Honda CR-V vs Mazda CX-5

In the compact crossover SUV car category, there are so many great cars from different brands for a buyer to choose from, and today we are going to take a look at two models by comparing the Honda CR-V vs Mazda CX-5. In this comparison, we are going to take a look at the interior, exterior, engines, transmission, technology, and safety. By the end of the article, you’ll be in a great position to digest which is a better option for you.

Honda CR-V vs Mazda CX-5 Side-by-Side Comparison

(*Prices are reflective of average BE FORWARD pricings as of September 2020.)

Honda CR-VMazda CX-5
Generations5 (RD1, RD4, RE, RM, RW)2 (KE and KF)
Production Year1995 - Present2012 - Present
Engine Performance126 HP - 221 HP160 HP - 187 HP
Fuel Consumption10 KM/L - 19.6 KM/L16.7KM/L - 21.7 KM/L
Drive Train2WD and AWD2WD and AWD
Key FeaturesAlloy Wheels, ABS, DVD, Airbag, Keyless Entry,

Back Camera
Power Steering, Power Window, Airbag, AC, Leather Seat,

Alloy Wheels
Seating Capacity5 - 7 seats5 seats
BE FORWARD PriceUSD 1890 - USD 4160USD 5270 - USD 7340

Interior and Exterior Comparison

Honda CR-V

BROWSE LOW COST HONDA CR-V MODELS

Interior

The interior of the CR-V has a simple, streamlined look; the cabin is a tranquil and comfortable place to spend time in. It has five seats with a choice of standard cloth upholstery, and leather as an option. There is enough head and legroom on both the front and back seats, which qualifies the CR-V as a spacious five-seater.
The center console runs from above with a 5-inch Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID)  audio screen that also serves as a trip-computer mounted at the top flanked by two A/C vents on either side and climate controls below the audio controls then the gear shifter. Between the front seats, you get two cup holders, a tray that can handle mobile phones and other small stuff, a USB port, and two storage compartments.
The CR-V has very impressive cargo space; with the rear seats folded flat, you get an impressive 1053.4-liters (589-liters when rear seats are up) of cargo space. Some models come with a side cargo net, and EX trims and above feature a removable and retractable cargo cover.
Other standard features of the CR-V include a CD player, Bluetooth, a four-speaker audio system, an auxiliary audio input, and a USB port.

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Exterior

The exterior design of the CR-V has evolved over the years, with obvious refinement on the front and rear fascia. Depending on how you see it, the CR-V is understatedly attractive. Its cleaner and car-like design, bulgy fender flares give it solid looks on the road.
The side windows of the CR-V are tapered giving it some sporty looks and at the rear, the unique liftgate is designed in such a way that it runs over into the bumper providing a lower cargo entryway.  The tall high-mounted tail lights mounted on either side of the rear tailgate are distinctive.

Safety

The CR-V models have received between 4 and 5-star ratings when it comes to safety. Notable standard safety features include an electronic stability control system (Vehicle Stability Assist), four-wheel (vented front discs and solid rear discs) disc brakes, ABS, brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, active front head restraints, and a backup camera.

Mazda CX-5

BROWSE LOW COST MAZDA CX-5 MODELS

Interior

The Mazda CX-5 has a wheelbase of 2698mm. It’s one of the longest in the CUV category, and this resulted in an ample interior, enough space to accommodate 3 full-size adults on the rear seat with enough legroom. The front seats are high enough to accommodate big feet comfortably. The earlier CX-5 came with a 403-liter (442-liter for 2017 and later models) boot that is expandable to 1560-liter by folding the rear seats flat.
The CX-5 has a quiet cabin that is stylish, functional, and practical. The new CX-5 also comes with Mazda’s Multimedia Commander which features rotary dials between its front seats. This links up with an infotainment system with a 7-inch touch screen color display simplifying the switching process between functions and Bluetooth connectivity.
Beneath the display, there are two A/C vents followed by a smart set of dials for climate control.

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Exterior

The CX-5 features Mazda’s shield grille with five bars. The presence of adaptive LED (auto-leveling) headlights with half-moon designed daytime running lights add to that LED fog lights and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Another feature of the CX-5 is the power liftgate that can be remotely controlled.

Safety

The CX-5 comes with several safety technologies such as adaptive cruise control, rear proximity sensors, automatic emergency braking, and G-vectoring (stability control feature). High-end models have extra safety features such as traffic sign recognition system, cruise control, iStop/Start, navigation, lane keep assist, and lane departure system.

Engine and Fuel Efficiency Comparison

Honda CR-V

As previously seen on the side-by-side comparison, the CR-V is on its 5th generation now, and over the years, Honda offered several engines. Let’s take a look at some of the engines that were fitted on different CR-V models.
The 1st generation CR-V came with the inline 4-cylinder 2.0-liter B20B petrol engine, it produced 126HP and has an average fuel consumption of 9.8 KM/L. The inline 4-cylinder 2.0-liter B20Z petrol engine produces 147 HP with an average consumption of 10KM/L followed. Later on other engines such as the inline 4-cylinder 2.0-liter K20A petrol engine that produces 221 HP and average fuel consumption of 11.1 KM/L, and the inline 4-cylinder 2.4-liter K24A engine with the i-VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and lift Electronic Control) technology produced 166 HP and average fuel consumption of 15.9 KM/L were introduced.
The CR-V also had a diesel engine on its lineup, the inline 4-cylinder 2.2-liter diesel engine that produced 138 HP and average fuel consumption of  19.6 KM/L. 

A turbocharged version was available as well, the inline 4-cylinder 1.5-liter L15B7 turbocharged petrol engine that produces 205 HP and average fuel consumption of 17.9 KM/L.

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Mazda CX-5

Over its two generations, the CX-5 has three engines to offer. The first one is the 2.0-liter SkyActiv-G PE-VPS inline 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 165 HP with average fuel consumption of 16.7 KM/L. The second engine on offer is the 2.2-liter SkyActiv-D SH-VPTS inline 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces 150 HP with average fuel consumption of 21.7 KM/L. The third and later entrant is the 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G PY-VPS inline 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 189 HP with average fuel consumption of 10.2 KM/L.
These engines were mated with a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual SKYACTIV-DRIVE transmission with Four-Wheel Drive (4WD) or Front-Wheel-Drive (FWD) drive options.

BROWSE LOW COST MAZDA CX-5 MODELS

The Verdict

From this review, we can undoubtedly arrive at the conclusion that the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5 are two great cars, and whichever one you end up buying there will be no regrets. We hope this article will serve you well and help you arrive at that conclusion.

You can visit the following links for in-depth coverage of each car:

ALL MAZDA CX-5 FOR SALE

ALL HONDA CR-V FOR SALE

BEST VALUE USED CARS FOR SALE

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Written by: Samuel H. Mponezya

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