Review: 2019 Mazda CX-5
Monday, August 26, 2019 at 10:36PM 
Our road test included a few longer drives on the highway and through the back roads in Ontario. Overall, the 2019 Mazda CX-5 was fun to drive, had flexible cargo space, and the dashboard/instrument cluster was intuitive to use.
Exterior Design
The exterior design of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 includes Mazda’s signature front grille and a longer hood line. Most exterior lights are LED which makes it brighter if you’re driving on roads that aren’t well lit. The front headlights are also auto-levelling. Our road test included 19” alloy wheels with a gunmetal finish, as well as a power glass moonroof which added great sunlight into the cabin during our week.
Interior Design
Our road test model included new features such as Nappa leather upholstery and interior Abachi wood trim. The dashboard is laid out minimalistically with functions placed neatly in the centre stack. Mazda’s HMI Commander is located near the gearshift, and this system makes it easy to access the infotainment system without taking your eyes off the road. If you choose, you may also control the system through the 7” colour touchscreen display. The 2019 Mazda CX-5 comes with Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay and connecting your device is seamless.
The 7” digital LCD instrument cluster is packed with information for the driver with a few modes to choose from depending on what information you want to have displayed. Also appreciated is the Active Driving Display that is projected onto the windshield which you can look at while driving without needing to lower your eyes to read the instrument cluster. Of note, the blind spot monitoring system gives you a subtle notification in the Active Driving Display in addition to the warning light built into the mirrors. There are multiple sensors located in the large rearview mirror base, though thankfully it doesn’t obstruct much view when looking out the front windshield.
There’s quite a bit of room in the interior cabin. Our road test model had front heated and ventilated seats (which came in handy during the hot weather as the vehicle had leather seats). The rear centre armrest has cupholders and 2 USB ports, as well as buttons to activate the rear heated seats (outboard only). We’re not quite sure how convenient this will be though if you had 3 passengers in the rear as the buttons and USB ports are only accessible in the armrest.
Under The Hood / Basic Maintenance
The engine bay compartment is compact, and you’ll notice shields, plastic covers, and lots of plumbing when you open the hood. The do-it-yourself items are located up top such as windshield washer top-up, battery, fuse box, etc. If you’re so inclined, the air filter can be easily replaced as well. The battery is located close to an engine ground, which will make it easier if you ever needed to jump start the vehicle.
While the brake fluid reservoir is located near the battery, it isn’t very transparent and it takes a few looks to discern the minimum/maximum levels. The coolant reservoir is at the front of the engine, though the minimum/maximum levels are best read from the side of the vehicle which doesn’t make it convenient to pour the coolant in at the same time.
Child Car Seat
In terms of installing a rear-facing child car seat, the 2019 Mazda CX-5 is quite spacious so you may not need to move the front passenger seat too far forward to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle (depending on the size of the child car seat, of course). The rear seat bench is relatively flat and the seat cushions firm so you may not require pool noodles or a rolled towel during a rear-facing child car seat installation in order to get the correct recline angle. The UAS latches are well marked.
The outboard headrests of the rear seats are relatively flush with the seatback so you may not need to remove them when installing a forward-facing child car seat. They are removable, if you choose to do that anyway. The rear centre headrest overlaps the seat and you’ll want to remove it before installing the rear tether. All tether anchors are conveniently located right behind the seat.
A few things worth mention… the rear seats are formed to accommodate the seat belt buckle which is great and easy for toddlers who are in booster seats and can buckle themselves in. However, if you have a wider child car seat it may overlap the buckle and you’ll want to be careful about positioning. The seatbelts also start at the top of the seatback and this will help keep the belt positioned properly over your passenger’s shoulder (not too close to their neck and not falling off their shoulder either). There is also a rear seatbelt notification on the dashboard, and you can quickly see if your rear passengers are buckled in.
Storage / Trunk
The 2019 Mazda CX-5 is a great vehicle for everyday driving and road trips. The trunk is spacious though it does become narrower closer to the seats to accommodate the rear wheels. The rear seats are a 60/40 split with a lever conveniently located in the trunk to fold the seats down quickly. The spare tire is also located under the trunk floor.
Model tested:
2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature
Skyactiv-G 2.5L turbo 4-cylinder engine
6-speed Skyactiv-Drive automatic transmission
i-Activ All-wheel drive
Seating Capacity: 5 people
Road Test Terrain: 30% city, 70% highway
Tested MSRP: $43,145 CAD
Starting Price: $27,850 CAD
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