Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

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Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby Rick Tyler » Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:36 pm

I had occasion to drive 400 miles this weekend, pick up a 4x8 U-Haul utility trailer and drive back. A U-Haul is less aerodynamic than a tear, but it was about the same size and loaded weight. We got 33 MPG without the trailer and 22 MPG with it. Two thoughts -- I'm surprised that the mileage was that good without the trailer, and it was notable how much the mileage dropped with towing. I know a lot of people towing larger travel trailers who would be satisfied with 22 MPG.

This consisted of about 300 miles each way of pretty flat Interstate combined with 100 miles going over the Oregon coast range of low mountains with gentle grades.
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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby MadMango » Tue Nov 08, 2016 8:42 am

I would think anything over 15mpg would be considered great.
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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby Rick Tyler » Tue Nov 08, 2016 11:06 am

MadMango wrote:I would think anything over 15mpg would be considered great.


We also towed a rented teardrop over the Cascades and back and got 22 MPG there, too. It's obviously a small engine, but we kept up a steady 65MPH on I-90 over Snoqualmie and Blewett Passes.

The bummer is that I found out last week that the next model CX-5 is going to offer a turbocharged 2.5 as an option. I so would have gone for that. :) Most cars (and trucks) are better with 50 more horsepower.
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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby Tomterrific » Wed Nov 09, 2016 8:36 am

You should note that 33mpg is amazing mileage for a vehicle that size. It can only be gotten by optimizing every aspect of the drive train. The wind resistance of a trailer kills mileage. My motorcycle trailer, towing my bikes, did not effect mileage too much. I put a very light weight 4x8 camper on top of the same frame and freeway mileage went way down.

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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby Gunguy05 » Wed Nov 09, 2016 10:01 am

I'm looking for a new vehicle and I have narrowed it down to a cx-5 and a Subaru Forester. Glad to hear you like yours. I might have to look into the turbo, but honestly I am squeezing mileage out of it because I travel 150 mi round trip to work daily.

22 mpg is pretty good, although a large difference, that engine if REALLY tweaked to get 33 mpg, so I'm not surprised.

Thanks for the "real world" account of things.

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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby Crabapple » Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:06 pm

Rick Tyler wrote:
MadMango wrote:I would think anything over 15mpg would be considered great.


We also towed a rented teardrop over the Cascades and back and got 22 MPG there, too. It's obviously a small engine, but we kept up a steady 65MPH on I-90 over Snoqualmie and Blewett Passes.

The bummer is that I found out last week that the next model CX-5 is going to offer a turbocharged 2.5 as an option. I so would have gone for that. :) Most cars (and trucks) are better with 50 more horsepower.


Mazda is also bringing their diesel version of the CX5 to North America :applause:
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Re: Towing with 2016 Mazda CX-5 2.5 liter

Postby jonw » Fri Feb 24, 2017 4:57 pm

I have a 2016 CX5 Touring model and have towed my teardrop across country behind it several times. The combination of the 2.5l engine and the 6 speed transmission has worked flawlessly. Depending upon headwind and elevation changes I usually get 22-25mpg when towing. This is much better than the 2.0L 4 speed CRV I had before.

One nice aspect of the CX5 is the ability to put the transmission into manual shift mode, which is great for saving your brakes when coming down long and/or steep inclines when towing.
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