I've had the CX-5 for a year and think I would appreciate those 30 extra HPs the 2014 offers. Mostly for straight line acceleration when a there is a need for passing etc.

The only issue I have with the transmission is making turns on streets, mostly right turns. After slowing down for the turn, it sometimes has a weird lag when first accelerating out of it, or if you give it too much gas flies up to like 4000 rpm making a lot of noise with not much to show for it.

A fun solution to that is approach the turn in manual getting down to 3rd gear and at the turn shift to second and be awarded with a smooth steady acceleration, then shift to third when you want and from there stay in manual or just switch back to auto. Try it, you 'll like it. Just trying to bring some zoom zoom to the CX-5.

 

The only way to know if it is right for you is to take both a manual and auto CX-5 on a lengthy test drive. I will say this, coming from a turbo sports car to this made me want to scalp myself with razor wire, but I needed a "Daddy mobile" as I call it. And besides feeling annoyed that I am holding up everyone behind me when the red light turns green because acceleration is damn near non-existent, the car performs the functions that I need and expect out of it very well; cargo room and great gas mileage....plus it isn't a bad looking vehicle either.

 

I was looking into buying a used 2013 CX-5, but when I went to test drive the two, it was absolutely clear that the 30 hp boost in the 2.5L was definitely worth it to me. Straight-line acceleration is the only difference between the two (in my mind) and so it will depend on the driver, but once I drove the 2.5L, I couldn't go back. Try it yourself, and the final question is it worth 5k more for a new 2.5L vs an older 2.0L? That is why it's up to the driver.