Mazda CX-5 2.5T is great and fast and all, but there’s 3 issues – Test drive

WE have driven the performance variant test of the CX-5, with the 2.5T turbo petrol engine delivering 228hp and 420Nm of torque, alongside the all-wheel drive (AWD) system.

Undoubtedly a unique offering from Mazda, with no clear close competitors, it provides more options besides naturally aspirated petrol and diesel.

However, due to demand, we also list some issues or problems with this Mazda CX-5 2.5T. Yes, as good as the car is, even though it’s advanced and powerful, issues can still arise. We have identified three main issues.

You’ll be loved by petrol station owners

Being loved is usually a positive thing, right? But that’s if you’re loved by your parents, loved by your wife. If you’re loved by petrol station owners, it’s not so great.

With the CX-5 2.5T, you will often visit petrol stations because this SUV truly gulps down petrol, unlike most of its competitors that just sip petrol. Throughout the writer’s experience driving this turbocharged CX-5 for over 1,000km, the writer could only achieve an average of 9.4km per liter. The writer tried very hard to achieve 10km per liter but failed.

It’s also enjoyable to experience the strong 420Nm torque, similar to a diesel, available as early as 2,000rpm, but with great power comes some sacrifices. Oh, the struggles…

The addition of the AWD and only six gears in the gearbox doesn’t help with fuel efficiency. Perhaps if Mazda offered this variant with an 8-speed gearbox, it would help achieve better fuel economy.

2. It looks too similar!

The second issue is that this 2.5T AWD turbo petrol version looks too similar to the other CX-5 variants. Obviously, we identify a car by its design and external identity.

With the CX-5 2.5 turbo, only the rear emblem with the red letter “T” indicates that this is the high-performance turbo petrol version. If you see this red “T”, just forget about poking fun at this CX-5, you’ll be way off the mark.

For owners who want to stand out a bit, they might feel unsatisfied with the too modest appearance of this CX-5 2.5T. Perhaps it should have larger rims with a unique design, additional red stripes on the front grille, or a rear roof spoiler. Anything that can make this performance SUV stand out more, Mazda knows better; the writer is not a designer.

3. A bit of identity confusion

The third and final issue is a slight identity confusion with this 2.5T CX-5. It’s not a significant problem, just that to the writer, this CX-5 is not quite an SUV, and not quite a sports car either.

It’s not as efficient (in fuel consumption) as other SUVs or other CX-5 variants, but it also doesn’t provide maximum satisfaction like driving a Mazda MX-5 Miata or Mazda3. This 2.5T CX-5 is too in the middle. No SUV satisfaction, nor true sports car satisfaction. Hence, the writer says it has a bit of identity confusion, not knowing which one it wants to be.

Conclusion

Those are the three issues the writer has experienced during the test drive of the Mazda CX-5 2.5T AWD. But there are many other great aspects about this model, which you can read about here.

And the writer still wants to thank Mazda for producing this unique performance SUV, even though there may not really be a need for it. It demonstrates Mazda’s capability and their identity of not caring about others; just producing enjoyable cars that will be appreciated by their fans.