We just purchased a '23 CX-5 Preferred in May and really like it so far.

I’d say the reviews knocking the CX-5 for having less interior space are justified. While the back seat is definitely a bit smaller than our Camry, it didn’t seem cramped the few times we’ve had passengers back there. The trunk space is a bit smaller than I’d like, but it’s still big enough for our beach chairs and umbrellas. Just.

We are just two middle-aged people with a cat. I’m not sure how well the smaller interior would play out if we had a child or two.

We opted for the non-turbo engine and it seems fine to me. Perhaps a I’d think differently if we’d driven the turbo a bit, but I haven’t thought “Man, this thing is sluggish” while driving, either local roads or highways.

It’s fairly quiet, even on the highway. At least compared to most of the other cars we test drove. The quiter ride is one of the things which switched our attention from the Mazda 3 to the CX-5

In the end, the CX-5 was the most appealing brand option that we could actually purchase locally without a markup or a 3-5 month wait. I’m still fond of Toyotas, but we’re quite happy to have ended up with the CX-5.

I bought our 2016 CX-5 new since I needed something bigger than my abused 2004 Mazda 3 sedan. It’s been amazing for us. There have been no major issues in 63k-ish miles. Outside of some early infotainment upgrades it’s just been oil changes and standard maintenance.

Front passenger leg room is a bit cramped with a rear facing child seat but you can look for more narrow seats to help with that. We found a compact seat that allowed me, at 6’, to comfortably sit in the front passenger seat.

The newer CX-5’s have a turbo so they have a bit more pep than ours and really nice interior.