2021 Mazda CX-5

Started by Morris Minor, December 15, 2020, 03:54:55 PM

FoMoJo

#60
Quote from: Morris Minor on January 20, 2021, 03:06:44 PM
I was filling up this afternoon and contemplating the blanked-off filler for DEF, as used in diesel versions. It's a shame that Mazda have given up on diesel CX-5s in the US. They only sold 1,000 or so of them. Anyway I turned round and saw this in the trash bin next to the pump.



Shouldn't they call it YellowDEF? :huh:
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Morris Minor

#61
Three months in I decided to check the tire pressures: 45-46 psi on all four.

Manufacturers over-inflate them at the factory for shipping to resist flat-spotting, from being strapped under tension for the long transits to dealers. Deflating them is part of the pre-check dealers carry out when the car arrives on the lot.

Mazda makes lovely cars but their dealers are pathetically worthless.

Now I feel guilty for not paranoid checking everything the moment I got home on purchase day - we've been driving on rock-hard tires on mountain roads all winter.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

AutobahnSHO

Will

Speed_Racer

Quote from: Morris Minor on March 04, 2021, 08:30:43 PM
Three months in I decided to check the tire pressures: 45-46 psi on all four.

Manufacturers over-inflate them at the factory for shipping to resist flat-spotting, from being strapped under tension for the long transits to dealers. Deflating them is part of the pre-check dealers carry out when the car arrives on the lot.

Mazda makes lovely cars but their dealers are pathetically worthless.

Now I feel guilty for not paranoid checking everything the moment I got home on purchase day - we've been driving on rock-hard tires on mountain roads all winter.

Hah, I had my Suzuki in to a local dealer for a TSB, and when I went to pick it up they said "all your tires were way overinflated so we dropped them down for ya."

A few hundred yards from the dealer and my TPMS warning goes off. At home I check and they had dropped all four to 32psi. The car was set up for 38psi which they would have known had they checked the doorjamb sticker. :facepalm:

Morris Minor

I wonder if they'll still be offering transmission flushes & spark plug replacements to unsuspecting owners of EVs. Maybe special "battery conditioning charges" or something.

Meantime the ride quality in the Mazda is a lot less flinty.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

MrH

I haven't met a Mazda dealership I liked.  All of them within 50 miles of me are terrible.
2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

Morris Minor

Yup an otherwise lovely company, making great vehicles, with a dealer network that devotes its energies to undermining the whole enterprise.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

MrH

Quote from: Morris Minor on March 19, 2021, 08:22:50 AM
Yup an otherwise lovely company, making great vehicles, with a dealer network that devotes its energies to undermining the whole enterprise.

I dream of the day my favorite dealer buys a Mazda franchise, but I don't think that's happening anytime soon.
2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

FoMoJo

Quote from: MrH on March 19, 2021, 08:05:54 AM
I haven't met a Mazda dealership I liked.  All of them within 50 miles of me are terrible.
Funny thing about Mazda dealers, a few years ago I was doing so cross-shopping and stopped at the Mazda dealer for pricing.  They seemed so rude/arrogant/pricks I just walked out.  Don't know what's the matter with them.  They need some training in good manners.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Morris Minor

You might choose to skip the rest but, oddly enough, the first 90 seconds in this are a good summation of Mazda and its niche status vs the big players.
The video pressed my buttons because I've just come back from the first long trip in mine: many miles on winding mountain roads. (Tennessee Highway 68 in particular - recommended)
It was an absolute blast: handling, poise, damping, throttle response, steering feel, a ton of torque, and a transmission that was always ready.

https://youtu.be/mwpzTnLC8BY
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

Morris Minor

Bumping - because here's a thing. The CX-5 is a lovely car but it's got a bouncy jiggly ride. A corollary of a short wheelbase, suspension setup for handling, and a high center of gravity. The G37, with a 6"-longer wheelbase, is much better - even on its late middle-aged original shocks.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

CaminoRacer

I'd like to drive a CX-50 and CX-5 back to back and see if the CX-50's ride is softer. Supposedly it is, but idk by how much
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Morris Minor

Quote from: CaminoRacer on September 14, 2022, 01:23:50 PM
I'd like to drive a CX-50 and CX-5 back to back and see if the CX-50's ride is softer. Supposedly it is, but idk by how much
In the CX-5 there's this very slight fore-aft high frequency pitching - I can feel  bumping the back of my head into the head restraint. My hunch is that the big manufacturers would have engineered this out: juggling the tuning of seats, dampers, tires, & springs.

I'm so picky.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

FoMoJo

"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

MrH

Quote from: Morris Minor on September 14, 2022, 08:29:25 PM
In the CX-5 there's this very slight fore-aft high frequency pitching - I can feel  bumping the back of my head into the head restraint. My hunch is that the big manufacturers would have engineered this out: juggling the tuning of seats, dampers, tires, & springs.

I'm so picky.

All the compact crossovers with relatively short wheelbases suffer the same kind of thing.  Have you driven cars from the "big manufacturers"? Mazda isn't at some disadvantage on this because of their size.

One of the reasons I think EV crossovers are kind of appealing.  Ioniq 5 has a silly long wheelbase for its general size.
2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

CaminoRacer

Quote from: MrH on September 15, 2022, 08:44:19 AM
One of the reasons I think EV crossovers are kind of appealing.  Ioniq 5 has a silly long wheelbase for its general size.

And the weight / weight distribution.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Morris Minor

Quote from: MrH on September 15, 2022, 08:44:19 AM
All the compact crossovers with relatively short wheelbases suffer the same kind of thing.  Have you driven cars from the "big manufacturers"? Mazda isn't at some disadvantage on this because of their size.

One of the reasons I think EV crossovers are kind of appealing.  Ioniq 5 has a silly long wheelbase for its general size.
Ridiculous other end of the spectrum but I drove a new top trim Tahoe a few months ago and it was a great ride. I think I'm also influenced by watching that Rare Classic Cars YouTube channel. Long wheelbase makes for a more comfortable ride. e.g. for a given early-70s platform Lincoln > Mercury > Ford wheelbase.
Size matters.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

giant_mtb

Wheelbase and weight. Very important.

FoMoJo

Quote from: Morris Minor on September 15, 2022, 03:53:13 PM
Ridiculous other end of the spectrum but I drove a new top trim Tahoe a few months ago and it was a great ride. I think I'm also influenced by watching that Rare Classic Cars YouTube channel. Long wheelbase makes for a more comfortable ride. e.g. for a given early-70s platform Lincoln > Mercury > Ford wheelbase.
Size matters.
Great ride, lousy handling.  Braking wasn't very good either.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Morris Minor

Uh-oh - I was out the other day and my wife found oil drips on the floor in the bay where the CX-5 sits. Booked a slot with our (truly excellent) mobile mechanic but it was out beyond Thanksgiving. So I got a booking with the (truly mediocre) Mazda dealer service, for a slightly earlier slot, & canceled the booking with the mobile mechanic.

Mobile mechanic called me late yesterday afternoon "I saw your booking/cancelation, can I come over, since I was the last one working on the car & did that oil change?"
He showed up, got the car up on his lifts and found the oil filter he'd used had a defective seal. He put in another & all is okay.
I asked for the bill, "No charge, I sourced the part, I installed it, it's on me."

People in this area love him, trust levels are high; they let him work on their exotic cars.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

GoCougs

Quote from: FoMoJo on September 15, 2022, 04:15:14 PM
Great ride, lousy handling.  Braking wasn't very good either.

With the weight, chassis (flex) and tires of the day, lousy handling was the only option. Stiffer suspension did little yet ride quality plummeted.

I'd also argue the cushy, floaty, quiet ride and one-finger steering is what people wanted. Today's cars can be rather miserable in comparison, including seat comfort.

My new(ish) car has air suspension, and it's the only thing I could find that was palatable, outside of a boaty Lexus.

Morris Minor

My tolerance for NVH and bumpy rides has gone down with age. I'm old. If you do a lot of highway driving a quiet comfortable luxoglide is the way to go.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

MrH

Quote from: Morris Minor on September 15, 2022, 03:53:13 PM
Ridiculous other end of the spectrum but I drove a new top trim Tahoe a few months ago and it was a great ride. I think I'm also influenced by watching that Rare Classic Cars YouTube channel. Long wheelbase makes for a more comfortable ride. e.g. for a given early-70s platform Lincoln > Mercury > Ford wheelbase.
Size matters.

Yeah, giant body on frame vehicles are a different animal.  I was making that comment more in regards to other players in that segment.  The big OEMs don't have a secret sauce to make their compact crossovers ride appreciably better.  An Escape or Equinox will ride equally as bad, if not worse I'm sure.

You can mask some of that with air ride and adaptive dampers, but long wheelbases changes the game a bit.  That's a big reason why I'm excited for EVs.  Everything changes quite a bit from a layout perspective when you change powertrains like that.

2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

SVT_Power

Quote from: Morris Minor on September 15, 2022, 03:53:13 PM
Ridiculous other end of the spectrum but I drove a new top trim Tahoe a few months ago and it was a great ride. I think I'm also influenced by watching that Rare Classic Cars YouTube channel. Long wheelbase makes for a more comfortable ride. e.g. for a given early-70s platform Lincoln > Mercury > Ford wheelbase.
Size matters.

Time for you to get a Ram 1500.

Mine has a 144" wheelbase I think. Even without the air suspension, rides great  :lol:
"On a given day, a given circumstance, you think you have a limit. And you then go for this limit and you touch this limit, and you think, 'Okay, this is the limit'. And so you touch this limit, something happens and you suddenly can go a little bit further. With your mind power, your determination, your instinct, and the experience as well, you can fly very high." - Ayrton Senna

Morris Minor

Quote from: SVT_Power on November 16, 2022, 10:25:29 PM
Time for you to get a Ram 1500.

Mine has a 144" wheelbase I think. Even without the air suspension, rides great  :lol:
The people who lived across the street have one (with the diesel) - they love it.
Also another neighbor has one - gasoline V8 - really nice too.
I'm seeing teasers for the Mazda CX-90; it has an I6 - so that might be worth a look.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

Morris Minor

Last night - just as we really were needing CarPlay, the infotainment system blanked out. Pulled off the highway - restarted the car - nothing. This morning I finally found the button combination that worked to do a soft reset which, thankfully worked. It turns out the car's system software is way out of date, which is surprising given that it's supposed to do so automatically OTA. It also turns out that the automatic OTA thing is worthless.
How to remedy? Well you are supposed to take it to a dealer, who will charge you to manually do something that is supposed to happen automatically. Or, you can get someone to send the update file to you, which you (or a trained chimp) load onto a FAT32-formatted USB stick and go through the routine.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

CaminoRacer

Interesting. I don't think my 2016 infotainment ever updates. I'm okay with that since it hasn't had any issues.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Morris Minor

Five minutes of "Am I bricking this thing?" puckering anxiety.





Success
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

MrH

Love the Oregon Trail style font while upgrading :lol:
2023 Ford Lightning Lariat ER
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD
2023 BRZ Limited

Previous: '02 Mazda Protege5, '08 Mazda Miata, '05 Toyota Tacoma, '09 Honda Element, '13 Subaru BRZ, '14 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec 5.0, '15 Toyota 4Runner SR5, '18 Honda Accord EX-L 2.0t, '01 Honda S2000, '20 Subaru Outback XT, '23 Chevy Bolt EUV

CaminoRacer

Yes that font is fantastic lol
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV