2013 Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv Off-Road Review & Drive

( www.TFLcar.com ) The 2013 Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv is all new from the ground up. It is the first car that features Mazda's new SkyActive approach to building lighter, more fuel efficient, and more responsive cars. It heralds a new style which in the industry is called a new design language. Unlike the former Mazda Tribute which shared a platform with the Ford Escape and had what many people thought was a Mazda's smiley face, the new 2013 Mazda CX-5 breaks all new design and performance ground. Check out this video as we review the 2013 Mazda CX-5 SkyActiv AWD both on and off-road.

[@bigwillchill]

I think it's good enough for me. the off roading they were doing is pretty similar to what I would use it for. no extreme off road but the occasional camping trip or dirt biking weekend

[@ericharman4064]

Thanks a lot guys, another great video review. I always learn something about the car you guys are reviewing and I appreciate the humor you inject from time to time.

[@ZesPak]

Agreed, but my point was that the CX-5, even with a 25-30% loss in power, is still plenty powerful for most people. The entry level Mazda has over 160 hp, while the entry level Tiguan has to make do with 122. 13s in high altitude (with about 200 kg in "luggage") isn't half bad for a nice daily ride. It isn't meant to be a performance car and doesn't pretend to be one. It'll cope with traffic (and then some) fine, which is what it's designed to do.

[@thecityoutdoors]

No sound for first several minutes

[@austinphelan6374]

Great car! Highly recommend it. It's been through the bad winter up here in PA and it handled 9 inches of snow like nothing. Didn't slide or skid one bit. Great all around SUV.

[@tabturn]

Came here after watching your "Best of"...want to say I love your reviews, and my next car purchase will absolutely be informed by you guys.

[@CasaDeGomez]

Thanks for answering my request Roman to review this vehicle. Great review as always

[@VirorFox]

Wow. Great review. I like the honesty, relatability and willingness to actually test the vehicle.

[@FrancineRA1970]

I love the look of this Mazda! You guys are so awesome, thanks for a fun video. I have a question, do you guys have a sponsor? I only see regular KZbin ads. I think you guys cram a lot into a short video and you're the best at it!

[@Xallisto]

That's great! Hope you guys keep these coming!

[@TFLcar]

@recycledcitizen Thanks for the kind words about our reviews. Very much appreciated. Test drive the new CX-5. I think you'll be impressed.

[@Boondocksaint1PSN]

Good review guys you can really tell you love your job!!

[@camshaft53149]

well thanks for the input. already purchased it yesterday :D picking it up tomorrow. I bought the skyactiv hatch i touring. i really love that car. worth the money i spent all day.

[@tomtom5418]

Great reviews as always! thanks for not making your reviews for rent only (like some other channels out there...cough cough driving sports)

[@MrCodythegreat]

you guys do a fantastic informative and fun review \

[@ravenstylea2]

Great review guys!

[@jonajs98]

Great review as always.

[@Fjsouth]

thanks for doing these reviews. i have been looking at the cx-5 and crosstrek as my second gas saver crossover. right now i drive an 07 fj cruiser.

[@blazingdan]

Just found you guys and I am looking forward to checking out the site. Thanks for reviewing, and for doing so in my home state of Colorado too! That said, I think that the majority of drivers in our neck of the woods, at least, are going to be interested in how the AWD handles the snow on city streets and highways. I know it has not snowed much in the last month or two here, but it would be great to head up a few feet and find some snow to drive on and give us your opinion.

[@mpalm887]

I searched "CX-5 Off Road Test" and this was the only truly meaningful and informative video KZbin gave me.

[@yoshigolfer1512]

You both always do good job !! cheers

[@jamesmp5k]

Awesome review! Thanks guys!

[@semuapenuh]

Nice test and review.

[@recycledcitizen]

best reviews online and i love seeing my old colorado roads in your reviews now that i am a flatlander again. thanks! i'm still on the fence about which one to get: mazda 3 skyactiv, the cx5 or the vw golf tdi.

[@ItchyFeetOz]

Thanks for showing us your opinion on the offroading side of the car. Really helps.

[@hejmuesli]

One of the best jobs on a review yet. MAJOR thumbs up! One question: The transmission? How was it? And was it manual or auto?

[@boberson33]

Roman you guys are awesome i wish you were on tv man

[@AnsrMax]

Nice review as usual. And love the Black Sabbath tee shirt.

[@Tech_entrepreneur]

I had a used Mazda 626 with 160,000 miles on the odometer and it was sweet. Never a fault, really comfortable. All the electric's worked fantastic and no rattles! I kept it longer than any other car I've owned. Prior to this I had a Toyota Corrola. It was similar quality to the Mazda but needed new wheel bearings and a new radiator (leak where cooling tubes fit to the manifold). I guess everyone's experiences are different but I think that Mazda reliability is up there with the best.

[@SwPiotrek]

Very nice suv, and very nice review.

[@BernDPeter]

good job on the vid ! is mazda still cooperating with ford? are you guys going to check the new escape soon ?

[@Transam941]

My parents just bought one of these. Great car. I'm impressed.

[@simonasialin]

thanks guys !! up up up !!!

[@georgearmerding]

great work as usual. I love how u guys are willing/crazy enough to take any awd car off rd. I think Nathan is remotely operated. I wonder if he fit in all the caymans trunks. hint hint.

[@jack4109]

Thanks for doing this review :D! Been waiting on it! How would you guys rate it against the VW Tiguan though? Many of the guys on the net says it's on par if not better? I'm not too sure on this...Cheers!

[@aaronsclee]

great car, great review! - i liked But could you guys tell me what sort of AWD system the CX-5 has? Is is constant like the Forester, or on-demand like the CRV?

[@BigReyRey84]

its 26/32 city/hwy mpg...just got one and its amazing Grand Touring FWD has every option available but the AWD....not alot of power but its fun to drive and the MPG meter in the dash is a great way to tell you how your driving!!!! so many features for the Grand Touring

[@MJ4cars97]

@NathanDAdlen Do you fit in the trunk confortably? Size wise, i know its smaller than the Rav4 but is it confortabler? Great review!!!

[@NathanDAdlen]

@yellowcow13 Thanks for the kind words. We're going to play with an EcoBoost Escape next month. Thanks for watching!

[@talltomrich1]

While i would normally agree with you, many people cross shopping the CX-5, Rav4, Forester, CRV and other do care about power and 0-60. I live in Colorado and drive at 6-8+ thousand feet facing a 25-30% loss in power which can hit hard in the mountain winter. For those who want a performance oriented crossover, i've driven the Rav4 v6 and the Forester XT and they are both good options.

[@booksyn]

I like this almost more than the Mazda Tribute! but that will pretty much be my favorite Mazda vehicle so far! I feel a lot better about being a man who likes crossovers after watching you two test drive it! LOL BTW...just subbed your channel and look forward to more videos from you guys

[@antonbrabant9929]

You guys are awesome

[@TimJoseph08031990]

Wow over 100,000 views in over one month! I went inside one in the NY Auto Show, and I have to say that I like it. My parents would probably trade their 2001 Honda CR-V SE with 4WD with a CX-5 Grand Touring AWD. The 1997-2001 CR-V had a 2.0 Liter gas engine that makes 127 hp for the 97-99 and 146hp for the 2000-2001 model. The new CR-V is great in popularity, but it's boring when everyone else has one. For the entire family, we have three cars, a minivan, CR-V, and a Civic.

[@TFLcar]

@InuranusBrokoff Our pleasure and thanks for subscribing

[@NSAScarface]

I have a normal 2WD CX-5 which I love but the road to my cabin is an old gravel road but quite rocky, not too many depressions though. Would you recommend I take my CX-5 up there? I'm worried about damaging my suspension or ruining my alloys even though I have enough clearance to drive over the rock outcroppings.

[@NathanDAdlen]

@310Sole It did the job competently and was remarkably stable despite our noted heft. Thanks for watching.

[@TheGermarican]

Tiguan is the best in the true CUV segment. Strong motor with an awesome interior. My wife owned one in German. Once we were back stateside, I traded my clubman in for an SE 4MOT. Trust me, it's worth the price. And, they are still built in Germany.

[@NathanDAdlen]

@MJ4cars97 Yes I do, but we opted not to film it as the rear seat space (which is great for two guys well over 6 feet) shows how tall the roof is. I could fit in the trunk with room to spare. The RAV4 rides softer, but it can't touch the CX-5's cornering ability.Thanks for watching!

[@camshaft53149]

random question for you guys. mazda3. worth buying over the focus? watched the review and comparison but i really like the styling (call me crazy) of the mazda and the interior. however for the same price i can get the focus hatch with my ford touch and the sony audio. however last time i drove a focus it was a tad pokey (mazda wasnt fast but felt good) and the steering wasnt as great. just figured id ask! thanks guys!

[@GearKnowHow]

I agree with the guy before me, comparing this to an Outlander Sport would be great especially since I am currently in the market for a new small SUV! Comparing this to a Nissan Rogue would be a good comparison too! Great video! Is the AWD selective or is it continuous and only comes on during slippage like the Ford Escapes AWD?

[@NathanDAdlen]

@oldatarigamer It's great in the slush and the traction control system proportions the power beautifully. We did not test on deep snow, but I'm sure it's competent. Thanks for watching!

[@moosenrider1]

I'm buying a black mazda cx-5 touring with bose and moonroof package on R&R in September, I'm excited to take it for a spin.

[@99michele99]

I am also loving the Nissan Juke and the Mazda CX-5 ... haven't test drove them yet ... any advice would be appreciated.

[@2WhiteAndNerdy]

Great review (as always). However, if only Mazda would throw a turbo on it (a la MazdaSpeed 3/6), and a six-speed manual available for the AWD version, I would be at the dealer today to place my order.

[@jimciutto1087]

I love this car

[@NeverSeenVids]

awesome review, great locations but what about gas mileage?

[@NathanDAdlen]

@MacSaab93 The Pit in downtown Raleigh has the BEST barbecue ever! Love NC! Thanks for watching.

[@matt4270]

Congrats! The VWs are really sweet, and the build quality is top notch. A Subaru Outback diesel with a 6M trans would be perfect for me.

[@Bestoftherest222]

Hey guys great videos, if I may make a request? Please test more Crossovers, and put them under some decent over road conditions, not like baja racing but over some decent undeveloped roads and some hills.

[@TFLcar]

We just tested the FWD CX-5 to 60 MPH. We'll post the new video tomorrow.

[@istimmy21]

well done my friends!

[@SimbaTheGreat]

Coming from a Gen Y future car buyer, I'm looking at this car and the Nissan Juke. Though the Juke doesn't directly compete with the CX-5, it's one of the cars I'm comparing it to seeing as how its almost directly aimed towards my generation of car buyers. Which would you guys suggest buying? Like best car for the money.

[@Tech_entrepreneur]

Couldn't agree more. It is the best diesel engined car I've ever driven and I've tried plenty lately. Beats VAG and BMW hands down. Feels like a gasoline but with mega torque!

[@senorkaboom]

I drove this and the 6, and bought the 6. As far as the CX-5 is concerned, nice ride, nice power, very likeable car. But, I wanted less utility and more looks. I have mentioned this car to co-workers with kids, as it would be great as the mom-mobile. But, has the looks to fit in nice as the Saturday night date-mobile. A serious contender in this field.

[@Sk-brushDe]

Cool Mazda - cool review :)

[@camshaft53149]

glad someone has common sense. Just got my mazda3 and love it so far. I kind of wish i would've looked at a few of the other Japanese brands before i made my choice, however i get awesome mpg and the car is really fun to drive... if only the suspension wasn't so firm i would have a little more enjoyable time out of it.

[@NathanDAdlen]

@BernDPeter Ford no longer has controlling interest in Mazda, but they do occasionally work together. The CX-5 has little to do with the next Escape - which Roman and I will test next month! Thanks for watching!

[@heldenkatze]

love mazda!

[@RichardRogers718]

aboslutely beautiful car

[@NathanDAdlen]

It's more like the CR-V's. The CX-5 is a FWD machine under normal driving conditions. If slippage is detected, a magnetic clutch engages allowing torque to move from the front to the rear wheels. Up to 50% of the torque can be distributed to the rear wheels once the clutch kicks in (which is very quickly). A limited slip differential then moves the rear power side to side. It’s a good system that’s seamless in function. Thanks for watching!

[@NathanDAdlen]

@MacSaab93 We don't think so. I know of many people who need to go off the beaten path to ski, canoe, camp, hunt, fish, hike and do several things off road. We merely want to see what these things can do when the road gets rougher than expected. My old Subaru was taken to the aforementioned often... and I'm lazy. Thanks for watching.

[@Simonpt2000]

Hey Roman and Nathan. Are you guys gonna review the 2.5L cx 5?

[@xlbiznesutta1221]

You guys are good, when are you reviewing the new 2.5 CX-5.

[@victorvictorwhatsup]

best reviews!

[@YardBird1]

Picked up my CX-5 on Oct 5th. 1st Mazda loaded with every option. Best options are the back up camera and the blind side monitor. 19 inch wheels are not what I wanted but it's what came with it. Tires are just too expensive, like $250 each.

[@gj3rmund]

i work with a mazda dealer in norway and im suprised you didnt complained about the stupid gear changes with the automatic gear changes, especially with the gasoline engine. but a really great car and the european version has locking diffentials at the top range.

[@SubieSean]

Love this.

[@GirthGod]

9.3 isnt awful...great review

[@BeatFuZion]

it looks very fresh

[@70blanc]

How many times the cx5 hit its chin during off road test?. The awd system is good enough for 8 inches of snow? 10x

[@AlternativeUses]

if i were in the market for a compact crossover (one day i might be) i would get one of these in a heartbeat. its leaps and bounds ahead of its competitiors. if they threw in a turbo with at least *200hp it would be even more appealing

[@MaximShaw]

Can you guys make a mashup of cx-5 '13 and '14? Would be interesting how better became power-train in '14 model.

[@NathanDAdlen]

I only drove the 1st generation X3, so I can only give you a partial option. The CX-5 lacks the punch of the older X3 but it has a MUCH better ride and the steering is excellent. I think the CX-5 is roomier too.

[@miniford1]

please do a review on the 2013 Toyota Camry SE

[@icoombs73]

I have this car and the mileage is not nearly what they claim. It is under powered on the highway but it does handle great. It is also excellent in the city and in the snow. Overall I like it a lot just wish it had more power

[@mrgreatauk]

Anyone else not getting any audio from 0:17 to 2:33? Video just goes silent?

[@docon6290]

My next car!

[@MJ4cars97]

Compare this car to an outlander sport!!! Great vid!

[@ValdeSanus]

The 2.2 Twin Turbo Diesel is absolutely gorgeous. 420Nm/310 ft. lbs of torque. Almost 3 times that of the petrol model.

[@meshcount]

Kodo Concept is from 2010, a year before any spy shots of the F30. The F30 headlight design is more about following lines of the body panels and hood, which the CX-5 does not--I don't know how you're seeing any relation. Lots of other cars have this pulled-back headlight design, Volvo, Nissan, some previous Mazdas even.

[@Sassymui8]

I always love Charlie Sheen's reviews

[@contractki11er]

they are also a few thousand feet above sea level, not much air up there for the car to breath, so 13.4 seconds sounds about right for the location.

[@TurfSurf]

@bigcrowfly I test drove Hyundai and Kia ones, the problem them is the driving feedback sucks. Other than that, they are beautifully designed inside out.

[@MJ4cars97]

@NathanDAdlen Is the CX-5 as fun/sporty as a BMW X3?

[@neihrick]

yea that would be a dream ride, cx-5 awd sky-diesel

[@mehrshadvr4]

have you guys driven the outlander?

[@bikerdhill]

after watching this video, I listened to some Black Sabbath :)

[@frattot888]

I've tried driving diesel vehicles. That extra torque and fuel economy it gives is definitely worth it.

[@MrBlaarghh]

I like the smiley face front :)

[@Xallisto]

Will the FWD version be faster than the AWD? I don't think I need the AWD, plus I don't think it would be sold here..