Mazda CX-5

– Cleveland, OH

 The CX-5 had always been a critical darling because it was so fun to drive. Mazda, however, changed all that when it completely redesigned its compact SUV last year to ingratiate it more with buyers who often overlooked it. In particular, it’s now quieter inside and rides softer than before. The cost for widening the CX-5’s appeal, though, is that it no longer handles like a Miata on stilts. Without those superlative driving dynamics, the CX-5’s faults – its smallish cargo area, lack of power, and middling fuel efficiency – are now harder for this critic to forgive.