Compare the2022 Honda HR-VVS 2021 Mazda CX-5

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the HR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The HR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-5’s airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

Both the HR-V and the CX-5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes and lane departure warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda HR-V is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the HR-V is 1.6% to 3.9% less likely to roll over than the CX-5.

There are almost 2 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the HR-V’s warranty.

The engine in the HR-V has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the CX-5 have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 19th in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 22nd.

On the EPA test cycle the HR-V gets better mileage than the CX-5:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda HR-V uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-5 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The HR-V has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The HR-V stops much shorter than the CX-5:

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-5 Sport/Touring’s standard 65 series tires. The HR-V Sport’s tires have a lower 50 series profile than the CX-5 Grand Touring/Signature/Carbon Edition’s 55 series tires.

The HR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-5 Signature AWD pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The HR-V EX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-5 Grand Touring AWD (27.8 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Honda HR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 700 pounds less than the Mazda CX-5.

The HR-V is 8.7 inches shorter than the CX-5, making the HR-V easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The HR-V Sport/EX/EX-L uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CX-5 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the HR-V is less expensive to operate than the CX-5 because typical repairs cost much less on the HR-V than the CX-5, including $82 less for a muffler, $7 less for front brake pads, $211 less for fuel injection and $13 less for front struts.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda HR-V will be $3840 to $6533 less than for the Mazda CX-5.