Forester XT or CX-5 2.5 AWD

[travajante]

Re cx5, better ask first people in the mazda forums if the issues regarding batteries and transmissions persist. This were the #1 and #2 concerns of cx5 owners before.

The recommended EFB & AGM Start/Stop batts remain pricey, but more brands are making theirs available now as it's not only Mazda that requires em. The dealership has ended their special Motolite EFB supply agreement & has now made the nippon made Yuasa Q85(D23) EFB available at Motolite EFB price of around 15k from the previous 25. The 2.2 SkyD uses the larger D31 Q85 batt. That should cost more than the petrol D23s.
Most owners have gotten trickle chargers to keep the batts healthy longer. The model of choice is the CTEK CT5 Start/Stop. Lazada & Blade sells em for about Php6+K. It's a worthy investment that has proven to extend batt life.
The said transmission kinks that may have haunted early gen1 CX5s have been sorted & have not bothered Skyactivs since. We've a high use pre-MzdConnect model '13 CX5 at work that has not had anything but PMS done. It's still running like new.


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[tool_46n2]

My only qualm with the local spec CX-5 is that its made in Malaysia, unlike before it was CBU in Japan.

Otherwise, its a great compact SUV that is great and fun to drive with an interior feel that rivals luxury car brands.