Compare the2024 Mazda CX-5VS 2023 Honda Passport

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
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 Passport doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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 Passport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 Passport 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 Passport doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the CX-5 and the Passport 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 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 Honda Passport:

	CX-5	Passport
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	82	149
Neck Injury Risk	23%	28%
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	36 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	156	216
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	449/262 lbs.	478/436 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 Honda Passport:

	CX-5	Passport
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	81	109
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	189 lbs.	269 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	208	233
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	15 inches
Spine Acceleration	32 G’s	45 G’s
Hip Force	435 lbs.	838 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 Passport:

	CX-5	Passport
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	155	206
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	335 lbs.
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	.67 in
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	848 lbs.	1339 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	22 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	MARGINAL
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	2.05 in
Torso Deflection Rate	9 MPH	12 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	759 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 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Passport last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the CX-5’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Passport’s camshafts. If the Passport’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

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 Honda 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, Honda is rated below average.

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

Engine

The CX-5’s optional 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 58 lbs.-ft. more torque (320 vs. 262) than the Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mazda CX-5 turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Honda Passport:

	CX-5	Passport
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	14.9 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.6 MPH	89.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
CX-5
	AWD	2.5 DOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy
		2.5 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
Passport
	AWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/24 hwy

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mazda CX-5 higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Honda Passport (3). This means the CX-5 produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Passport every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The CX-5 stops much shorter than the Passport:

	CX-5	Passport
70 to 0 MPH	167 feet	181 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	135 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

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

The CX-5 Carbon Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Passport Elite (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Passport AWD’s (36 feet vs. 39.3 feet).

Chassis

The Mazda CX-5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 450 pounds less than the Honda Passport.

The CX-5 is 9 inches shorter than the Passport, making the CX-5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-5 is 6 inches narrower than the Passport, making the CX-5 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The CX-5 4x4 is 6.8 inches shorter in height than the Passport, making the CX-5 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the CX-5 is quieter than the Passport Elite (38 vs. 39 dB).

Passenger Space

The CX-5 has .2 inches more front headroom and .1 inches more front legroom than the Passport.

Cargo Capacity

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 Passport’s liftover is 32 inches.

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 Passport doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The CX-5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Passport’s parking brake has to be released manually.

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 Passport’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

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 Passport’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the CX-5 Premium/Turbo has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Passport doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The CX-5’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Passport’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Recommendations

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

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the Honda Passport by almost four to one during 2022.