Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2023 Fiat 500X

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

Safety

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Smart City Brake Support in the CX-5 as “Superior.” The 500X scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

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 500X doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The CX-5’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the 500X and is only available on 500X Sport.

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 500X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the 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. A system to reveal vehicles in the 500X’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the CX-5 has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Fiat charges extra for Rear Cross Path Detection on the 500X, and only on the Sport.

Both the CX-5 and the 500X 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, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

The Mazda CX-5 weighs 423 to 562 pounds more than the Fiat 500X. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 500X last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-5 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500X. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500X ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 51 percent more Mazda dealers than there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-5’s warranty.

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 46 points higher than the 500X.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (187 vs. 177) than the 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder. The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 79 more horsepower (256 vs. 177) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 210) than the 500X’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

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 500X doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The CX-5 has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the 500X (15.3 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the CX-5 Turbo’s brake rotors are larger than those on the 500X:

	CX-5 Turbo	500X
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	12 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	10.95 inches

The CX-5 stops shorter than the 500X:

	CX-5	500X
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	144 feet	146 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the CX-5 has larger tires than the 500X (225/65R17 vs. 215/60R17).

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CX-5’s wheelbase is 5 inches longer than on the 500X (106.2 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the 500X.

The CX-5’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (57% to 43%) than the 500X’s (60.3% to 39.7%). This gives the CX-5 more stable handling and braking.

The CX-5 handles at .82 G’s, while the 500X pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the 500X (27.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 11.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the 500X (103.6 vs. 91.7).

The CX-5 has .6 inches more front headroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 4.8 inches more rear legroom, 3.1 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500X.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CX-5’s rear seats recline. The 500X’s rear seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the CX-5 is 1.8 inches lower than the 500X (17.6” vs. 19.4”). The CX-5’s rear step up height is 1.4 inches lower than the 500X’s (18.2” vs. 19.6”).

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the 500X with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 14.1 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the 500X with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 39.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the CX-5 easier. The CX-5’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.4 inches, while the 500X’s liftover is 31.4 inches.

The CX-5’s cargo area is larger than the 500X’s in every dimension:

	CX-5	500X
Length	38”	n/a
Max Width	57”	41.3”
Min Width	41.3”	37.8”
Height	32.4”	28.8”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The 500X 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 500X doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

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 500X 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 500X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The 500X’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The CX-5 has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The 500X doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 500X’s headlights are rated “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 500X only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

The 500X Sport’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The CX-5 Premium/Turbo’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Both the CX-5 and the 500X 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 500X.

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 500X 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 500X 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 500X doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-5 has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The 500X doesn’t offer rear 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 500X 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 500X is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

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 500X only retains 36.13% to 38.37%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the CX-5 is less expensive to operate than the 500X because typical repairs cost much less on the CX-5 than the 500X, including $223 less for a water pump, $5 less for front brake pads, $56 less for fuel injection, $254 less for a fuel pump and $79 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Mazda CX-5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Fiat 500X isn't recommended.

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Fiat 500X by over 173 to one during 2022.