Hi,

We purchased a CX-5 Signature trim that hasn’t arrived yet. We didn’t actually want the turbocharged engine; we chose the Signature mainly for the added safety features and the 360-degree camera.

1. Is it possible to hire a highly experienced Mazda mechanic to remove the turbocharger, reprogram the ECU, and otherwise convert the engine to a naturally aspirated setup?
2. If this is possible, roughly how much would it cost?

I understand that AI can make mistakes, but I asked just looking for a general idea:

Removing a turbo from a 2025 Mazda CX-5 is highly complex and not recommended; the main steps/challenges involve:

• Physically removing the turbocharger and associated components (intake, exhaust, oil/coolant lines, sensors, etc.).
• Replacing the turbo with a custom exhaust manifold designed for a naturally aspirated setup.
• Modifying or replacing the engine's internal components to handle the different compression ratio (e.g., pistons, rods).
• Installing a new intake manifold and air filtration system suitable for natural aspiration.
• Reprogramming or replacing the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to operate without forced induction.
• Modifying fuel delivery systems to match the new engine dynamics.
• Dealing with the likely voiding of the vehicle's warranty.
• Accepting a massive reduction in engine power and potential long-term reliability issues.
  

If it weren’t for the lack of physical buttons, I would buy the 2026 CX-5 with all its safety features, 360-degree camera, and wouldn't have to deal with the turbo. Since I haven’t received the car yet, I could still tell the dealership that I’d prefer to wait for the 2026 model.


Thanks

Alex

 

It makes no sense to try to remove the turbo. You can enjoy the car with the turbo, and it can still use regular gas if you can't afford premium. It's very reliable and is really fun! You do have to be a little bit more ahead of the maintainence, but the car will thank you. They put a reinforced version of the transmission for the turbo along with other parts, so that shouldn't be a concern. If you really don't want the turbo then I'd definitely try to get a non-turbo 2025 model. The Certified Pre-Owned models (CPO) tend to have great prices and extended factory warranties as well.

 

I get not wanting the turbo but if you don't like turbos why buy it for some cheesy extra features? Even the lower trims are loaded with safety tech and the middle trims have pretty much everything the signature has. I doubt it is possible to run without the turbo so much design is different. I doubt a tech would even do it.

I own a 2020 CX-5 Turbo (mine) and 2022 NA (wife). I had total engine failure with my 2020 turbo. It had a pre-ignition event - Mazda tech called it LSPI - where the piston ring cracked and connecting rod bent. I got it fixed and has been fine for years with no other issues. The 2022 2.5 naturally aspirated is rock solid with zero issues. I find the 2.5 non-turbo very capable and predictable. The turbo is definitely faster but less predictable sometimes it lags and obviously my sample was not a reliable one.

 

Thanks for the reply Alexmed2002,

Here in Canada, to get the safety features I wanted for my wife, they are only available on the Signature trim. I looked into pre-owned models with low mileage, but the prices were shockingly close to new ones, so it wasn't worthwhile.

 

The project can be done. Cost about 3-4 thousand dollars in parts , and that’s finding good used parts
labor about 1500-2000.

It would be cheaper to remove the turbocharger. Have a block off plate made for the area. The purchase a EFI/ECU program and have a well experienced EFI/ECU Performance Calibrating back complete ECU adjustment that will work for engine operations as a N/A.

much easier cheaper to do and you have the easy option to return it back to original very easily.

 

Thanks for the reply ondersma80;240898,

To me, the ability to stop the car moving forward and backward before hitting an object, plus the 360 cam and parking sensors, are not just cheesy features. This won't be my car, so I personally don't need it for my driving or parking, but I think it will be helpful for my wife.

The reasons I don't want a turbo are:

1. We only drive within the city of Toronto, which means a lot of stop-and-go driving and very little opportunity to take advantage of a turbo. That typically results in higher fuel consumption.
2. We just took an small vacations for a fewdays and at the airport I rented a CX-5 2025 (Non Turbo), I think it was a GT, I felt the engine had all the power I needed for quick maneuvers around the city.
3. Since we don’t drive nearly as much as most people, I change the oil on both cars myself once a year with synthetic oil, usually at the same time, I'm switching between winter and all-season tires. Based on what I’ve read, a turbocharged engine may require more frequent oil changes, spark plug replacements, and extra care, such as letting the engine warm up and cool down properly. That’s more maintenance and babysitting than I want to take on.
4. A turbo also goes against my approach to owning cars long-term. We don’t care about changing vehicles every few years. Our RAV4, which was recently totalled and is the reason we’re replacing it, was with us for 14 years. Our current Mazda 3 is 18 years old. We have never had mechanical issues with either vehicle that I couldn’t fix myself, things like replacing batteries, light bulbs, spark plugs, and other basic maintenance.

 

Thanks, Castillo. I reached out to the dealership, and they said they can’t do it. Should I try independent mechanics around the city instead? I was under the impression this needed to be done by a certified Mazda mechanic with significant experience. It sounds expensive, but wouldn’t this be worth it if it helps prevent major issues down the road and extends the life of the car?

 

You would be looking for performance shop that build custom vehicles. And because your car is CA registered Inwould be surprised you found anyone in the komunist run and regulated state to do it.

 

Basically, this is a failure to research. The 2.5L non-turbo Premium Plus trim in USA and Canada has every safety feature of the Signature including the 360 camera and front and rear parking sensors and blind spot monitoring. It even has the head up display and traffic sign detection.

 

Sadly, this is not the case in Canada: