Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2022 Kia Niro

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

Safety

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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 Niro doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CX-5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Niro doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Niro only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

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. Only the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Niro LXS/LXS SE/Touring SE/EX Premium offers rear cross-path warning.

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 Niro 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 Niro 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, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

The Mazda CX-5 weighs 494 to 750 pounds more than the Kia Niro. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 Kia Niro:

	CX-5	Niro
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	82	139
Neck Injury Risk	23%	27%
Neck Stress	274 lbs.	291 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	37 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	156	224
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	37%	80%
Neck Stress	205 lbs.	207 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 Kia Niro:

	CX-5	Niro
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	138
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	196 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	342 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	65 G’s	77 G’s
Hip Force	524 lbs.	993 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	435 lbs.	712 lbs.

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

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 Niro has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The CX-5’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Niro runs out after 100,000 miles.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Kia is ranked 9th.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 48 more horsepower (187 vs. 139) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 117 more horsepower (256 vs. 139) and 125 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 195) than the Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-5 is faster than the Kia Niro:

	CX-5 4 cyl.	CX-5 turbo 4 cyl.	Niro
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.4 sec	9.9 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	14.9 sec	17.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.4 MPH	93.6 MPH	80.3 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 Niro doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-5 has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Niro (15.3 vs. 11.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	CX-5	CX-5 Turbo	Niro
Front Rotors	11.7 inches	12.6 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.9 inches	10.3 inches

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Niro:

	CX-5	Niro
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	138 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	144 feet	152 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-5 has larger tires than the Niro (225/65R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-5 has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Niro LX/LXS/EX Premium. The CX-5 Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Niro Touring SE.

The CX-5 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Niro; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The CX-5 has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Niro doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 1.4 inches wider in the front and .8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Niro.

The CX-5 handles at .81 G’s, while the Niro LXS pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Niro LXS (27.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.6 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 2.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Niro (103.6 vs. 100.9).

The CX-5 has 1.5 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear legroom and 7 inches more rear hip room than the Niro.

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

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Niro with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Niro with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 54.5 cubic feet).

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

	CX-5	Niro
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	38”	31.8”/64”
Max Width	57”	48.2”
Min Width	41.3”	41”
Height	32.4”	36”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Niro 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 Niro doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Towing

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

Ergonomics

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 Niro 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 Niro 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 Niro’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 Niro’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes 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 Niro’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 Niro’s standard projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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

Both the CX-5 and the Niro 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 Niro.

Economic Advantages

The CX-5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CX-5 will retain 50.99% to 51.37% of its original price after five years, while the Niro only retains 44.32% to 44.64%.

Recommendations

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

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Kia Niro by over five to one during 2022.