2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. Its Competition

2017 Mazda CX-5 First Drive
Aaron Cole Aaron Cole Managing Editor

The Mazda CX-5 squares off in the hyper-competitive, and crowded, small crossover field.

The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are perennial leaders, and both offer more room, and quieter interiors—albeit not by much.

We're still impressed with the CR-V, which is all new this year too, but the RAV4 boasts a new hybrid powertrain that could sway green-minded buyers.

The Chevrolet Equinox will offer a diesel powertrain too, but like the CX-5, we'll have to wait until later this year to see that.

The Ford Escape and Subaru Forester both offer bigger outputs from their turbocharged engines, something we appreciate in a class that's full of boring-to-drive crossovers.

2017 Mazda CX-5 First Drive2017 Mazda CX-5
Browse Used Listings		2018 Chevrolet Equinox 2.0T2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Browse Used Listings		2017 Ford Escape2017 Ford Escape
Browse Used Listings		2017 Honda CR-V Touring 2017 Honda CR-V
Browse Used Listings		2017 Subaru Forester2017 Subaru Forester
Browse Used Listings		2017 Toyota RAV42017 Toyota RAV4
Browse Used Listings
Quick Specs
7.0
The 2017 Mazda CX-5 takes a lot of small steps forward, but are any of them big enough changes to sway buyers?
6.5
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is a needed step forward for the brand and a solid compact crossover.
6.3
The 2017 Ford Escape foregoes a bit of utility in the name of style and sportiness, making it one of the better crossovers to drive.
7.8
It's hard to imagine a compact crossover better aligned with the needs of most buyers than the 2017 Honda CR-V.
7.2
One of the best small SUVs, the 2017 Subaru Forester is a good value, with remarkable interior volume, thrifty fuel economy, and top safety scores.
7.3
There's a RAV4 for just about everyone, and while we applaud Toyota for adding more safety technology for 2017, the competition is worth a good look, too.
MSRP From     
$24,045$23,580$23,750$24,045$22,595$24,410
Gas Mileage     
23 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy22 MPG City / 39 MPG Hwy21 MPG City / 30 MPG Hwy25 MPG City / 34 MPG Hwy22 MPG City / 32 MPG Hwy22 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy
Engine     
Regular Unleaded I-4Turbocharged Gas I4Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded I-4Regular Unleaded H-4Regular Unleaded I-4
EPA Class     
Small SUV 2WD2WD Sport Utility VehicleSmall SUV 2WDSmall SUV 2WDSmall SUV 4WDSmall SUV 2WD
Style Name     
Sport FWDFWD 4-Door L w/1SMS FWDLX 2WD2.5i ManualLE FWD (GS)
Drivetrain     
Front Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveFront Wheel DriveAll Wheel DriveFront Wheel Drive
Passenger Capacity     
555555
Passenger Doors     
N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Body Style     
Sport UtilitySport Utility VehicleSport UtilitySport UtilitySport UtilitySport Utility
Transmission     
Automatic w/ODAutomaticAutomatic w/ODCVT w/ODManual w/ODAutomatic w/OD
Detailed Spec Comparison
 2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2018 Chevrolet Equinox2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2017 Ford Escape2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2017 Honda CR-V2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2017 Subaru Forester2017 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2017 Toyota RAV4