Similar situation here - I've owned three different CX-5s over the last decade and honestly, my experience with tinting has been a bit of a rollercoaster. Background info: factory glass is just dyed for privacy, meaning it has zero heat rejection. Why it matters? You can match the look but still bake inside unless u go ceramic.

I went through this last year and tried to save a buck. Big mistake.

1. Cheap Carbon/Dyed Tint: I tried matching the front with Lulu Carbon Window Tint 20% on an older model. It looked okay, but unfortunately, the heat was still brutal and the film faded to a weird purple hue after two years.
2. High-End Ceramic: On my current CX-5, I bit the bullet and got XPEL Prime XR Plus Ceramic Tint 20% for the fronts and a clear XPEL Prime XR Plus 70% over the factory rear.

It was pricey but honestly the heat rejection is night and day. But ngl, matching 20% on the front is a struggle at night... ur side mirrors basically become useless in rain or dark alleys. I lowkey regret not going slightly lighter like 35% cuz safety > aesthetics sometimes i guess!!

Curious about one thing: do you live somewhere with lots of streetlights or is it super dark at night? I'm honestly a bit of a safety nut when it comes to visibility...

1. Matching (20%): Looks sick and uniform but can be DANGEROUS for seeing mirrors in the rain or dark.
2. Lighter Fronts (35%): Way safer for night driving but you'll still have that slight mismatch look.

I'd suggest looking into 3M Crystalline Series 40 or Xpel Prime XR Plus 35 for the front windows if you want heat rejection without going too dark! Just be careful with going too heavy on the black interior... it gets dark fast lol

Ok so, I've looked into this quite a bit and I think the factory privacy glass on the CX-5 is actually closer to 20%.

* If you match the front at 20% ceramic, it looks *seamless* but ngl, visibility at night can be a bit sketch in unlit areas, especially with that black interior.
* I've heard some people say that even a 35% ceramic on the front looks pretty dark because it doesn't let as much light through as cheap film, plus it'll save ur dash from that heat.
* Not sure but I recall reading that adding a 50% or 70% clear ceramic layer over the factory rear glass is the way to go if you want heat rejection without making it pitch black back there.

Basically, if you're worried about the side mirrors, 35% is probably the safer bet for night driving tho 20% looks way cooler lol.

Ok so, window film brands like SunTek or Xpel vary wildly in price and performance. Honestly, I had issues with a 'high-end' film bubbling before—it was such a letdown... basically a waste of cash. Before u go, what's your actual budget for this? And are you prioritizing heat rejection or just that uniform look? It makes a huge difference in which market tier you should look at! gl!

So, summarizing the thread so far, it looks like everyone agrees the factory rear glass is around 20 percent but lacks real heat protection since it is just privacy dye. You are basically choosing between the perfect visual match at 20 percent or playing it safe with visibility at 35 percent ceramic. As someone who has lived with tinted CX-5s for a long time, I think you should prioritize the technology over the darkness level. The factory glass does nothing to protect your interior from UV damage or heat soak long-term. If you want the best heat rejection without making the car a cave, I suggest a setup like this:

• Llumar IRX 30 on the front windows
• Llumar AIR 80 on the windshield
• Huper Optik Ceramic 70 over the factory rears I have found that a 30 percent ceramic on the front usually looks darker than it is because of the black interior, which gets you closer to that 20 percent match without the night driving headaches. Also, dont ignore the windshield. It is the biggest heat entry point in the car, and adding a clear ceramic there makes a massive difference in how hard your AC has to work. Honestly, check the TSER (Total Solar Energy Rejection) specs instead of just the darkness level. That is the pro way to do it. What kind of warranty is the shop offering?

For your situation, I think matching the front at 20% with ceramic is AMAZING! It basically blocks all the heat and I'm pretty sure it matches those factory specs perfectly... seriously looks GREAT!!