Compare the2023 Hyundai Tucson HybridVS 2023 Mazda CX-5

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Tucson Hybrid are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson Hybrid’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-5 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Tucson Hybrid and the CX-5 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Tucson Hybrid comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-5’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson Hybrid 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-5 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson Hybrid’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the CX-5’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson Hybrid for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-5.

There are over 52 percent more Hyundai dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Tucson Hybrid’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

The Tucson Hybrid’s 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 39 more horsepower (226 vs. 187) and 72 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 186) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is faster than the Mazda CX-5 4 cyl.:

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

Regenerative brakes improve the Tucson Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Tucson Hybrid’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-5 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-5 (5 to 7). This means the Tucson Hybrid produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-5 every 15,000 miles.

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

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

For better traction, the Tucson Hybrid has larger tires than the CX-5 (235/65R17 vs. 225/65R17).

The Tucson Hybrid has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson Hybrid’s wheelbase is 2.3 inches longer than on the CX-5 (108.5 inches vs. 106.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson Hybrid is .9 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the CX-5.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-5 Turbo Signature pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the CX-5 (27.4 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Tucson Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-5 (8.3 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Tucson Hybrid to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Tucson Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is .4 inch higher than on the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo (8.3 vs. 7.9 inches).

The front grille of the Tucson Hybrid uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Tucson Hybrid Limited is quieter than the CX-5 Turbo Signature:

The Tucson Hybrid has 4.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-5 (107.9 vs. 103.6).

The Tucson Hybrid has .4 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-5 with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 30.8 cubic feet). The Tucson Hybrid has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-5 with its rear seat folded (74.5 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson Hybrid’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson Hybrid uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the Tucson Hybrid and the CX-5 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson Hybrid is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-5 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Tucson Hybrid’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

The Tucson Hybrid’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-5 Premium/Turbo.

The Tucson Hybrid has a 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. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo.

Both the Tucson Hybrid and the CX-5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson Hybrid has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-5 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Tucson Hybrid Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Tucson Hybrid third among compact suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The CX-5 isn’t in the top three.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Mazda CX-5 by 9% during the 2022 model year.