Hello fellow/future owners,

Here's my take on the CX-5 copy pasted from a review shared amongst friends.
TL:DR - Fantastic SUV.

Alright, so far been driving for 2 days now and here are my prelim thoughts on the CX-5.

Exterior:
Love the lines and oversized wheel arches. The 19" really fits into the space nicely. The overall car also feels more dynamic, aggressive, sportier and larger than most of its competitors in its class. Dimensions wise, compared to my City, it's a HUGE car. After having driven a B segment car for a good 9 years, the CX-5 actually feels intimidating at first look considering the difference in overall dimensions even though I've driven other large cars such as the Naza Ria, Mitsu Pajero. Probably because those cars weren't mine. The Tribos coating feels phenomenal to the touch. It does indeed provide a nice sheen to the car even outdoors.

Interior:
Soft plastics cover most of the dashboard and door panels, providing a continental feel as compared to most cheap plastic laden Jap cars. Soft to the touch but overall quality feels solid. It may not look the swankiest or most high tech but it works and everything from the buttons, radio, aircon controls, electronics are easily accessible and uncluttered. Leather seats all round but it isn't something to shout about. The rubber mats are a nice touch since I'm already used to fabric mats in my car. I do hate the digital clock placement which is rather poor and not as visible as it should be and that the LCD display should've been where the clock was integrated. I'm also a little annoyed in the design of the retractable side mirrors button which is integrated with the side mirrors adjustment knob.

Engine and Transmission:
The 2.0 SkyActiv engine is a marvel to drive. Though I think it's a combination with the SkyActiv transmission that actually makes the whole package impressive. Low end torque is an issue when it comes to moving the bulk especially at traffic stops, the car doesn't lunge but lurches slowly forward. Not the most impressive of starts but it requires some getting used to as the power transmission to the wheels isn't as linear as a CVT would provide. However, I would like to point out that from 2.5k onwards till the sweet spot of just above 3k, that's where the engine really shines and boy is it eager to go. The engine doesn't feel too aggressive mainly due to the way the upshifts are being handled and it does feel to be upshifting slightly too early thus losing some momentum at the lower ratios. 2 days isn't really enough time to understand the way the whole package but it leaves a very positive impression.

Ride and Handling:
As mentioned earlier, NVH is great though not as exceptional as the BMWs, Mercs, Jags, Audis but is one of the best I've driven thus far. The cabin noise is minimal except on certain types of surfaces. Suspension setup is also slightly on the harder side but doesn't disturb the ride comfort. Overall drive is very planted and I've been able to push the car into corners at speeds that I was previously comfortable with on my City with room to spare. The Toyo Proxies are an incredible set of tires. Steering is exceptionally light, even for a Mazda as I've driven the 3 and 5 before, especially when trying to maneuver such a large vehicle. Steering is responsive and provides great feedback despite its lightness. Mazda has done a great job here as well.

Equipment:
Equipment wise, the CX-5 comes pretty loaded with a 9 speaker Bose sound system, TomTom navigation, integrated Bluetooth which includes phonebook functionality as well as music playback. One feature I like is the walk away lock function which eliminates the need for me to use the remote to lock the vehicle (with a 30s failsafe locking mechanism if the walk away function fails to lock the car). The Push Start/Stop button could be better placed but it's not that big of an issue. Wasn't able to test the sound system fully but the phone functions and handsfree I've been using quite extensively and the system works wonderfully, though the voice activated system could use some customization/recognition since it almost called the wrong people a couple of times I've tried it out lol

I probably would've missed some info here and there. Feel free to ask =p
Overall I'm really happy with the CX-5 and it's really well worth the asking price when compared to other Sports/Compact SUV such as the Sportage, Tucson, ASX, CRV.

Well, I booked mine back in early March with Bermaz Jalan Ampang. Just to give you guys an indication.

He kinda did. He just told me to wash with plain water and to abstain from any cleaning agents whatsoever. Then wipe dry with a dry chamois.

According to the Tribos website, it's best to use an Alkaline base shampoo for the car in order to maintain the coating at its optimum.
I'm also having headache of where to send the car in for cleaning lol