Looking at New Cars (1 Viewer)

[Mark Booth]

My wife and I purchased a 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring with Premium Package yesterday. It replaces our 2008 Infiniti EX35. We paid for the CX-5 but haven't taken delivery yet because I want to drive it from the dealer directly to the XPEL installer (paint protection film) and the XPEL shop was closed on Saturday. We plan to take delivery tomorrow.

We were one of only 12 couples that Mazda invited to a Mazda owners loyalty event in downtown San Diego about a month ago. We got to test drive the 2017 CX-5 at that time. A nice loooong test drive (2.5 hours, 108 miles). Over roads we were already familiar with. We fell in love with the new CX-5.

For 2017, the CX-5 has new features that were missing on previous models. My favorite is the heads-up display that shows icons for road signs that you approach or pass. Want to know the speed limit on the stretch of road you are on? Look at the heads-up display and it will show you an image of the last speed limit sign you passed. The car's lane departure warning camera actually sees and remembers certain road signs. It works flawlessly on our 108-mile test drive.

We looked at a LOT of CUV/SUV models in the last month. Everything from Honda CRV up to Jaguar F-Pace. Easily, far and away, the new CX-5 was the best bang for the buck. The most features for the price. And it's downright fun to drive too!

This is our 11th Mazda product. We've never owned more than 2 of any other brand. Mazda makes cars for drivers, not "appliances" like Toyota and Honda. And, to top it off, Mazda has been the leader in fleet fuel economy standards for the last 3 years in a row. That, without having a single electric vehicle or hybird in its lineup. I get up to 40 mpg on the highway in our 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Yet, it also has the best 0-60 times of any previous Miata. Under 6 seconds. Heck, the average mileage we get in the new Miata is about 35 mpg if we aren't tearing up the twisties too badly. Amazing.

The new CX-5 will probably average about 30 mpg, I'm guessing. That will be much better than the 19 mpg we average in our Infiniti.

Mark

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Mazda doesn't have hybrids or electrics, but that's made up for by the lack of v6 or turbo options for the sedans and the CX-5. I had three Mazdas in a row, and was strongly considering the new 6 to replace my '03 6s. But despite many other great things about the car, I just couldn't see myself giving up 40 hp while upgrading the same vehicle (petty as I know that sounds).

 

[TJPC]

Yep, I wouldn't waste time looking for a car with a cd player, not worth it when there are so many better options now (usb drive etc). Especially when a cd only holds what, a handful of songs anyway??

I still swear by my CD player. Try to change tracks etc on the dash board screen as opposed to just putting in a cd when driving. I like both systems, but maybe it's just after years of practice, the CD player is much easier to use.

 

[BobO'Link]

I still swear by my CD player. Try to change tracks etc on the dash board screen as opposed to just putting in a cd when driving. I like both systems, but maybe it's just after years of practice, the CD player is much easier to use.

Amen!

After experimentation, and using larger drives with dozens of albums worth of material, I've decided it's far easier to "simulate" CD playback by using multiple USB drives. I picked up a bunch of 2GB drives cheap and just copy the day's album to one for car playback. Put it in, track 1 starts, just like with a CD. The head unit has hard buttons to change tracks as well as steering wheel controls so you only need that touch screen crap if you have more than a few albums per memory stick and don't want to just change tracks to get there.

I guess if I were the type who listens to "songs" as opposed to "albums" I'd be OK with everything on one USB stick. Just put it on shuffle and go with it. But I'm not...

I still plan to swap the unit for one with CD capability just as soon as Crutchfield offers a wiring harness for the car, but I can live with my method until then.

 

[TJPC]

I find I change my mind too much to plan an entire program ahead and stick to it. I'd much rather change CDs as my whim hits. I had a car once that had a 10 cd changer under the front seat. I could plan what CDs to play the day before on a trip, but never stuck to it. I was forever changing my mind.
There is a lot to say about being able to take a CD off the shelf and just playing it, instead of starting iTunes, loading the CD on to the computer, plugging in the iPhone, loading it on to the iPhone, plugging iPhone into the dashboard, waiting for menu to load, picking the album, and finally playing it.

 

[Alf S]

You old farts. So set in your old fashioned way. LOLOL

 

[Bryan^H]

I'm still thinking about the VW Golf R. The 2016 model is still available at about $6,000 cheaper than the 2017.

I wonder if the acceleration lag has been fixed?

There is also the Focus RS-350 HP. Sick!

 

[Alf S]

I'd still be fearful of the reliability issues that always seem to plague the VW brand. If the warranty is good/long term (10 year at least), then I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

I suspect that maintenance costs over time for the VW would be far more than for the Ford.

 

[BobO'Link]

You old farts. So set in your old fashioned way. LOLOL

Nope... not at all. I'm all for a process that's easier and faster and better - but MP3/FLAC ain't it.

 

[Clinton McClure]

My phone with my entire music collection on shuffle stays in my pocket and streams to my head unit.

 

[TJPC]

We tried that, but because we had an iPhone, it screwed up the ability to make a phone call and we gave up after trying to use voice command and ended up screaming at the dashboard which always gets everything wrong.

 

[Johnny Angell]

We tried that, but because we had an iPhone, it screwed up the ability to make a phone call and we gave up after trying to use voice command and ended up screaming at the dashboard which always gets everything wrong.

Our Prius works with our iPhone that way. Plays music from the phone and makes and receives phone calls fine.

 

[Clinton McClure]

Just a quick update: Looks like my new car purchase is going to be put on hold until next spring. I am going to have to have surgery to repair two hernias later this year and my out of pocket cost after insurance will seriously eat into what I've put back for a down payment so my best option is to keep putting a quart of oil in my Celica every month and wait another year. Hopefully, by then Toyota will come to their senses and offer CarPlay (unlikely but I can hope).

 

[Johnny Angell]

Just a quick update: Looks like my new car purchase is going to be put on hold until next spring. I am going to have to have surgery to repair two hernias later this year and my out of pocket cost after insurance will seriously eat into what I've put back for a down payment so my best option is to keep putting a quart of oil in my Celica every month and wait another year. Hopefully, by then Toyota will come to their senses and offer CarPlay (unlikely but I can hope).

Sorry 'bout that. That seriously sucks. Maybe you can put of the surgery until we get that super good, best of all-time, available to all health insurance is implemented.

 

[Clinton McClure]

It hurts when I laugh, Johnny. Stop it!

 

[Johnny Angell]

It hurts when I laugh, Johnny. Stop it!

Oh, ok....