He said, she said: Test driving the Mazda CX-5

The premise of the “He Said, She Said” chronicle is simple: we lend a press vehicle to a couple to test drive extensively for two weeks giving the two participants only one order: to take note of all of their impressions, both good and bad.

Both test drivers have to keep their opinions to themselves so as not to unduly influence the other. Easier said than done, right?

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This month, Geneviève Mercier and Danny Cormier test drove the Mazda CX-5 – winner of The Car Guide’s Best New Utility Vehicle Award for 2013 – for us.

Under the hood, there’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower, all under the control of a six-speed manual gearbox (the six-speed automatic is sold for an additional $1,200).

The Mazda CX-5 base version’s (GX) price starts at $22,995, but the Convenience Package offered on the version tested that includes alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity, colour screen and HD radio, increases the price to $24,590. The cost of transport and preparation is $1,895, among the highest in the industry.

Here are their impressions:

She said

Name: Geneviève Mercier
Age: 30
Resides: Val-Morin, Laurentians
Occupation: Special education teacher
Drives: 1999 Subaru Forester

Geneviève Mercier began by commenting on the Mazda CX-5’s appearance: “I really like its look both inside and out. I find its interior very feminine with the beige and black contrasts.”

But this mother of two was initially concerned: “At first glance, I didn’t think that my stroller would fit in the cargo area. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it may look small, but there was enough room for my double stroller, the groceries and our dog Cleo!”

Our test driver also found it very easy to master the compact utility vehicle: “I barely had to adjust anything at all, and I felt good right away on board. Right off the bat, I had to drive in Montréal traffic and I didn’t need any adjustment period, not even for the manual gearbox.” But she had to remind herself from time to time that this transmission offers six speeds and not just five.

As for performance, Geneviève estimates that the 155 horsepower developed by the four-cylinder engine is sufficient: “It’s very respectable and it does the job when you have to pass. But I should say that I’m not a girl that’s into power, instead I put the priority on a vehicle’s versatility.”

And she refuses to compromise when it comes to comfort: “Comfort is important for me.” And that’s why our test driver said that she had an unpleasant surprise on the bumpy roads near home. “I’m not impressed by the CX-5’s suspension. It shakes a lot more than my Subaru Forester, which isn’t exactly a spring chicken. Otherwise, the seats are comfortable and we were comfortable in them.”

There were other difficult moments: “The CX-5 we tested didn’t have all-wheel drive, so it had a hard time climbing our very steep, gravel driveway.” Geneviève definitely would not buy a front-wheel drive CX-5, but what about a CX-5 AWD?

“There isn’t much that would prevent me from buying a vehicle like that – I’m really impressed by the trunk space. However, I’d want to find out about and test drive other versions to check if its all-wheel drive is equal to that of the Subaru and Mitsubishi.”

He said

Name: Danny Cormier
Age: 35
Resides: Val-Morin, Laurentians
Occupation: Technician
Drives: 2006 Chevrolet Silverado

Danny Cormier admits: “I didn’t expect such solid handling from a utility vehicle. I had a ball in the curves, pushed it to the limits and was very surprised: the vehicle is fun to drive – I even felt like I was in a small car.”

For our test driver, unlike for his better half, the fact that the suspension “shakes” wasn’t a problem: “That’s the price to pay for it to hold so well in turns.”

But like Geneviève, a comfortable passenger compartment is non-negotiable for him. And he had positive things to say: “The seats are comfortable and even me, who doesn’t do well without lumbar support, I didn’t have back pain – and I really drove the CX-5 a long way!”

He continued: “I’m used to sitting high up in a vehicle in order to see better in front, and that’s just what I got with the Mazda. Also, the controls are logical and accessible; although I’m short, I was able to reach them without stretching.” However, Danny would have liked a longer armrest to be able to support himself on something other than the point of his elbow.

But nothing’s perfect, so there are a few negatives. Danny Cormier would have liked to test drive a CX-5 with all-wheel drive – “a necessity when you live up North. He also quickly noticed that you have to be precise with the manual transmission, “especially for sixth gear – I frequently shifted into 4th by accident.”

And although the engine seemed pretty good “on flat ground when you aren’t in a hurry”, it left him wanting on Laurentian drives: “When you climb, there’s almost no power and you feel a lot of vibration under the hood. The engine seems to force and try as you might to downshift or bury the gas pedal, there just isn’t any power.”

Fuel consumption? After all, the CX-5 comes with Mazda’s much publicized SkyActiv efficiency technology. But: “I didn’t find it economical for a four-cylinder. We completed our two-week test drive with an average fuel consumption of 8.9 L/100 km, which is a long way from the numbers that are being announced.”

Finally, Danny Cormier likes the CX-5’s look, but: “The other compact utility vehicles like the Kia Sportage and Mitsubishi RVR, are nice-looking too.” And note that with Mitsubishi, the manufacturer’s warranty is offered for ten years/160,000 km.