Compare the2022 Mazda CX-5VS 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The CX-5 has standard Whiplash-Reducing Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-5. But it costs extra on the Rogue Sport.

Both the CX-5 and the Rogue Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda CX-5 is safer than the Nissan Rogue Sport:

	CX-5	Rogue Sport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	82	399
Neck Injury Risk	23%	33.7%
Neck Stress	274 lbs.	349 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	106 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	160/307 lbs.	266/278 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	449/262 lbs.	327/570 lbs.

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

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 Mazda CX-5 is safer than the Nissan Rogue Sport:

	CX-5	Rogue Sport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	106
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	156 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	408 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	211
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	590 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 76 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Rogue Sport has not been fully tested, yet.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda 14th in reliability. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda first in reliability. Nissan is ranked 13th.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (187 vs. 141) and 39 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 147) than the Rogue Sport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 115 more horsepower (256 vs. 141) and 173 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 147) than the Rogue Sport’s 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mazda CX-5 is faster than the Nissan Rogue Sport:

	CX-5 4 cyl.	CX-5 turbo 4 cyl.	Rogue Sport
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	n/a	3.8 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.6 sec	6.4 sec	10.3 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	n/a	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	16.6 sec	14.9 sec	17.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85 MPH	93.6 MPH	80 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CX-5 (except Turbo)’s fuel efficiency. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	CX-5	CX-5 Turbo	Rogue Sport
Front Rotors	11.7 inches	12.6 inches	11.65 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.9 inches	11.5 inches

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Rogue Sport:

	CX-5	Rogue Sport
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	137 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-5 has larger tires than the Rogue Sport (225/65R17 vs. 215/60R17).

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-5’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the Rogue Sport (106.2 inches vs. 104.2 inches).

The CX-5 handles at .81 G’s, while the Rogue Sport SL 4x4 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Rogue Sport SL 4x4 (27.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Rogue Sport’s (36 feet vs. 36.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Rogue Sport (7.6 vs. 7.4 inches), allowing the CX-5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-5 Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the Rogue Sport (7.9 vs. 7.4 inches).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 7.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rogue Sport (103.6 vs. 96).

The CX-5 has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 6.2 inches more rear legroom and 8.4 inches more rear hip room than the Rogue Sport.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-5’s rear seats recline. The Rogue Sport’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Rogue Sport with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 22.9 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the CX-5 Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

The CX-5 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Rogue Sport has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The CX-5 Premium Plus/Turbo has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Rogue Sport’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The CX-5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Rogue Sport’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The CX-5’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rogue Sport’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The CX-5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Rogue Sport’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-5’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Rogue Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-5 Premium/Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the CX-5 and the Rogue Sport offer available heated front seats. The CX-5 Premium Plus/Turbo also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Rogue Sport.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the CX-5 Premium Plus/Turbo keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Rogue Sport doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Mazda CX-5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CX-5 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 4 of the last 5 years. The Rogue Sport has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.