Mazda CX-5 2019 Signature Edition: Zoom-Zoom In A Crossover

About 2 weeks ago, we got a chance to spend 7 days w/ one of Mazda’s top-selling vehicles: the CX-5. This was the top-of-the-line, fully-specced out 2019 Signature Edition of the crossover. Which gives it a close to $39,000 price tag attached to it.

I used it to go to work and back home a few days as well as taking the family to the beach on a Saturday. I’ll tell you that their Smart Braking feature & turbocharged engine definitely came in handy as people couldn’t drive that day at all. Let’s talk about the new CX-5 in more depth to let you know all about the driving experience and who I or should you buy one.

Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo automatic engine w/ 6-speed sport mode capable of 227hp w/ 87 octane gas and up to 250hp w/ 93 octane gas, 310lb of torque; up to 27 MPG
7inch color display (touchscreen only when in Park) w/ Mazda’s native navigation and supports HD Radio, XM Satellite radio, Bluetooth, navigation, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto support
Rear, side, & front cameras for reversing into or getting out of a parking spot
Heads-up display w/ lane departure & traffic sign recognition
Bose 10-speaker audio system
Smart braking system
Lane departure warning + lane keep assist
360-degree view thanks to the 4 cameras on-board
Heated side mirrors

Mazda's best-selling vehicle gets even better.

How's The Interior?

The 2019 CX-5 has a lot to offer in regards to the features, amenities, and so forth. You still have a great interior and interior feel to it all. This mirrors that of last year’s Mazda 6 a bit in regards to feel and materials used.

So this brings over the same Nappa leather-trimmed seats, w/ select wood trim accents in select areas of the vehicle, and while some parts still use a cloth covering as well. The front driver seats both offer 3-levels of heated & cooled seats as well as the 2 rear seats offer a heated option too. Despite the hot & cold, the seats really, really comfortable too. You got 2 12-volt power outlets and a total 4 USB ports (2 in the front + 2 in the rear).

At the center of it all – outside of the driving instruments, is the display. More specifically, the 8inch display is touchscreen but only when you’re not driving. The overall quality is OK but the rear cameras approach VGA level of grain. You got native support for Android Auto & Apple CarPlay as well so you got options in regards to navigation. Other than that, you’ll have to use knobs/button combo behind the gearshift & in front of the cup holders. Which is fine and I’m referring to the knobs and buttons – not the display.

The Signature Edition CX-5 brings forth a 10-speaker system from Bose is pretty good at pumping out the sound. Great on bass, good w/ the overall audio output. It even excels in phone calls w/ Bluetooth audio too. This also brings over SiriusXM Tune Mix, which is a cool feature that mixes songs from your favorite stations to kind of create a custom playlist of sorts. Definitely, something new & different you can do w/ your radio experience. And lastly, there’s also native Pandora & Stitcher support BTW.

How Was Driving It?

In short, pretty damn good. The driving and the performance was easily my favorite part of the CX-5. This offers their powerful Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo automatic engine that also has a 6-speed Sport mode as well. It is capable of up to 250hp but only when you use 93 octane gas; you use any octane lower, you’ll only get 227 hp. But no matter what kind of gasoline you use, you’ll get 310lbs of torque which is great. Did we mention this is All-Wheel Drive? Well, yeah it has that too.

Fun fact: Mazda actually bring over the engine from the latest CX-9 and put in this CX-5.

So what do all of the numbers & specs mean in real-world conditions? This makes for great acceleration w/ the torque and turbo giving you an amazing push that’s not too overbearing. The suspension is great in handling curves & corners w/o letting up on the gas but not feeling like you’re about to flip over. This is all thanks to Skyactiv-Vehicle Dynamics w/ G-Vectoring Control Plus. So what that all means is that it helps maintain the balance of the vehicle and help distribute the weight evenly & to the rear when turning and such.

It also brings over the stellar Heads Up Display as well that Mazda dubs its Active Driving Display. This brings you the Speed Limit of the area you’re in as well as traffic signs like Stop/Yield signs, lane departure w/ haptic feedback on the steering wheel, and blindspot detection. This can also provide a 360-degree view of All of this w/o having to take your eyes off of the road while driving. Which all makes for a nice touch to the overall driving experience.

There are even a few smart features onboard like brake assist. This will detect is someone stops short or you don’t see someone in the vicinity and automatically brake for you. I’ll admit it scared the crap out of me when I 1st used it but definitely happy it works.

But What Could Be Better?

There isn’t a whole lot The interesting thing is that the same things I wish they would’ve improved on the Mazda 6 applies here as well. More so 2nd-row legroom and resolution on the 7inch display.

Let’s start off w/ the legroom. I don’t want massive more room but just a little bit more in the back. I know that this is a crossover and not a full-sized SUV (or the CX-9) so there would be size limitations present. But I do wish for more legroom so I can put my chair how I want it and not have to worry about whoever behind me.

Next up, that 7inch display on the center console. It has its quirks w/ it like slow to start up when starting the car, it can hiccup at times for response times, and that low-resolution of it all. When it works its good but when it doesn’t, it can take away from the experience. These are definitely not deal breakers at all but leaves more to be desired at times (not all of the time though).

Would I Buy It?

I actually would pick this up. The signature Soul Crystal Red paint job is still amazing. The features & amenities are great. That performance while driving the CX-5 was a true dream from local to highway travel. All while pushing a 4-cylinder turbo that offers good oompf but not too bad on gas either. I was just OK with it when I got it but as I drove it more and more, I dug it more & more. I just want a little more legroom & better resolution on the cameras. But other than that, I am a fan and I think if you’re looking for a good crossover, I think you will be too.