Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2022 Honda HR-V

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
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 HR-V 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 HR-V 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 HR-V.

The CX-5 Turbo Signature has a standard 360° Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The HR-V only offers a rear monitor.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5’s standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The HR-V doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

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 HR-V doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The CX-5 has standard E911 Automatic Emergency Notification, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The HR-V doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the CX-5 and the HR-V 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, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The Mazda CX-5 weighs 586 to 961 pounds more than the Honda HR-V. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 Honda HR-V:

	CX-5	HR-V
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	82	481
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	156	205
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	41%
Neck Stress	205 lbs.	218 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	449/262 lbs.	574/500 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 Honda HR-V:

	CX-5	HR-V
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	148
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	158 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	321 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	357
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	799 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 HR-V:

	CX-5	HR-V
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	POOR
Structure	GOOD	POOR
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	155	325
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.34 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	7 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	359
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	112 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.42 in	1.57 in
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.57 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	1316 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 HR-V last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2018.

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 17 points higher than the HR-V.

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 Honda vehicles. With 3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Honda.

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 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Honda is ranked fifth.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 46 more horsepower (187 vs. 141) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (186 vs. 127) than the HR-V’s 1.8 SOHC 4-cylinder. The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 115 more horsepower (256 vs. 141) and 193 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 127) than the HR-V’s 1.8 SOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mazda CX-5 is faster than the Honda HR-V:

	CX-5 4 cyl.	CX-5 turbo 4 cyl.	HR-V
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	2.1 sec	4.3 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	8.6 sec	6.1 sec	10.5 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	5.4 sec	3.2 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	16.6 sec	14.7 sec	18.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	85 MPH	94 MPH	81.1 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 HR-V doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-5 has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the HR-V (15.3 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Mazda CX-5 as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Honda HR-V is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	CX-5	CX-5 Turbo	HR-V
Front Rotors	11.7 inches	12.6 inches	11.5 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.9 inches	11.1 inches

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the HR-V:

	CX-5	HR-V
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	183 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-5 has larger tires than the HR-V (225/65R17 vs. 215/55R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-5 Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo has standard 19-inch wheels. The HR-V’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Mazda CX-5 has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Honda HR-V has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CX-5 has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CX-5 flat and controlled during cornering. The HR-V 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-5’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than on the HR-V (106.2 inches vs. 102.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the HR-V.

The CX-5 handles at .82 G’s, while the HR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the HR-V’s (36 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The CX-5’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the HR-V Sport’s (36 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the CX-5 is quieter than the HR-V EX-L AWD:

	CX-5	HR-V
At idle	38 dB	41 dB
Full-Throttle	76 dB	77 dB
70 MPH Cruising	66 dB	71 dB

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the HR-V (103.6 vs. 100.1).

The CX-5 has .2 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom, 7.9 inches more rear hip room and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the HR-V.

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the HR-V with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 24.3 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the HR-V with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 58.8 cubic feet).

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

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

Towing

The CX-5 has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The HR-V has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The CX-5 offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The HR-V doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When two different drivers share the CX-5 Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The HR-V doesn’t offer memory seats.

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 HR-V doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 HR-V’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

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 HR-V LX/Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. The HR-V EX/EX-L’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The CX-5’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the HR-V’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The CX-5’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the HR-V’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

The CX-5 has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The HR-V has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the EX/EX-L.

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 HR-V doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Both the CX-5 and the HR-V 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 HR-V.

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 HR-V doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the CX-5 Premium Plus/Turbo’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The HR-V doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The CX-5 has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The HR-V doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo’s 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. The HR-V doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the CX-5 and the HR-V offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The HR-V 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 Mazda CX-5 Turbo has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. The HR-V doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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 HR-V 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 HR-V because it costs $36 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the CX-5 than the HR-V, including $80 less for a water pump, $267 less for a starter, $139 less for a fuel pump, $48 less for a timing belt/chain and $165 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

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

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Honda HR-V by 31% during 2022.