Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Wilson Family Firsts in the 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring : Apple Picking at Barton Orchards #DriveMazda


Dislcosure: We were provided this car to review by Mazda and Drive Shop. All opinions expressed are 100% our own and there was no compensation for this post.

I'm not one for glorifying being busy, unfortunately it's such an overly used phrase these days and every time I hear myself utter the words "I don't have time" I cringe. Lately it seems our schedules are all over the place with my hubby working in the culinary industry, sometimes 7 days a week and me juggling a PT office job and my event coordinating and freelance writing positions. If we aren't working then we are running all over this city attending the several blogger events that, although enjoyable fill our calendars. We marvel in any downtime we get where all 4 of us can just enjoy some qt time together and are hoping to enjoy life a little bit more without any specific agenda.


We realize more and more that as our boys are getting older and are no longer my little babies (Tristan just turned 5, at the end of October) before ya know it, they'll be headed to junior high, attending their high school proms, going off to college & leaving the nest. It's because of my mom that I'm always on the go, she kept us busy with trips to the zoo, museums and other touristy NYC locations, all via public transportation. We want the boys to also be able to explore outside of  the 5 boroughs and to look back on all the memorable moments & adventures we've had. With that said this post is not only a car review of the new  2016 Mazda CX-5 but the introduction to our new series #WilsonFamilyFirsts where we'll be sharing first time experiences and videos! So please do leave comments on what you think of it, and suggestions for firsts we need to try.



I'm always nagging the hubby about planning more of our family outings and he always retorts "guys don't make plans, at least not way in advance" so imagine my surprise when with a sprinkle of spontaneity he told us to get dressed for a day out with our monsters. For years he's always wanted to go apple picking, he's been dreaming of all the things he can whip up in the kitchen with apples fresh off the tree, from pies and milkshakes to smothered with porkchops. 

Two weeks ago thanks to Mazda and Driveshop we took to test out the 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring and ventured off to Barton Orchards. I've got to tell you we were really impressed with this crossover. Of course the soul red metallic color was a hit with the boys, it must be a guy thing because anything that comes in red or black are a must have! Personally I thought the car was really sleek and gorgeous to drive around in, it really popped against all the fall foliage. But if red isn't your style it comes in 7 other color choices (jet black, meteor gray, deep crystal blue, titanium flash, sonic silver metallic, blue reflex and like the solar red for with an extra cost option there's crystal white pearl)


                                                              Stand Out Features
  • Named 2015 top safety pick plus by the IIHS when equipped with available Smart City Brake Support which helps prevent frontal collisions when driving over speeds of 10 MPH. With kids in the car it's great to know that if the system determines that an accident is unavoidable it will apply the breaks automatically. 
  • The hubby was a fan of the distance recognition system which gives visual warnings on the display screen and the adaptive lighting which came in handy since it gets dark earlier and we made several turns driving in areas that were pitch black and lacking street lights. 
  • SKYACTIVE Technology  {this was all a bit over my head} but it allows the car to be more efficient, provides lower emissions and with a lighter designed body they've still managed to  increase crash safety performance. 
  • The Mazda Connect is an "infotainment" system that let's you control and customize your Mazda's features , connections and entertainment. It was really easy to use with a control knob and really large touch screen.
  • It's a 5 passenger crossover SUV that was really spacious for us, the boys didn't feel like they were squished next to each other in the back even with Tristan's bulky car seat and their was ample trunk space to pack enough for a traveling. And I'm short but I definitely noticed more leg room. 

Below you can see how on the left hand side the display indicates if the driver is over the speed limit.




 Check out our video and a few pictures from our day, we really lucked out with gorgeous weather with temperatures in the low 70's.
       
              






I don't think they'll ever forget the very first apple that they reached out to pick from a tree on tip toes and atop their daddy's shoulder,  they were so excited.




Cheeseball smiling after picking my very first apple.



Mike had to shine his up really good for the camera.


Comparing who had the reddest, shiniest and juiciest apple, pretty tough decision making. 


Have you gone apple picking before, if so where do you go? 

We really hope you enjoyed the first post in our new series Wilson Family Firsts, we'll have a part two to the apple picking posts to give you more details on our experience at Bartons. 
And if you want to see future videos, make sure you are following us on youtube!

18 comments:

  1. Oh how we miss those traditional Fall activities like apple picking and hayrides. Not much of that here in Miami :-(

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  2. That looks like a great car! We love Fall activities like apple picking. This year, my girls also did a pony ride- they loved that!

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  3. Woah, sounds like a great car! I LOVE that it indicates if the driver is over the speed limit. That would definitely come in handy <3

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  4. Never been apple picking before but I can understand the 'being busy' because before I was like there is no such thing you just have to make time now I take back those words and just try to do my best

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  5. Growing up in the Northwest, we did lots of apple picking, and loved taking drives each Fall. The 2016 Mazda CX-5 looks very interesting. We're thinking about trading in and will be checking it out. Thanks!

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  6. What a great ride! I have been apple picking several times. My mom had apple trees at their farm and I've also been other places. There's nothing like a freshly picked apple! Now I'm thinking about my grandma's apple tarts.

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  7. That car is nice. We have traditions we do, the kids actually ask when we're doing them. They like to plan themselves.

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  8. That sounds like an awesome car and that apple is pretty shiny! Your boys are adorable!

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  9. I like the navigation features of the car which includes watching the speed limit. It also looks spacious too and a perfect family vehicle.

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  10. We test drove one of those when were looking at cars a couple of months ago. They have such good value AND safety ratings :)

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  11. I'm glad you had a wonderful time with your family. It is great to spend time with your loved ones especially if you have a great car as well.

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  12. Apple picking with the family can be so much fun and memorable indeed. When my kids were younger we would take walks in the woods with paper bags and pick the apples from the wild trees. The apples would be great for making apple pies.

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  13. That looks like such a wonderful family adventure! I've never driven that make of car, but after this review I'll have to check it out as I'm getting a new one soon!

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  14. Looks like a fun outing in a great car! We have 3 bigger kids so I think it would be a bit small for us if we had to take a long trip somewhere. We haven't been apple picking but we did go pear picking this year. It was so fun!

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  15. Travel family traditions are great, especially if you have a reliable vehicle to drive in! This car looks great for families!

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  16. We're big Mazda fans - They make great cars!

    PS: I'm jealous of your apple picking adventure - I've been wanting to do that forever, but we don't have apple orchards in SWFL : (

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  17. Absolutely love Mazdas! Especially the 2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring! Jealous! lol

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  18. The Mazda CX-5 is nice. You were right about it being a really safe car. The features were the same as the 6i, and it drove similarly, especially while in 'sport' mode. Love that feature.

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