Compare the2024 Honda CR-VVS 2024 Mazda CX-50

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Honda CR-V have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Mazda CX-50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 CR-V are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the CR-V deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The CR-V’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The CX-50’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the CR-V’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The CX-50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the CR-V and the CX-50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the CR-V for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mazda doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the CX-50.

There are almost 2 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CR-V’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Honda CR-V’s reliability 13 points higher than the CX-50.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

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

The CR-V’s standard 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 3 more horsepower (190 vs. 187) than the CX-50’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Honda CR-V turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Mazda CX-50 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the CR-V gets better mileage than the CX-50:

Regenerative brakes improve the CR-V Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Regardless of its engine, the CR-V’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip (not available Hybrid). Mazda only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the CX-50 Turbo.

The CR-V 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-50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-50 (5 to 7). This means the CR-V produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-50 every 15,000 miles.

The CR-V 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-50 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The CR-V stops shorter than the CX-50:

For better traction, the CR-V has larger tires than the CX-50 (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17).

For superior ride and handling, the Honda CR-V has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda CX-50 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The CR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the CR-V flat and controlled during cornering. The CX-50’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The CR-V EX-L AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CX-50 pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The CR-V EX-L AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CX-50 (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Honda CR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the Mazda CX-50.

The front grille of the CR-V 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-50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The CR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CX-50 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The CR-V has 5.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-50 (106 vs. 100.3).

The CR-V has .9 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front hip room, 2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-50.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the CR-V’s rear seats recline. The CX-50’s rear seats don’t recline.

The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-50 with its rear seat up (39.3 vs. 31.4 cubic feet). The CR-V has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-50 with its rear seat folded (76.5 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

The CR-V’s cargo area is larger than the CX-50’s in almost every dimension:

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the CR-V. The CX-50 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CR-V Sport Touring’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The CR-V EX/Sport has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The CR-V EX-L/Sport-L/Sport Touring’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-50 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

Both the CR-V and the CX-50 offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the CR-V has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The CX-50 doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The CR-V is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-50 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the CR-V will cost $415 to $2605 less than the CX-50 over a five-year period.

The CR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the CR-V will retain 57.72% to 58.67% of its original price after five years, while the CX-50 only retains 53.88% to 56.04%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda CR-V will be $605 to $10382 less than for the Mazda CX-50.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda CR-V and the Mazda CX-50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The CR-V was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 8 more times in the last 23 years. The CX-50 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the CR-V as their 2018 Sport Utility of the Year. The CX-50 has never been chosen.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Mazda CX-50 by over 8 to one during 2023.