2022 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2022 Kia Sportage

2020 Kia Sportage ・ Photo by Kia

The Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage are well-regarded vehicles in the crowded and ever-growing compact crossover SUV segment. The CX-5 has leveraged its “driver’s car” persona to capture the hearts and minds of vehicle reviewers the world over. One of the first of the small SUVs, the Sportage has relied on its value-for-money story to carve out its piece of the market.  While the two vehicles have somewhat different characters, both crossovers have standard powertrains that feature normally aspirated 4-cylinder engines. For those who want more spice, turbocharged four-cylinder engines turn up the heat. Front-drive is the standard configuration in the Sportage with all-wheel-drive widely available, while the CX-5 has gone all-wheel-drive only for 2022. Both the CX-5 and Sportage have 5-passenger interior accommodations. Mazda flirts with being a premium brand and Kia revels in its value-brand status, but interestingly, the two vehicles are much more closely priced than you might guess. Here is our comparison of the 2022 Mazda CX-5 and 2022 Kia Sportage.

Exterior Style

In terms of exterior design, the 2022 Kia Sportage looks smaller than the 2022 Mazda CX-5. Where the Mazda has a very bold grille in the European idiom, the Sportage presents a more modest face with a tapered hood-line. The Sportage wheels are pushed out to the corners, while the CX-5 has a very long front overhang. Of course, another reason the Mazda CX-5 looks bigger than the Kia Sportage is the fact that it is bigger. The Mazda is almost four inches longer and almost 1 inch taller. Interestingly, though, it has a narrower track than the Sportage. Crossover SUVs don’t typically win fans for their styling, but the Mazda CX-5 does grab its share of attention and might win a visual comparison with some luxury SUVs. In comparison, the 2022 Sportage looks a bit modest, and we expect that will be rectified when the all-new 2023 Sportage arrives on the scene.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Interior Design

Interior is a place where both Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage shine brightly. Both vehicles can transport five passengers in comfort and enable those passengers to bring plenty of gear. But that’s the beginning. Both vehicles have interiors that would feel very appropriate in luxury-brand crossovers of the same size. The European influence is evident in both CX-5 and Sportage cabins. The base CX-5 Sport comes with niceties like a 10.25-inch center display, and the CX-5 Touring adds heated driver and front passenger seats, leatherette seat upholstery, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Keyless entry, rear privacy glass, 6-speaker sound system are additional upgrades. The Kia Sportage is right there with its own load of features; two-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, keyless proximity entry, and a power-operated liftgate are standard across the board. Leather seats, a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof are among upscale features that are contained in a price-accessible package.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Infotainment & Technology

Both the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 offer leading-edge infotainment systems. First-time users will probably find the Mazda system harder to use than the Kia system, however. The CX-5 headlines with one of the largest digital displays in its class, and it integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto seamlessly. Two USB ports and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard. Navigation and a Bose 10-speaker premium Kiao system are available in the higher trims. Using the current Mazda infotainment system to its fullest requires a bit of learning, but once mastered, it works just fine. One place the Sportage shows its age is the size of its display screen. An 8-inch touchscreen is fitted in every 2022 Sportage, and while that’s not as large as the Mazda’s screen, it is still competitive in the segment. The Kia infotainment system’s operation is far more straightforward than the CX-5’s. It, too, seamlessly integrates Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. To the delight of Luddites everywhere, it employs a variety of knobs and buttons.

: Kia Sportage

Photo by Kia

Powertrains

The Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 offer very similar powertrain options. The Kia Sportage offers the choice of a 181-horsepower normally aspirated 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine or a 237-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder. Both are backed by conventional six-speed automatic transmissions. Kia limits the availability of the turbocharged powerplant to the SX Turbo trim. The CX-5 offers the choice of a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a turbocharged version of the engine. The base 2.5-liter engine delivers 187 horsepower, and it is backed by a six-speed conventional automatic transmission with manual shift and sport modes. The more powerful engine has different power ratings depending upon fuel choice. It produces 250 horsepower and 320 lb.-ft. of torque on premium gas and 227 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque on regular. It uses a six-speed automatic transmission as well. As previously mentioned, the Sportage is offered in front- and all-wheel drive. The CX-5 is all-wheel-drive only for 2022.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Driving Impressions

The Mazda CX-5 is a perennial favorite of enthusiasts and car reviewers alike. With that established, the Kia Sportage’s performance in comparison is impressive. With their base engines, the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5 deliver some real fun-to-drive thrills along with a comfortable, controlled ride. Power is more than adequate and acceleration from a standstill is noteworthy. Things get that much better with the turbocharged engines. With 250 horsepower versus the 187 horsepower of the base CX-5, the difference in engine performance is more vivid in the Mazda than in the Kia. The Sportage’s turbo motor has 237 horsepower versus 181 horsepower in the non-turbo vehicle, and given the Sportage’s role in life, we might opt for the base engine and pocket the difference in price. After all, high performance isn’t job one for either compact crossover. What is obvious is the fact that both are more fun to drive than the bulk of their competitors.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Safety & Driver Aids

Both the Kia Sportage and the Mazda CX-5 promise to be exceptionally safe vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives both the front-drive and all-wheel-drive versions of the CX-5 a five-star safety rating, the organization's highest honor. In addition, the CX-5 was chosen as a Top Safety Pick+ by the by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Those are high honors, but the Kia Sportage comes close to matching them. It, too, is a five-star winner in the NHTSA Five-Star Safety Ratings program. And the Kia was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS. The Mazda CX-5’s i-Activsense safety features include Mazda Radar Cruise Control with stop and go function, Advanced Smart City Brake Support with Pedestrian Detection, Smart Brake Support, Lane Departure Warning with Lane-Keep Assist, and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. Standard Kia Drive Wise Advanced Driver Assistance Features include forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, driver attention warning, and high beam assist. Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on Nightfall Edition, EX, and SX Turbo trims and is available on the LX.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Interior Space & Cargo Carrying

The Mazda CX-5 is longer than the Kia Sportage, so you might assume that it has more cargo-carrying ability than the Sportage... But it doesn’t. The cargo areas are remarkably similar. The Mazda CX-5 has 30 cubic feet of cargo space, while the Sportage has 30.7 cubic feet. The CX-5 offers 59.3 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats folded away, and the Sportage offers a nearly identical 60.1 cubic feet. Before the two vehicle manufacturers share high fives, however, it should be noted that many of the competitors in the segment offer significantly more cargo space than the Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage. We expect the next iteration of the Sportage, which is coming soon, will offer more cargo area as well. Neither vehicle is at the top for towing ability, but when properly equipped, each will tow 2,000 pounds.

: Tie

Photo by Kia

Fuel Economy

When it comes to fuel economy numbers, the base CX-5 narrowly outdoes the conventionally powered base Sportage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the base all-wheel-drive CX-5 with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivers an estimated 24 mpg during city driving and 30 mpg on the highway. The all-wheel-drive CX-5 with the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine offers 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. In comparison a conventional front-drive base Kia Sportage is EPA-rated to get an estimated 23 mpg during city driving and 30 mpg on the highway. With the turbocharged four-cylinder, the Sportage is estimated to get 20 mpg during city driving and 28 mpg on the highway. A conventional front-drive Honda CR-V is EPA-rated to get an estimated 28 mpg city/34 mpg highway. So if fuel economy is your thing, other choices might be better.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda

Pricing & Value

As has become very plain, the two vehicles are not just closely matched in terms of capabilities, features, and interior space. An interesting fact is they are also closely matched in price. Despite Mazda’s near-premium rep and Kia’s value-car status, the CX-5 and Sportage cost about the same.The base CX-5 has a base price that is higher than the Sportage by nearly $2,000. But when you add all-wheel-drive to the Sportage, the gap narrows to less than $500. With AWD, both vehicles have suggested retail prices around $26,000. The most expensive Kia Sportage has a suggested retail price of a bit over $35,000. The top-of-the-line CX-5 turbo has an MSRP of about $38,000. Depending upon what you value, you could make the case that either one is the better value.

: Kia Sportage

Photo by Kia

The Winner

In many ways, this comparison isn’t a fair fight. The Mazda CX-5 is one of the prime products from a brand that has consistently flirted with premium status. The Kia Sportage, nearing the end of this generation, comes from a brand that has traditionally emphasized value and a long warranty. All that said, the results of this comparison are very close. Someone who chooses a CX-5 might well be equally pleased with the choice of a Sportage, and vice-versa. The Kia Sportage doesn’t have the curb appeal of the Mazda CX-5, but its interior is nearly as pleasing as the highly praised Mazda’s. Its infotainment system is easier to use than the CX5’s too. On the other hand, the Mazda CX-5 offers a slightly better interior, standard all-wheel-drive, and more powerful base and optional engines. Both vehicles will offer many seasons of driving enjoyment and convenience.  Though the 2022 Kia Sportage acquitted itself well, the 2022 Mazda CX-5 is the overall winner.

: Mazda CX-5

Photo by Mazda