Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature edition set the tone as being the stylish vehicle to tote the family around in land of palm trees, sunny skies and art mural walls. The Mazda CX-5 is a compact-size crossover SUV manufactured since 2012. This two-row crossover is a commuters dream. It is great for a week of shopping, darting around the town and hauling family around. The CX-5 is also the first vehicle featuring the company’s full Skyactiv Technology suite and now a turbo. It is also Mazda’s first model to feature the “Kodo” design language.
The getaway was a well-needed break from the hustle and bustle of Washington D.C. Not saying that Miami is a lethargic town but it is quite relaxing to rise early for morning runs on the beach, relaxing at the pool and dining at the local cafes, while enjoying good food and taking in the sights.
Mazda provided us with a Soul Red Crystal Metallic hue 2023 CX-5 Signature AWD edition that shined so bright when the sun hit it. The CX-5 is eye-catching as soon as you see the long sloping hood that leads to the large Mazda symbol which is prominently placed on the sharply angled front grille. Mazda has beautifully designed the exterior with its’ steeply raked windshield and sweeping rear end. This two-row, 5 passenger SUV, sits on 19-inch bright alloy wheels. The exterior side-view mirrors fold in automatically when the doors are locked. The rear roof spoiler, roof mounted shark fin antenna and bright finish exhaust outlets added to sporty look to this compact-size crossover SUV. There are also LED Headlights, LED Daytime Running lights and LED Combination taillights.
Driving the Mazda CX-5 around town was a pleasure. Inside is an equally lovely cabin, dressed in caturra brown and high-tech features like a 360-degree-view exterior camera system, SiriusXM Travel Link, a digital gauge display. The luxurious Signature trim comes with a new wood trim inside and exclusive exterior badging. The CX-5 Signature also has NAPPA leather surfaces, leather-stitched leather wrapping for the steering wheel and LED accents in the area around the gear shifter. The CX-5’s rear row does a 40/20/40 split-folding bench seat to create a larger cargo area when needed.
Technology is not lost in the CX-5. The dashboard features a 10.25-inch color display touchscreen. The system can be controlled via the touchscreen, a rotary knob, buttons on the center console near the shifter and voice commands. The CX-5 comes equipped with Bluetooth, four usb ports and a wireless phone charger. The tunes were blaring from the ten speaker BOSE system as we grooved throughout the city. It was a pleasure to be able to choose from Sirius XM, Pandora, Stitcher, Aha, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto bring a whole new bounty of possibilities to the Mazda experience. Both allow drivers to connect their compatible smartphones to the MAZDA CONNECT infotainment system and access all the features on their phone right there on the touchscreen. You can make calls, send messages, set up navigation routes, browse music playlists and more all without having to touch your phone.
The throttle response was quick and boost from the turbo is instantaneous. Sport mode in the six-speed automatic transmission definitely adds some pep in your step while the normal mode set us up for a more relaxed commute. The G-Vectoring Control system reduces engine torque to help settle the front end so the SUV would take the turns smoothly. The suspension setup has been refined to offer a smoother and quieter ride. The 227 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, SKYACTIV-G 2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder engine was surprisingly very good on gas averaging 22 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg combined.
The Mazda CX-5 earned a Top Safety Pick honor from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also gave the CX-5 a five-star result. Key safety features in i-ACTIVESENSE package in the CX-5 include dual front air bags, front side-impact air bags, rear cross traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, advanced smart city brake support, front and rear parking sensor, 360 view monitor, Mazda radar cruise control, automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive front headlights, lane departure warning, front obstacle warning, distance evaluation, braking assist and pedestrian detection.
As a parent of two little children, installing car seats is important to me. There are two complete sets of LATCH connections on the rear outboard seats, as well as a third tether anchor for the rear middle seat. The two sets of anchors sit in the bottom of the seats and the three top tether anchors sit on the seatbacks. When using a Forward-facing convertible, the convertible fit well after removing the head restraints.
Mazda has a limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles, Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles but no complimentary scheduled maintenance. Key competitors to the Mazda CX-5 are the Jeep Cherokee, Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, GMC Terrain Denali, Subaru Forester, Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue, Toyota Rav4 and the Volkswagen Tiguan.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD is a great find, considering the size, safety and comfort of the vehicle. The model that we tested came in at $41,655.00. The CX-5 has been the worldwide best-selling model offered by the brand every year since 2014, with record sales in 2019 when 444,262 units were sold globally. As of March 2022, cumulative sales of the CX-5 have reached around 3.5 million vehicles.
The entire family had a great time riding around town in the 2023 Mazda CX-5 checking out the landscape and art murals. The CX-5 is spacious, stylish, comfortable and definitely a fun vehicle in my book. Enjoy the photo gallery.
