A question for CX-5 owners. How well does a CX-5 handle potholes? I'm looking for a replacement for our HR-V when its lease ends. The Honda has suited me quite well in most respects but it is spine-jarring over potholes. There are plenty of them here in PA when winter comes, and they can be over 4- inches deep.

 

About the same as any light car. I got rid of a new Highlander because any bump at all sounded like riding around in a bass drum.

 

Mazda tends to set their vehicles more toward the sporty side, so
don't expect a CX-5 would be much different than your current
vehicle.

My 2¢

 

+1 The CX-5 is more on the sportier side. If I compare against our other ride, which is a VW Golf, the VW is much more forgiving when going over potholes.

 

Thanks for the replies. We had an older generation Ford Escape, which was developed, I thought, in cooperation with Mazda, which had the Tribute, though I could be wrong about that Ford-Mazda cooperation. It was great for potholes. I was hoping the Mazda CX-5 was more robust than it looked "on the outside", and that underneath it had something like the old Ford Escape suspension.

 

Pot holes.... well first going through to many will tax and prematurely wear or damage any suspension parts usually the ball joints first. The terms used sport or other forms of advertised information from manufacture really has little to do with how any vehicle handles "potholes" but more in something added to improve the performance aspect from a basic platform? Not always suspension or for the matter engine and transmission related. Most all the FWD (speaking now primarily 2 wheel drive only) suspension is basically the same. The difference is what a manufacture chooses for spring rates and dampers, specifically the shaft diameter and the internal valving characteristics. So technically speaking one could look for a set of progressive springs that would allow to improve the comfort level ( not to reduce damage or wear) "pot holes" with out slamming the suspension and scaring the hell out of you or jaring the teeth loose in your head!, and still support the gross capacity handling weight of the vehicle. Upgraded PERFORMANCE suspension parts (OEM or aftermarket) will not reduce the suspension wear. Dampeners is a little trickier to find suppliers willing to give the engineering data on the dampener itself. Also this tends to be more of a experienced level individual that know how to build complete performance suspension to be able to know what to look for. As far as comparing like platforms if one were to do the research you would find the vertical suspension performance is all based on the springs and the dampers so it is not always about simply comparing if it is a Ford, Mazda, Honda, etc......because all these suspension can be adjust for a reasonable cost to custom suit the driving style desired.

 

I would go for the smaller size wheels that have more rubber on the road than the larger 18 or 19" ones They will be harsher feeling on the bumps.

 

Not to mention that the larger wheels are more likely to be damaged by bad potholes.

 

Installing the necessary suspension "accoutrements" to accommodate potholes at speed would be nearly useless for normal driving.
(Like my off-road mud running short body Chevy Cheyenne pick-up with a 6" lift kit and tires large enough to span any pothole).
The best thing for potholes obviously is to avoid them but that can't always be done.
The second-best thing is driving at a speed slow enough to ease through them.
Which will eventually ****-off someone who is behind you, then you have to decide pothole damage or getting rear ended by a road rage-er.
Aside from that there is no average SUV or passenger vehicle that has a suspension built to better handle potholes than another.
Potholes are all inclusive, I saw one in front a place I worked at take out a Ford Fiesta, a GMC Sierra a Porsche Cyenne all in a single day.

 

Thanks it was a clear and precise answer.