When the 2016 Mazda CX-5 showed up at my door to test drive for a week, I was
instantly in love with this hybrid SUV with Skyactiv Technology. From the Soul Red
Metallic paint job to the 19-inch alloy wheels. So, even though I didn't have any BIG
adventures planned for the day since the kids were at school, I immediately had to
take it on a small adventure so I could get behind the wheel and see what this pretty little
vehicle was capable of. So, I popped Gracie in the CX-5 and we headed to the store.
I love the advance keyless entry system that unlocks when the key is in proximity and
you put your hand on the handle. It makes it SO much easier to open the door when
you're juggling a toddler, the groceries and a giant diaper bag. I don't have to fish the key
out of the bottom of my bag, I just get close, put my hand in the handle, pull and BAM!
it's open! It's really so great! It also has great rear trunk space! Just look at all that room.
I put the stroller in there with several other things and there was still space to spare.
On the weekend we headed down to Carlsbad for Brick-or-Treat at LEGOLAND. It
was such a smooth drive and I loved using the cruise control. It also has Smart Brake
Support that alerts you when braking is immediately necessary and if you don't take
action, the CX-5 automatically applies the brakes. So cool! It also has
Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring that helps detect objects in your blind spot and
alerts you with a chime and a light in your side mirror if there is someone in your blind
spot and you are trying to enter the lane. As with most all of the sensors on the car, you
can set the sensitivity and the volume of the notification. It had great acceleration and
I never felt lag when I tried to hit the gas and felt it was always very smooth.
When the Drive Shop employee dropped off the CX-5 he joked that he was going to
show me the rain-sensing windshield wipers, but that since we live in Southern
California I wouldn't need them. Well, I'm so glad he showed them to me, because
it rained! And it was so cool to have them work and turn on during the rain. I went to
my favorite fabric store in the rain and it handled great on the wet roads and having
all the safety features made me feel safe!
Grace and I took a drive up to Yucaipa to go to Snowline Orchard for a fall apple
picking adventure. The big kids were in school, so it was fun to do something together.
I loved having the Sirius Satellite Radio to keep us entertained on the drive up the
mountain. The engine handled the drive up into the mountains perfectly. I don't have any
complaints about the power of the engine to pull the hills.
The interior is very aesthetically pleasing and also has a lot of great features. I loved all
the controls that were at my fingertips on the steering wheel - phone, audio, and cruise
control. The instrument panel was large and easy to read. The only thing I wish that it
had was a digital display for your speed. I found the numbers just a little hard to read
and with 20 in between the displayed numbers I was always worried about my speed.
The 7-inch full color touch screen let you control your apps, entertainment, navigation,
communication and settings. It was easy to toggle between the different choices and
easy to use. We didn't have to use the navigation much, but I didn't find it as user
friendly as other systems. I was thinking if I was my mom or dad trying to figure it out
and I know they would have had a steep learning curve when using it. It also bothered
me that you couldn't alter it or do many of the options when the car was in motion.
I know this is a safety feature, but it does make it frustrating when you need to make
changes to the route or want to enter something and you can't because the car isn't
in park. Other systems I've used didn't have that criteria and I found those easier to
use and more helpful when you're on an actual trip.
The interior was roomy and had plenty of room for four. I know that it has seat belts for
five, but our family of five couldn't comfortably fit in it. Since we have to have a booster
and toddler car seat, it made the middle back seat a very slim space. If you didn't have
to use car seats or maybe only needed one, then you could fit three small people in the
back comfortably. I loved the leg room and 8-way power driver's seat with power
adjustable lumbar support. The front seats also had heated controls. We didn't need to
use that option while we had the car, but it's always nice to have a warm seat on a
chilly day.
The back seat also had great leg room and the kids love the power moon-roof. We get
a lot of use out of that here in Orange County. It's especially fun to use at night when you
can see the stars. The were cup holders in the back doors and also in the center seat
when you folded it down. I felt like it was missing a rear climate control. I know that the
back seat isn't far from the front seat, but I always like to have a vent to blow on me
when I'm sitting in the back.
There is ample trunk space and it has a retractable shade to keep the sun off of your
cargo. The one feature I thought the CX-5 was missing was a power cargo gate lift.
When you have kids and they need to get into the back and to get something out, but
they are too short, so you have to get out of the car in your jammies to help them close it
when you're dropping off for school drop-off, that's not really cool. So, I'd like to see
Mazda add a power cargo gate to match all the other great auto and power features
that the CX-5 already has.
We had a great time in Mazda CX-5 and I would definitely love to drive one again. It
has a ton of great safety features and a lot of added bonus features that just make it a
really great car. Check out my YouTube video below for some of my other favorite
options that the CX-5 has to offer!
