2021 Mazda CX-5 Named to Car and Driver 10Best List
For the fourth year in a row, the Mazda CX-5 has earned a spot on the Car and Driver 10Best List. The respected publication praised the crossover for its aesthetics, standard features, affordable price tag, and driving dynamics. Here’s a look at what keeps this crossover in the limelight.
Find the Right Fit: Choose the perfect Mazda for your lifestyle
Why the Mazda CX-5 is a 10Best regular
In addition to its price tag and fun demeanor, the 10Best favors the Mazda CX-5 for its many standard features that cost extra on its competitors. For instance, the base trim comes equipped with the i-Activsense safety suite, which includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning with lane-keep assist.
New for the 2021 model year, the Mazda CX-5 offers a Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo, which churns out 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. You can also opt for the new Carbon Edition, which adds the exclusive Polymetal Gray exterior color, black exterior accents, and a red leather interior. It offers the Skyactiv-G 2.5 Turbo engine, and like other CX-5 models, it’s available with your choice of front- or all-wheel drive.
Sharon Silke Carty, the editor-in-chief of Car and Driver, is so confident in the CX-5 that she recommends it to friends who are in the market for crossovers. “It is polished enough to compete with more upscale brands, and its effortless steering and controlled suspension make it fun to drive,” she explained. “It has the right combination of good looks, price and handling and has become a regular on our 10Best list.”
What it takes to be a winner
In order to earn a spot on the prestigious 10Best list, a vehicle must be either a returning winner from last year, or significantly updated from the previous model year. Plus, its base price must be under $90,000, and it needs to be on dealer lots prior to Jan. 21, 2021. Plus, the winning vehicles need to withstand a stringent two-week testing period and rise to the top of a list of 57 competitors.
“Each of the 10 winners competes against the entire market to earn this recognition,” Carty stated.
Pick a Winner: Drive home in a new Mazda CX-5
Drivers seem to agree with the 10Best List’s assessment — despite the pandemic and lagging auto sales, the CX-5 had its best sales month ever in October.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.