I own both .. a 2015 BMW X3
I own both .. a 2015 BMW X3 330d and a Mazda CX-5 sportnav 175 hp
Mazda is definitely better value for money. However, I find the BMW much better to drive. Seats are more comfy, sat nav is way ahead of the Mazda. BMW’s standard audio seems par with Mazda’s premium Bose speakers, which btw is no match to my 2004 Audi TT Bose speakers.. it seems like Bose have have gone downhill..
And yes, RFTs are expensive, but my Michelin primacy 3 cost me £250 per tyre but they lasted for 25000 miles i.e. two years.. so, can’t complain.
In terms of safety, whenever, we have storm or heavy rain or any sort of bad weather, my wif requests me to drive my BMW and doesn’t want to drive the Mazda CX-5 as she feels more safe on the X3 and that says it all to me.
Don’t get me wrong, CX-5 is a nice car, but is nowhere close to BMW X3. Having said that I do agree that 15K more for the added luxury is a bit too much. In hindsight, I wouldn’t buy an X3 again, but I wouldn’t replace it with a Mazda CX-5. I would rather buy a 3series or 5 series estate with xdrive which will do almost everything as good as the X3 and will be much more fun to drive on countryside twisty roads.