Brake pads Centric or DIXCEL

Get a set of Centric PQ (posi-quiet) pads and rotors. Way better than any of the big chain brick and mortar store offerings for less $ too

I bought that centric kit for my 18 Mazda 3 last year, no issues.

These are the best double duty brake pad I have tested so far. I have tried stoptech 309 and EBC blue ndx which will start to fade around 4-5 laps at my local track. The dixcel pads I can not get them to fade at all. Pad life seems okay with mix use but street manners are abit worst than the stoptech and EBC (sometimes squeals and dust alot).

Centric Posi Quiet Ceramics & 120 Series rotors from Tire Rack. Though not a CX5, my Mazda6 is running at 60k miles on this set.

Zimmerman Cross drilled rotors from FCP Euro with Centric posi quiet ceramic pads. So much less brake dust with these pads compared to stock.

For brakes, you're limited to whatever you can fit with your wheels.. I doubt you'd fit Brembo's with them, so you may be limited to 4pot/2pot or just rebuilding your current calipers with good street pads and rotors.

On my WRX, I use Dixcel ES pads front and rear

Upgraded rotors (paragon 2 piece) and dixcel type z pads.

Centric OE coated "black hat" rotors and Centric posi-quiet pads are pretty damn tough to beat

Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic... I didn't like them at first, until I bedded them in one early morning and ended up warming up to them.

The pads are very smooth but tend to creak at very low speed (like <2 mph) and they're very grabby when wet. 20k miles and they're maybe halfway worn down despite a lot of city driving and some very hard braking on a couple of mountain roads.