2022 Mazda CX-9 vs 2022 Toyota RAV4
The Mazda CX-9 wins clearly, 93.8 to 86, on safety, space & cargo, performance. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range.
2022 Mazda CX-9
The 2022 Mazda CX-9 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the CX-9 4WD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall c…
2022 Toyota RAV4
The 2022 Toyota RAV4 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas compact SUV with 7 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RAV4 Hybrid AWD, is EP…
2022 Mazda CX-9
Clear winThe Mazda CX-9 wins clearly, 93.8 to 86, on safety, space & cargo, performance. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range.
| Category · weight | 2022 Mazda CX-9overall 93.8 | 2022 Toyota RAV4overall 86 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | ||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 77.4 | 100 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 100 | 81.2 | ||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | ||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 100 | 71.4 | ||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | ||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 100 | 89.4 | ||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | ||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | ||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 93.8 | 86 | ||||||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 4 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Mazda CX-9
Mazda CX-9: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available) · Toyota RAV4: base trim LE FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2022 Mazda CX-9 wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 155 filed with NHTSA).
- It seats 7 against 5.
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 100 against 87).
Where the 2022 Toyota RAV4 answers
- It is rated 30 combined against 23 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It costs $600 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,100 against $2,700).
What they share
- 5 NHTSA stars.
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
47 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | — | $28,475 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Cylinder count | — | 4 |
| Engine displacement | — | 2,487 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | — | 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder, aluminum alloy block with aluminum alloy cylinder head |
| Fuel injection system | — | D-4S |
| Valve configuration | — | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | — | 203 hp |
| Torque | — | 184 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | — | 27 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 30 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | — | 35 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | — | 3.177 |
| Transmission speeds | — | 8 |
| Transmission type | — | Direct Shift 8-speed ECT-i with sequential shift mode |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | — | 8.4 in |
| Overall height | — | 67 in |
| Overall length | — | 181 in |
| Overall width | — | 73 in |
| Wheelbase | — | 106 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 1st row | — | 69.8 cu-ft |
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | — | 37.5 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | — | 98.9 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | — | 37.7 in |
| Second-row headroom | — | 39.5 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | — | 41 in |
| Second-row legroom | — | 37.8 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | — | 3,370 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | — | 3,370 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | — | 4,610 lbs |
| Payload capacity | — | 1,240 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | — | Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension type | — | Multi-link rear suspension with stabilizer bar |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | — | Electric Power Steering (EPS); electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | — | 36.1 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | — | 305 mm |
| Front brake type | — | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | — | epb |
| Rear brake diameter | — | 282 mm |
| Rear brake type | — | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | — | 17 in |
| Wheel material | — | steel |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | — | 225/65R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | — | 14.5 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | — | 57.8 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | — | 56.4 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
16 features · differences first, then sharedSafety1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) | — | std |
Exterior3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Clearance - 8.1 in. (Hybrid) / 8.4–8.6 in. (non-Hybrid) | — | std |
| Wheels and Tires - 17-in. steel wheels (LE) / 17-in. five-spoke silver alloy (XLE) / 18-in. TRD flow formed alloy (TRD) / 19-in. multi-spoke super chrome alloy (Limited) / 19-in. split five-spoke alloy (Adventure) | — | std |
| Spare Tire/Wheel - Temporary | — | std |
Powertrain5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Compression Ratio - 14.0:1 (Hybrid) / 13.0:1 (non-Hybrid) | — | std |
| Drivetrain Layout - Front-Wheel Drive / All-Wheel Drive (AWD) with Multi-Terrain Select / Dynamic Torque Vectoring AWD (TV-AWD) with Multi-Terrain Select and Rear Driveline Disconnect | — | std |
| Emission Certification - SULEV (Hybrid) / ULEV-II (non-Hybrid) | — | std |
| Engine Type - 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder, aluminum alloy block with aluminum alloy cylinder head | — | std |
| Transmission Type - Direct Shift 8-speed ECT-i (non-Hybrid) / ECVT with sequential shift mode (Hybrid) | — | std |
Chassis6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes - Front: Power-assisted Ventilated disc (12.0 in.) | — | std |
| Brakes - Rear: Solid Disc (11.1 in.) | — | std |
| Electric Power Steering (EPS); rack-mounted parallel-type electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system | — | std |
| Electronic Parking Brake | — | std |
| Suspension - Front: Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar | — | std |
| Suspension - Rear: Multi-link rear suspension with stabilizer bar | — | std |
Cargo1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Max Towing Capacity - 1,750 lbs. (Hybrid) / 1,500–3,500 lbs. (non-Hybrid) | — | std |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPMazda CX-9
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Toyota RAV4
Top recalls
- high Air Bags 22V519000 · 3,533 vehicles
- moderate Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 22V239000 · 458,110 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Mazda CX-9 | Toyota RAV4LE FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | $28,475 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | — | $28,475 – $39,780 16 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | CX-9 4WD | RAV4 |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 23 | 30 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,700 | $2,100 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | 3 yr / 36,000 mi |
| Powertrain warranty | — | 5 yr / 60,000 mi |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2022 Mazda CX-9 or the 2022 Toyota RAV4?
The Mazda CX-9 wins clearly, 93.8 to 86, on safety, space & cargo, performance. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2022 Mazda CX-9 scores 93.8 and the 2022 Toyota RAV4 86. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2022 Mazda CX-9 or the 2022 Toyota RAV4?
2022 Mazda CX-9: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 0 recalls. 2022 Toyota RAV4: 5 NHTSA stars, grade B, 2 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2022 Mazda CX-9 and the 2022 Toyota RAV4?
Where the 2022 Mazda CX-9 wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (11 against 155 filed with NHTSA), seats 7 against 5, and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 100 against 87). Where the 2022 Toyota RAV4 answers: it is rated 30 combined against 23 (EPA mpg or MPGe) and costs $600 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,100 against $2,700). What they share: 5 NHTSA stars.