Today was Mazda's "Fuel Your Passion" test drive event in T.O.
So, hopped in the MX-5 this morning and sailed along the 401 at 120 km/h pretty much the whole way & got to Woodbine in 45 minutes. If only driving into Toronto was always this nice....
My mission for the day was to check out the new CX-5. But.. i got split into a group that first had to drive one of the four MX-5's they had lined up.
Oh mannnnn...
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Fu66AFpr59aL0fJjpYkxt5aIwh7YFOxVbEOpJJ62Zj7N2Kr7vk8iuHN8wdW8gsscWIczRwBN9b9X66v-6PxSAdm34ViHrd0E03tt0hcnOIeLjD7bnwRV61R76XWY-hp47z6-Rgyc92nuDmhxRDP7YguFdiVIZ5szZRL2-oEX82ahSoyyAzJI8z5T4SEfQmJjt74ZKmUA8BfnFWtmTdBkqjLvVxchVrVTf-WQmL8H7gweni87bMdCngoKwzxNjM4r6lhMpQhYB8ZSMCBcVk6qu31ycZLSNS5tAMjPKISK5sALbPhrYjG0rxSqonVFVFHwZR3PizCbz7L1_qECUgb1F7rRfOP0RHKeVtHz3vrjFwUIQihfVL2du3MIKugnHjVdtLoc4v7fdDOvZusdYBXSxGRH7o49_MlI5TL6wIrQ6jaGsy_1bTqcWcb0ufGugHHBI9A7BOHNM8JMtEOQC9xMhYRbq7nOatjKSGOzHuOikma1dYe9UejPhTGN8rpMIE5I3FMHU6Bc3Gx1hHHayjcD2SbSiYtTYM6bYetWRuYQwwg8iTOtP-gOGjDAOOoIbu4kNQ0Q7lD-PG5pgciFTcvwr2_VUj7EFb3VdtqIpWU1RbiSg3mS1EpW=w1024-h674-no)
So, Mazda had 2 manuals and 2 automatics to choose from. Cool as i figured they'd all be autos.
I spotted that white RF with the black lip spoiler on the trunk which indicates "Sport Pack", recaros etc...
![Dancy Banana :banana:](https://www.autos.ca/forum/Smileys/CarTalk/banana.gif)
Also properly equipped with 3 pedals. I decided to wait until that one was available, but no surprise the whole time around their slalom track you're in 2nd gear anyway....but it was the right thing to do.
![Grin ;D](https://www.autos.ca/forum/Smileys/CarTalk/grin.gif)
Managed to leave behind a bit of rubber on Woodbine's parking lot, so think i did ok there.
OK, so now to the CX-5.
Initially i wasn't all that impressed with GS i've seen on the local lot here. Don't know if it's because of the bigger wheels on the GT or what, but it was looking good to me this morning:
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pR6VC46KcHb9JM0guBK4wdn7TeJcCGNHZy-1KuOYtgVsGNpJFpIbmicqoTRMazV9tRcSb6rTaIuhNUTvCnf-kUdRNsN9kiAGUVo8KGxadsSWyg-LHM3hSy3zAg_GGYja2rtWbB2GJ9wQbFQym0lOBxu1p9z1kcfG2eRl-ek9XJQuH6asIA_KIQxVbUmWlrLVlbfWrhXsc6bLMZN52Xz8bRqItLjabcJvDitUGI9BTRhD3wTc2cf0JRWZ7F12fyf5N1K974snex5bzoOB-FMwQIsYFnfBu87F8FC3BRZFQ1GDhOURKt0qbvp0ZXOhZx-iFg_8rCc-xos60FC6OeWxzw89H1jTh7MqP4xSXPTfFpgu8S2rFNZkC55EsWfhLppL6FtB6SyH0E9LkyBuv-oN9muV_hnZOXondpmf5RoeF7PjEsj9-M0dC0uaWA76tCtjnqb3zjnRNlygcX_rbHIzYai1JKiKJjitUJwyA3X70aFzWGBbfCN6MfBt_Pytuzgfv-0vKt9PRqBVDAvYWmRmgyeyVuONgtZi2u-6E3twUhufnULfpFlv9AVJ5jJpbscJA0Aa0TWWD_69b1maRO7Zv7CLIS-Zg_6HR_yvW2akxV9oymqtlpQW=w1024-h768-no)
They had a CR-V there to compare against. The Mazda to me kicks its a$$ in every respect. The interior on the '17 CX-5 is nicer than the 16 1/2 and nicer than the Honda. And, in another dimension nicer than the Crosstrek.
It for sure feels upscale.
Sat in a CX-3 they had sitting there as well. Felt a LOT like the MX-5. Liked it, but pretty small.
And, no armest is simply a WTF Mazda.
Mazda had a short course set up including a low traction pad to get a good feel for the handling, but that's about it as the drive lasted about 90 seconds.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/etakILihLE17b2ipy3S9j28XGeFU6h_BBmwYkR2bu5D-tQu5cProAxCYES4ZLNK03dvJjNavf3mz4jRqfZ_YsRjtky_nMhvt9NWcPtLoZWKLUEFl3ytoF42M2iVbwvDzEg1kFpaTrQbZEHbulzwZhNZHAWWB1qlrcYOa-W4xA-HTuReAQnMXyWq_DTvGBQh8YIxzYtJ9dLIMQhcSCZq34hrnD1yuIR1sbTsSWhjKKnjgwZtDSmQkUt96gaW_Ay9JKDrn3Dx9sNy5fwSnjwquVrKJqKcBsoqwslytIO7npRQqQjQ7BeVkTagoL2595-sf3T70atNzxx2Wqh_wK6PaWB9R1yWa9yEu-DP4Pg4kzTfPevJgK-Ww1UMPNE8JaDGb2c-PqGtyyxjYbfk-P2dc2alQeLAo8GH726Ra4cw8yJIwmS_rIE2sBQv9h5q16UyqwXcEiJT8Zxo1rfjOIbKujuBbLx8jmNkWh1kMQDy9WUwYqWCqx3hKmwJsdtzu7kHYVXFSMXm9MkLrF8bPagWNzfSfTtvJ6d6TmlPNt0vkPY9Exw23k2AxymBjJd2n34-ccAxfL79K7axOIBCoy7D1Qx9_O3bdrjQLFAUQaFBRAfhIzvzll4Gg=w1024-h579-no)
Also took the Honda out which left me filled with "meh". And convinced me even further that CVT's suck.
Anyway, the short test left me pretty impressed. Will be looking into the CX-5 more closely whenever the local dealer has a few in stock.