Compare the2024 Jeep CompassVS 2024 Mazda CX-5

The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CX-5 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 Compass 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 Jeep Compass 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 Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-5 doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

Compared to metal, the Compass’ plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-5 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Compass 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, 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 Jeep Compass is safer than the Mazda CX-5:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-5.

There are over 4 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Compass’ warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Compass has a standard 180-amp alternator. The CX-5’s standard 100-amp alternator and largest (GT Reserve/Signature) 150-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 more horsepower (200 vs. 187) and 36 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 185) than the CX-5’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

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

On the EPA test cycle the Compass gets better fuel mileage than the CX-5 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder (24 city/32 hwy vs. 22 city/27 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Compass 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.

The Compass has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Jeep Compass, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the CX-5.

For better stopping power the Compass’ standard front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-5:

The Compass stops much shorter than the CX-5:

For better traction, the Compass Limited’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CX-5 (235/45R19 vs. 225/65R17).

The Compass Limited’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo’s 55 series tires.

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the CX-5; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Compass 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 Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The CX-5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Compass Sport handles at .81 G’s, while the CX-5 Turbo Signature pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Compass Trailhawk’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the CX-5’s (35.3 feet vs. 36 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Compass has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CX-5 (8.1 vs. 7.6 inches), allowing the Compass to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Compass Trailhawk’s minimum ground clearance is .7 inch higher than on the CX-5 Carbon/Premium/Turbo (8.6 vs. 7.9 inches).

The Compass is 6.7 inches shorter than the CX-5, making the Compass easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Compass has .2 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-5.

The Compass has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-5 with its rear seat folded (59.8 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Compass’ liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under 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.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Compass uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The CX-5 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Compass’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The CX-5 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

The Compass’ power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The CX-5’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Compass’ 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.

Both the Compass and the CX-5 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Compass 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.

The Compass (except Sport) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The CX-5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The CX-5 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Compass is less expensive to operate than the CX-5 because it costs $263 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Compass than the CX-5, including $8 less for a muffler, $17 less for a starter, $234 less for fuel injection and $245 less for a power steering pump.