Compare the2023 Toyota VenzaVS 2023 Mazda CX-5

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Venza 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.

The Toyota Venza has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The CX-5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Venza has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Venza 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 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Toyota Venza is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

	Venza	CX-5
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	340/190 lbs.	449/262 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 Toyota Venza is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

	Venza	CX-5
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.5 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	208
Spine Acceleration	49 G’s	65 G’s
Hip Force	508 lbs.	524 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	299	449

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Venza is 1.4% to 1.9% less likely to roll over than the CX-5.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the Venza for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-5.

There are over 2 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Venza’s warranty.

Reliability

The battery on the Venza is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Venza’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The CX-5’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mazda is rated lower.

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

Engine

The Venza’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 32 more horsepower (219 vs. 187) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

	Venza	CX-5
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	8.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.7 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	87.8 MPH	78.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Venza
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/37 hwy
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

The Venza can travel with zero emissions on a full charge for 1.6 miles. The CX-5 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Venza’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 Venza’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 Toyota Venza 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.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

The Venza has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Venza	CX-5
Front Rotors	12 inches	11.7 inches

The Venza stops much shorter than the CX-5:

	Venza	CX-5
70 to 0 MPH	179 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	121 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Venza LE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-5’s standard 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Venza LE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the CX-5.

Suspension and Handling

The Venza Limited handles at .79 G’s, while the CX-5 Turbo Signature pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Venza Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-5 (27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Venza has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-5 (8.2 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Venza to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Venza’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo (8.2 vs. 7.9 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Venza 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.

Passenger Space

The Venza has .3 inches more front shoulder room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

Cargo Capacity

An available locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Venza. The CX-5 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Venza’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under 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.

Ergonomics

The Venza’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, 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 Venza and the CX-5 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Venza 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.

If the windows are left open on the Venza the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the CX-5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Venza’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 Venza 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 Venza and the CX-5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Venza 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Toyota Venza has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the CX-5 Turbo offers wireless charging.

Recommendations

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Venza third among midsize 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.

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