Used 2015 Mazda CX-5 for sale 

Three trims are on offer for the 2015 Mazda CX-3 including Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. Pricing for the new Mazda CX-5 ranges from less than $22,000 to around $31,000 for a loaded Grand Touring trim positioning the CX-5 as a competitively priced alternative to its crossover rivals. 

Buying Advice

The base Sport trim is the best you suffice all your needs. It houses a decently-powered engine, a good set of standard features, and basic infotainment features. Upgrade to the Touring trim if you want to extend your list of features and a powerful engine. 

You can between two engines. Powering the base Sport trim is a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine producing 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. The Touring and Grand Touring come with a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that churns out 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque. This engine is optional on the Sport trim. Transmission choices include a six-speed automatic and a standard six-speed manual. With short satisfying shifts, the manual gearbox is among the sportiest transmissions offered in any crossover. So, it’s a shame that the manual can only be had in the base front-wheel-drive trim. 

In many ways, the Mazda CX-5 has the road manners of a sports sedan, an attribute that comes in handy when tackling curvy roads. Composed handling merges with nicely-connected steering to make this Mazda SUV one of the most fun-driving crossovers on the market. Like the steering, the brakes provide immediate reactions to the driver’s input though they require a deft touch to stop the vehicle smoothly. Around town, the CX-5 offers a tight turning circle and slow but acceptable acceleration. 

Thanks to its sportier manual transmission, the CX-5 is able to keep up with the competition although it is the least powered car. On the other hand, the powerful Honda CR-V grabs the second spot while the Toyota RAV4 slips to first place on the table. Meanwhile, the Ford Escape’s heavy curb weight hugely affects its acceleration. 

Fuel economy for the Mazda CX-5 ranges from the mid-20s in the city up to 35 mpg on the highway. Highway figure drops to the low 30s on vehicles equipped with the automatic transmission with all-wheel-drive reducing that number by one mile per gallon in both city and highway. 

The Mazda CX-5 gets all the praises for its excellent fuel economy thanks to its SKYACTIV technology. With the same combined mileage as the CX-5, the Honda CR-V comes in second place. The Toyota RAV4 offers better city fuel efficiency and driving range than the Ford Escape.

Well-matched to the sporty exterior is the CX-5’s clean, tasteful interior. The overall aura is one of understated usability with a cabin that offers simple and easy-to-read gauges and well-bolstered front seats that really shine when the road curves. We also like the simple trim on the dashboard that recalls Mazda’s iconic Miata roadster. 

In terms of human accommodations, the CX-5 provides reasonable if not enormous passenger space in all five seating positions. It could be good if the rear seats could recline, a feature that’s increasingly common on newer crossovers and SUVs. As for cargo space, there’s a sizable 34.1 cubic feet available behind the rear seats and the number nearly doubles with the rear seats folded. 

While the legroom in the front row is less in the CX-5, the rear row has the best passenger space in this segment. On the other hand, the Ford Escape offers the least legroom in the rear row. Speaking of material quality, the CX-5 impresses its buyers with good materials used in the cabin. Some of the other features include:

• Rear center armrest with cupholders
• Leather-wrapped shift knob
• Leather steering wheel
• 8-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support
• 4-way manually-adjustable passenger’s seat
• Cloth & leather upholstery

How intuitive is the 2015 Mazda CX-5’s infotainment system?

All the trims come standard with a 5.8-inch touchscreen display whose graphics are quite dated. It takes time to process the user’s inputs and the interface is also sluggish. Moreover, even the simplest of controls can distract the driver, and hence, it is far from intuitive.

Unlike its rivals, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are not offered. A four-speaker stereo setup is standard on the base model while the Touring model gets six speakers. The top-end Grand Touring trim gets access to Bose premium sound system. Some of the other features include:

• USB port
• Satellite radio
• Navigation system
• A moonroof
• HD radio
• Bluetooth streaming

The exterior of the Mazda CX-5 presents a handsome contemporary face with a sportier look than most of its rivals and certainly the Mazda Tribute that it replaced. Beyond good looks, the CX-5’s body structure has been designed with weight reduction in mind while lightweight being an integral element in Mazda’s SKYACTIV fuel efficiency philosophy.

Sport and Touring trims wear 17-inch alloy wheels while 19-inch wheels are reserved for the Grand Touring trim. The exterior of the CX-5 can be further enhanced by adding an optional moonroof or adaptive xenon headlights. 

The 106.3 inches wheelbase of the CX-5 proves its spacious interior room. Except for the Ford Escape, the other three rival’s overall length stand at the same level. While its rivals have ground clearance above 7.5 inches, the Toyota RAV4 sits very low at 6.3 inches. Some of the exterior features include:

• Body-colored door handles
• Dual exhaust tips
• Roofline spoiler
• Halogen headlamps
• Fog lamps
• Daytime running lights
• Power mirrors

The new Mazda CX-5 was named as a ‘Top Safety Pick+’ by IIHS as it earned ‘Good’ ratings in all the crash tests. A full five on five stars was also scored by the SUV in all crash tests conducted by NHTSA. Unusually, there are no standard driver-assist features offered in the CX-5. You have to upgrade to an optional package to avail the benefits. Some of the available features include:

• Rear Parking Sensors
• Blind Spot Monitoring
• Low-Speed Automatic Emergency Braking
• Rearview Camera
• E911 Emergency Services
• Smart City Brake Support

If you need an efficient and practical crossover with a sporting demeanor, you’ll definitely like the Mazda CX-5. But if ride comfort tops your list of concerns, you may not like the CX-5 as its eager handling comes paired with a ride that may be too firm for some tastes. Considering the price, roominess, and efficiency, the 2015 Mazda CX-5 is among the best reasonable SUVs you can buy. You may lose a couple of cargo capacity but you could gain a lot of driving fun and it’s still quite practical. If what we’ve said sounds good, the Mazda CX-5 is waiting.