Compare the2024 Kia NiroVS 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 Niro 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.

The Kia Niro has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The CX-5 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Niro’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-5 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Niro and CX-5 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Niro 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 Niro 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available front and rear parking sensors.

The Niro 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 Niro 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 Niro’s warranty.

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.

The Niro’s 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid produces 10 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 185) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

Regenerative brakes improve the Niro’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Niro 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 Niro higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-5 (5 to 7). This means the Niro produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-5 every 15,000 miles.

The Niro offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Niro stops much shorter than the CX-5:

The Niro’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 Niro Touring’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s 55 series tires.

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

The Niro SX handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-5 pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Niro SX executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-5 (27.9 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

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

The Kia Niro may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 700 pounds less than the Mazda CX-5.

The Niro is 6.1 inches shorter than the CX-5, making the Niro easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Niro uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The CX-5 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Niro has .8 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more rear headroom, .2 inches more rear legroom and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

The Niro has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-5 with its rear seat folded (63.7 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Niro’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Niro 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 Niro SX’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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

On a hot day the Niro’s driver can lower the front windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CX-5 can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Niro’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Mazda only offers heated mirrors on the CX-5 Premium/Turbo.

When the Niro SX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The CX-5’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Niro has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the CX-5 Select/Preferred/Carbon Edition/Premium/Turbo.

Both the Niro and the CX-5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Niro EX/SX has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-5 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

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