Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.
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The CX-5 is Mazda's most appealing and by far its best selling model in North America. The turbo engine option gives it the same engine/drive train as the CX-9 and Mazda6. It's far more appropriate in the CX-5 with a curb weight of a bit over 3800 lbs than in the CX-9 with a curb weight of nearly 4400 lbs, a difference that stretches to much more when the 3 row CX-9 is loaded with passengers and gear compared to the 2 row CX-5. And unlike the Mazda6, the CX-5 has an AWD option to put the prodigious torque to the pavement. The interior appointments in the top two trims are undeniably premium compared to rivals like the CR-V and Rav4.
There are negatives. The six speed transmission is long-in-the-tooth but for those who hate CVT's, it's still a plus compared to most rivals. The infotainment system is similarly old and slow. The sunroof is small. There's no hybrid option, an increasingly popular choice in the competition. And the top trim CX-5 models are relatively expensive (at least in terms of MSRP) compared to rivals including the CR-V while Toyota can't keep up with demand for the RAV4 Hybrid.
Finally, though it's glossed over in the video, the biggest weakness of the CX-5 compared to its rivals is its limited cargo space. It may not be a big deal for single driver and front seat passengers, those who value performance over utility (as many reviewers do) and by those who (as noted in the video) "wouldn't buy a crossover" anyway, but passenger and cargo space is a big deal for families and compact CUV's are the vehicle of choice for young families and couples who enjoy travel and outdoor activities.
As noted in the video the CX-5 offers 31 cubic ft of cargo space behind the second row and slightly less than 60 cubic ft of overall cargo space. And despite the comment that it's a "little bit less than...rivals" (14:09), it's considerably more than a little bit less. In fact the CX-5 ranks dead last in the entire category, especially in terms of total cargo space. The RAV4 has 37/70 cubic ft. The Forester has 31/76 cf. The CR-V leads the pack with 38/76 cf. Thus the Honda provides nearly 27% more total cargo space than the CX-5. Of course, shape as well as size makes a gross comparison potentially misleading but an average carry-on bag is about 1.6 cubic ft. So while it's undoubtedly an exaggeration that a CR-V could hold 10 (!) more bags than a CX-5 the much greater capacity is obvious. Finally, it's worth noting that a VW Golf/GTI/Golf R provides 54+ cubic ft of total cargo space, less than six cubic ft less than a CX-5 in a vehicle that's nearly a foot less in length. And if cargo capacity is a low priority a hatchback like a GTI or a Mazda3 or even a Golf R with an MSRP only about $3000 more than a top trim CX-5, AWD and far better performance and handling is arguably a better choice.
Despite its weaknesses and recognizing its strengths, Mazda is more dependent on the CX-5 than ever. In 2019 the CX-5 recorded record sales (154,543) in the US. Not surprisingly, sales are down in the first half of 2020 (65,000) as a result of economic conditions and COVID so Mazda is unlikely to sell more 140,000 CX-5's this year. (65,000 were sold in the first six months.) And though that won't compare favorably with the RAV4 or the CR-V or even the Rogue or Forester and leave the CX-5 in eighth place among compact SUV's, it's literally the only bright spot in terms of sales in Mazda's entire lineup.
In the lucrative and highly competitive mainstream midsize 3 row segment, CX-9 sales (13,451) are dead last by a large margin in the first half of 2020. The next slowest selling model is the VW Atlas with nearly twice as many sold (24,972). In the subcompact category the recently introduced CX-30 sales (16,956) are at least mediocre but they come at the expense of a complete collapse of CX-3 sales (4700). All in all, the CX-30 ranks 24th among all small crossovers, trailing a host of other subcompact and compact models.
Outside the CUV/SUV categories things are even worse. The Mazda6 has traditionally been a slow seller compared to the Camry, Accord, and Altima, of course. But with total sales in the first half of 2020 of 8085 vehicles, down 38% compared to the first half of 2019, it's literally on life support. The midsize sedan market is soft but even the VW Passat outsold the Mazda6 with 10,101 sales.
An even bigger problem for Mazda are the dismal sales of the new generation Mazda3. In 2018 combined sales of sedans and hatchbacks amounted to 64,000+ vehicles. In 2019, sales dropped 21% to 50,000+. In the first half of 2020 there was a 43% (!) decline compared to the first half of 2019 to 16,000 sales. If sales continue at that pace for the remainder of 2020, sales will be half of what they were in 2018. And that's an optimistic prediction.
Mazda has announced the addition of a turbo Mazda3 with the same engine as the CX-5, Mazda6, and CX-9 and AWD. Unfortunately, despite the buzz that generates among internet fan boys, it won't have much impact on sales, especially if it adds significantly to the already comparatively pricey Mazda3. Performance versions of mainstream vehicles are a niche market. For example fewer than 5% of Camry's are sold with the V6 engine. A similar percentage opt for the 2.0L turbo in the Accord. In other words, the turbo Mazda3 is meant to draw customers to showrooms with the hope they can be sold something else.
What does all the misery in the rest of the Mazda lineup have to do with the CX-5? Simple. Mazda cannot survive in the US as the smallest independent mainstream automaker on the planet solely on the sales of a compact crossover. Without huge improvement in the brand's overall sales, Mazda is likely to become an attractive acquisition of a larger manufacturer like Toyota. And that would be a shame.
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