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A red 2021 Mazda CX-5 driving down a city road with a building and tree in the background

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 Has 1 Frustrating Problem

Everything is going great for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, right? Well, mostly. When critics provide their 2021 Mazda CX-5 review, they are noticing one frustrating feature. Check out what one potential drawback with this SUV could be.  Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 a good SUV?  Yes, it’s one of the best SUV options available right …

Everything is going great for the 2021 Mazda CX-5, right? Well, mostly. When critics provide their 2021 Mazda CX-5 review, they are noticing one frustrating feature. Check out what one potential drawback with this SUV could be. 

Is the 2021 Mazda CX-5 a good SUV? 

Yes, it’s one of the best SUV options available right now. The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is loved for its premium interior, sporty ride, and a long list of standard features. However, the Mazda CX-5 lags behind rivals in terms of tech. 

According to Cars.com, the Mazda CX-5 has an incredibly frustrating user interface. That’s not a positive way of explaining it at all! The CX-5 comes with a standard 10.25-inch center display. At first, this sounds exciting, until you notice that we didn’t say touchscreen. 

A red 2021 Mazda CX-5 driving down a highway road
The 2021 Mazda CX-5 in action | Mazda

The infotainment center isn’t a touchscreen. You have to carry out each function with the use of a console-mounted knob controller, which is very distracting while driving. On a positive note, the standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity can be helpful. 

The systems mirror your phone interface, which can be easier to use, but you still have to control each function by turning the knob. This can make changing your navigation route, switching podcasts, adjusting the volume, and more pretty slow and annoying. 

Motor Trend agrees that the infotainment system can be tricky to use, and The Car Connection mentioned that the CX-5 has interior infotainment. So, the team at Cars.com isn’t alone with their opinion. 

How does the Mazda CX-5 perform? 

Driving the 2021 Mazda CX-5 provides an excellent experience. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder standard engine provides 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. This is perfectly adequate for the compact SUV. 

But the fun comes with the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that pumps out 250 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. The base engine provides an acceleration speed from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds, which is average, and the turbo can reach 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, according to Edmunds

The handling is very sharp and responsive, and it’s great for cornering. The ride can be firm, but not too bad. Bumps are hardly noticeable, and the cabin is mostly quiet. There is a little wind noise at highway speeds. Plus, each Mazda CX-5 trim level is available with all-wheel drive. 

Is the Mazda CX-5 worth buying? 

Yes, the 2021 Mazda CX-5 has an MSRP of about $35,370, making it competitively priced against rivals. The cabin is driver-oriented with easy to reach controls and premium materials for an upscale feel. 

The rear seats aren’t as comfortable as the ones up front, and space is limited in the back. Tall people may struggle back there. You’ll find 30.9 cubic feet of rear space behind the rear seats and up to 59.6 cubic feet total. 

A view of the interior of the 2021 Mazda CX-5
The interior of the 2021 Mazda CX-5 | Mazda

Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assistance, and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic alert.

It’s an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Pick Place, and it received a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

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