Where did I go wrong?

[MidEngine]

I've been obsessed with all things automotive since I was a little boy, and naturally shared my passion with my kids. I was somewhat pleased when my daughter got her first new ride after finishing university, a Mazda 3. Sure, she could have gotten something more off the beaten path, but at the very least she didn't buy a CUV.

Fast forward a few years and she's due to bring a bouncy baby into the fold come May. Planning ahead she's decided since the lease on her 3 is coming due, and she will be a new mom, she feels she has to pivot to something more family friendly. A fucking Mazda CX 5 SUV. My Oppo soul hurts.

[jminer]

As far as CUVs go, the CX5 isn't a bad one. My wife has a RAV4 hybrid and it's nice. They serve their purpose.

[MM54]

You did all that you could - this is on her to make and hopefully learn from some mistakes.

[Smallbear]

@midengine I think you've succeeded, in that it's a CX-5 and not a RAV4 or CR-V

[davesaddiction]

Just be glad she doesn't want something twice as expensive! It's a good car for doing car things.

[Spaceball-Two]

@midengine we have a CX5 in mid level trim and it’s really not that bad. It handles hauling two kids under 5 around, motors through the snow and honestly it can be quite zippy if you mash the go pedal and turn traction control off. My one complaint is the UI on the stereo/nav. etc. Its abysmal.

[MUSASHI66]

Just make her get the 2.5L Turbo.

[Jordan]

I'm not going to defend Mazda here either, the non-turbo CX5 is an abomination. That kids gonna need a HANS device for the ride quality.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

@midengine Trade your Taco in for a double-cab. Two birds, one bigly monthly payment

[WhoIsTheLeader]

The CX5 is actually kind of the enthusiast's choice when it comes to CUVs. She could do a lot worse and end up in a Nissan.

[Mazda616]

Lol @ CUV hate. I don’t really get it. We have a giant SUV thing and it works well for our family.

[RallyDarkstrike]

The 5 is probably one of few CUVs I guess I wouldn't mind having. I also like the Kona and Venue....you can still get the Venue with a stick! It'd be a bit on the small side for a family though.

[Jordan]

@mazda616 I understand the point of the CUV, but I do not understand the love for the CX5. Especially considering the hate for the much better Rav4.

[sn4cktimes]

I love old cars but I do 100% understand that safety and convenience is a thing. Often old vehicles have neither in comparison to a modern vehicle. And those things quite likely SHOULD be considered with kids. My sister in-law has an old Yaris. She's driving that thing into the ground or until the two boys don't fit in the back. But man does it make life harder than it needs to be sometimes. To camp they have a cargo pod on the top and a hitch mounted box on the back. In all reality they SHOULD have an SUV or CUV or Wagon; but wagons are mostly dead, especially at realistic consumer prices.

I mean, at least she didn't buy a Rogue....

[MidEngine]

@dr-zoidberg Heh, love yer sense of humor. Taco ain't goin' nowhere..

[MidEngine]

@davesaddiction I don't care how much she spends, I'm no longer financially responsible for her (I did pay 100% of her school after all). She's frugal and cost does matter, even if it is a lease

[ForSweden]

@midengine Were you went wrong is that you could have bought a Rad Van, but you did not.

[Jawzx2]

@midengine Have you test driven a Hyundai Kona Limited? I think it's better than the CX-5, if a tad smaller in overall volume. Even with the lower total interior volume I think the rear seats are better. The handling is surprising, and the 1.6t with the 7-speed DCT makes for a not-slow car. Also, the ride is better and the AWD system is at least as good, though Mazda's system is quite good.

[chan]

Ah, so you took my handle.

Kidding, congrats on ranking up in life...at least it's still a Mazda.

[MidEngine]

@jawzx2 I'll suggest it to her, I'm not sure about trim levels, availability, and costs.. She lives in Canada.

[MidEngine]

@forsweden Tried that, she wants nothing to do with vans. I pointed out you can stuff 4' x 8' sheets of plywood in a van, she doesn't care.

[interstate366]

Anyone who pays attention to my posts knows I’ve been eyeing the new Acura RDX since it came out. I’ll probably replace the TL as my DD with one at some point: either when my warranty expires in 2022 (trading in the TL) or when the TL is paid off in 2024 (in which case I’ll probably turn it into a track car)

[Jawzx2]

@midengine In Canada they split out the 1.6t equipped models a bit differently... the Trend AWD has the good driveline, but does not include leather seating surfaces or all of the driver-assist tech. It's a bit cheaper than the US Limited-spec though. The Ultimate AWD is loaded to the gills, and frankly a little expensive, just like the US Ultimate-spec. I like the US Limited spec as it has a little more luxury than the Trend AWD (and the excellent LED lighting package), but doesn't go as far as the Ultimate.

[Mazda616]

@jordan We liked our CX-5 really well as it was super reliable and efficient for the six years we had it. My only complaints were the cheap interior and the lack of power, both of which the newer ones have fixed (ours was a super early build 2013 - the first model year).

[Jarrett]

My stance on SUVs have softened up a bit since having a kid and owning a house. The 3 is so cramped that my wife has to sit in the back because the child seat forces the front-passenger seat to be moved too far forward.

The CX-5 is on the short list as a replacement for our 3, but I'll have to check out the Kona as well!

As a side note, I took a CX-5 on a small AutoX course and I was really impressed with the driving dynamics. Felt similar to the 6.