The 2018 Mazda CX-5 I drove is a beautiful sparkly shade of blue. It’s a 5-seater medium sized crossover SUV with four different model trims.
The CX-5 is available in the GX, GS, GT and a Signature with the larger engine, the SKYACTIV-G 2.5 T with Dynamic Pressure Turbo (DPT) (227 hp ★, 310 lb ft torque) and i-ACTIV AWD.
The Mazda CX-5 starts at $25,800, MSRP (as tested $36,600).
A 7-inch dashboard touchscreen remains standard on the CX-5, and Nappa leather upholstery (versus cloth, vinyl or regular leather on lower trims), genuine wood trim, a fancier headliner, a 360-degree camera system, and parking sensors for the front and rear.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included on the upper level trims in the 2019 model.
The sound system is high quality, with Bose speakers, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
SAFETY FIRST
- ABS braking with electronic brake force distribution, which distributes the energy in hard brake situation so our passengers are not thrashed around
- Traction control sensors, which senses which wheels need the most traction and sends or restricts power to those wheels
- Blind spot monitoring
- Rear cross traffic alert, which watches for people, bicyclists and cars approaching behind you
- Smart city brake support, which detects the risk of a collision in low-speed situations
- Lane departure warning
With a 7.6 to a 8.7 L/100KM fuel economy (depending on the trim level/engine) it’s an economical family vehicle choice.