Compare the2023 Mazda CX-50VS 2022 Honda Passport

The Mazda CX-50 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 Passport doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has standard Smart Brake Support-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Passport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-50. But it costs extra on the Passport.

The CX-50 Turbo Premium Plus has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Passport only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The CX-50’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Passport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-50 and the Passport 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 and rear cross-path warning.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-50’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Passport’s camshafts. If the Passport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Honda is rated below average.

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

The CX-50’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 58 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 262) than the Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

On the EPA test cycle the CX-50 gets better mileage than the Passport:

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda CX-50 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Honda Passport (3). This means the CX-50 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Passport every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the CX-50’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Passport:

For better maneuverability, the CX-50’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Passport AWD’s (36 feet vs. 39.3 feet). The CX-50’s turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the Passport’s (36 feet vs. 39.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the CX-50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Passport (8.3 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the CX-50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The CX-50 Premium/Turbo’s minimum ground clearance is .5 inch higher than on the Passport (8.6 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Mazda CX-50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the Honda Passport.

The CX-50 is 3.3 inches shorter than the Passport, making the CX-50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-50 is 5.7 inches narrower than the Passport, making the CX-50 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The CX-50 is 8.1 inches shorter in height than the Passport, making the CX-50 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The CX-50 has .8 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more rear legroom than the Passport.

The CX-50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Passport 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.

The CX-50 Premium Plus/Turbo Premium 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 Passport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-50’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Passport’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The CX-50’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 Passport’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The CX-50’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 Passport’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-50 Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Passport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-50’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Passport’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.