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"The CX-5 is a fine offering from the folks at Mazda, and its sales success speaks for itself. The good news, then? The Touring, while not cheap, does exactly what it says on the box, picking the best bits from the CX-5 features list to create a new and well-equipped model in the line-up."
"It isn’t perfect, but as we found in our range review, this 2.5 litre petrol Touring model is the best blend of pricing, performance and practicality you can get in the new-generation Mazda CX-5 range."
"But even in the face of accomplished new rivals like the VW Tiguan and Hyundai Tucson — and the upcoming Honda CR-V, Holden Equinox and Subaru Forester – we don’t see any reason why the CX-5 won’t remain Australia’s favourite SUV."
"The second-generation CX-5 adheres closely to the very popular original but refines its formula with a roomier, quieter, and more comfortable cabin, and enhanced handling."
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Starting at $38,990, the Mazda CX-5 Touring 2.5L petrol model is one variation of Australia’s most popular SUV. Click on the price below to see monthly repayments across a range of car loan products.
The general consensus is that CX-5 series is popular for a reason, and the Touring hits the sweet spot of price and features. Most reviewers agree that the CX-5’s sheer driveability is one of its main strengths, and strongly favoured the 2.5L petrol and 2.2L diesel AWD engines over any other.
With these specs, it’s only a small price jump from the Maxx Sport to the Touring, which also nets you some cutting-edge features that might push the Touring well ahead of equivalently priced competitors.
If you’re looking for a medium SUV in the $35,000 to $40,000 range that handles well and has a range of features that make it a pleasure to get behind the wheel, the Touring might be worth adding to your shortlist.
Pros
Cons
Notable quote
CarsGuide
“Strong on standard safety, still looks sleek, an easy and confidence-inspiring drive.”
“Loud under heavy acceleration, steering can feel vague, in-cabin tech painfully slow to load”
“the Touring cabin is a fine example of Japanese almost-premium, with a heap of soft-touch materials and a solid and satisfying feeling of quality at every touch-point”
drive.com.au
“Everything is logically positioned and easy to use”
“Excellent small item storage”
“Comfortable for long distances”
“Isn’t as compliant over bumps as the locally-tuned Tucson”
“Doesn’t have the same degree of low-end urgency as the diesel”
“The CX-5 has one of the more dynamic on-road characters in the compact SUV segment, with well weighted and accurate steering, a solid and sure-footed stance and predictable handling through the corners”
caradvice.com.au
“The artificial leather is of decent quality and easy to clean”
“[the additional features you get with the Touring] seems like money well spent”
“the Touring seems like a particular range sweet spot. A 2.5 petrol Touring for $38,990 looks pretty good to us”
“the flip-up HUD unit is looking dated now, and for taller drivers may be hard to view without stooping”
The suede inlays aren’t as easy to clean as the maztex
"We did some back-to-back time in the petrol and diesel versions, and found the latter to be far stronger though the mid-range and more suited to towing or ferrying loads – though three burly passengers up a steep hill proved no trouble for either"
Engine and performance
The Touring, along with other Next-Gen CX-5s, has stepped up its peak power and maximum torque relative to the previous generation, while weighing in marginally heavier and taking a slight toll on fuel consumption.
It’s got plenty of grunt, but the Touring remains a smooth and leisurely drive, though with comparatively slow acceleration for its power.
Some experts praise its noise-reduction on a variety of surfaces, especially relative to CX-5 predecessors, but others mention that the petrol engine still gets extremely loud under heavy acceleration.
Reviewers tend to agree that the 2.5L petrol or 2.2L diesel engine is the way to go on the CX-5, and that anything less has a tendency to feel a bit breathless and might drop acceleration into the ‘not much fun to drive’ range.
Features and Statistics
Engine type- Multi Point F/Inj Engine Size- 2.5L Cylinders- Inline 4 Max Torque- 251Nm @ 4000rpm Max. Power- 140kW @ 6000rpm Acceleration- 0–100km/h in 9.6 seconds Top Speed- 190km/h Transmission- 6 Speed Automatic Drive Type- All Wheel Drive Fuel Type- Unleaded Petrol Fuel Tank Capacity- 72Litres Fuel Consumption- 7.5L/100km Towing Capacity- 1,800kg (braked), 750km (unbraked) Entertainment- MZD Connect Media System, 6 speakers Security- Remote central locking, engine immobiliser Safety- Dual front airbags, ABS, head airbags, side airbags CO2 Emissions- 172grams/km Safety- 5-star ANCAP Rating
Fuel efficiency
The Touring loses some efficiency to its extra weight, relative to more basic variants, but still enjoys a position as one of the more efficient SUVs of its type, benchmarked (tested in lab conditions) at 7.5L/100km for combined city/country driving.
For city driving only, you might be able to do considerably better. It’s been benchmarked at 6.4L/100km in extra-urban areas, and you’ll also find the iStop feature as standard in all CX-5s.
This can automatically switch off the engine while braking and flip it back on exceptionally quickly when you’re ready to go again. If you’re stuck in traffic or navigating a sea of red lights, this can make a considerable difference.
It’s been described as “annoying, but not annoying enough to turn off”. If you don’t like having a slight delay when you’re ready to take off, it can be easily switched off with a button on the dashboard.
Handling
Reviewers across the board found the Touring to be a confident-feeling drive, and said that despite the less impressive acceleration, it still feels much smaller and sportier than it really is.
You might find that the front seats are fairly high, remaining comfortable and roomy on long trips, but that they don’t throw you to the side on curves as much as you’d expect from such a high-riding seat.
Like previous models, the Touring also features a sports mode, which is intended to make for a “sportier” driving experience by increasing accelerator sensitivity and engine speed at the cost of significantly higher fuel consumption. Some reviewers loved it while others couldn’t stand it.
It can change the handling considerably and, depending on what kind of driving you typically do, this might be an essential part of your routine or a never-touched feature. Like iStop, it’s one of those features you’re going to want to try out while test-driving.
You might find the suspension relatively firm compared to other SUVs. Reviewers typically found it to be a happy balance: firm enough to give you good feedback from the road but soft enough to sort out all the usual bumps and imperfections, and generally well aligned with the CX-5’s mission to be a versatile ride inside and outside the city.
Interior and other features
Most reviewers agree that the CX-5 interiors are impeccable. The first generation of CX-5s may have won hearts and minds with its engine and handling, and so with little else to improve on, Mazda’s engineers turned their attention to the interiors.
It’s generally found to be comfortable, roomy and clearly designed with the driver in mind, especially in the front seats. The boot space has increased from previous generations, but still remains fairly compact at 442 litres. Fold the rear seats flat, however, and this expands to a luxurious 1,342 litres.
Reviewers also enjoyed having multiple USB chargers and also commented on the usefulness of a 12V outlet in the cargo area.
The in-cabin technology is generally considered to be perfectly adequate for all your needs, but some experts reported difficulties like slow booting up and a failure to recognise phones. You will probably want to have a good play around with the in-cabin electronics if you take a Touring for a test-drive.
A lot of reviewers pointed out that the Touring variant offers a fantastic range of features for only a minor step up price-wise. Specifically, for only $1,600 more than the Maxx Sport you get some of the most widely complimented features, including:
Active driving display: a heads-up display that puts your information right in front of you.
Traffic sign recognition: reads road signs as you pass them and shows the information on the active driving display.
Maztex trim: synthetic leather designed to be practical, harder-wearing and easier to clean.
Power-folding wing mirrors: if you need it, you’ll be glad to have it.
Front parking sensors: not as important as the rear sensors included as standard, but still useful enough that you might find yourself willingly becoming over-reliant on them.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Alex Jeffs is the senior publisher for personal, car and business finance at Finder. He has been building websites since he was 14 years old and has tested cars everywhere from race tracks to Oodnadatta.
CX5 Touring headlights. Going up a hill they appear to increase in aiming height – a bit like Marty Feldman looking for drop bears in the trees. This is significantly annoying. They are auto levelling but seem to level the wrong way. Any solutions to this problem?
Any car’s headlight that goes uphill will change their aiming height no matter what make and model. You can consider checking your car’s manual to check on how to correctly adjust the headlights to your liking.
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CX5 Touring headlights. Going up a hill they appear to increase in aiming height – a bit like Marty Feldman looking for drop bears in the trees. This is significantly annoying. They are auto levelling but seem to level the wrong way. Any solutions to this problem?
Hi Owen,
Thanks for leaving a question on finder.
Any car’s headlight that goes uphill will change their aiming height no matter what make and model. You can consider checking your car’s manual to check on how to correctly adjust the headlights to your liking.
Cheers,
Joel