2025 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature - Review by David Colman

The best antidote to the driving boredom of SUV ownership

David Colman

Photos and Story by David Colman
Special Correspondent
THE AUTO CHANNEL

Mazda builds a different breed of car. Handsome not showy. Inexpensive not cheap. Powerful not overpowering. Fashionable not old fashioned. The 2025 iteration of their pioneering compact SUV, the CX-5, marks the 9th year of continuous production for this ground breaking model. What accounts for Mazda's seemingly inexplicable dedication to this model? After all, it's a seemingly outdated vehicle other manufacturers would have shelved and reissued twice in the past decade. The answer lies in one simple fact that may be difficult for churn and burn car companies to comprehend. The Mazda CX-5 was and still is good enough to carve out and defend its own special niche in the tumultuous world of SUV arrivals and departures. That niche has long been defined by its idiosyncratic design, performance and practicality.

The languorous looking CX-5 simply refuses to comply with the dominant SUV aesthetic that resorts to 'box-it-came-in' styling. The hunkered-down CX-5 Turbo we tested transports Mazda's road racing genes and genius into SUV territory. Its "I-Active" all-wheel-drive management system makes you think you're actually piloting a Miata rather than a prosaic grocery getter. But in point of fact, the CX-5, with its 5-door format, swing-up tailgate, and spacious passenger/cargo cabin, will make you feel like a driving champion - even if you're just day tripping to Target for bananas and dog food.

To keep all economic tiers in play, Mazda offers no fewer than eight different levels of CX-5 evolution. Occupying the bottom rung of the ladder is the normally aspirated "S" model, which has been newly reintroduced for 2025 at $29,990. But if you can afford the top-tier Turbo Signature model we drove ($42,750), you'll be much happier with your choice, because Mazda has spared neither bells nor whistles from its equipment list. While the entry-level S model is adequately propelled by a 187hp inline-4 (0-60mph in 8.0 seconds), the 2.5 liter Turbo Signature extracts an additional 69hp from its turbocharged and intercooled straight 4 (0-60mph in 6.2 seconds, SS 1/4 mile in 14.9 seconds @ 93mph). This powerplant drives all four wheels through a 6-speed automatic gearbox shiftable via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

While straight line acceleration is gratifying, the strong suit of the CX-5 Turbo is back road handling. With its modest curb weight of 3,842lb., the CX-5 is so well-balanced that it will corner on rails. This behavior is due in part to unheralded but very effective Toyo A36 radials (225/55R19) mounted on understated 19-inch gun metal alloys mounted with sparkling chrome lug nuts. The secret stick provided by these Toyos is traceable to their autocross-worthy, ultra-soft rubber compound of TW 300. While their prosaic tread blocks may look domesticated, these Toyos elevate the stiffly suspended CX-5 into a prodigious curve tamer. You don't even have to select the available Sport Mode from the Sky-Active Drive transmission to extract rewarding performance. Normal Mode will do just fine. Most of our test week was spent dealing with prodigious rainstorms, a hurdle the Mazda and its M&S rated tires also passed with flying colors. We especially appreciated the bonus of panoramic side and rear vision, with rapid defrosting provided by an easy-to-modulate HVAC system. Warp speed front and rear wipers took care of the demisting business.

About the only noticeable glitch in the CX-5 is its retention of Mazda's first generation Multi Media Interface, which uses a console-mounted rotating wheel and push buttons instead of a touch screen. The MMI requires way too much study and prior familiarity to master. Complicating the process even further was a 10.25" center color display screen that remained all but black throughout our week behind the wheel. We couldn't find any way to brighten the screen enough to decipher the dim hieroglyphics. Even more frustrating was a lengthy perusal of the Owner's Manual which contained no information about controlling the illumination of the MMI screen. To quote Mazda, "This Manual only indicates a part of the information for Mazda Connect. For details check the web owner's Manual at the Mazda site."

That annoyance aside, we still heartily endorse the CX-5 Turbo Signature as the best antidote to the driving boredom of SUV ownership. This unit is so handsome it makes the competition look stodgy. It's quick enough to post sports car acceleration times, agile enough to match two-seaters on back roads, yet spacious enough to serve as a family wagon. Only the cued-in owner needs to know about its latent sporting potential.

2025 MAZDA CX-5 2.5 TURBO SIGNATURE

• ENGINE: 2.5 liter inline-4, turbocharged and intercooled, DOHC, 16-valve, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
• HORSEPOWER: 256hp@5000rpm
• TORQUE: 320lb.-ft.@2500rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 22MPG City/27MPG Highway
• PRICE AS TESTED: $42,750

HYPES: Agility, Comfort, Speed

GRIPES: Inoperative MMI, No Hydraulic Hood Lift

STAR RATING: 9 Stars out of 10

©2025 David E Colman