You don't need a torque wrench, NGK plugs have a crush washer and specify half turn past initial contact. Did my Mazda 3 with no issues. I have a torque wrench and didn't use it.
I commuted 100 miles a day in my CX5 in snowy Maine. I had a 6speed manual transmission and snow tires and never had a problem.
I have the Michelin cross climate tires now and they went through a mild winter fine. I did drive through a winter storm last year, slowly & made it to my final destination. I feel pretty good about driving through all weather.
I got around well with Summos in the winter on my Mazda 2
Harbor Freight has the torque wrench you’d need for $19.99 the Pittsburgh 3/8" drive and a 3/8" drive extension set for $16.99. I’d also grab a magnetic spark plug socket from AutoZone for $14.99 (just go straight for the magnetic one, it makes life way easier).
For the spark plugs themselves, I’d stick with NGK, but make sure it’s the correct spec for your car, since they make different cx5's, some being NA and some being turbo.
As for the "paste," some people put antiseize or dielectric grease on the threads to make future removal easier. I personally skip it because I want zero chance of anything getting into the engine, plus grease can amplify the torque applied with the wrench, which is bad. I’m hoping this is what you mean by paste?
If you do it yourself, the first time costs roughly $100-120 for the tools, and still is about half of what the dealer is quoting. After that, you just pay for the spark plugs themselves for future changes, which brings the cost down to around $50-70 per change since now you'll have the tools.
An oil change to Liqui Moly 5w40 worked wonders for mine. Still zero lifter tick after about 1500 miles. Highly recommend.
NGK Lazer Iridium Plugs is what I got to replace them in my car. I believe those are what Mazda OEM plugs are, but it’s just cheaper to buy the NGKs from a part store.
My experience with PowerStop (on my old Mazda 3) is that they tend to have more bite but, wear out quicker and have more brake dust than OEM. That being said, they were quiet and held up fine until they were fully worn down.
My cx30’s 2023 battery died as I was coming to a stop sign. As I was rolling to the stop sign my breaks failed hit the car Infront of me and the could not get my car to start.
162km at 42% battery is still kinda poor for 2025.
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