Compare the2024 Kia SoulVS 2024 Mazda CX-5

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 Soul 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.

Both the Soul and CX-5 offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the Soul with Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Warning also has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The CX-5’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Soul 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

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

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 Soul is 2.2% to 2.7% less likely to roll over than the CX-5.

The Soul comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-5’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Soul 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the CX-5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the CX-5 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 42 percent more Kia dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Soul’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Soul has a 150-amp alternator. The CX-5’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Soul second among small suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The CX-5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

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

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Soul uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CX-5 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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

The Soul 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.

The Soul stops much shorter than the CX-5:

For better traction, the Soul GT-Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CX-5 (235/45R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The Soul LX/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. The Soul GT-Line’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s 55 series tires.

The Soul has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The CX-5’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Soul handles at .91 G’s, while the CX-5 Turbo Signature pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Soul executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the CX-5 (26.8 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Soul’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the CX-5’s (34.8 feet vs. 36 feet).

The Kia Soul may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 900 pounds less than the Mazda CX-5.

The Soul is 1 foot, 2.9 inches shorter than the CX-5, making the Soul easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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

The front step up height for the Soul is 1.4 inches lower than the CX-5 (16.2” vs. 17.6”). The Soul’s rear step up height is .8 inches lower than the CX-5’s (17.4” vs. 18.2”).

The Soul has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-5 with its rear seat folded (62.1 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

The Soul uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The CX-5 uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The power windows standard on both the Soul and the CX-5 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Soul 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.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Soul is less expensive to operate than the CX-5 because typical repairs cost less on the Soul than the CX-5, including $40 less for a muffler, $88 less for fuel injection, $37 less for a fuel pump and $62 less for front struts.

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