2021 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2021 Honda CR-V Comparison

Mazda has nailed the art of creating beautiful vehicles, and the CX-5 is a great example of their expertise. It doesn’t put a foot wrong in the styling department, with smooth curves outside and an interior that could make German luxury cars jealous.

If chic SUV style is a priority, a Mazda CX-5 or Volkswagen Tiguan are better choices. The CR-V got mild updates for 2020 that brought sharper styling, but the Honda is a practical choice, not a particularly emotional one. Inside, the vehicle prioritizes utility over flash, though it’s a handsomely finished space with plenty of room.

The CX-5’s base 187-horsepower four-cylinder is responsive, but lacks grunt at highway speeds. The optional turbocharged provides 250 horsepower and delivers much better performance at all speeds. With either engine, the CX-5 is an engaging drive, mixing capable handling with a smooth and quiet ride.

The new CR-V Hybrid becomes the most powerful model, with 212 system horsepower, and it’s peppy, smooth and efficient in any situation. The standard gas model’s turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder produces 190 horsepower and is paired with a continuously variable transmission. Though it’s not going to win any underground street races, the CR-V’s ride is comfy and compliant over all but the worst road surfaces.

Inside the CX-5’s pretty cabin, there’s plenty of room for up to five people, but adults will need to adjust expectations to ride in the back seat. In the cargo hold, there’s 30.9 cubic-feet of space behind the rear seats and 59.6 cubic-feet in total, way behind competitors like the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V, and even fractionally tinier than the small-fry Kia Sportage. The CX-5's new infotainment display still uses a rotary dial for control rather than a touchscreen.

The Honda’s interior packaging is near-flawless, with a roomy, reconfigurable center console, clever storage nooks and cubbies, easy-folding rear seats and vast cargo space befitting a larger SUV. An aging infotainment system with a stingy screen and troublesome touch controls is a sore point.

With the base engine and front-wheel drive, the CX-5 returns 25 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, it’s rated at 24 city, 30 highway and 26 combined. With the turbocharged engine on board and front-wheel drive, the CX-5 delivers 23 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined. Adding all-wheel drive shifts those numbers to 22 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway and 24 mpg combined. This is about average for the class, superior to entries like the Kia Sportage or Volkswagen Tiguan, but shy of the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V.

With front-wheel drive, the non-hybrid CR-V delivers EPA-estimated fuel economy of 28 mpg city, 34 mpg on the highway and 30 mpg combined. All-wheel reduces those numbers a bit, to 27 mpg city, 32 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined. The CR-V Hybrid returns a much more thrifty 40 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway and 38 mpg combined.

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is an IIHS Top Safety Pick +, which is the highest rating the organization hands out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded it five stars overall. The vehicle comes standard with forward automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings and lane keep assist. A few additional features are also offered on the top trim Signature.

The 2021 CR-V earned a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Those impressive safety scores are on top of an equally substantial list of standard safety kit. Honda adds forward collision warnings, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist to every CR-V, while the EX trim adds blind spot monitors.