Out of all the Japanese automakers out there, Honda and Mazda might be the two that are most different from each other. Honda is all about reliability, quality, and utility, while Mazda puts a lot of effort into style, the drive experience, and curb appeal. When it comes to smaller SUVs, each of these two automakers has an offering that exemplifies these values.
Car shoppers must decide what values are most important to them so they can know for sure that they’re getting the right small crossover. The 2020 Honda CR-V may be compact, but it makes compact feel spacious. The 2020 Mazda CX-5 may be flashy, but it has plenty to like besides its outer styling, so compare each vehicle with the following chart of available features.
2020 Honda CR-V |
Versus |
2020 Mazda CX-5 |
Turbocharged | Engine Type | Traditional |
Available | Center Limited Slip Differential | Available |
9-Speaker, 1-Subwoofer, 330-Watt Sound System | Sound System Specifications | 10-Speaker Bose® Sound System with 1 Subwoofer |
145.1 Cubic Feet (LX Trim) | EPA Interior Volume | 134.5 Cubic Feet (Touring Trim) |
Comparing these two vehicles is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. Some will just prefer one over the other, but the Honda CR-V has a good chance of having better overall preferability than the Mazda CX-5 for plenty of drivers. The turbocharged engine gives the CR-V a bit of energy not found on the CX-5. Both support their engines well with Center Limited Slip Differentials, but the biggest differences come on the inside. The Honda CR-V has more interior space. Honda is well known for making their own sound systems instead of licensing someone else’s, so even one speaker short, you can count on the CR-V having a sound system tuned well for the vehicle’s interior space in ways the CX-5 and its sound system won’t.