This mid-size SUV is super popular with buyers, outselling all other competitors in 2018. Here's a quick overview of the number one SUV in Australia, including how to get a competitive car loan to buy one.
You can buy the CX-5 in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. For FWD models, there are two trim grades, Maxx and Maxx Sport. With the AWD, Mazda offers Maxx, Maxx Sport, Touring, GT and Akera trims.
As a compact crossover SUV model, it's decently priced. FWD Maxx CX-5s are the least costly, with a drive-away cost of $33,990. A top of the line Akera AWD CX-5 will cost you $51,235.
Transmission wise, you have the option of a six-gear manual or a six-speed auto. Mazda equips the CX-5 with either a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol (115kW, 200Nm) or a more powerful 2.5-litre petrol (140kW, 252Nm) engine. The 2.0-litre looks to edge out the bigger engine on fuel use, consuming just 6.9 litres per 100km versus 7.4 litres. There's also a 2.2-litre diesel for those who want it. This is the most frugal power plant, sipping just 5.7 litres per 100km and having 140kW, while making a maximum torque of 450Nm.
Mazda CX-5 Maxx
The CX-5 Maxx is the introductory model to both the FWD and AWD alternates. For a FWD, expect to pay from $33,990. An AWD variant will cost you $38,990.
Note: The AWD Maxx is configured as an automatic and fitted with the 2.5-litre SkyActiv-G. It also has cylinder deactivation to help improve fuel economy. It also gets a 2-litre larger fuel tank (58 litres).
Standard features on the Maxx include the following:
17-inch steel wheels
Power-adjusting, folding mirrors (body coloured)
Automatic LED headlights
Two-speed, front rain-sensing wipers
Air conditioning
Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Stop & Go
Power windows
Black cloth seats
Rear seats with reclining function
Leather steering wheel, tilt and telescopic
Leather gear-shift knob
Advanced keyless push-button ignition
Six-speaker audio system
Bluetooth hands-free phone and audio capability
Electric parking brake with auto hold
Seven-inch infotainment screen
Internet radio integration
Start/stop engine
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
Safety equipment includes the following:
Six airbags
Blind-spot monitoring (BSM)
Driver attention alert (DAA)
Forward obstruction warning (FOW)
G-vectoring control (GVC Plus)
High beam control (HBC)
Lane departure warning (LDW)
Lane keep assist system (LKAS)
Manual speed limiter (MSL)
Rear parking sensors
Rear cross traffic alert (RCTA)
Reverse camera
Smart brake support (SBS)
Forward and reverse smart city brake support (SCBS)
Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
For the money, it's a pretty decent spec list. ANCAP awarded the CX-5 five-stars in 2017.
Mazda CX-5 Maxx Sport
Maxx Sport builds upon the Maxx, with a drive-away cost of $38,740. For the extra money, you'll get the following:
17-inch alloy wheels
Front fog lamps - LED
Air conditioning (dual-zone climate control)
Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
Rear seat centre armrest with USB charging plugs
Satellite navigation
You also get the choice of a diesel, which isn't available on the Maxx line.
Mazda CX-5 Touring
Touring marks the start of the AWD-only models, and Mazda asks $43,740 for this model.
In return, you get the following (improving on the Maxx Sport spec):
Heated and auto-folding power mirrors
Black Maztex, synthetic leather replacement/black suede
Advanced keyless entry
Extra safety features include the following:
Active drive display (head-up display)
Front parking sensors
Traffic sign recognition (TSR)
Keen to learn more about the models above? Read our comprehensive Mazda CX-5 review.
Mazda CX-5 GT
The GT CX-5 starts from $48,485. It's based on the Touring spec with the addition of the following:
19-inch alloy wheels
Power sliding and tilting glass sunroof
Remotely operated power tailgate (open/close)
Heated front seats, with the driver's seat having two-position memory and 10-way power-adjustment
Six-way passenger seat power adjustment
Black or Pure white leather
Premium Bose 10-speaker (counting subwoofer) sound system with 249-watt amp
Mazda CX-5 Akera
You'll need to shell out $51,235 for the top of the line Akera, fitted with a 2.5-litre petrol. For a 2.2-litre diesel, the drive-away price rises to $54,235.
Akera adds to the GT spec. Highlights include the following:
19-inch alloy wheels with a Brilliant Dark finish
360° surround view
Adaptive LED headlamps
Front seats with cooling function
Second row outer seats heating function
Dark Russet Nappa leather
Heated steering wheel
Seven-inch multi-information metre display
LED ambient lighting
Black headliner
Frameless rear-view mirror
Wood dashboard and door trim pieces
Overhead console
Why buy a Mazda CX-5?
Why is the CX-5 such a popular SUV? What are its key selling points?
Contemporary exterior
Quality interior, well assembled
Mazda's dealer network
Praiseworthy interior design
Active safety assists
Handling and ride
Quiet interior
Comfortable ride
Five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and five-year premium roadside assistance
Five-star ANCAP
Spacious
A quick car loan primer
Here's what the perfect car loan would look like:
A keen interest rate (lower number preferable)
Affordable (or no) application charges
Zero to minimal monthly/annual fees
Monthly repayments in budget
Little bit of give in payment scheduling, so you could pay back extra occasionally if desired
Holding each prospective loan against this list should help you weigh them up. The more of the above criteria it meets, the closer you are to a competitive car loan.
This article will mainly concentrate on secured and unsecured car loans.
Secured car loans
If you compare secured and unsecured car loans, you'll see the former have lower interest rates. That's because secured car loans use the vehicle you buy as a form of collateral against the loan. The lender lodges their interest on the Personal Property Security Register (PPSR). That means if you fail to pay, they can legally recover the asset, in this case, your car. To a lender, this represents less risk, so they pay it forward by dropping the interest rate. You may also be cleared to borrow a higher figure with this type of loan.
The following are some of the downsides to secured car loans:
There may be conditions placed on the type and age of vehicle you buy
You'll likely be restricted in how you can spend the loan (just on the car, not on related/unrelated costs)
Unsecured car loan
If you want more freedom when it comes to the age and type of vehicle you buy, as well as how you spend the borrowed funds, you might consider an unsecured car loan. With an unsecured car loan, no security interest is taken in collateral. The interest rates won't be quite as juicy, but there are fewer constraints attached to the loan.
Like life, there are some downsides to an unsecured car loan. Mainly, with a higher interest rate, you'll pay more back over the loan term compared to a secured one. Likely, you'll be able to borrow less money and the criteria for applying will be more exacting.
As you do your calculations to see what you can afford, always make sure to include figures like any application/monthly fees and the interest.
Using the car loan comparison tool
We designed our car loan comparison tool to be as easy and quick to use as possible. All you need to do is select a car model, find out the drive-away price (we've included some figures above), pick the length of time you'd like to borrow the cash over and then hit calculate.
Should the monthly repayments be just beyond your budget range, think about extending the loan term. Though you'll pay more in interest, it will spread out the cost and lower the price month-to-month. As a general guide, a $30,000 car loan over three years could cost approximately $900 per month (as of January 2020), while the same loan over six years will be nearer to $500.
Finding all this car loan information confusing? Check out our simple, everyday-language guide to car loans.
Ben Gribbin is an automotive writer at Finder. He is a life-long car enthusiast, bringing many years of experience working with and writing about cars. During his time, Ben has been a freelance writer, editor and reviewer for a number of leading publications across the UK. He was voted the Guild of Motoring Writers Breakthrough Blogger in 2015.
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