Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2023 Volvo XC40

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

Safety

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To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-5. But it costs extra on the XC40.

Both the CX-5 and the XC40 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 Volvo XC40:

	CX-5	XC40
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	200
Neck Injury Risk	23%	30%
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	25 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	160/307 lbs.	361/380 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	156	343
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	449/262 lbs.	397/411 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 Volvo XC40:

	CX-5	XC40
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	156 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	320 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	524 lbs.	755 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	33 G’s

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 safer than the XC40:

	CX-5	XC40
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.46 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.65 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	307	387
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	9 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 XC40 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-5 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the XC40. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the XC40 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 2 times as many Mazda dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-5’s warranty.

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 14 points higher than the XC40.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. With 76 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Volvo.

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 Volvo 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, Volvo is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Volvo is ranked 14th.

Engine

The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (256 vs. 247) and 62 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 258) than the XC40 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the CX-5 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the XC40 T5 (24 city/30 hwy vs. 23 city/30 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 XC40 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda CX-5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The XC40 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The CX-5 has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the XC40 (15.3 vs. 14.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the XC40:

	CX-5	XC40
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

The CX-5 handles at .81 G’s, while the XC40 B5 Plus 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 XC40’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 5.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the XC40 (103.6 vs. 98).

The CX-5 has .7 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear hip room than the XC40.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-5’s rear seats recline. The XC40’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the XC40 with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 20.4 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the XC40 with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 57.5 cubic feet).

The CX-5’s cargo area is larger than the XC40’s in every dimension:

	CX-5	XC40
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	38”	34.9”/65.7”
Max Width	57”	41.7”
Min Width	41.3”	39.5”
Height	32.4”	29.4”

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 XC40 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the CX-5 offers optional extendable sun visors. The XC40 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 XC40 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-5 and the Volvo XC40, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Volvo XC40 by over 8 to one during 2022.