Prior doing anything else, fill up and install any necessary accessories.

[Rudy7831]

We filled up our brand new 2025 CX 70 PHEV PP for the first time. Before filling it up at the pump, we reduced it to nearly half full. I came up with the number of 51 mpg as our average. We are fuelling with premium. The gas mileage has been satisfactory thus far. So that we can acquire real-world data, I asked my spouse to drive this "normally," because it is her primary vehicle.

We cushioned the cargo space and installed the original equipment manufacturer all-weather mats as accessories. The fit and style are perfect. I also included the Digital Rearview Mirror with HomelinkTM, another OEM device. Installing it wasn't too daunting, so I tackled it on my own. Aside from that one hard step, the installation was dead easy. I think this installation is a great idea in general, but it becomes really useful when there are three grown-ups seated in the back bench seat, since it somewhat blocks your view of the rear window. With the digital rearview mirror, you can see clearly and unimpeded. Last but not least, I decided to install the front and rear dash cams simultaneously with the digital rearview mirror installation since I was removing panels and whatnot for that purpose. Everything is going swimmingly thus far. As of right now, I will not be installing any further accessories; I am just waiting for the OEM mud guards to be delivered.

[honeycut_mazda5]

Great job on the fuel economy; 51 mpg is fantastic. Your accessory choices are spot on; the digital mirror, in particular, will revolutionise your visibility, particularly while you're in the backseat. Coordinating the installations was a wise move. It seems like a fairly equipped vehicle. Have fun with it

[Rudy7831]

In regards to the digital mirror, I couldn't agree with you more. It made more sense to add one because I was planned on doing the dash cams and I was thinking about interesting tech. After installation, it ensures that there will be no hindrance in the back passenger area or when the cargo compartment is filled to the headliner. Since my wife usually drives this car, I'm constantly impressed by how helpful the digital mirror is when I get the opportunity to take the wheel. My regular vehicle lacks that capability.

[honeycut_mazda5]

Very much so. You won't know how much you'll depend on it until you actually have it. Makes everything very obvious

[KOOLCAR]

It was a simple plug-and-play installation when you added the rearview mirror. Would you mind expanding a bit?

[Rudy7831]

Not exactly "plug and play" because you have to take off several panels inside (namely the driver's side and the entire back of the cargo area). If you get the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) digital rearview mirror, it comes with an extensive instruction booklet. I was shocked by how big it was at first, but then I remembered that it was thick because it had instructions in various languages. Only thirty-one pages are relevant, in my opinion. You can simply "plug and play" the digital rearview mirror into your OEM auto-dimming mirror. Hardware is included in the OEM digital rearview kit; if not, you will have to conduct some wire tapping. It was a breeze to connect the new digital rearview mirror to my PP as it already had the auto-dimming mirror. I hope this clarifies things for you. If you're interested in giving it a go, you can download the installation manual in.pdf format. The most challenging aspect of the installation, in my opinion, was threading the coax through the rubber tube that links the back hatch to the roof. Because there is no other point in the installation where the coax must be protected from the environment, this step is crucial. It's hard to put into words, but you'll understand it when you experience it. Just reply to this post and I'll try my best to share what worked for me if you get "stuck" on this step when installing. Hope everything works out.