I'll be out of town on business).
If I didn't say in the original post, I'm comparing to (among other cars I've driven) the 2010 Mazda3 GT that I drove for three years before trading for the CX-5. In the mean time, I've been driving it in manual mode.
Once you get your hitch question answered (no idea here), I'd recommend your dealer ordering the car you want, and just wait for it. I went to the dealership the day the CX-5 arrived to test drive it: they had 2 (a GT that didn't have a stock number yet, and a non-GT that did). I would have bought the GT on the lot, but it wasn't PDI'ed and no stock number so they couldn't sell it. I asked the salesperson to follow up the next day, he didn't, it was gone by the time I checked back a few days earlier. When I turned in my 2010 Mazda3 lease about 7 weeks later, they were able to grab the config/color I wanted just as it had been built for their allocation, and when it arrived at the port in Tacoma they put the PIO's (class 1 hitch, remote start) on before it landed. It was like waiting for the exact car you want, except about half the time (4-5 weeks).
There is still short supply (though getting better), but my recommendation is to have the dealer order it for you if that's what you want. I was looking for the same interior when the 2010 Mazda3 landed in April 2009, I didn't have time to wait to order it, so I ended up taking what I could get.
I considering the 1.5K tax here I think I got at least $600 off MSRP
Started looking and found a Hidden Hitch Brand Part Number: 87623 Class Rating: CLASS III/IV Weight Carrying: 525/3,500 lbs. (WC) Box Size: 2" x 2" Uses all existing holes No Drilling required. GP Hitch crosstube concealed behind bumper. If you do it yourself it says the exhaust must be temporarily lowered for installation.
I have used that brand before and think I will just go that route if I end up buying the CX-5 in a month or two.
Sometimes premium does have more additives, detergents etc. This may help keep things clean, but the same additives can also be in regular gas.
Slightly misinterpreted what you said. But you did say performance but I realize now that you were just referring to a little hesitation and noise. By the way, the placebo affect is not make believe, it happens quite frequently as I'm sure you're aware of.
Here is the link to the discussion I was talking about. I found it by using Google.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123815916-Octane-Rating
I have set up fuel and timing maps on cars and 13.0 is alot of compression and likely to detonate on 87 octane. Granted they are only getting 155 HP out of this.
I would think they have to run less timing advance. I don't know too much about the skyactiv but hard to buy into it.. the engine life maybe reduced?
I imagine mountain passes and over elevation of 4-5000 ft the vehicle might have an VERY tough time.
Get a roof rack instead?
That said, didn't know CX5 has a 2000 lb limit, the new Acura RDX has 273HP and only rated for 1500 lbs. I think it has to do more with the towing hitch being light duty and it's attachment points than the engine.
Highly advanced DI system that injects fuel at up to 2900psi through a 6-hole spray nozzle and does it at various points in the combustion process to help cool the cylinder. Volcano-top piston to ensure a complete burn and 4-2-1 exhaust header to pull away exhaust gasses and prevent re-entry of exhaust gas.
Also has to do with the frame in which the hitch is attached too. These are all unibody frames, so tow capacity tends to be low, especially on the MDX.
At my local dealer ship they added much to add stuff to each car like wheel locks marked up to $95, cargo cover at $240. $2000 cat skins leather, Navigation system etc. They aren't able to add the keyless entry on the "real" tech package. These are almost 100% inflated over MSRP of these accessories. No way one should be paying overinflated price. Seriously can cross shop Acura RDX once the sticker go past $33000 don't you think.
I believe the CR-V even have slightly more cargo space, and the flip down seat they have is pretty impressive in the way the headrest folds itself with 1 touch. At least stop by and take a look. It gets almost as good gas mileage with a bit more power but the handling CX-5 is better, the CR-V has a pudding like ride, although some people call this comfortable.
6 speed auto in CX5 versus 5 speed
CRV has parking brake pedal instead of lever in console
Much wider single center arm rest in CX5 versus fold down narrow ones
Sun visors in CX-5 have slide out sections to lengthen them when used on the side window
If you want a power seat in the CRV, you have to get a CRV-EXL, $4,000 more.
Styling and handling of CX5
2008 CX-9 GT AWD - Liquid Platinum.
2010 CX-7 GT AWD - Copper Red (had the 2008 CX-7 GT AWD - Black Cherry Mica before this one).
2013 CX-5 GT AWD - Sky Blue (had the 2009 Tribute GT 4WD before this one).
Mazda makes great performing cars. Also at one time had the 2007 Mazda6 i-GT. Great car too.