Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2022 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
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 Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The CX-5 has a standard blind spot warning system which 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 Rav4 Hybrid’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Rav4 Hybrid.

Both the CX-5 and the Rav4 Hybrid 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, 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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5	Rav4 Hybrid
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	82	152
Neck Injury Risk	23%	29.3%
Neck Stress	274 lbs.	306 lbs.
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	56 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	160/307 lbs.	400/388 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	156	284
Neck Injury Risk	37%	37.4%
Neck Stress	205 lbs.	258 lbs.
Neck Compression	86 lbs.	95 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 Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5	Rav4 Hybrid
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	83
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	138 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	246 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	36 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	835 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 safer than the Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5	Rav4 Hybrid
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	307	542
Head Peak Forces	no contact	104 G’s
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the CX-5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 93 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Rav4 Hybrid is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2022.

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 36 points higher than the Rav4 Hybrid.

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

Engine

The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 37 more horsepower (256 vs. 219) than the Rav4 Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-5 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Toyota Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5	Rav4 Hybrid
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	15.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.6 MPH	90.4 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 Rav4 Hybrid 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 Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5 Turbo	Rav4 Hybrid
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.1 inches

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Rav4 Hybrid:

	CX-5	Rav4 Hybrid
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	143 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	144 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The CX-5 Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Rav4 Hybrid’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the CX-5 Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo has standard 19-inch wheels. The Rav4 Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

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 Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The CX-5 handles at .81 G’s, while the Rav4 Hybrid XSE pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CX-5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Rav4 Hybrid XSE (27.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 4.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Rav4 Hybrid (103.6 vs. 98.9).

The CX-5 has .2 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and 7.6 inches more rear hip room than the Rav4 Hybrid.

The front step up height for the CX-5 is 1.4 inches lower than the Rav4 Hybrid (17.6” vs. 19”). The CX-5’s rear step up height is .4 inches lower than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (18.2” vs. 18.6”).

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The CX-5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Rav4 Hybrid’s (2000 vs. 1750 pounds).

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 Rav4 Hybrid doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Rav4 Hybrid’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Rav4 Hybrid LE’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

Consumer Reports rated the CX-5’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Rav4 Hybrid’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

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 Rav4 Hybrid has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the XLE/SE/XSE/Limited.

Recommendations

Both are recommended, but Consumer Reports® chose the Mazda CX-5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CX-5 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 4 of the last 5 years. The Rav4 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.