Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider
Our 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD test car.
- The Mazda CX-5 compact SUV competes directly against the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Nissan Rogue.
- Mazda has made several key updates for the 2019 model year, including the addition of an optional turbocharged engine.
- The Mazda CX-5 comes standard with a 187-horsepower 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, and a 250-horsepower turbocharged version of the engine is available as an option on high-end trims.
- The base 2019 Mazda CX-5 Sport with front-wheel drive starts at $24,350, while the top-of-the-line Signature trim starts at $36,890. With options and fees, our Signature trim CX-5 came to an as-tested price of $39,905.
- We were impressed by the turbocharged CX-5's bountiful power, sporty driving dynamics, stylish design, and high-quality interior. Unfortunately, the CX-5's infotainment system remains poor, and cabin noise is more prominent than it is for some of its rivals.
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The Mazda CX-5 has long been one of the most popular compact crossover SUVs on sale in the US since its debut in 2012. Although the second-generation CX-5, which debuted for the 2017 model year, doesn't sell quite as well as the segment-leading Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V, it certainly holds its own.
Through April, Toyota has sold just shy of 118,000 RAV4s, while Honda has moved about 116,000 CR-Vs. During the same period, Mazda sold a respectable 47,000 CX-5s.
Last year, Business Insider had the chance to spend a week with a 2018 Mazda CX-5. We were impressed by the CX-5's stylish design, stellar driving dynamics, and a cabin that felt surprisingly luxurious.
"The 2018 Mazda CX-5 definitely brings the Zoom Zoom to the compact crossover SUV market," we said in our review. "The Mazda offers its drivers a brighter view of the world where a winding piece of tarmac is more than a barrier to your destination, but rather an experience to be enjoyed."
However, the CX-5 wasn't quite perfect. It is adequately powerful, but its standard naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine lacked the punch of a turbocharged unit. On the inside, the infotainment system was lackluster.
This year, Mazda has made several updates to the CX-5, including the addition of the turbocharged engine from the larger CX-9 SUV.
Recently, we spent some time with a 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature AWD, clad in a gorgeous Deep Crystal Blue Metallic paint job.
The base 2019 Mazda CX-5 Sport with front-wheel drive starts at $24,350, while the top-of-the-line Signature trim starts at $36,890. All-wheel-drive is a $1,400 option on the Sport, Touring, and Grand Touring trims. It's standard on Grand Touring Reserve and Signature trims.
With options and fees, our Signature trim CX-5 came to an as-tested price of $39,905. It's the most expensive mass-market compact SUV Business Insider has ever tested.
Here's a closer look at the 2019 Mazda CX-5: