During our winter trip to Door County, Wisconsin, we wanted a vehicle that was large enough to carry four adults and all of our luggage with good fuel efficiency and plenty of safety features. The 2019 Mazda CX-5 crossover SUV is stylish, safe, and comfortable, and it’s large enough for four yet it offers excellent fuel economy. After years of living in California, crossing items off our California bucket list, with limited winter road experience, we wanted the advancements in technology and safety and craved the comfort of a luxury vehicle. The 2019 Mazda CX-5 was the perfect match.
We were driving from Chicago to Madison and Madison to Door County with four adults. A car just wouldn’t work, but a huge SUV wasn’t necessary. We didn’t need the third row of seats so we opted for a smaller crossover SUV to increase the fuel economy. Even with four adults, including luggage, we had plenty of space.
Once we packed our luggage and got cozy in our seats, we set the navigation system. As a frequent Mazda driver, I know that the easiest way to set the navigation system is with an exact street address. Sometimes it can be difficult to use the navigation system with just the name of a hotel or a destination, especially if it’s in another state.
Airports are easy to find regardless if you know the address or not. You can simply look up nearby airports and scroll through until you find the right one.
We were staying at The Landing in Egg Harbor and the address is just 7741 WI-42. After a little trial and error, I was able to put in 7741 State Highway 42, Egg Harbor and we were on our way.
With below freezing temperatures in Wisconsin, the heated steering wheel and heated seats were a highlight of driving the CX-5. When I turned on the vehicle, I immediately warmed my seat and the steering wheel. I took off my gloves and placed my hands directly on the wheel. It was like putting my hands on warm sand on a tropical beach, and the seat was like jumping into a warm bath. I could have driven around all afternoon looking at the beautiful snow from the warmth of the CX-5. Winter is actually stunning when you can look at it from a place of warmth.
The cold outside made for icy roads during our stay in Door County. A strong feature of the 2019 Mazda CX-5 is the automatic emergency braking and G-Vectoring Control. When entering a turn, G-Vectoring Control reduces torque slightly to shift the car’s weight to the front tires to improve steering response and increase cornering force. Once the steering wheel unwinds, full power comes on, transferring weight to the rear tires and adding stability. This came in handing during the evening drives to dinner in town.
Additionaly, i-ACTIV AWD monitors driving conditions 200 times per second – everything from steering angle and windshield wiper use to exterior temperature and braking patterns help predict driving conditions. Winding, icy roads are difficult regardless of the vehicle so I still drove slowly and carefully but I was grateful to have advanced technology on my side.
Besides technology, the Mazda CX-5 is a comfortable vehicle regardless if you’re riding in the front seat or the second row. The driver’s seat is 10-way power-adjustable and includes lumbar support. Add the heat from the heated steering wheel and the heated seat and you’ll never want to get out of the driver’s seat.
The 2019 Mazda CX-5 is a comfortable drive with advanced technologies that make winter driving easier and safer. Add in the large storage space for luggage or kegs for your holiday parties and you have the perfect winter vehicle. 
I love visiting The Landing to be surrounded by family and friends but I was always excited to hop in the CX-5 and see what new places we could discover. It makes me want to hit the road.
