Compare the2024 Mazda CX-5VS 2024 BMW X5

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mazda CX-5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the CX-5. But it costs extra on the X5.

Both the CX-5 and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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, available around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

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 98 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X5 last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Mazda’s powertrain warranty covers the CX-5 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 55 percent more Mazda dealers than there are BMW dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CX-5’s warranty.

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 BMW 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, BMW is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda 2 places higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the CX-5 gets better mileage than the X5 running its gasoline engine:

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 X5 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Mazda CX-5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The X5 M60i xDrive requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

For better maneuverability, the CX-5’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the X5 M60i xDrive’s (36 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The CX-5’s turning circle is 5.3 feet tighter than the X5’s (36 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The Mazda CX-5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1150 to 1700 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The CX-5 is 1 foot, 2.1 inches shorter than the X5, making the CX-5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The CX-5 is 6.3 inches narrower than the X5, making the CX-5 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The CX-5 has 1.2 inches more front legroom and 2.2 inches more rear legroom than the X5.

The front step up height for the CX-5 is 1.9 inches lower than the X5 (17.6” vs. 19.5”). The CX-5’s rear step up height is 1.8 inches lower than the X5’s (18.2” vs. 20”).

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 X5’s liftover is 30.8 inches.

The CX-5’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the CX-5 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

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 X5’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Mazda CX-5 and the BMW X5, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Mazda CX-5 outsold the BMW X5 by over two to one during 2023.