2015 Mazda CX-5 Review: Comfortable & Very Reliable Compact SUV

Sara on September 5, 2023

I love my 2014 Mazda CX-5. It is technically a 2014, but apparently no 2014s on Cars.com to review. It is so reliable—requires just basic maintenance like oil changes, new windshield wipers and tires as you’d need on any vehicle. Handles well, even on snow. Wish it had a turbo engine, but it’s plenty fast and not an issue. Never had any big expenses or surprises. My only 1st world complaint is the outdated/cumbersome GPS system and it sometimes doesn’t connect to my Bluetooth when trying to play Pandora—but the phone has never been an issue. I may look for a newer to me CX-5 just for something new to drive! My step-son may be the lucky one in line to drive the 2014 CX-5 next!

Jason on June 4, 2022

I bought the 2015 cx5 used a few months ago with 88k miles on it. Based on my research it should last up to 300k miles with regular maintenance and non aggressive driving. I have the grand touring trim in all black. It's a very good looking vehicle inside and out. Placement of gauges is very good and buttons/functions are easy to access. Temperature functions are simple and work really well. Good venting. Windshield wipers work fine but the intermittent timer sometimes seems to fluctuate either based on speed of the car or there's something malfunctioning. I can't tell to be honest. Storage is good and there's enough pockets, compartments and spaces for personal items. Overall the look and feel seems right on the bubble of being luxury. The handling is on the stiffer side made to give a feel of performance which it does. I get a pretty strong connection with the road. The turns are tight. It feels good to drive and it's even fun though I don't push that. I used to have a Mazda protege in the 90's and it gave that handling excitement despite its modest power. The cx5 reminds me why I liked that car. The lag when pressing hard on the gas is a bit annoying and the 0-60 time seems a bit slow for the 184hp 2.5l engine but once it gets into it's power band it goes. Gas mileage is very good imo. I get 26 mpg combined city/highway. Seats are comfortable enough though I might have chosen the touring model for the cloth seats instead of leather because items slide off the seats and I notice some wear and stitching tears that I'll need to have repaired. The adjustments with the seats are very good I think. I like the lumbar support. The hatchback works well but I would have appreciated an automatic open/close function. I haven't had a large hatchback before and it's a bit annoying having to force the closing if I have items in my hand. 1st world criticism certainly. The biggest issue with this model year (and I think all models up to 2018(?) is the gps and entertainment unit. It uses the old TomTom navigation system which is very clunky and too frustrating to bother with. I use my phone instead. The entertainment system works well enough but I'm surprised it included a CD player even in 2015. I don't listen to the radio or have a Sirius subscription so I mostly Bluetooth connect my phone for streaming music and navigation. It shouldn't be necessary with an integrated system already in place but the installed system is that bad. It's all made worse by the Bluetooth tech. It often disconnects for no reason and sometimes takes a minute or longer for the system to recognize my phone. Sometimes it will be connected but there's no sound, again for no reason I can see. Usually these issues happen at start up and once I'm driving a few minutes it works fine. If I watch a video on phone there's a big latency lag from the phone to the stereo. It's big enough that it's unwatchable since a mouth moves but the sounds come later. I have to disconnect bluetooth when watching a video which is a major annoyance. I'm planning on replacing the stereo head unit in the future which hopefully will solve all these problems. Overall it's really a great car.

Bunny cakes on March 14, 2021

The vehicle is very comfortable and drives very smooth. I have never owned a Mazda before, but would very much consider getting another one in the future.

Celeste on February 10, 2021

This car has plenty of power. Cruise control speed stays almost constant even on hills and over mountain passes. It handles well in the snow with the AWD getting through everything we've had this year at 7300' in the Rocky Mountain foothills. The vehicle accommodates different types of cargo, especially with the back seats down. It gets great mileage -- we're usually in the high 20s, but we got over 34 on a recent trip to Arizona. The car turns on a dime so it's easy to park and very responsive. The few things we wish this car had are a higher center console to rest our elbow on during longer drives, non-leather seats because they feel harder/stiffer than the cloth and things slide off the seats easily; and a cargo cover. We got the leather seats because they were in the Touring trim package that includes the electronic seat controls. Three of us drive the car and we range from one extreme to the other on the seat position spectrum. Overall, we are very happy with this vehicle.

Judy on December 28, 2020

This car is very comfortable to drive. I like the looks and particularly the color Soul Red. I was surprised at how much room there is for transporting things. I previously owned a Mazda MPV.

sport fan on October 24, 2020

Very comfortable, easy to drive and maneuver. A great commuter car. Good gas mileage. Handles well on highway and streets. A great value for the price.

Throttle8 on October 3, 2020

Support pillars for front windshield too wide resulting in a huge blind spot look twice before entering a intersection , plastic door hinges(junk) leaky headlight lenses

Anna on September 8, 2020

This car has been great! I got a car through work, and it didn’t make sense for me to have two. I really hope the next owner loves it as much as I did. My family has had different cars through out the years, and this was for sure the easiest car to own.

Beebo on August 12, 2020

Closing in on 100K miles and this car has been excellent. No major repairs just routine maintenance. Fun to drive. good in snow. Have the Grand touring with Technology Package, Leather, 2.5L engine. Solid gas mileage. Could do better on the USB for music listening but all in all a solid car at a great value. Have taken several long vacations in this car and it is comfortable to drive.

JoannS on August 4, 2020

This vehicle has met all my needs and I totally fell in love with it. Just love the style and gas affordable. Visit Sport Mazda for your vehicle needs.