Car Salesman Says SUV Buyers Always Buy Based On Price. Then He Reveals That's A Mistake: 'They End Up Regretting It'

Shopping for an SUV can be hard. There are dozens of options at every price point with a seemingly endless variety of features that are supposed to make them stand out, but eventually can start to blur together.

While most people understandably end up defaulting to price to help them narrow things down, one car salesman says there’s more to consider.

In a video with a few thousand views, car salesman Rob Hansen (@robhansen) makes the case for looking beyond sticker price when buying an SUV. Though it seems he has a bit of an agenda with the 2026 Mazda CX-5.

“Don’t make this SUV mistake,” the text overlay reads.

"People go out and buy an SUV based on price alone and they end up regretting it," he says. "Ride quality, noise, cheap interiors, it adds up fast."

He points to the Mazda’s panoramic glass roof, the quiet cabin, and the 15-inch touchscreen and shows off the buttons on the screen for navigation and temperature. 

“You get comfort, reliability, something that actually feels good to drive without jumping way up in price,” he says of the SUV.

"Most people don't realize this until it's too late,” he adds in the caption.

Hansen has a point: most people keep their cars for years and those concessions you made to save a few bucks may turn into a constant source of aggravation, or even an expensive repair. But his pitch lands somewhere between genuine advice and a sales video for the CX-5. After all, at the end of the day, he is a salesman showing off a car he’s trying to sell.

What Does The 2026 Mazda CX-5 Actually Offer?

The car Hansen showcases is the redesigned 2026 Mazda CX-5. In our review, Motor1 called the new CX-5 "bigger, fancier, and still just as fun to drive," noting the cabin is noticeably quieter than the previous model thanks to additional sound deadening in the cargo floor and liftgate, and structural reinforcements around the C-pillar and rear wheelhouses.

The steering has been retuned for more feedback, and the suspension got updated dampers and softer springs. Rear seat room is substantially improved, with Mazda saying there's now enough space for a child to sit with their backpack on the floor in front of them.

On the tech front, Mazda ditched its rotary control dial in favor of a large touchscreen. But that move comes with tradeoffs. There are no physical HVAC controls, which we flagged as a con, though the climate functions are pinned to the bottom of the screen and always accessible. The volume control is also on the passenger side of the screen, essentially pushing drivers toward steering wheel buttons and Google voice control instead.

Pricing starts at about $31,500 for the base S trim and tops out at $41,000 as tested for the Premium Plus.

What SUVs Are Actually Worth Buying?

If you're researching SUVs, Motor1's roundup of the best SUVs we drove in 2025 is a good place to start. The list spans a wide range of budgets and use cases.

On the affordable end is the redesigned Nissan Leaf crossover which starts under $32,000 and can go over 300 miles despite being an EV. There’s also the new Toyota RAV4 which is still the best-selling compact SUV in the country. The Mazda CX-50 Hybrid, a close relative of the CX-5, made the list too, earning our praise for its engaging driving dynamics and 38 mpg.

For those with more to spend, the Hyundai Palisade and Ioniq 9 both landed on our list, as did the Toyota 4Runner.

Commenters React

“Went with the CX-50 simply b/c the CX-5 put everything on that damn screen! Boo!! Mazdas are great though!” a top comment read.

“Who really does that? Price alone that’s nonsense,” a person said.

“That looks like something that's just gonna break in a few months, and you're just gonna wind up [putting] more money out of pocket. Get a used car, get a cash car, you do better with that,” another wrote.

Motor1 reached out to Hansen via text message and TikTok direct message and to Mazda via email. We'll be sure to update this if they respond.