Compare the2022 Lexus RXVS 2021 Mazda CX-5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Mazda CX-5 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The Lexus RX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The CX-5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the RX and the CX-5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

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 Lexus RX is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

	RX	CX-5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	53	81
Abdominal Force	110 G’s	126 G’s
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	165	208
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	65 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	275	449

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

Warranty

The RX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-5’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-5 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The RX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the CX-5’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the RX first among midsize premium suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The CX-5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 14th.

Engine

The RX 350’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 108 more horsepower (295 vs. 187) and 82 lbs.-ft. more torque (268 vs. 186) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The RX 350’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 45 more horsepower (295 vs. 250) than the CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The RX 450h’s standard 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 58 more horsepower (308 vs. 250) than the CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the RX 350 3.5 DOHC V6 is faster than the Mazda CX-5 4 cyl.:

	RX	CX-5
Zero to 60 MPH	6.8 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	92.7 MPH	78.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
RX
	AWD	3.5 V6 Hybrid	31 city/28 hwy
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the RX Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the RX Hybrid’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The RX Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-5 FWD’s standard fuel tank (17.2 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The RX’s standard fuel tank has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the CX-5 AWD’s standard fuel tank (19.2 vs. 15.3 gallons).

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus RX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-5.

The RX 450h 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.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the RX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-5:

	RX	CX-5	CX-5 GT Reserve/Signature
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.7 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.3 inches	11.9 inches	11.9 inches

The RX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CX-5 are solid, not vented.

The RX stops much shorter than the CX-5:

	RX	CX-5
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the RX has larger tires than the CX-5 (235/65R18 vs. 225/65R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-5 Sport/Touring. The RX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the CX-5 Grand Touring/Signature/Carbon Edition.

Suspension and Handling

The RX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The RX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RX’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the CX-5 (109.8 inches vs. 106.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the RX is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the CX-5.

The RX 350 handles at .79 G’s, while the CX-5 Grand Touring AWD pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The RX 350 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.4 seconds quicker than the CX-5 Grand Touring AWD (27.1 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the RX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-5 (8.2 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the RX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The RX has 3.1 inches more front legroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, .7 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the RX. The CX-5 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the RX’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Mazda CX-5 is limited to 2000 pounds. The RX offers up to a 3500 lbs. towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Sway Control on the RX uses the Vehicle Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The RX uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CX-5 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Mazda. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 53% lower rating, Mazda is ranked 23rd.

Ergonomics

The RX’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the RX and the CX-5 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the RX is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-5 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the RX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the RX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The CX-5 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The RX’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-5 Grand Touring/Signature.

When the RX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The CX-5’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The RX’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The CX-5 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The RX has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the CX-5 Touring/Grand Touring/Signature/Carbon Edition.

Both the RX and the CX-5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the RX has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-5 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus RX offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The CX-5 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The RX offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the RX is less expensive to operate than the CX-5 because typical repairs cost less on the RX than the CX-5, including $42 less for fuel injection and $92 less for front struts.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus RX as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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