2021 Mazda CX-5 Review: Reliable Compact SUV With Low Maintenance Costs

Kwani on September 14, 2024

I have the 2021 Mazda CX-5 Carbon Edition. The car is beautiful, sports mode is great for picking up speed on the highway, the app is great and it has all the features I wanted in a great price- sunroof, remote start, leather seats, etc. Drawbacks: Backseat: Car seat does not have as much room in the back (I knew this prior to purchasing, but I didn't think it would be that bad. Unfortunately I do wish it had more leg room especially as my 5 year old continues to grow). Tire pressure is not displayed inside the vehicle. This has already impacted me when I had a blow out on the highway, I had no idea my tire was losing air. Other than these factors, I am happy with my purchase.

Bernadette Hill on June 22, 2023

Looks sharp. Smooth ride. Comfortable for me as a driver. Perfect size for me as a single homeowner. Good gas mileage, averaging 27-32 mpg. Love the bright RED with black leather seats.

Novak on April 12, 2023

Such a joy to drive. You can’t go wrong with a Mazda. While the CX-5 is on the smaller side, it fits our needs and is so fun to drive. It looks sharp from the outside and has a lot of comfort on the inside. Technology options are good and it has a solid warranty but you won’t need it as Mazda is one of the most reliable brands on the road.

Mimij on December 8, 2022

I purchased a 2023 black Mazda CX5. The ride is excellent and it has a very quiet interior. My major complaint about this vehicle is that the steering wheel is only partially heated. I insisted on purchasing a car with a heated steering wheel because I live in NE Ohio and we can have some frigid weather plus the heat helps with the arthritis in my fingers after I leave the gym. My salesperson failed to tell me that the steering wheel is only partially heated, which for me is a big issue. I simply don’t understand it! Why would any car designer think it’s a good idea to only heat the steering wheel on the sides and not the top and bottom?? I don’t naturally hold the steering wheel in those places, and even if I did, when you turn the wheel you’ll inevitably touch the cold, non-heated areas. Another issue I have with the car is the lack of space in the second seat. I have two car seats in the back for my grandkids and I have to pull the passenger seat way forward for the older kid’s legs to not be squished as well as my driver seat for the 2 yo to have enough room. My car was also delivered with scratches and swirl marks all over it that now have to be buffed out. Besides these issues, I enjoy driving my car but in the future will probably not get another Mazda unless they offer a fully heated steering wheel.

Rangeleygal on October 19, 2022

Being previous mercedes owners for years the Mazda was a shocker ! Comparable in style, ride and comfort we were both shocked . The only drawback is no touchscreen once i got used to it - don’t even notice now and the way the design is in my signature turbo you don’t need to divert your eyes from the road - everything easy to use sleek and uncomplicated. the bells and whistles are fun and handy GPS and road noise better than my C class Mercedes. So far so good - winter is coming so i’ll see how she does in snow- fingers crossed.

Summerrun on August 12, 2022

My Mazda CX5 2021 saved my life while getting into a major bad car accident! It handled and responded instantly and with precision. Air bags deployed everywhere: front, sides, back of me. Curtains also deployed. This is an incredibly safe vehicle. Mine was totaled, but I was fine minus a couple of broken bones. I was miraculously saved. I got another one exactly like it and feel very safe driving it.

Zoom, Zoom! on July 22, 2022

The Mazda CX-5 AWD Grand Touring Reserve Turbo is the Best SUV I’ve had! The Bose sound system is crystal clear and loud. I like the cooling front seats on those hot days. I am so happy with my Mazda!

XLR8 on July 8, 2022

I agree with all the positives I've seen everywhere about the Mazda CX-5. I picked up a 2019 CX-5 with the GT premium package on August 31, 2021, with under 20k miles. My first 3 Mazda's, 2 Mazda 3 sedans and a '16 Mazda 6 sedan, served me very well, with each getting to 100k miles while needing only oil changes & tires. I loved my '19 GT, but sadly, it was destroyed in a head-on collision back on May 19 (a young driver tried to do a u-turn on a 4-lane highway). I walked away with sore ribs. Reading NHSTA ratings are one thing...but surviving something like that has made me really appreciate Mazda engineers. Every airbag inflated and I felt surrounded by pillows. As for the rest of the car, like I said, I'm a Mazda loyalist & each model year brings more improvements. I just picked up a '21 CX-5 GT with the Premium pkg & AWD. It's better in every way; nice incremental upgrades but most importantly, to me anyway, is that Mazda really is as good as it gets with respect to real-world safety. P.S. For the 2nd time in 10 months I have found a CX-5 GT Premium Pkg sold as "Certified pre-owned" with very low miles and a better-than-new warranty. So I purchased each one on the last day of the month, after 5 pm, and was willing to walk away from a bad deal. Both times I paid below the KBB retail value, so the idea of dealerships being more eager to make a sale towards the end of a month/quarter rings true imho. Trying to determine car values in 2022, however, has become very difficult due to the industry shortage. I've seen brand new Mazda vehicles with mark-ups exceeding $10k over MSRP, so I'm grateful to have avoided this by searching for CPO Mazda CX-5's in a 300 mile radius. Plus I actually prefer the exterior design of the 2021 MY over the new 2022 MY. Love those LED fog lights!

Mclerob on July 6, 2022

I wanted to love this car after everything I read. After 6 months and only 6K miles, not so much. Unfortunately, I got the Soul Red Crystal and the paint chips off the hood very easily. I have a minimum of 15 chips on my hood. I Should have gotten the blue. Mazda is looking at my claim and I hope they do the right thing. The navigation is an old school SD card, and Infotainment is terrible to operate, especially in XM radio mode. The key fob is not a true smart key, as you still HAVE to push the button on the door handle. Gas mileage is average at best. Stereo Rocks and it handles well though

Des on June 9, 2022

I'm really not sure how to rate the 2021 cx-5. I initially loved it, but then started noticing things. The Bluetooth constantly disconnects and reconnects. The lack of touchscreen is horrible. When you play sirius you can't use the controls on the wheel to change stations so im contantly messing with the knob control. At times the fan runs after the vehicle is shut off. I've never had a vehicle that did this (CX-9 turbo does not do this), but the dealer says it's normal. I mentioned at the first oil change that the transmission doesn't seem to shift correctly. My car has now been at the dealership waiting for a new transmission for 6 weeks with no ETA.