Head-to-head
2026 Mazda CX-5 vs 2026 Toyota RAV4
The Mazda CX-5 edges it, 91.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips.
A
2026 Mazda CX-5
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV. The most efficient version, the CX-5 4WD, is EPA-rated at 26 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall c…
vs
A2026 Toyota RAV4
The 2026 Toyota RAV4 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid compact SUV with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RAV4, is EPA-rated at 43 mpg c…
Verdict · default weights
2026 Mazda CX-5
Slight edgeThe Mazda CX-5 edges it, 91.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips.
Fuel & range2026 Toyota RAV4 leads by 39.6
Tech & comfort2026 Mazda CX-5 leads by 39.1
Safety2026 Mazda CX-5 leads by 22.4
| Category · weight | 2026 Mazda CX-5overall 91.1 | 2026 Toyota RAV4overall 86.8 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 100 | 94 |
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 60.4 | 100 |
| Safetyw 4 | 100 | 77.6 |
| Space & cargow 2 | 93.2 | 100 |
| Performancew 2 | 85.9 | 96.9 |
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 60.9 |
| Warrantyw 2 | no data | no data |
| Overall | 91.1 | 86.8 |
Mazda CX-5: base trim 2.5 S AWD · Toyota RAV4: base trim LE FWD. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and the answer flips.
Change what matters to you →Scores are 0–100 per category from the data on this page. The weights are yours to set.
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Specifications side by side
52 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $29,990 | $31,900 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | naturally aspirated | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 4 |
| Engine displacement | 2,488 cc | 2,487 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | Skyactiv-G 2.5 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder | 2.5-liter Dynamic Force 4-cylinder, aluminum alloy block with aluminum alloy cylinder head (Atkinson Cycle) |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | D-4S |
| Valve configuration | DOHC 16-Valve | DOHC 16-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 187 hp | 226 hp |
| Torque | 186 lb-ft | 163 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 24 mpg | 47 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | 26 mpg | 43 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | 30 mpg | 40 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 4.624 | — |
| Transmission speeds | 6 | — |
| Transmission type | automatic hybrid | Electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT) with sequential shift mode |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 8 in | 8.1 in |
| Overall height | 66.7 in | 66.7 in |
| Overall length | 185 in | 181 in |
| Overall width | 73.2 in | 73 in |
| Wheelbase | 111 in | 106 in |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 1st row | 66.5 cu-ft | 70.4 cu-ft |
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 33.7 cu-ft | 37.8 cu-ft |
| Total interior volume | 140 cu-ft | 98.9 cu-ft |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 39.7 in | 37.9 in |
| Second-row headroom | 40.2 in | 39.5 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 41.7 in | 41 in |
| Second-row legroom | 39.9 in | 37.8 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 3,856 lbs | 3,640 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 3,856 lbs | 3,640 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 4,914 lbs | 4,920 lbs |
| Payload capacity | 1,058 lbs | — |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar | Independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension type | Independent multi-link with stabilizer bar | Multi-link with stabilizer bar |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Rack and pinion, electric power assist | Electric Power Steering (EPS); rack-mounted parallel-type electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 18.4 ft | 36.9 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 328 mm | 305 mm |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | ventilated disc |
| Parking brake type | Electronic | epb |
| Rear brake diameter | 325 mm | 282 mm |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 17 in | 17 in |
| Wheel material | alloy | alloy |
| Wheel width | 7 in | 7.5 in |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | P225/65 R17 | 235/65R17 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 15.3 gal | 14.5 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | 87 | 87 |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | Mazda Connect | Toyota Connected Services |
| Connected services trial (premium tier) | — | 12 months |
| Connected services trial (standard tier) | 12 months | 60 months |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 57.6 in | 57 in |
| Second-row shoulder room | 55.6 in | 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
100 features · differences first, then sharedSafety25 differ · 36 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Lane Departure Warning & Lane-keep Assist | std | — |
| Lane Departure Warning & Lane-keep Assist | std | — |
| Advanced dual front, knee, side curtain, and front and rear seat side impact airbags | std | — |
| Driver Attention Alert | std | — |
| Trailer-Sway Control (TSC) | — | std |
| Advanced 3-point seatbelts, including front and rear seat-belt pretensioners with load limiters | std | — |
| Child safety rear door locks | std | — |
| Distance & Speed Alert | std | — |
| Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and Traction Control System (TCS) | std | — |
| Electric Parking Brake (EPB) | std | — |
| Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Brake Hold | — | std |
| Emergency Lane Keeping (Blind Spot Assist, Road Keep Assist, and Head-on Traffic Avoidance) | std | — |
| Front and Rear Parking sensors | std | — |
| Front and Rear Seat Belt Reminders | std | — |
| Headlights - High Beam Control (HBC) | std | — |
| LATCH rear seat child safety seat anchors & upper tether anchors | std | — |
| Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) with Speed Limit Assist | std | — |
| Rear Seat Alert | std | — |
| Rear Smart Brake Support (SBS) with Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Pedestrian Detection | std | — |
| Secondary Collision Reduction | std | — |
| Smart Brake Support (SBS), Turn-Across Traffic, and Head-On Collison Mitigation | std | — |
| Toyota Safety Sense™ 4.0 (TSS 4.0) — Pre-Collision System w/Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD), Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control w/Eco Mode (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert w/Steering Assist (LDA w/SA), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Automatic High Beams (AHB), Road Sign Assist (RSA), Proactive Driving Assist | — | std |
| Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) | std | — |
| Vehicle Exit Warning | std | — |
| Vehicle Proximity Notification System (VPNS) | — | std |
| Backup camera with dynamic gridlines | std | std |
| Eight airbags — includes driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver's knee airbag, front passenger seat cushion airbag, and front and rear side curtain airbags | std | std |
| Eight airbags — includes driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver's knee airbag, front passenger seat cushion airbag, and front and rear side curtain airbags | std | std |
| Eight airbags — includes driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver's knee airbag, front passenger seat cushion airbag, and front and rear side curtain airbags | std | std |
| Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) | std | std |
| Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) | std | std |
| Eight airbags — includes driver and front passenger Advanced Airbag System, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags, driver's knee airbag, front passenger seat cushion airbag, and front and rear side curtain airbags | std | std |
| Hill Start Assist Control (HAC) | std | std |
| Star Safety System™ — includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA) and Smart Stop Technology® (SST) | std | std |
| Anti-theft system with engine immobilizer | std | std |
| Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) with direct pressure readout and individual tire location alert | std | std |
Infotainment18 differ · 18 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi Connect — includes AT&T Wi-Fi hotspot and Integrated Streaming (Spotify® – separate subscription required) compatibility. 1-month trial subscription for music services. Subscription required after trial. 5G network dependent. | — | std |
| 8-speaker sound system | std | — |
| 10.5-in. Toyota Audio Multimedia, six speakers, with wireless Apple CarPlay® & Android Auto™ compatibility, SiriusXM® with 360L with 3-month trial | — | std |
| 12.9" center display | std | — |
| 2 - 15w front USB-C charging ports and 1 center console media USB-C charging port | — | std |
| AM/FM/HD Radio™ | std | — |
| Apple CarPlay™ / Android Auto™ integration | std | — |
| Audio menu voice-command | std | — |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio capability | std | — |
| Drive Connect — includes Cloud Navigation with Google Points of Interest (POI) data, Intelligent Assistant with Hey, Toyota, and Destination Assist. Capable, subscription required (1-year trial on Limited AWD) | — | std |
| Drive Recorder Dash Cam-integrated drive recording system that utilizes front and rear (front and Panoramic View Monitor if equipped) camera systems for video recording | — | std |
| Google built-in capable NAVI and Voice Assistant (1-yr Free) | std | — |
| Mazda Connect™ Infotainment System | std | — |
| Remote Connect — remotely interact with your vehicle through the Toyota app. 1-year trial subscription | — | std |
| Safety Connect® — includes Emergency Assistance Button, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Automatic Collision Notification, and Stolen Vehicle Locator. 5-year minimum trial subscription | — | std |
| Service Connect — receive personalized maintenance updates and vehicle health reports. 5-year minimum trial subscription | — | std |
| Speed-sensing automatic volume control (Automatic Level control) | std | — |
| USB sockets - Front center console (Type C x 2 ports) | std | — |
Convenience3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Keyless Entry & start system | std | — |
| Power windows with one-touch down/up feature (4) | std | — |
| 12-volt power outlet (x2) | std | — |
Climate2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Dual zone automatic climate control system with dust and pollen filter and rear-seat vents | — | std |
| Dual-zone, automatic climate control | std | — |
Seating5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 60/40 split reclining fold-flat rear seat with center armrest and cup holders | — | std |
| 40/20/40 split one-touch fold-down and reclining rear seatback | std | — |
| Fabric-trimmed seats; 8-way manual-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar support; 6-way manual front passenger seat with seatback pocket | — | std |
| Seat material - cloth (Black) | std | — |
| Rear seat center armrest with integrated cup holders | std | — |
Interior9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 10.25" LCD meter display | std | — |
| 12.3-in. digital gauge cluster with customizable settings, integrated multimedia information, odometer, tripmeters, clock, outside temperature, rear passenger seatbelt indicators, fuel gauge, hybrid energy monitor, battery charge meter, fuel economy information, trip timer, shift-position and scheduled maintenance indicators, and warning messages | — | std |
| Steering wheel - tilt & telescopic | std | — |
| Steering wheel and gear selector – leather-wrapped | std | — |
| Day/night rearview mirror | — | std |
| Sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors | — | std |
| Floor mats - Carpeted | std | — |
| Storage - overhead console with sunglasses holder | std | — |
| Sun visors - dual covered vanity mirrors | std | — |
Exterior16 differ · 18 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| LED projector low- and high-beam headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs), front side marker lamp, parking lamp and front turn signal lamp with chrome accent, Automatic High Beams (AHB) auto on/off | — | std |
| 17 x 7J inch aluminum alloy wheels with Gray Metallic finish | std | — |
| Badging - AWD badge | std | — |
| Color-keyed roof-mounted shark-fin antenna | — | std |
| Dual exhaust | — | std |
| Headlights - Auto On/Off feature | std | — |
| Headlights - LED with auto-leveling | std | — |
| LED projector low- and high-beam headlights, daytime running lights (DRLs) and front side marker lamp with chrome accent, Automatic High Beams (AHB) | — | std |
| LED taillights | — | std |
| Low-profile black roof rails | — | std |
| P225/65 R17 all-season tires | std | — |
| Privacy glass on all rear side, quarter and liftgate windows | — | std |
| Rain-sensing variable intermittent windshield wipers with de-icer function and intermittent rear window wiper | std | — |
| Side Mirrors - manual folding | std | — |
| Windshield wipers - rear intermittent with washer | std | — |
| Rear Roof spoiler - body color | std | — |
| LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) | std | std |
| Spare Tire/Wheel Temporary | std | std |
Powertrain5 differ · 5 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive | std | — |
| FWD | — | std |
| Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) - Normal/ Sport /Off-road mode | std | — |
| SKYACTIV-G® 2.5 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine | std | — |
| SKYACTIV®-Drive 6-Speed AT with manual-shift mode | std | — |
Chassis4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Independent front MacPherson strut suspension with stabilizer bar | std | — |
| Independent rear multi-link suspension with stabilizer bar | std | — |
| Power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering with engine-speed-sensing variable assist | std | — |
| Power-assisted ventilated front disc brakes and rear solid disc brakes | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
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Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPMazda CX-5
Safety Signal100 A
NHTSA overall—
Frontal / side / rollover— / — / —
Recalls0
Owner complaints14 · 0 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained aboutUnspecified (6), Electrical System (5), Visibility/Wiper (3)
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Toyota RAV4
Safety Signal97 A
NHTSA overall—
Frontal / side / rollover— / — / —
Recalls1
Owner complaints28 · 2 crashes · 0 fires
Most complained aboutForward Collision Avoidance (9), Unspecified (8), Electrical System (6)
Top recalls
- minorEquipment26V571000 · 135 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Mazda CX-52.5 S AWD | Toyota RAV4LE FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,990 (base trim) | $31,900 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $29,990 5 trims | $31,900 – $43,300 9 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV |
| EPA configuration compared | CX-5 4WD | RAV4 |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 26 | 43 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,400 | $1,450 |
| 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 2026 Mazda CX-5 or the 2026 Toyota RAV4?
The Mazda CX-5 edges it, 91.1 to 86.8, on tech & comfort, safety, price. The Toyota RAV4 is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 5 and it flips. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Mazda CX-5 scores 91.1 and the 2026 Toyota RAV4 86.8. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 or the 2026 Toyota RAV4?
The 2026 Mazda CX-5 starts lower — $29,990 against $31,900, a gap of $1,910 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 or the 2026 Toyota RAV4?
2026 Mazda CX-5: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 0 recalls. 2026 Toyota RAV4: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. 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 differences between the 2026 Mazda CX-5 and the 2026 Toyota RAV4?
This page puts 52 specifications and 100 equipment items side by side, with the better value marked on every row where the direction is unambiguous and the differences listed before the things both cars share.