While vacation season may not have been the same this year, it was a great time to take to the open road. I know we took our first trip to a national park this year, and we couldn’t have done it without a rugged SUV. Camping in the mountains presents its own challenges but getting there doesn’t have to be one. We drove through the rocky desert and then up winding mountain roads to get to our destination, and we couldn’t have done it without a robust but agile all-wheel drive like the 2021 Mazda CX-5.
Traversing unpredictable terrain also requires a utility vehicle that can grip the road and has enough power to overcome rocks and boggy marshes. The various elevations and tight turns make an excellent turning radius and all-wheel drive a necessity. But before you get to all that hard to maneuver terrain, you also want a vehicle that drives smoothly on the road as well. We usually don’t think about it until we are already out on the open road, but after a couple of hundred miles, having a vehicle that eliminates road noise can make a big difference in how pleasant a drive is. This combination may seem hard to find, but the Mazda CX-5 is the perfect sport utility vehicle to combine the smooth road ride you want with the rugged performance for challenging landscapes that you need.
Performance Like a Midsize SUV
There’s no better time to take to the open road than now. But what you drive is the difference between a long hard trip and the trip of a lifetime. Driving on bumpy roads and noisy highways can wear on you after hours, especially if you feel crammed into an already bumpy ride. However, the sporty CX-5 has a comfortable turning radius making it fun and easy to handle. With interior options such as leather and layered wood trim, you can drive in style and comfort. No road trip would be complete without some entertainment, and the 2021 CX-5 has the connectivity you want with Apple CarPlay. With this kind of connectivity, you can access your phone’s apps to play music, make calls, and interact with Siri. While all those performance features are fun, safety is also a key concern.
No matter how pleasant the drive may be, when the unexpected happens, you want to know that you and the people you love are safe. Mazda has always been known for safety with consistent ratings from IIHS, and the CX-5 is no different. Safety features like a lane departure warning and advanced smart brake support with collision warning make the CX-5 as safe as it is fun to drive. Plus, front, side, and overhead airbags give every passenger full body protection in the event of a collision. Stability control also helps the driver from losing control of the vehicle when it senses they have reached their handling limits. In addition to safety protection for road incidents, the CX-5 also has theft protection in the ignition disable device. If the original manufacturer key is not used, it will prevent the engine from starting. It is equipped with an alarm system as well if the ignition or locks are tampered with.
Rugged Durability for Rough Terrain
There’s a lot to see in parks all around the country, from deserts to mountains to forests to lakes, but to get there, you’ll need a sturdy all wheel drive that can handle all the different types of terrain. Say you are headed up into the mountains for your first ever camping trip with your girlfriend. Anyone that’s gone up a mountain pass knows you can’t do it in your mom’s old two-wheel sedan, but a full-size SUV might find it difficult to make those tight corners. I’ve tried both, and neither was preferable for camping nor off roading. This, to me, is really where sport utility comes into play, and you really need something agile and powerful that is compact by design but roomy enough for gear.
The CX-5 is just compact enough but has the power you need to climb up those narrow mountain passageways. You’ll be setting up camp in no time, instead of hesitantly maneuvering along. Camping and off-roading are exciting because of all the unpredictability of nature, but you don’t want that in your vehicle. You want a car that is reliable and steady so you can just enjoy your trip.
The CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve and Signature take performance up a notch even with turbocharged Skyactiv G2.5T engines. With up to 250 horsepower and 320 lb-ft torque, you’ll have no problem going off-road. But my favorite feature is the intuitive drivetrain. While we may not be able to predict the weather, the CX-5 I-Activ all-wheel drive can by monitoring temperatures, throttle, brake, and steering patterns to determine whether to optimize traction, taking the guesswork out of shifting into all-wheel drive mode.
Room and Space for all Your Gear
When we went camping, we needed more than just a tent and some sleeping bags. Any experienced camper knows that you need all the essentials and then some when heading into the great outdoors. This is especially true if you are traveling to your destination. Food, stoves, warm clothes, safety gear, hiking gear, lamps, and bear spray are just a few of the considerations to make if you are spending more than just a few days in the wilderness. This is why a good SUV with plenty of space like CX-5 is perfect for a camping trip.
With 30.9 cubic feet of cargo space, you can pack all your gear and have plenty of legroom for you and your friends. If you need more space than that, the rear seats can be laid down to create almost 60 cubic feet of luggage space. While that may not seem like an exorbitant amount of space, I know my partner would say that is more than enough for camping gear. And if rain washes out your roadside picnic, you’ve got the perfect portable indoor/outdoor space to relax. Plus, the interior of the CX-5 is almost luxurious, with 6-way adjustable seating and superior seating materials, and heated seats and steering wheel.
Get Out Behind the Wheel of the Mazda CX-5
This is a great time to get out with your family and friends and enjoy the great outdoors. I know my family has embraced this time together to experience more nature, playing sports, hiking, and going on drives together. It’s a great way to connect with each other and the world around us. But whether you are taking a picnic to the park or driving cross country to backpack through the mountains, you need a reliable and sporty SUV to get you there.
The Mazda CX-5 has the space and power you need for taking a trip while providing the comfort and amenities you want. It’s compact but rugged, allowing it the versatility to take you anywhere, on the road or off. At an affordable price for any budget, it’s the answer for how to get to all your outdoor adventures this year. There’s no time like the present, so don’t wait to make those travel plans. Get in a Mazda CX-5 and hit the open road.
