The only thing that I hate from my '18 Mazda Cx-5 Sport (FWD) are the slow stopping brakes, compared to my old '07 Honda Accord EX-L V6 which stops on a dime compared to my poor braking CX-5. Which brake pads do you recommend that would improve its braking distance?

 

Well first you really can't compare your Honda to your Mazda not only with braking performance.

As for improving the noticeably increase your braking as I think you are coming across there will be sacrifices. The first is you will not get what you are wanting without brake dust. You will not get what you are wanting without the pads and disc's/rotors wearing much faster than OEM or even on your old Honda.
You are going to get noise that sound like scaping every time you lightly brake and also when you let off the brakes because ALL pads still; make light contact with the disc/rotor most of the time.
A performance pad set is going to be more expensive then almost all generally used and replaced brake pads.
You will need to go to a Teflon or what most referred to as braded brake lines. You will need to change to a better performance brake fluid which means flushing the complete brake fluid system to replace it.

Now before all you are reading this jump in and start with the recommendations lets wait and see if the OP clarifies a little better EXACTLY what he wants that is reasonable to do without going extreme.

JUST FOR LAUGHS.. 1 out of about aprox. 60K+ people can actually STOP on a dime from 60 mph to 0 mph

 

I'm looking for shorter braking distance, don't care about brake dust, but don't want noisy brakes

 

If you get these, you will get what you want. If you do please post your experience with them.
I think that you will...

Hawk Performance HPS 5.0 Brake Pads

 

I had their pads on my Miata, a noticeable improvement in braking
and the dust wasn't too bad.

 

The brake dust also depoends on the choice of disc/rotor. You must have made good choices.

This pad is the compromise that I offer with a couple of my BBKs that the customer wants the BBK more for looks then function. Other wise we look at Ferodo pads.

Not to be confused with Ferdo from the Lord of the Rings

 

How about EBC brakes? They classified by colors, too many of them that is confusing to choose. Which color EBC would be the best one for street duty with the shortest braking distance?

 

As a matter of fact in 2016 (7 years ago) I replaced my stock brake pads on my Honda Accord for Hawk HPS street/sport pads, I can't say that they brake better but about same than the great stock brake pads, but they have last a very long time under spirited hard driving conditions. I can rate brakes because I have owned several sport cars (Porsche 911, Corvette C7 Z51, Camaro ZL1 and SS, Infiniti G35 Coupe and Mustang GT 5.0 w/. track package) that came with stock Brembo brakes and have tracked some of those cars at my local PCA. The metallic brake lines that you mention would be to make the brakes feel less spongy and more firm, and the synthetic brake fluid to reduce brake fluid boil under hard track driving conditions, probably I would not need those for my CX5 street driving conditions.

 

Some manufacturer brake pads can increase performance and longevity but are very unlikely to improve your braking distance over new stock pads.
The only "real way" to get an actual "measurable improvement* in breaking distance would be to upgrade your calipers, rotors, brake lines and even the master cylinder.
And all that comes with a hefty price tag.

* By measurable improvement I'm not talking inches but feet.

This all reminds me of the old Firesign Theatre comedy group and the adventures of Nick Danger private eye.
“He stopped on a dime. Unfortunately, the dime was in Mr. Rococo’s pocket."

 

so another member asks a question and then has the answers?? lol

The response was a blanket response and comparing different platforms same brakes is not how you do it.
As for the brake lines without improving them by way of the hose material not the covering going to performance brakes is somewhat like 1/2 the project to accomplish what you want.

The braking of the Hawk is nothing like factory production installed brake pads. Sorry that suggestion that they were the same is technically inaccurate.

When you ask a question on a forum (generally speaking to all) we assume you don't really have an answer and that's why you're asking. When members respond and then suddenly you have all kinds of answers based on a little level of experience it appears all you are doing is looking for the answer you want to read and not what some are giving?

A specific question was asked , and I gave my recommendation based on actual testing and using them on a product line of performance brake systems.