As a base model with a starting price of $26,700, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 S shines as an affordable and well-equipped compact SUV with head-turning style. It’s also fun to drive, aided by a standard i-Active all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that continuously monitors weight distribution and shifts power where it’s needed most.
Standard niceties on all 2023 Mazda CX-5 models include push-button start, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert. But for those folks who demand every possible cool feature in their new vehicle – and you know who you are – there’s only one CX-5 for you: the Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature.
At $39,650, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature represents a substantial jump in price over a base CX-5. What exactly does that extra $12,950 get you?
Let’s find out:
Turbocharged Engine
Most obvious, the 2023 Mazda CX-5 Turbo Signature comes standard with a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, a smooth 4-cylinder powerplant that puts out 256 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane gasoline. (Note: This engine runs just fine on 87-octane gasoline, with peak torque that drops only a tiny bit, to a still-impressive 310 lb-ft.) The non-turbo 2.5-liter in the standard CX-5, for the record, gets the job done respectably with 187 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque.
While all 2023 Mazda CX-5 models come from the factory in Japan equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels, the 2.5 Turbo Signature model profits from revised gear ratios that take advantage of all the extra torque, and paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel. The Signature also comes with three driver-selectable modes: Normal, Sport, and Off-road.
Because of the additional turbocharged power, Mazda fits the CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature with front disc brakes that are about an inch larger than those of the 2.5 S. It also installs polished 19-inch alloy wheels instead of the 17s used by the base CX-5 2.5 S.
Sumptuous Cabin
At KBB, we all agree: The standard 2023 Mazda CX-5 has a stylish interior with a handsome and uncluttered look. But the CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature model makes a giant leap from there, one that lands it in the premium category.
That’s right — the CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature model rivals the likes of Lexus inside, thanks in no small part to its beautifully stitched Nappa leather seats and attractively layered wood trim. The Caturra Brown color of the leather – on the seats, heated steering wheel, and the gear selector – looks especially elegant when contrasted against the black color of the 2.5 Turbo Signature’s distinctive headliner.
The seats of the CX-5 Turbo Signature also are upgraded. They are heated front and rear, with the fronts also boasting three levels of cooling ventilation. The driver’s seat has 8-way power adjustability, plus lumbar and 2-position memory. Front passengers aren’t quite as pampered, having to settle for 6-way power adjustability.
Further enhancing the premium nature of the Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature’s 5-seat cabin is a 7-inch digital instrument panel, a head-up display, a power glass moonroof, and automatic dual-zone climate control system with a pollen filter. Other thoughtful touches include rear air-conditioning vents, a unique overhead console with LED lights, and ambient mood lighting for the footwells.
Top-notch Audio and Entertainment
Base versions of the 2023 Mazda CX-5 are equipped with a simple audio and infotainment system featuring a 4-speaker audio system, a 10.25-inch color display, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and two front USB ports.
As you’d expect, the luxurious CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature model expands on that in a big way. Upgrades begin with a powerful 10-speaker surround-sound audio system from Bose, which is complemented by SiriusXM satellite radio and a 3-year subscription to Sirius XM Traffic and Travel Link – the latter putting traffic, weather, sports scores, nearby parking lots, and even fuel prices, at your fingertip. A wireless smartphone charger and a pair of rear USB ports also grace the Signature interior.
While all 2023 CX-5 models come equipped with the Mazda Connect infotainment system – which includes a multifunction controller, infotainment voice commands, HD Radio, automatic 911 calls, and Pandora internet radio – only the 2.5 Turbo Signature is equipped with standard navigation. This system includes Traffic Sign Recognition, which posts the current speed limit on the Signature’s head-up display.
Elegant Style
Based on an informal poll among KBB staffers, the Mazda CX-5 remains one of the most attractive compact SUVs on the market, especially in Soul Red Crystal Metallic, an optional but particularly lustrous paint. Of the multiple available models, the 2.5 Turbo Signature shines as the classiest-looking CX-5, thanks in part to its bright silver grille, polished 19-inch alloy wheels, and silver wing.
Further distinguishing the 2.5 Turbo Signature are power-folding body-color mirrors with integrated turn signals and rear privacy glass. Adding a welcome cohesiveness to the look are body-color lower bumpers, rocker moldings, and wheel arches.
Available exterior colors for the 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature include Rhodium White, Jet Black Mica, Deep Crystal Blue Mica, and Eternal Blue Mica, plus two $595 options: Machine Gray Metallic and our favorite, Soul Red Crystal Metallic.
The Best Safety Suite
Truth be told: In hardware and feature content, there’s not a lot separating the 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature from the standard CX-5 2.5 Turbo – a similarly luxurious model with a sportier and more youthful vibe stemming primarily from its black 19-inch wheels and black leather interior with red stitching.
But the CX-5 Turbo Signature model does have one notable advantage— a more thorough standard safety suite. It’s the only CX-5 that comes standard with the full i-Activsense safety suite, which features a handy 360-degree surround view monitor, front and rear parking sensors, automatic reverse braking, a driver-attention alert, and Traffic Jam Assist. This last feature maintains a set gap to the vehicle ahead, while providing some steering assist to keep the Signature in its lane.
The Choice Is Yours
If you purchase a CX-5, you’ll be getting the best-selling Mazda in the U.S, a stylish compact SUV that blends excellent practicality with a fun-to-drive nature.
If you’re willing to dig a little deeper and purchase a Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature, understand this: You’ll be getting all that inherent CX-5 goodness but with the utmost in available power, luxury, technology, safety, and sophistication.
The choice is yours.
More Mazda CX-5
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