Is the 2013 mazda cx-5 a good car in terms of reliability? Is there anything I should be looking out for in terms of repairs?

 

Petrol yes, diesel no. It all comes down to service history & how its been treated.

 

You would be starting out with a well designed vehicle. That's why we all own them. That being said:
We have a 2014 (bought new) with 28,500mi on it now. Two long road trips and my wife's daily driver (14mi a day). Regular oil changes, one complete brake job (all pads replaced and fluid flushed and replaced) and regular cleaning and waxing. It lives outside and still looks like new. Oh, and I reconditioned those damned plastic headlight lens' which were beginning to cloud up. No biggie. In short, it's not the age but the mileage and " It all comes down to service history & how its been treated."

 

2019 is extremely popular in its segment now. I went with a Hyundai Kona which is not as refined, but is about $2k cheaper if you look. I am enjoying a 6 mpg improvement going from compact to subcompact, but the CX-3 gets slightly better mileage than the equivalent Hyundai. Mazda is better engineered too, but the Hyundai is a pleasant surprise. IT reminds me of those late 1970s and early 1980s no nonsense Toyotas.

 

We recently got a 2013 with custom leather with 73k miles, great car, car quality feels great, interior is simple and Bose sounds system is amazing!. If you are looking for a used one, check for a well maintained car with a lot of records. There are a lot of leases and rentals out there.