2016.5 CX-5 GT, here. I have the same complaint about the CX-5's shifting. Basically, it feels as though it's a shift map thing. The car's clearly been designed with higher fuel efficiency in mind, as the prime goal, not a "driver's" experience type of driving that Mazda has developed a reputation for.

Hard to compare an automatic CX-5 with a manual MX5/Miata, but the distinction you're speaking of is most clearly evident in the difference between those two. The Miata has a smooth acceleration curve, with a complete absence of shuddering due to incorrect gearing chosen. ("Chosen" by the driver, in the case of a manual-shift Miata, of course.) Accelerate relatively slowly, it doesn't much seem to matter ... from a shuddering standpoint. The car's still smooth, without those hideous vibrations the CX-5 gets when accelerating slowly.

As others have suggested, above and elsewhere, if you accelerate fairly rapidly, or put it into "Sport" mode, or use the manual shift mode, shifting gears in the ~3500-4000 rpm range all but eliminates the shuddering I've experienced when just plodding along allowing the car to shift whenever. IMO, it's all clear evidence of the shift maps being set far too low, far too aggressively seeking better fuel economy at the expense of the driving experience.

Try this, and see if you get the same feeling (shuddering?) when accelerating. Put into manual-shift mode. Accelerate at whatever speed you choose, but don't shift until you hit 3000 rpms. See if that same feeling in the car disappears. Now, go back to fully automatic. Accelerate at roughly the same rate. Note the rpm's at which the car automatically shifts. Compare the difference in feel (shuddering) between the two modes. My guess is: you'll experience that nasty shuddering when in automatic mode, but won't experience anything of the sort in the manually-shift-at-3000 mode.

Would love to have the shift points in my own CX-5 altered. To be a more-sporty "Sport" mode when accelerating briskly, but to be a slightly more-lively regular-shifting automatic mode during pokey acceleration or cruising periods.

Comparison: a 2012 Mazda3 S GT 5spd had none of this shuddering problem. Automatic transmission, "tiptronic" style manual shift mode, similar to the CX-5. Very smooth acceleration, almost "buttery" smooth transitions from gear to gear when accelerating rapidly. No shuddering when accelerating slowly, ever, with shift points clearly being accomplished at far higher rpm's than the CX-5 was mapped to do, even when accelerating slowly.

 

I’m afraid I cannot contribute any advice, my ‘21 does not exhibit any of the above-mentioned symptoms. I tried the suggestions above to initiate a “shudder” but no joy. Apparently not all CX-5s suffer from this complaint.