Despite getting on in years, the Mazda CX-5 is still a massive seller. Aussies absolutely love
it. But the all new Kia Sportage is starting to make inroads, but does newer mean better?
Let's find out.
Mid-size SUVs hit the sweet spot for new car buyers more than any other type of passenger
car. They're small enough to drive and park with ease, large enough to accommodate families and
their gear, and jam-packed with useful features. The Mazda has been a perennial favorite among
Aussie buyers for years and would still be the best-selling model in its class,
if not for the juggernaut that is the Toyota RAV4. But the new generation Sportage is really
hitting its straps, winning our best mid-size SUV award and doubling its market share this year,
thanks to an all new design that brings more tech and more interior room.
Here we're comparing the popular top spec four wheel drive turbo petrol auto versions,
priced at around $50,000, the Mazda CX-5 Akera Turbo and the Kia Sportage GT line.
The Mazda was upgraded in early 2022 with these redesigned and more advanced adaptive
LED headlights. New look LED taillights were added too, but not much else. That said, the sleek and
sporty look is still appealing, accentuated by 19 inch alloy wheels, a tasteful body kit,
roof spoiler, and twin exhaust outlets. The Kia is cut from a very different and
far more daring cloth. The boomerang LED driving lights take up plenty of real estate at the front,
while a more angular design, roof rails and pumped rear wheel arches hint at a
more adventurous machine, and there's no exposed exhaust pipes like the Mazda.
Both of these SUVs are powered by punchy turbocharged four cylinder petrol engines,
but the Mazda has a bigger and more powerful donk. Crucially though,
the Kia has a more efficient engine, well at least on paper, we'll find out soon enough.
The Mazda makes use of a conventional six speed automatic transmission while the Kia
features a seven speed duel clutch automatic. All right, let's start the cabin comparison in
the Mazda, which has a very neat and tidy design that has aged well. It's not exactly what I'd
call innovative, it's fairly conservative in a lot of ways, but it's got a sensible
layout that will have broad spectrum appeal. Fit and finish is very good, and these Napa
leather seats have been updated to deliver better spinal support than before, and they are very
comfortable. The front seats are power adjustable with heating and cooling functionality as well.
Soft touch dash plastics, exposed stitching and excellent tactile feedback from all the controls,
along with a self dimming rear view mirror and heated steering wheel, contribute to an
upmarket vibe, although I've got to say these fake wood inserts are a little bit kitschy.
Storage solutions are acceptable with two mid-size spring-loaded cup holders, reasonable incidental
storage with a 12 volt socket and wireless phone charge pad. The small central bin reveals only
two USB-A ports and a second 12 volt socket, but there's no rapid charging USB-C ports.
You get three digital screens starting with this good head up display, plus there's a
small but well integrated seven inch digital driver's display with plenty of functionality,
and lastly the 10.25 inch widescreen. The central display has sharp visuals and a good menu system,
but it's not a touchscreen. That's not a problem for the most part until you use Apple CarPlay or
Android Auto, which were not designed with rotary controllers in mind, this is just infuriating.
But I do like the dual zone climate controls, compact and intuitive.
The reversing camera is pretty crisp and clear, but there's only two different views and they use
the same camera and there's no touch and drag 3D mode, which lets you manipulate that image
a bit more. You do get a 360 degree bird's eye view and parking sensors front and rear,
so you'd have to be doing something pretty special to ding the car while parking.
Alrighty, the Kia. It feels a little bit roomier and that makes sense given it's
a slightly wider vehicle than the Mazda. And the overall dash design and control layout,
especially in these areas, is actually quite similar to the Mazda, only in this
instance it is way more sophisticated. The power adjustable front seats are roughly the same size,
but the leather quality in the Kia isn't as plush. The seats aren't quite as comfortable
for my slim frame either, but bigger sorts will find them a good fit. They also get heating and
cooling like the Mazda. Material quality in the cabin is generally very good, but the soft touch
dash plastics and stitched leather aren't quite as nice and there's more exposed hard
plastics in this vehicle. It also misses out on a heated steering wheel, but it does have a self
dimming rear view mirror, and again, it gets the interesting timber like inserts of the Mazda.
Compared to the Mazda, the Kia has better storage with extra space for
bits and pieces below its folder way twin cup holders. You also get a 12 volt socket,
USB A and C ports and a wireless phone charger. The central storage bin is roughly the same size.
The Kia has more tech, it's a newer vehicle after all, and these twin 12.3 inch digital screens
housed behind a single pane of curved glass absolutely dominate the cabin. You get way more
digital real estate than in the Mazda, and it sets the tone in here, it brings this futuristic vibe,
I really like it. But oddly, there's no head up display like in the Mazda. The central touchscreen
is not necessarily easier to use than its rivals and has similar visual resolution,
but the fact that it's got a touchscreen will improve its appeal for most buyers,
especially with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That said, you can only access phone mirroring
systems via the USB-A port, which is a bit odd. The touch sensitive dual zone climate controls are
super classy, doubling as the infotainment controls in what is a cleverly executed,
intuitive and very pretty layout that also takes up less space. The digital driver's display is
also a step-up on the Mazda with clearer graphics, a larger screen, and plenty of customization.
You get a comprehensive parking technology suite in the Kia, including
a 3D parking system which you don't get in the Mazda. Front and rear parking sensors are in there
along with a very impressive blind spot camera feed that flicks on when you hit the indicator.
The Kia has a more advanced and better equipped cabin overall, and while both vehicles tick
all the basic infotainment boxes, the Kia misses out on a head up display.
These SUVs cover all the safety bases, but the newer Kia has better lane keep
assistance systems and blind spot coverage. Both models have a five star NCAP safety rating,
but the Mazda was tested back in 2017 when the regulations weren't as strict as in 2022.
Rear seat passenger space in the Mazda is so, so. Headroom is pretty good, but leg and knee
room is a little tight. But I will give it credit for these seats, they're nicely
contoured and very comfy. You get a fold down armrest with cup holders and hidden USB-A ports,
but if there's three passengers in the back, they'll be hard to access. Air vents, ISOFIX child
seat anchorages and reading lights are in there too, and I like the one touch electric windows.
There's way more legroom in the Kia and that makes sense because it is a longer vehicle,
but headroom is actually a little bit worse and you can blame the dual pane panoramic glass
roof for that. In terms of seat comfort, it's pretty much line ball. They might be a little
bit flatter and not quite as contoured as the Mazda, but it's still pretty comfy back here.
But when it comes to amenity, the Kia is streets ahead, with better positioned USB-C ports,
integrated tablet holders in the headrests, bag hooks, not to mention the air vents,
ISOFIX child seat anchorages and better reading lights. It has a fold down central armrest with
cup holders, but the rear seats aren't heated and the windows don't have one touch activation.
Both boots have power operated, hands free tailgates, but the Kia has more boot space
overall and better flexibility. That said, when we measured up the boot openings,
they're about line ball, this one is just slightly wider.
Both cars get four tie down hooks and 12 volt sockets, but only the Kia gets a boot
light. You get split folding rear seats to open up more room, with boot levers located
in both vehicles. The Mazda gets 40/20/40 split, while the Kia just gets the 60/40.
The Kia has a full size spare wheel, but the Mazda makes do with a smaller space-saving spare wheel.
There's no doubt the Kia is winning at this stage,
but can the Mazda close the gap on the road? Cue the driving music.
Driving the Mazda is an exercise in simplicity. Everything falls easily to hand, operation is
intuitive. I love the steering wheel controls, these short stubby stalks feel great. It's just
a pleasant vehicle to drive. It's very, very civilized. The 2.5 liter turbo petrol is an
absolute pearler, giving the CX-5 an attitude of quiet confidence. It's silky smooth pow delivery
and lusty bottom end makes slow speed urban driving a doddle, while its considerable power
reserves deliver addictive acceleration when you want to get a hurry on. Direct and well weighted
steering and an enthusiasm for corners and turns make this a fun to drive and engaging SUV. Now,
I wouldn't say it's exactly light on its feet, but it is a well-balanced rig and there's a
subtle sportiness about it that I quite like. The SUV's family vehicle routes haven't been
forgotten, and its chassis balance delivers good ride comfort as well. The suspension absorbs
smaller bumps easily and deals with larger knocks and obstacles without too much body movement.
We did notice the rear suspension thudding over some bigger bumps, however.
Mazda hasn't always had the quietest of engines, but this 2.5 turbo keeps a relatively low
acoustic profile at suburban speeds. It gets a little bit noisier when you drop the hammer,
but it's actually not that bad. Together with the smooth shifting six speed automatic and
a reasonably quiet cabin, refinement levels are actually very good in this car broadly speaking.
Okay, we are in the Kia now and right away there's a greater sense of sophistication about the way it
sits on the road, the way it behaves. The steering is not quite as nice as in the Mazda, doesn't have
the weight, it's a little bit lighter, but it is probably a little bit more responsive and
there is certainly a real sense of involvement when you get behind the wheel in this one.
The smaller and significantly less powerful engine doesn't have the muscular low end response of the
Mazda, but it still generates enough torque to propel the car quickly from standstill. While
the dual clutch automatic transmission is a more advanced gear box with faster and sportier shifts
and an extra gear, I actually prefer the Mazda's conventional gear box for its smoother response,
especially at lower speeds and potentially cheaper repair costs if something goes wrong.
Handling dynamics are better in the Kia. It turns into corners more keenly, it tracks through them
with more confidence and enthusiasm, and it is a more engaging vehicle to drive.
I guess you could say that Sportage name is warranted, after all.
Kia's decision to develop a unique suspension tune for the Australian marketplace feels like a
smart move. But it's not just a sporty number, it offers better ride comfort than the Mazda as well,
soaking up bumps and lumps with more composure and settling quicker after
traversing speed bumps, for example. In terms of refinement levels,
I was expecting the Kia to blow the Mazda out of the water in every respect, but it doesn't.
The engine in the Kia is a little bit louder, a little bit coarser, but most other elements,
the Kia wins out. The suspension doesn't thump and bump as loudly over speed bumps and big
ructions and road noise, tire noise is probably a little bit better damped in this vehicle as well.
Visibility out the front and sides is pretty good, but like its Japanese rival,
rearward vision is poor, especially if you've got extra heads in the back seat.
In the name of efficiency, neither vehicle lived up to its fuel efficiency claim,
but we did find the Kia to be more efficient,
which is no surprise given its much smaller engine and more advanced transmission.
Despite higher average annual service prices, the Kia should have lower ownership costs by virtue
of its $4,000 cheaper purchase price and lower fuel costs. The Kia also has a better warranty,
but the curveball here is retained value, with the Mazda depreciating less historically speaking.
The Mazda CX-5 is the second best-selling mid-size SUV in Australia for good reason. It looks great,
drives well, has a handsome equipment list, and way more positives than negatives. But the Koreans
have done their homework and the Kia Sportage is now one of the most compelling SUVs in its class.
Yep, the Kia is a clear winner in this test with more interior space, more technology,
and some really novel touches that show the brand is listening to what customers really want.
Thanks so much for watching, we hope you enjoyed that. You can check out
more videos here and here or on the Carsales YouTube channel, and if you want all the news
up to date when we're publishing new stuff, don't forget to subscribe.