Compare the2023 Mazda CX-5VS 2023 Jeep Renegade

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

Safety

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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 Renegade 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 Turbo Signature’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Renegade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-5 and the Renegade 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

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 Jeep Renegade:

	CX-5	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	82	207
Neck Injury Risk	23%	26%
Neck Stress	274 lbs.	332 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	160/307 lbs.	343/366 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	156	363
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	205 lbs.	221 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 Jeep Renegade:

	CX-5	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	161
Chest Movement	.5 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	126 lbs.	161 lbs.
Hip Force	189 lbs.	328 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	208	286
Spine Acceleration	65 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	524 lbs.	1157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	625 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 much safer than the Renegade:

	CX-5	Renegade
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	89 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.02 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	245 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1249 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	45 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.42 in	1.85 in
Shoulder Force	424 lbs.	446 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	9 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	982 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 Renegade last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2018.

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 41 points higher than the Renegade.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. With 19 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mazda higher than Jeep.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

Engine

The CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (187 vs. 177) than the Renegade’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 Renegade’s 1.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-5 is faster than the Jeep Renegade:

	CX-5 4 cyl.	CX-5 turbo 4 cyl.	Renegade
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	6.4 sec	9.3 sec
Quarter Mile	16.3 sec	14.9 sec	17.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	80.4 MPH	93.6 MPH	78.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/30 hwy
Renegade
	AWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		Trailhawk 1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

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 Renegade 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 Renegade (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 Renegade:

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

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Renegade:

	CX-5	Renegade
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

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 Renegade doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the CX-5 is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Renegade.

The CX-5 handles at .82 G’s, while the Renegade Latitude pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CX-5 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Renegade Trailhawk (27.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

Chassis

For excellent aerodynamics, the CX-5 has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Renegade (103.6 vs. 100.1).

The CX-5 has 2.1 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 4.5 inches more rear legroom and 3.4 inches more rear hip room than the Renegade.

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

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

Cargo Capacity

The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (30.8 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The CX-5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 50.8 cubic feet).

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

	CX-5	Renegade
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	38”	28.9”/59”
Max Width	57”	40.1”
Min Width	41.3”	37.6”
Height	32.4”	33.7”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the CX-5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Renegade’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or 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 Renegade doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Renegade Latitude/Altitude/(Red)’s standard 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 Renegade’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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

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 Renegade’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “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 Renegade only offers an automatic headlight on/off feature as an extra cost option.

The Renegade’s optional 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 Renegade 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 Renegade.

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 Renegade doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Renegade doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the CX-5 and the Renegade offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Renegade 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 Mazda CX-5 Turbo has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. The Renegade 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 Renegade is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the CX-5 is less expensive to operate than the Renegade because it costs $236 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the CX-5 than the Renegade, including $143 less for a water pump, $72 less for a muffler, $160 less for front brake pads, $370 less for a starter, $60 less for a fuel pump, $263 less for front struts and $154 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

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

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Jeep Renegade by almost six to one during 2022.