One way to examine the differences between the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5 is to view it as a comparison of two brothers—one solid, stolid, and reliable and the other a bit of a scamp. While not trying to typecast these models, the Honda CR-V has always played the solid, reliable brother, while the Mazda CX-5 has had the role of the younger brother, who is a little wilder and more fun to be around. If you ask 10 auto reviewers to tell you the name of their favorite compact SUV, the betting is seven out of 10 would say the Mazda CX-5. Why? It's odds on the most fun-to-drive vehicle in the segment.
But if we want to extend this analogy a little farther, there is a recent plot twist called the Mazda CX-50. In soap opera terms, you could look at the CX-50 as the handsome half-brother that comes out of the shadows to throw the whole family dynamic up in the air. The recently introduced CX-50 competes in the same market segment as the CX-5 and the CR-V and offers the same powertrains as the CX-5.
The Mazda CX-5 has been trying to chip away at the dominance of the Honda CR-V (and the Toyota RAV4) since 2012, when Mazda first introduced the 2013 CX-5. The second, current generation of the Mazda CX-5 came to market as a 2017 model. It has undergone several improvements and equipment alterations since then. Its competitor in this comparison—the Honda CR-V—is all new for 2023.
Both the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5 are 5-passenger crossover SUVs that use a unibody structure. The CR-V is available in both front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) configurations, while Mazda only offers the CX-5 with AWD. The CR-V offers a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine as its base powertrain and a hybrid powertrain as the more powerful alternative. Meanwhile, the CX-5 provides a normally aspirated 4-cylinder engine as its base powertrain and a potent turbocharged 4-cylinder as its up-level power plant.
The new 2023 Honda CR-V is almost 5 inches longer than the CX-5 and has significantly more cargo space. (The 2023 Mazda CX-50 is an inch longer than the CR-V, but because of its lower roofline, it has less cargo space.) Honda builds the new-generation CR-V on a shared platform that also provides the basis of the current Honda Civic and the newly introduced 2023 HR-V small SUV. Interestingly, the 2023 Honda HR-V is just 0.3 inches shorter in length than the 2023 Mazda CX-5. With all the sales and consumer interest in compact and small crossover SUVs, it is not surprising that carmakers want to blanket the segment. The 2023 Honda CR-V and the 2023 Mazda CX-5 are right in the thick of it.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 offers AWD from the bottom to the top of its lineup. And it gives buyers more trim choices than the Honda CR-V, including a Carbon Edition with the currently popular blackout look. While the CR-V has raised its game in interior design and use of upscale materials, in the CX-5, it faces an interior that is, overall, best in class. But when you get down to the basics of what consumers seek in a compact SUV, the CR-V offers more cargo space and much better fuel economy.
2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring
Honda and Mazda have two different approaches to pricing and trim levels for 2023. Mazda takes the traditional approach by offering a wide variety of trim levels. Honda has considerably shortened the lineup for 2023 with just four trims across its two powertrains.
Compared to the Mazda CX-5, the 2023 Honda CR-V lineup is incredibly easy to grasp. For 2023, Honda offers the CR-V in just four trim levels: EX, Sport, EX-L, and Sport Touring. Buyers can choose between FWD and AWD EX, Sport, and EX-L trims. The Sport Touring trim is only available with AWD.
Sport and Sport Touring trims have a hybrid powertrain. That might seem counterintuitive, but the hybrid delivers significantly more horsepower than the base turbo engine. Honda fits the EX and EX-L with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine backed by a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The lowest-priced front-drive 2023 Honda CR-V EX has a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $31,110. That's more than $4,000 more than the lowest-priced Mazda CX-5. With AWD, the CR-V EX has a suggested base price of $32,610. Looking at the CR-V hybrids, the least expensive Sport trim costs $32,450. The addition of AWD brings the price to $33,950. The well-equipped EX-L with FWD has an MSRP of $33,760. The AWD version commands $1,500 more. The top-of-the-line CR-V Sport Touring with standard AWD has a starting MSRP of $38,600. That's less than the Mazda CX-5 Turbo Signature, but the CX-5 has 256 hp; the CR-V Sport Touring has just 204. All 2023 CR-V SUVs are subject to a $1,245 destination charge on top of the above prices.
Things are more complex with the CX-5's lineup. The 2023 Mazda CX-5 is available in six trim levels with the conventional 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine: S, S Select, S Preferred, S Carbon Edition, S Premium, and S Premium Plus. The CX-5 Turbo—equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine—is available in Turbo and Turbo Signature trims. While Mazda has offered front-drive CX-5s in years past, for 2023, all Mazda CX-5s have standard AWD.
The base CX-5 S trim has an MSRP of $26,700. The CX-5 S Select with leatherette seats and dual-zone automatic climate control starts at $28,500. The mid-level CX-5 S Preferred with a moonroof has a base price of $29,590. Featuring a blackout treatment that includes the option of a red leather interior, the CX-5 S Carbon Edition has a suggested price of $30,500. And the very well-equipped S Premium trim has a base MSRP of $32,400. The Turbo models open with the Turbo at a base price of $36,850. The top-of-the-line CX-5 Turbo Signature has a suggested base price of $39,650. Mazda reminds us that the MSRP does not include $1,275 for destination and handling ($1,320 in Alaska), taxes, title, or additional fees.
Neither Mazda nor Honda offers dedicated all-terrain-oriented trims. (The new Mazda CX-50 has a more off-road-oriented slant.)
Advantage: Mazda CX-5
2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo
The previous-generation Honda CR-V does not rank among the top three models in the Compact SUV segment in the JD Power 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which assesses owner-reported problems during the third year of ownership. The CR-V also does not rank among the top three models in its segment in the JD Power 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS).
The 2023 Honda CR-V has the following warranty coverage:
Like the CR-V, the Mazda CX-5 does not rank among the top three models in its segment in either the 2022 VDS or 2022 IQS.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 has the following standard warranty coverage:
Advantage: Honda CR-V
2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring
The 2023 Honda CR-V EX and EX-L come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 190 hp with peak torque of 179 pound-feet. Honda pairs it with a CVT. Massaged for the 2023 model year, the CVT has step-shift programming to simulate the gear-changing of a conventional automatic transmission like the one in the CX-5.
Some might scoff when they see that the CR-V hybrids are Sport and Sport Touring trims, but from behind the wheel, they feel stronger and sportier than the non-hybrid trims. The CR-V hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Atkinson-cycle gasoline-fueled engine with two electric motors. The total system output is 204 hp and 247 pound-feet of torque. It falls in the middle ground between the conventional CX-5's 187 hp and the CX-5 Turbo's 256/227 hp.
With FWD, the CR-V EX and EX-L have EPA fuel-economy ratings of 28 mpg city/34 mpg highway/30 mpg combined. All-wheel drive involves a penalty of about one mile per gallon. But that is still markedly better than the 2023 CX-5 with its normally aspirated 2.5-liter engine.
The CR-V hybrid doesn't have the power of the CX-5 Turbo, but it offers fuel economy that blows it away, coming in at 43 mpg city/36 mpg highway/40 mpg combined in front-drive Sport trim. With AWD, the CR-V hybrid offers fuel economy of 40 mpg city/34 mpg highway/37 mpg combined. Of course, the CR-V hybrids and the CX-5 turbos will collect buyers with far different priorities.
There's an old saying that opines, "You pay for your kicks." That certainly holds true with the 2023 Mazda CX-5. By most standards, it is the most visceral and fun-to-drive vehicle in its class. Its optional turbocharged engine delivers a heady dose of horsepower, and Mazda backs it with a slick-shifting 6-speed conventional automatic transmission. Even with the base engine, the CX-5 is more involving than the bulk of its competitors. But when it comes to fuel economy, well, as I said, you pay for your kicks. On the other side of the coin, the Honda CR-V doesn't deliver the performance chops of the CX-5, but its fuel economy is laudable.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5's base 4-cylinder engine is 2.5 liters in displacement and produces 203 hp and 184 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the 2023 CX-5 Turbo trims have a beefed-up, intercooled turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. It produces 256 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque when using 93-octane fuel. With regular 87-octane fuel, the engine will produce 227 hp and 310 pound-feet of torque. That's more than enough to make the CX-5 one of the most vibrant performers in the class.
Bucking the trend toward CVTs in this segment, the CX-5 uses a 6-speed, conventional-geared torque-converter automatic transmission. Some decry that the transmission has just six speeds, but Mazda product planners say that is intentional for drivability reasons. Fuel economy suffers for it, though.
Equipped with the normally aspirated 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and standard AWD, the EPA rates the 2023 CX-5 at 24 mpg city/26 mpg highway/30 mpg combined. Fitted with the turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and standard AWD, the Mazda SUV gets 22 mpg city/24 mpg highway/28 mpg combined.
Advantage: Neither
The CR-V gets better fuel economy, but the CX-5 is more powerful and fun to drive. It all comes down to your personal priorities.
2023 Mazda CX-5
Honda has been an industry leader in offering standard electronically enabled safety and driver assistance systems with Honda Sensing and some related systems. For its part, the Mazda CX-5 offers its own extensive list of electronic safety systems, and its array is also creditable.
The 2023 Honda CR-V's suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) includes road-departure mitigation, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, traffic-jam assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, and adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow are also on the standard equipment list.
The all-new 2023 Honda CR-V has yet to be tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Standard ADAS on the 2023 Mazda CX-5 includes adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assistance. Traffic-jam assist and rear parking sensors are standard on the top-of-the-line CX-5 Turbo Signature trim.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 received the highest-possible 5-star rating from the NHTSA. Meanwhile, the IIHS named the 2022 Mazda CX-5—virtually identical to the 2023 model—a Top Safety Pick+, the Institute's highest accolade.
Advantage: Mazda CX-5
2023 Honda CR-V Sport Touring
Both Mazda and Honda have been innovative enough (daring enough?) to include somewhat unconventional infotainment systems in their compact SUVs. While it is impossible to make a significant gain without innovating, companies that offer infotainment that doesn't match up with consumers' pre-conceived expectations run the risk of irritating their buyers. At times, both the Mazda and Honda systems have been guilty of that. The two carmakers have also made some efforts to change how their systems work, and they are easier to use than in previous years.
The 2023 Honda CR-V EX and Sport trims have a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display. Compared to previous Honda infotainment systems, its menu structure is more straightforward and improved, and it has physical tuning and volume knobs. It is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The up-level CR-V EX-L and Sport Touring have a 9-inch touchscreen, a physical volume knob, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless device charging is also standard on those trims.
The CR-V's infotainment systems have experienced significant improvements, including more intuitive menus and physical knobs for some functions that make them easier to use.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5's infotainment system uses a console-mounted controller that some like while others are lukewarm about, and it has a larger display than even the top-level CR-V. Mazda has clung tightly to using an on-console controller for its infotainment system, even as touchscreens have become the nearly universal standard. The Mazda Commander system is similar to those used in previous-generation European luxury cars. Still, many luxury brands have gone to touchscreens, often in conjunction with a console-mounted control interface. The Mazda Commander control could be off-putting initially, but it becomes much more manageable after using it.
Mazda has implemented a large 10.25-inch color display screen on all 2023 models to improve the system's operation. It might be the biggest display in a base model in the entire segment. The infotainment system includes AM/FM/HD Radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and a trial subscription to SiriusXM satellite radio.
The base CX-5 has a 4-speaker audio system, but Select, Preferred, and Carbon Edition trims have 6-speaker audio. A 10-speaker Bose premium audio system is standard on Premium, Premium Plus, Turbo, and Turbo Signature trims. All CX-5s offer the Mazda Connect system that includes in-vehicle Wi-Fi, Pandora, connected services like remote engine start, vehicle status, navigation services, and roadside assistance.
Advantage: Mazda CX-5
2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo
While utility, cargo space, and comfort have traditionally been of concern to compact SUV buyers, another attribute—style—seems to be increasing in importance. And when it comes to exterior and interior style, the Mazda CX-5 knows few peers. Though the current CX-5 has essentially the same body shape it had in 2017, it remains one of the best-looking models in the segment. If anything, its interior style eclipses the level of the exterior with a Euro-inspired luxury-brand-like cabin. At the same time, the all-new 2023 model ups the CR-V's style game with a more substantial exterior and an interior that takes it to a new level of distinction.
Honda noticeably improved the 2023 CR-V's cabin design and materials compared to the previous, hot-selling edition. From an aesthetic and functional standpoint, its cabin is the most well-designed and upscale ever. The basic design borrows important elements from the well-regarded interior of the recently introduced Honda Civic. The band of metal mesh that runs across the dash and disguises the vents is a particularly memorable touch that is very unusual in a Honda vehicle.
Honda upgraded the CR-V's front seating with standard body-stabilizing seats that are incredibly comfortable and supportive. The CR-V EX and Sport feature cloth upholstery and a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat with power-adjustable lumbar support. The CR-V EX-L and Sport Touring trims offer leather seating and a 10-way-adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support. The front passenger seat in the EX-L and Sport Touring has four-way power adjustment. Between the seats is a rather large console storage bin, one of several handy storage spots in the CR-V.
The 2023 Mazda CX-5 S has manually adjusted cloth seats, but as just one example of its upscale nature, it has a 40/20/40 one-touch fold-down rear seatback—a touch pulled from European luxury crossovers. It also offers the aforementioned 10.25-inch infotainment display screen. Things get even more upscale in a hurry as you climb the trim ladder. The Select has six-way power driver's seats and three-level heated front seats upholstered in leatherette. Genuine leather seats are standard on all the upper trims starting with the Preferred, and Nappa leather ventilated seats are standard on the Turbo Signature, as is real wood trim. Storage nooks abound in the cabin across the board.
While the Mazda CX-5 outpoints the Honda CR-V on style, it can't overcome the fact the CR-V is a bigger vehicle. That is obvious when one looks at the numbers. The two vehicles are virtually dead even in terms of EPA-measured passenger space. But regarding cargo space, the CR-V outpoints the CX-5 by a significant margin. The 2023 Mazda CX-5 has 29.1 cubic feet of cargo behind the second-row seats. With the split-folding rear seats folded out of the way, it offers 59.3 cubic feet of total cargo space.
The cargo area behind the CR-V's folding second row of seats is 39.3 cubic feet—a full 10 more than the CX-5. With the second row folded, interior space grows to 76.5 cubic feet. That's more than 17 cubic feet more space than the CX-5 offers.
Advantage: Honda CR-V
If you'd like to learn more about these compact SUVs, be sure to read our expert reviews of the 2023 Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-5. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please keep in mind that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on November 1, 2022, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker's website or your local dealership.
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