Perhaps you're wondering how a compact crossover like the Mazda CX-5 lands on a list of our favorites. After all, this publication frequently derides and mocks the CX-5's dull segment. While our values are often at odds with what's happening in the small-crossover world, we recognize that a growing number of drivers want to sit high in a practical all-wheel-drive vehicle with an attractive price. The CX-5 fits that bill, but it is a 10Best winner because this Mazda is full of the reasons that we love cars.
The CX-5's sharp styling, handsome interior, and rich paint are visible differentiators in this class, but the driving experience is what elevates it. Mazda set up the CX-5 to drive like a premium brand's sports sedan. Bend into a corner and the steering gives satisfying feedback that's aligned with the firmness of the suspension. Lithe and responsive, this crossover comes alive through its controls. The brakes grab as though they were tuned by the same engineer who did the MX-5 Miata's. While most competitors employ a CVT that surges with rubbery imprecision or a slushbox with more gears than sense, the CX-5's six-speed automatic never finds itself out of step.
A turbocharged engine with 250 horsepower is on offer, should you want to emphasize the "sport" in sport-ute with a 6.1-second run to 60 mph. The base 187-hp engine won't set the world afire, but its power delivery is crisp and smooth, two adjectives that elude competitors.
In a segment that doesn't always share our values, the genius of the CX-5 is that it transcends its kind. It's imbued with the feel of a performance vehicle, but it's also practical, refined, and thoughtfully designed. Even the indifferent will notice the difference. Like all 10Best winners, this Mazda opens eyes and gets people to say, "Whoa. So this is why you're into cars."
Tony Quiroga is a 20-year-veteran Car and Driver editor, writer, and car reviewer and the 19th editor-in-chief for the magazine since its founding in 1955. He has subscribed to Car and Driver since age six. "Growing up, I read every issue of Car and Driver cover to cover, sometimes three or more times. It's the place I wanted to work since I could read," Quiroga says. He moved from Automobile Magazine to an associate editor position at Car and Driver in 2004. Over the years, he has held nearly every editorial position in print and digital, edited several special issues, and also helped produce C/D's early YouTube efforts. He is also the longest-tenured test driver for Lightning Lap, having lapped Virginia International Raceway's Grand Course more than 2000 times over 12 years.
