2014 Mazda CX-5

The three trim levels available on the Mazda CX-5 for the 2014 model year are called Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring. Prices start at $22,000 and go all the way up to $28,400 for the highest trim without options. It is very well equipped right from the base trim with features such as 17-inch wheels, full power accessories, keyless entry, cruise control, and so on.

Which trim should you buy? 

We find the base trim level well equipped but it is not the one we would go for. However, the trim right above it, the Premium is offered at just $25,400 and comes with the bigger engine which can be added as an option and is totally worth the money. It also has better connectivity features, a rearview camera, a blind-spot warning system, and so on. There are also optional packages that add more excellent features from this trim level onwards.

There are two engines available on the 2014 Mazda CX-5 - a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that produces 155 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque and an optional 2.5L four-cylinder engine that is good for 184 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque. These are then mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission with the more powerful engine being offered only with the automatic transmission.

There are options to have the car in both front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. Acceleration figures in the engine are decent with it taking 8.5 seconds of 0 to 60 mph time as well as 16.9 seconds for the quarter-mile timing. These are not the most interesting figures we have seen in the category but definitely remain competitive. 

We find that the Mazda CX-5 is the cheapest car in its category but it has not exactly skimped on performance to make up for the price tag. Even though its power figures are the least in the category when equipped with the 2 L engine, it manages to be just as fast as its competitors with more powerful engines. Factor in the 2.5 L engine and the Mazda CX-5 is easily the best performing car in the category.

One would expect that churning out excellent power out of its engines, the Mazda would be bad at fuel economy. However, that assumption would be wrong. It returns 26 MPG in the city, 35 MPG on the highway, and 29 MPG combined. As a result of this, despite having a relatively small fuel tank at just 14.8 gallons, it has an excellent range as well. 

Fuel efficiency is single-handedly the department of the Honda CR-V because even though it does not have the largest fuel tank, it has the best efficiency and the greatest range. The Toyota RAV4 has the largest fuel tank in the class but its fuel efficiency numbers are not exactly as good as the rivals. The Ford Escape has the worst numbers in terms of fuel efficiency.

The interiors of the Mazda CX-5 are practical, modern, and functional. It has a neat design but has neat interfaces and is quite ergonomic to use. It has a very nice space inside, offers capacity for five people, and performs well in terms of cargo capacity with 34.1 ft.³ of storage. We find that it is one of the best interior designs in this category.

 In terms of interior space, however, the car feels like it is much better than its rivals. There are enough storage spaces inside for most stuff and the cargo capacity can be adjusted by folding the seats and making room for more. In terms of both legroom as well as headroom, it can accommodate tall passengers with ease.

We find that the Mazda also has excellent interior space inside. The Toyota RAV4 offers the best cargo capacity while the Honda CR-V is the rest of the best. All cars offer seating only for five passengers but do so with adequate cargo space and so on. None of them feels cramped, but the Mazda just feels a bit better. Some standard 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 

What’s there to keep you entertained?

One of the only departments that Mazda could use some improvement in is the infotainment features of this car. There is an optional navigation system but it is not exactly on par with many of its competitors. The touchscreen interface is also quite small at 5.8 inches in size. This year sees the addition of more features like HD radio and so on which makes it a little better. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• 5.8-inch touchscreen
• USB port
• Satellite radio
• Navigation system
• HD radio
• Bluetooth streaming

In terms of looks, the Mazda CX-5 is one of the best-looking cars in this category. It not only gives the impression that it is a much larger car, but it also provides most of that sophisticated nature of the brand at a very competitive price tag. It has an excellent road presence. Also if you concentrate on the tiny design details, you will find a lot to enjoy in the car.

We find that the Mazda is truly impressive and comes to its dimensions because it is equally large as its competitors but does not reflect the same in terms of weight. It is an incredibly light car and offers decent ground clearance as well. The Toyota RAV4 is the largest car out of the lot and the Ford Escape is the heaviest. Some standout features include:

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

In terms of safety, the Mazda CX-5 has scored an excellent five stars overall safety rating from the NHTSA which is the highest honor. It also performs very well in the IIHS crash test although it has not been named as a Top Safety Pick. It has not only passive safety features but even active safety as standard such as automated emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and so on as optional extras. Some of the standout safety features include:

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

The Mazda CX-5 is an excellent buy because it is one of the most value for money products that are being sold by the brand. It promises a very capable car that also manages to be very much modern. It has managed to perform better than its rivals in almost every single segment that it has competed in and is pretty reliable as well. It makes for an excellent buy for a family looking for a crossover SUV.