Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2023 GMC Terrain

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

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The GMC Terrain doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Terrain doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The CX-5 Turbo Signature has standard Smart Brake Support-Rear that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Terrain doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The CX-5 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Terrain’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. GMC charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Terrain.

The CX-5 Turbo Signature’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 Terrain doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-5 and the Terrain have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view 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 GMC Terrain:

	CX-5	Terrain
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	159
Leg Forces (l/r)	160/307 lbs.	363/349 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	156	376
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches

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 GMC Terrain:

	CX-5	Terrain
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	109
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1.1 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	195 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	357 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	288
Hip Force	524 lbs.	630 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	730 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mazda CX-5 is much safer than the Terrain:

	CX-5	Terrain
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.73 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Injury Criterion	307	733
Head Peak Forces	no contact	101 G’s
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	89 lbs.
Neck Compression	245 lbs.	491 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.42 in	1.65 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.57 in
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	669 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-5 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 53 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Terrain last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

The CX-5’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Terrain’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the CX-5’s reliability 25 points higher than the Terrain.

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 GMC 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, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 21st.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 12 more horsepower (187 vs. 175) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 81 more horsepower (256 vs. 175) and 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 203) than the Terrain’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 hwy

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 Terrain 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 Terrain:

	CX-5 Turbo	Terrain
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11.8 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.3 inches

Suspension and Handling

The CX-5 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CX-5 flat and controlled during cornering. The Terrain’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The CX-5 handles at .81 G’s, while the Terrain Denali AWD pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Terrain w/17” wheels’ (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The CX-5’s turning circle is 5.6 feet tighter than the Terrain w/19” wheels’ (36 feet vs. 41.6 feet).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has .1 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front hip room, .5 inches more rear headroom and 3.5 inches more rear hip room than the Terrain.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume than the Terrain with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 29.6 cubic feet).

Towing

The CX-5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Terrain’s (2000 vs. 1500 pounds).

Ergonomics

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

The CX-5 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Terrain doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Terrain’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-5’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Terrain’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 Terrain doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the CX-5 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the CX-5 with a number “1” insurance rate while the Terrain is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the CX-5 is less expensive to operate than the Terrain because it costs $573 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the CX-5 than the Terrain, including $239 less for a water pump, $575 less for a muffler, $162 less for front brake pads, $67 less for a starter, $115 less for fuel injection, $421 less for a fuel pump, $427 less for a timing belt/chain and $301 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mazda CX-5 will be $1801 to $10077 less than for the GMC Terrain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The GMC Terrain isn't recommended.

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the GMC Terrain by 75% during 2022.